Trollbeads information that can inspire your creativity with your own Trollbeads collection. Share your thoughts, be involved and please leave comments!

Thursday July  28, at 8:00 P.M.(E.D.T.) Trollbeads Gallery will be listing over 60 New Unique Trollbeads.  There are extraordinary new Amber sets. One set has 2 rare Pink Amber in it!  There are Mini Beads and of course many beautiful Unique Trollbeads.  This is a very inspiring groups of summer colors for a mid summer celebration! Remember when a Unique Trollbead is purchased, it is gone!  Tune in on time! Please take note, in between releases we will add Unique beads so keep your eyes on the site!

 Trollbeads Gallery has earned a reputation of offering one of the best selections of Unique Trollbeads.  The term "Unique" was an original term Trollbeads Gallery started to use three years ago and it remains a perfect term for us.  Trollbeads U.S. (the U.S. Distributor of Trollbeads) refers to the beads as "Assorted" and the European market refers to them as OOAK or "One of a Kind".  The dealers in the U.S. have been asked to refrain from using the OOAK term as it has a misleading connotation.  While these Trollbeads are unique there is often more than one of each style created.  Our "Unique" term is referring to the beads' style more than the quantity made.  Whatever the name, the beads are spectacular!  What differentiates these beads from other Trollbeads Glass I beads are their designs and also they are not given names.  In the U.S. Trollbeads retailers are alloted a limited quantity each month.  From the quantity we receive we split the shipment between our store Rogers Gallery and our website.To access the new Trollbead Uniques follow the link below!

What's New!    (New Beads Thursday Night 7-30, *PM EDT)

This is the second of two articles discussing the sale of Fake Trollbeads on Ebay.  As an authorized dealer of Trollbeads I do research on anything that may damage the brand Trollbeads.

This is a follow-up from the first article I wrote about the Ebay seller Wiki Piki.  To get to the bottom of the situation I purchased beads from Wiki The beads came in last week and they were definitely fake, albeit good fakes but definitely counterfeit. 

I went to "My Ebay" and registered my complaint.  I checked the box that tells Ebay that the seller I purchased from was advertising the brand version but delivered a counterfeit item.  They actually have a box for that.  This gave me some hope that Ebay would take action against the seller.  I was then able to check off that I wanted a full refund.  Today I received my full refund.  That should make me happy, but it doesn't.  For one thing the seller was admitting guilt by refunding me my money immediately.  For another thing Ebay, whose computer systems are huge, obviously knows about the incident but still allows Wiki Piki to continue to sell. I checked today and the seller is still selling the fake Trollbeads to unsuspecting buyers.

How can Ebay allow this to happen?  I may be naive but I really hoped they would take responsibility when the facts were presented to them so clearly.  Apparently not.

How many collectors are buying these beads thinking they are real Trollbeads? I'm sure if someone is new to collecting they wouldn't know the difference.  This is the way the market gets diluted and later when a collector who has unknowingly purchased these beads goes on to resell them, the line becomes more diluted. This is why brands bring lawsuits against Ebay.  Take this one example and multiply it by the thousands of fake beads being sold on Ebay and imagine the detriment. 

I am not advising this because I am a dealer, but in order to be totally safe in your purchases, to protect your collection and the brand, buy only from Authorized Trollbeads dealers. If you can't find the Trollbead you want from a dealer, buy from a seller you know has first hand knowledge of the provenance of the Trollbeads they are selling and who have a good reputation.  Do your research before you buy, the future value of of your collection depends upon it as does the future of Trollbeads.

ADDITION: On August 1st I received information from Ebay that this seller is no longer selling on Ebay.  Our efforts worked!!

Trollbeads Gallery continues to share and support our love of Trollbeads through out our Forum and Facebook page.  To thank our Facebook friends and to find some new friends we are offering a wonderful group of useful Trollbeads gifts. Our Trollbeads Facebook Page is having a drawing every Friday through the summer.Join in the fun and win a great group of useful Trollbeads products.  The silver earrings were created by Tina Yelton at Whimsy and are so much fun to design your combinations and wear!

To enter the drawing all you need to do is to click on the Thumb's Up to

"LIKE US" tab and you will be in the running! 

Just follow the link and join us!  The prizes shown in the photograph are listed below:

1 Troll Collector's Clutch

1 Troll Polishing Cloth

1 Pair of Whimsy Silver Earrings that hold Trollbeads!

August 14th Update!  We have changed the prize from earrings to a sterling, stick style, Trollbeads holding necklace.  Our summer prizes have been enjoyed by our Facebook page fans!

Trollbeads Gallery Facebook Page

www.TrollbeadsGallery.com

www.Retired TrollbeadsGallery.com

TrollbeadsGalleryForum

Our drawings are held at Noon and we send the winner a message notifying her/him of their win.  The winner has 48 hours to email us back or we choose a second name!

If you haven't yet joined the Trollbeads Gallery Forum you may want to join for the following reasons and when you discover what is there, you'll have many of your oiwn reasons!

 1. Hear about new beads, bead retirements and any pertinant updates from Trollbeads first.   Timely information like this can be the difference between getting a bead and not!

