Can someone explain Pandora to me?

[KaycePollard]

Every Christmas time, I see people in a long queue outside the Pandora shop. It's started again this year. What is the deal with Pandora? It looks like fairly bland mass-produced stuff to me, but it seems pricey for what it is. I'm fascinated to know what the attraction is?

They have moved on immensely since they started - now selling lab created diamond jewellery and pendant necklaces . They are reasonably priced and sell "build on " jewellery . They have bright , clean stores with lots on display and clearly marked prices . It is easy for people to shop there .

I live near a QVC store and every single day, not just at Christmas, people are queuing before 9am to get inside. It baffles me no end, the place is like a jumble sale IMO, but I put it down to people being different and wouldn't feel the need to write a thread about it...

The brilliant idea of Pandora compared to the old-fashioned charm bracelets is that you just slot the new charm on, instead of having to send it off to be soldered (at great expense and inconvenience.)
I had a lovely silver charm bracelet as a child, but getting the new charms fitted was always a pain.

This is most definitely a goady post.

I think the people queuing are doing lazy shopping. They see it as an easy option where they don’t really have to think of the person that they are buying for.

It’s the lynx gift set for women.

It’s literally the only high street store I consistently see queues out of in the run up to Christmas. The only thing I’ve ever seen that comes close is the queue for A&F on 5th Avenue (which I also don’t get).

I don’t think it goady to wonder why it’s worth queuing for.

I quite like Pandora rings, my eternity ring is a Pandora, can't afford anything more. Other people must like them as my Pandora wreath ring was bloody stolen.
For charms I prefer silver Trollbeads with a leather bracelet, I'm not keen on the catches on Pandora bracelets.
Meh to the people using words like chavvy, this kind of thread brings out the goady ones.

I've often wondered what all the fuss is about too.

From this thread I get that people like collecting charms but no one has said how well made the charms are, how pretty they are or what good value they are which says it's all!

If you were to smelt it all down you'd probably be left with a load of nickel and not much silver.

Better to invest in gold ingots if you can!

We always see a massive queue of men outside on Christmas Eve afternoon. I assume they think it’s a sure thing.

It’s overpriced for what it is and the materials aren’t the best imo. But their marketing is superb and some of the pieces are pretty.
They also appeal to lazy husbands who would rather get another charm than put any thought into what to get their wives.

Anyone remember having to queue outside Hollister?

I don’t think it’s a goady thread and I don’t think the OP sounds snobby.

This is an interesting read OP! They’ve basically got an amazing business model.

The Charmed Life of Pandora
How a small Danish jewelry shop turned into a massive global business

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.racked.com/platform/amp/2016/8/23/12525316/pandora-jewelry-charm-bracelets

Loads of meh things have mass appeal. Adele, Coldplay, Starbucks, Peppa Pig, Disney Store... Not everyone is into more niche things, or willing to seek them out.
Pandora is easy, reliable & popular with loads of regular folk, who don’t seek to be into anything more challenging. Going to the Pandora might be more fun for someone than rooting around in a jeweller or market.

@LizzieMacQueen

Anyone remember having to queue outside Hollister?

Yes. Also Victoria secret, Disney Store, Apple store...

Anywhere ‘obvious’ for Christmas presents!

I was fairly uninterested in Pandora and thought the charms were a basic way of getting easy money... until I read this article and decided to visit the Pandora site to give them a bit more of a chance, given their compassionate business model. Some nice things there and I like the lab grown diamonds. There's a new purple ring that's very pretty too, I might buy that for myself!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54862615.amp - Pandora paying all staff in full through pandemic

@AntiCornLawLeague

I have one item from Pandora; dh bought me a charm from there. Not the bracelet, just a single charm

Sorry, not the point of the thread, but it reminded me of this heartfelt gift. Buying my own presents from now on

That’s like my DH who bought me a beautiful pair of earrings one year. I don’t have my ears pierced.

I agree that it is a genius business model. Only wish I'd thought of it!

I got bought a pandora bracelet as a surprise leaving gift from my team once. They had very carefully chosen 3 charms they thought I would like.

I really like it - because they'd put so much effort into it.

I'd be over the moon if someone bought me a new charm for it.

My dog is called Pandora, after Pandora Braithwaite. I can explain her. She's small and loving and extremely bouncy.

It’s not my style at all and I’ve always thought it looks a lot cheaper than it is, but DD got very keen on Pandora when she was about 16. Some of the charms were fun but I thought it was very expensive - a lot of the charms weren’t even solid silver but were priced as such.

DD has moved on and so I haven’t been in to one of their shops for a while, however I like the sound of their business model and one thing I do remember is that the staff were lovely, perhaps that’s indicative of a good employer.

This isn’t the first Pandora thread. We don’t all like the same things (thankfully).

A lot of people like it and some of it is quite nice. Teen DD likes it and has some from both us and her BF
There does tend to be a lot of snobbery around it though, probably because it’s a bit of a “lazy” present and I don’t think I would particularly overjoyed if DH got me something from there but I don’t judge anyone else for liking it.

I wouldn't choose one for myself BUT if my dh or dc chose one with some meaningful charms then I would treasure it.

I can’t see the appeal, but everyone in my office raves about it. I don’t think I had even heard of it until fairly recently.

If you were to smelt it all down you'd probably be left with a load of nickel and not much silver.

There's no added nickel in Pandora jewellery, there may be trace amounts of naturally occurring nickel, but I'm sensitive to nickel and can wear it. Bit of an odd unsubstantiated comment to make.