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?

@evilharpy there aren't many, I think only 2 in the country so that narrows down where I live but it's really strange imo. Just a random selection of a lot of things, often overpriced too.

I am reminded of these www.amazon.com/Pieces-Slide-Sublimation-Collar-Stamping/dp/B09835Y56S/ref=sr_1_11?keywords=slide+on+dog+tag&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1637616334&sr=8-11
They are neater than hanging tags and, of course, customisable.

@ineedsun

Some awful people on here, some people like Pandora. That’s it. There’s need for you to ‘get it’ and certainly for you to look down on other people. It’s not your cup of tea? That’s fine. No need to be a dick about it.

This 🙌🏼

Well said

I like it. It may not be to everyone's tastes but is anything really? (Except chocolate)

I love looking at my charms and remembering where they came from, birthstone charms for my children, family charm from DCs a few years ago, graduation charm when I finished my degree. An engraved charm from our honeymoon. Wedding ring charm from DH.

To me it's all memories of happy occasions. And I love how I can be reminded of those daily.

I used to think they were totally naff till DD wanted one and now I can't wait to choose cute charms for Christmas and birthdays. Makes present buying a bit easier. Some of them are very detailed and charming

It’s a jewellery shop, some people like the jewellery and buy it and others don’t like it so don’t buy it. That’s basically all there is to explain about it.

It’s very good if someone you know has the charm bracelet because you can easily get them a present that looks thoughtful but you don’t need to agonise over. A friend of mine has has one and I can always find a charm that relates to me and her in some way, something like ‘oh I got this little cat because we met the first time at halloween/I picked this Mickey Mouse because I remember when we organised the nursery school play together and you had to sing the Mickey Mouse song’ blah blah. It’s easy to choose something.

I don't wear Pandora but my adult DC love it. Lots of young people do. That's why there are queues.

I don't wear mine these days but I have two of the bracelets and most of the charms are gifts from my mum, and a few I chose for myself. They were mostly chosen because the theme is in some way meaningful to me, and it was fun to put together a collection of charms. They are well made and last a long time. I mainly stopped wearing them because I spend most of my working days at a computer and can't stand the feeling and clicky sound of any bracelets hitting the edge of the table or keyboard, though.

Overpriced tat.

How is it 'goady' and 'snobbish' to ask the question?? The OP was perhaps quite genuinely interested in the why? Perhaps some of the PP throwing the words goady and snobbish around would do well to look at the need for such a defensive response.
I don't get Pandora either. But I'd be genuinely interested why people do like it. I know the franchisee of two Pandora outlets and know what the profit margins are like! The jewellery is cheaply made and my own 'why' would come from wanting to understand why people buy items that are so clearly mass produced and marketed rather than seek out a local silversmith and support a small, independent business.

Likewise I wonder why people buy their food at Marks & Spencer?? But I expect that too will make me 'goady' and an inverted snob??

I don't get Pandora either. But I'd be genuinely interested why people do like it.

But it’s not really rocket science is it? I don’t like those Veja trainers that other people love but I don’t ask people why they like them.

I don’t like pickled onions but other people do like them. I’m not perplexed and confused by this - I understand that other people like things I don’t like, and I like things others dislike.

And as for why don’t people find a small local silversmith to support - why do people buy Nike and Boden clothing? Why don’t they seek out a small independent clothing store to support?

Firstly big businesses are often cheaper, small businesses understandably have to be more expensive. Also they can be more reliable. If I buy a nike t-shirt and it arrives and it’s torn it’s a big business with a good returns policy.

The OP already knows the answer.

And FWIW there isn't really a queue, they just let one in at a time to go direct to the couneer so creating an artificial line outside to make it look busy- you can just walk straight past the line and into the shop to browse.

I don't get the cheaply made comments- I have some and compared to most silver jewellery on the highstreet it is better quality. The items have a fair weight to them, they feel solid and the earrings are great with nicely clicking non fiddly backs that don't fall off, they don't tarnish and the necklaces and bracelets have secure fattening, adjustable lengths, etc. Unless you are going to go Cartier or similar I don't see anywhere where silver jewellery is of particular quality.

@Kanaloa

And as for why don’t people find a small local silversmith to support - why do people buy Nike and Boden clothing? Why don’t they seek out a small independent clothing store to support?

Firstly big businesses are often cheaper, small businesses understandably have to be more expensive. Also they can be more reliable. If I buy a nike t-shirt and it arrives and it’s torn it’s a big business with a good returns policy.

Well there in lies the whole problem of homogeneous high streets and why small businesses can never compete! And that opens up a whole new debate.