2. Share your collection through photographs, everyone wants to see the Trollbeads you have. Beyond anything else on the Forum our 8000 plus photographs have inspired more collectors than any other source available.

3. Meet collectors from around the world and hear what they are collecting and how they are using their beads.  Remember Trollbeads has been around for 35 years and some of these collectors have retired beads we have never even seen before.

4. Make many new friends who share a passion with you. Many of our Trollbeads Forum members have traveled great distances to meet each other and to go Troll hunting together.

5. Read fun commentaries such as:

"The Top 10 Reasons you should embrace your Trollbeads addiction". (Under the Troll Masters Group)

6. Join one of the 3 dozen different groups. Including:

"Those that revere retired Trollbeads" group.

"Trollbeads for Men Club" group.

"Troll Master: For Addicts with 4 bracelets and above!" group.

"Troll Jedi Masters-Collectors with 10 or more bracelets." group.

7.Learn about the upcoming 2010 Trollfest!! 

Link to Forum: http://trollbeadsgalleryforum.ning.com/

Counterfeit Trollbeads on Ebay

Member id wiki-piki ( Feedback Score Of 1838)

98.4% Positive feedback

From time to time we will share with our collectors the existence of counterfeit Trollbeads being sold on Ebay.  In the mega industries of fashion handbags, watches and shoes, consumers are aware that all mega brands have counterfeits and know they are being sold on street corners and auction sites around the globe.  The process of creating counterfeits doesn't become profitable until a product becomes hot and Trollbeads is well on its way.  But unlike the mass market appeal of sunglasses and handbags, the counterfeiters of Trollbeads have a very small playing field, the auction site Ebay.

The Ebay Trollbeads selling high volumes have been found to be selling fake beads and there isn't much to be done to protect unsuspecting collectors from buying them, beyond informing them.  Ebay does not take responsibility for guarding consumers against these sellers.  You only need to read the New York Times to learn about the many lawsuits brought against Ebay by brands including Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Ralph Loren. For Trollbeads collectors whose numbers don't warrant major news articles, the information needs to come from those of us that care enough about the brand to share the facts. The selling of counterfeit products can destroy a brand and we need to fight it.

In June news came to me that one of the large counterfeit dealers on Ebay were removed from the site.  Prince Charms, a self confessed and a well known seller of fakes had been removed from Ebay.  This is great news for Trollbeads and for collectors everywhere. Thank you, Ebay for taking notice and taking action. Whether it was Ebay’s good sense, or a good lawyer for Trollbeads that accomplished it, congratulations. I had posted a discussion about the fake selling practices on our Trollbeads Gallery Forum and I was dumbfounded by the number of people who had bought from this dealer on Ebay.  It is quite disturbing for other collectors and for Trollbeads that people are actually buying these.  You need to know that it’s one thing buying fake purses, they don’t last very long. A Trollbeads bracelet lasts forever, buy the real thing from a real authorized dealer. There is no risk and you are actually adding value to your own collection by doing this.

A very interesting trend came to light during this truth session.  The Trollbeads Gallery Forum members that had purchased the beads and saw them as fakes could return the product for a refund but only if they left a positive feedback first.  That clears up a big mystery for me because I always wondered how these sellers got the positive ratings they had.

Now it is Mid July and another Seller of fake Trollbeads was just discovered on Ebay and once again many are buying from this seller.

Why don’t people do their research first? IS it to save a few dollars?  Stay away from Wiki-Piki.  We also keep updates on our Trollbeads Gallery Forum, join for the latest warning of Ebay dealers selling fake Trollbeads.

Take a stand for your brand and stay away from counterfeit Trollbeads. Only the collectors can boycott the fakes and keep the brand and it's name valuable.

For Authentic Trollbeads go to an Authorized dealer.  They are in 40 countries worldwide.

Trollbeads Gallery, an Authroized Dealer and Platinum Premium Partner.

New Trollbeads Releases are a very exciting time for everyone involved with Trollbeads! Trollbeads  introduces new products to its line throughout the year.  These new introductions are one of the ways Trollbeads stays ahead of the design curve by always challenging the norm to create something exciting, new and fresh.  There are usually two large introductions of new Troll beads to the existing line per year.  You will notice new color themes among the glass beads introductions and subject themes among the silver and gold beads.

Some of the new Trollbeads introductions include Limited Edition (L.E.)Trollbeads and are only offered to Premium Partner dealers. Trollbeads Gallery is a Platinum Level Premium Partner and receives the limited edition beads upon release. Trollbeads Gallery announces all new release bead information to our email list so be sure you have signed up! These smaller limited edition Trollbeadsl releases occur throughout the year.

The new products may include Italian glass beads in the three Glass Groups,faceted semi precious stone beads,18K gold beads, silver beads, new Trollbeads locks along with other new items of supporting jewelry. In early 2010 the Troll leather bracelets added a whole new dimension and a new way to wear your Trollbeads.

