OPI – you disappoint me

Thursday, 29 April, 2010

OPI was the brand that brought my love of nail polish back to life after 10 years of not purchasing anything.

Now OPI is disappointing me – badly. To the point where I thought I’d only buy and not swatch, effectively putting a ban on them pictorially. I’m still searching for the court documents, but it seems that OPI has brought a lawsuit against one of my favorite e-tailers (www.transdesign.com) because the e-tailer sells OPI at a lower price than the suggested retail price. If you go to Trans Design, they are liquidating ALL of their OPI products. Seems OPI has won, but have they really?

Here is a link to the suit that was filed in California, but I am looking for a free version of the documents. http://www.rfcexpress.com/lawsuit.asp?id=56040

OPI, I’ve purchased the last lot from you. So unless you come and give me free products, I will not be posting or mentioning you ever again. You’ve made your last dime off me when I made my final purchase. I was going to buy then swatch and post the new Shrek collection you have coming out on May 1, but I won’t now. I’ll be allocating that money towards Nubar’s Fortress Collection.

My followers are not as prolific as Scrangie, the Swatchaholic or any other popular nail blogger, but I am fortunate enough to have a small loyal following. I’m prolific enough on other social network sites where my friends actually purchase colors and brands of nail polish I’ve recommended.

I’m putting out a ban on you…No more OPI products for me and I will strongly encourage my friends to purchase other brands such as China Glaze, Essie, NuBar, Misa and BB Couture.

I’m saddened by how OPI has handled this. I’m even more saddened that OPI’s made me go to this length to show my displeasure because all this blog was really ever meant for was to display my love of nail polish.

I’ve always disliked companies that play bullies. It’s why I don’t shop at Wal-Mart.

UPDATE:

I was able to find the court documents and as far as I can see it really is all about copyright infringement…and the only copyright infringement I ever saw on www.transdesign.com was the images and some of the wording they took off of the OPI displays. OPI could’ve been less – pardon my french – cunty about it, but they decided to take TD to court and OPI won. But a lawsuit? Maybe OPI asked them, TD refused, and OPI’s only alternative was to take them to court. Who knows? But for OPI to do this to e-tailers like Victoria Nail Supply and Trans Design, where people from all over the world, not just the US, purchase OPI polish is ridiculous. They’ve shot themselves in the foot.

I freely admit to not purchasing OPI in a retail setting where bottles cost anywhere from $8 to $10. So it looks like I won’t even be purchasing OPI from e-tailers because OPI has cut them out of the market. I could be tempted to buy from my local nail suppliers who have sold me bottles for $4 or $4.50, but OPI’s overall attitude towards not paying full price has pretty much soured me towards anything OPI related. I’ll be honest in saying I don’t mind paying $12 or $20 for a nail polish so long as it’s department store type of nail polish. NEWSFLASH OPI – you aren’t Chanel. I refuse to pay more than $6 for a bottle of OPI because it’s a mid-grade polish I can find in any nail salon. Exclusive and high end you are not. Don’t ever think that you are. Ever.

What has OPI lost in all of this? Instead of one customer who won’t buy OPI at full price, I’ve decided I won’t buy OPI at all. I wonder when/if OPI will start to go after my favorite nail polish suppliers here in AZ and CA now. “We don’t like that you’re selling OPI for below market price.” Does OPI worry about them suddenly becoming discount nail polish? What gives OPI? What made you become a scheming shrew?

I wonder when physical storefronts will be hit with the OPI Copyright Infringement Bitch Stick.

UPDATE #2:

…and OPI is no longer on any of other fave etailers. OPI, you suck.

Essie - Resort Collection, Summer 2010
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