Also I would question your example of the need to shop big business because of their reliability - consumer laws regarding damaged items apply to all not just the likes of Nike.

@TalkSomeSense20

How is it 'goady' and 'snobbish' to ask the question?? The OP was perhaps quite genuinely interested in the why? Perhaps some of the PP throwing the words goady and snobbish around would do well to look at the need for such a defensive response. I don't get Pandora either. But I'd be genuinely interested why people do like it. I know the franchisee of two Pandora outlets and know what the profit margins are like! The jewellery is cheaply made and my own 'why' would come from wanting to understand why people buy items that are so clearly mass produced and marketed rather than seek out a local silversmith and support a small, independent business.

Likewise I wonder why people buy their food at Marks & Spencer?? But I expect that too will make me 'goady' and an inverted snob??

Forced positivity. If you are critical of any chain store then there must be something wrong with you.

Yes consumer laws also apply to small businesses but in my experience returns are much simpler at a big business.

It may mean small businesses can’t compete as easily. But that’s not what op asked - or what you asked. The question wasn’t ‘why don’t people support small businesses’ it was ‘why do people like Pandora’ and that question is just a bit daft. People like it because they like it. Same as people like all sorts of things.

People obviously find them cute/pretty. They’re more universal than something bought from a small local business - say you went on holiday to the USA, you could buy yourself a Pandora charm as a souvenir and keep it. They have them all over the place. They’re nice for teens especially I think, and as I said upthread make gift giving easy!

They’ll also clean the bracelets and charms for you if you go in to any shop, which I think is really good. And the charms themselves are not too expensive.

Every shop started off as a smalll business. So if the one you like becomes really popular and forms a chain do you stop shopping there?

It’s a great business model
DD has 2 Pandora bracelets and a bangle - not my cup of tea - although I do have an old fashioned gold charm bracelet with a few charms which mean something to me
I rarely wear it though as it gets caught up in sleeves and is noisy and rattly if you are at work

' But that’s not what op asked - or what you asked. The question wasn’t ‘why don’t people support small businesses’ it was ‘why do people like Pandora’ and that question is just a bit daft.'
I clearly did ask why don't people support small businesses ....''why' would come from wanting to understand why people buy items that are so clearly mass produced and marketed rather than seek out a local silversmith and support a small, independent business

And why is asking a daft question?? Surely asking questions is what gives us greater knowledge about something? The OP has gone on to say she appreciates the answers and it makes her understand the concept better. Just because the shop isn't to her (or my) taste, doesn't mean a person can't ask about it? The inference that to question something is somehow critical, snobbish, argumentative or anything negative suggests the issue lies with ones (perhaps) skewed perception rather than the actual intended meaning. And that is why posts like these often become a bit waspy whereas irl they would be a lighthearted, simple ten minute conversation.

@KaycePollard. Come to think of it, I don't know anywhere that sells charms (in sterling silver) any more, so that explains one aspect of Pandora - thanks!
Thomas Sabo sell silver charms. They differ from traditional charms in that they have lobster clasps rather than rings so are removable and you could use different ones to theme the same bracelet - ie Christmas ones, or perhaps summer ones for a holiday in the sun.

I don’t have a Pandora bracelet, but imagine the appeal is similar to that of the old-style charm bracelet, in that each individual charm can have a special memory or meaning for people. The beads are less likely to catch on things than traditional charms too, although I remember my childhood charm bracelet with great fondness - among others I had a castle that opened up to reveal a gentleman bowing to a lady in a crinoline, a boot that opened up to reveal the ‘old woman who lived in a shoe’ and a queue of children, and one of the Tower of London with a tiny peephole that you could see pictures of London scenes through.

It’s a daft question because ‘why do people like Pandora’ can really only be answered with ‘lots of people like it because they have different tastes to you.’

And it’s hardly positive, is it? The first post was expressing confusion over how people could possibly like such mass produced jewellery. The implication is that you shouldn’t like it for some reason.

@EdenFlower

Every shop started off as a smalll business. So if the one you like becomes really popular and forms a chain do you stop shopping there?

Continuing to shop there as the business grew would depend on how much changed as it scaled. Small businesses tend (not always) to be much more passionate, invested, careful about looking after their customers and have a clear idea of how they want to be. Scaling a business often means new and different supply chains, staff, loss of individuality - all of the good things about small.

I think I would look for the new business coming up behind to see if they filled the gap.

Followed of course by posters calling the bracelets tat/tacky/chavvy/bland. It’s obviously an invitation to look down on and criticise rather than for people to explain why they like something, because no functioning adult is genuinely that wide eyed with confusion that people like different things.

Popped in one today after this thread. Looks lovely