Each introduction is a very exciting time for Trollbeads, Trollbeads dealers and for the Trollbeads collectors. August will be our next big new Trollbeads introduction which will include the People's Bead 2010, the re-release voted for from the Trollbeads Museum from all the retired Trollbeads.

Earth was a collaborative design between Nicolas Aagaard and his grandfather Svend. It came to life in 2000 the same year that the Trollbeads 'bead on bracelet' concept was copied for the first time.

You'll find Earth, along with the Autumn Collection, at your local retailer from August 2010 (from Trollbeads Universe)

I have a unique perspective from a Trollbeads collectors point of view and this has helped me understand something.  Not only am I a Troll collector, I have a Trollbeads store , I am a seller of Retired Trollbeads, a Trollbeads Gallery Forum moderator and manager, a Trollbeads website manager and that's just the tipof the iceberg.

My perspective is one of experience, research and personal friendships to the largest and most enthusiastic collectors of Trollbeads around the world.  Some of these personal collections rival the inventories of many authorized Trollbeads stores. But these collections aren't created by greed or by the  "have to have more than so and so" thoughts, they are created by a depth of passion that goes way beyond many of the "collectables" of recent decades. Compare it to other subsequent beads lines, all of todays bead line are subsequent to Trollbeads so pick any of them and make a comparison.  There is none.  No other line has the depth of colors and materials Trollbeads has not do the silver and gold beads have the fine artistic quality to them.  There just isn't another bead that can muster this much passion and when one starts collecting them  they just can't and won't stop.  There are over 500 beads in todays offerings but that doesn't even begin to describe the color families of glass or the color families of jade, pearls, aventurines, you name it.  The best part of this unparalleled selection is that collectors join in the creative process and design bracelets, many of them, based on themes,color ways, personal meanings and eras of the beads themselves.  When there is 35 years of Trollbead history, there are plenty of eras from which to create and to draw from for the many ideas you may have.

When working on your Ocean or water themed Troll bracelets make sure you visit our Retired Trollbeads Gallery to see the Flounder bead! Hurry before he gets away!  Or when you start working on your pale blue themed Trollbeads bracelet check out the Light Blue Stripe.

So don't ever consider your bracelet finished if your chain is full, it is only the beginning of your Trollbeads Journey.

For a few years now Trollbeads has offered “Starter Bracelets”.  What are starter bracelets? They are just that, a group of bracelets with a start, beads chosen to be used together to create a visually engaging “starter” bracelet.  For many men and even woman, the thought of starting a Trollbeads bracelet can sometimes be daunting and by offering these starter bracelets, Trollbeads has been offering anyone who chose it, a jump start. These Trollbeads bracelets have always proven to be the perfect gift. Perfect because not only are you giving a great gift, you are also assuring that you will always know what to give as a gift going forward...Trollbeads!

As new beads have been introduced into the Troll line and as other older Trollbeads have been retired, it came time to introduce a whole new exciting set of starter bracelets! Seven different color themes and seven different bead themes. Follow the links and take a look. Here they are! 

The seven brand new starter bracelets are:

Elegant Affair http://www.trollbeadsgallery.com/product/Starter-=-Elegant-Affair.aspx

Fall Fashion http://www.trollbeadsgallery.com/product/Starter-=-Fall-Fashion.aspx

Garden http://www.trollbeadsgallery.com/product/Starter-=-Garden.aspx

Pretty in Pink http://www.trollbeadsgallery.com/product/Starter-=-Pretty-in-Pink.aspx

Sea Grass http://www.trollbeadsgallery.com/product/Starter-=-Seagrass.aspx

The Shore http://www.trollbeadsgallery.com/product/Starter-=-The-Shore.aspx 

As you look at each design think of the people you know and match them to a bracelet, it’s a well rounded group, isn’t it?

How much does timing have to do with Trollbeads recent explosion in popularity? Beyond very effective distribution, there is something else propelling this rapid rise.
World economies have always played a direct part in how consumers relate to their money and what they spend their money on. When times are good and money is loose the reasons for buying become less clear. Decisions are arrived at with less consideration and have less consequence because the money is plentiful. However when the economy is in a recession, decisions are made with extreme care. During a recession the consumer is looking for value in any purchase but more importantly, the purchase must have meaning. The recent recession has people spending a lot less and what they do buy must add meaning to their life. This may seem like a tough target to aim for but Trollbeads is hitting the bead right at the bull's eye.
With Trollbeads every bead tells a story and has a meaning, this is value added beyond the physical bead itself. It's the everlasting sense of something one can hold, either in their heart or in their hand that can give the feeling of security in unpredictable times. Trollbeads offers so much more security than any two carat diamond could. Recently with many fine jewelry stores deciding to carry Trollbeads, it's obvious they too have noticed the trend. While gold hits astronomic prices and diamonds lose their meaning, jewelers are also discovering Trollbeads can help them weather the economic times.
From the "Faith,Hope and Charity" bead to the "Friendship" bead, there are so many different Trollbeads that can help fill a void in the present and give you a tangible symbol as a memory for the future. 
Is Trollbeads rise in popularity a sign of the times or are they a sign of how many of us coped with the times?