When I was there to buy one, ONE! and it sold out before my turn to idiots buying TEN. MAC knew they'd go straight to Ebay, but didn't make enough or put a limit. This was the Manish Aurora eye Palette. But with Fab Felines they sold out of three pigments so fast! One, Mauvement, was to be in Rodarte but that's cancelled. Make up is SO CHEAP TO MAKE!! and they get stingy with pigments? The cheapest, most expensive cash cow in the business? More cool stuff will be out soon for Holiday, I'll splash out on sets. But the LE not enough to go around thing ticks me.

that's crazy! we have it here in England and there's loads.. not sold out at all!

I wonder though if Urban Decay would have told folks the time that book of shadows was going to be released it probably would have shut their website down due to too much traffic at one time. I can see now why they were very vague and only gave the date of the release. I suppose more folks will be upset in the next wave of BOS 3 being restocked and unable to get one before it does sell out a second time on Urban Decay's website. I see the same thing happening on Sephora and Ulta when the time comes. Like someone else mentioned you have to be quick and dedicated and have a strategy for getting what you want. Be the first one in Sephora or Ulta the day it's released there if you can't order it directly from Urban Decay. Unlike other folks I only purchased one of BOS3 for myself. Saw no need to be greedy and order multiples to resell on ebay.

What I didn't like is on Facebook Urban Decay said that the palette would be released the following day, but instead released it that day! So I went to work all thinking that I would be prepared to get the palette the next day, but instead when I came home Urban Decay decided to just release the darn thing the same day and it was already sold out. I was effing pissed. I definitely think that they did this on purpose. They should have known better. Looking at how well the Naked palette sold, they would had to of known how well this was going to sell.

Thats the name of the game. Early bird catches the worm. Missed out on the Book of Shadows, I just checked the site two days ago. Sometimes I get upset cause they say it is going to be released and then they release it earlier. I already put the Mac Villians items on hold, if they don't put the things I want on hold im gonna flip out. :-)

Since it is coming out at Sephora on 10/1, UD will miss out on people buying directly from them. Most customers would probably prefer to buy from Sephora or Ulta anyway to rack up more beauty points. I think UD would have made more $$ per unit from customers buying directly from them versus from other stores like Sephora.

Its definitely a marketing ploy...I don't buy into,if I'm able to Purchase & I like the product I'll purchase...other than that. I don't believe nor purchase "The Hype".

I agree, and I'm especially bummed with Urban Decay making the new primer potion (the one in the squeezable tube) limited edition. Why? We've been complaining about the packaging for a long time, why limit the improved packaging?!Sigh. And I realy wanted the BOS3, but I just bought the Naked palette, and can't plunk down for the BOS until after I'm done paying for moving expenses, which I guess means I'll miss out on it since it sells out so fast. Oh well, I guess I'll have to wait for the BOS4.

tbh, I think there should be laws made about buying out all the stock and then selling it for more. it's just a grimey thing to do and is a big part of the reason things sell out sooo fast. it's like forced inflation kind of? I live in nyc so I just got the palette at the pre-release, and because there was a limit of 3 per person there were plenty to go around as long as you got there on time. I was # 188/1000 and I only stood on line for 10-15 minutes.

This will probably get lost in a sea of responses. Pretty much of the MAC lipsticks i got for are LE since i like corals it's one of the things I bet per year in the multitude of collections that come out. The things I've had to track down through resellers where the blush ombres of Marine Life since those where not a typical product and I wanted them since I like have a small stash of colours as my go to's. those product allows me to control the tone of the blush I use. I'm a sucker for multi use products. UD Naked palette and Alice in Wonderland palette I literally stock Sephora for it release since it the only way to get those product in Canada. But unlike MAC there didn't move a release date to some other time and I didn't miss out on them.

I used to love limited edition, for a whole year I got something from every collection and I would scrape to find the money to do it. And then I got sick and couldn't get to the store in time, and I had a break through. I survived without the product. I haven't bought anything at MAC in months and just recently visited the store for the first time in a long time. It was nice to see the MAC girls who know me and there honestly wasn't anything that I "needed." Wanted yes but nothing that can't be put off another month or so. Cosmetics are not that important, even as a MUA my life and friends are more valuable than some blush or lipstick. Marketing ploy or not they are making money off of you and counting that you will do anything, pay anything for something with a satin finish and great color pay off.

I think a good definition of limited edition would be to make enough to meet demand and for the product to be available for 2 months, then stop making it. Never have it on sale/mark it down. That way everyone who was on the ball could get one without saturating the market.

I think it's really easy to get caught up in the hype of LE. I hate it when something is sold out in an hour due to it being limited edition. It never makes sense to me from a marketing standpoint. If the company could sell 500 of an item but chooses to only sell 50, and makeup scalpers buy 45 of those items and then sell them at 3 times the original cost, the company is missing out on that additional profit that they would have made had they chose to manufacture and sell more items. (hope that makes sense)

I think there is a different between 'LE' and 'LE'. For example, Chanel brings around 4 or 5 LE collections to the table each year. In my experience, the eyeshadow palettes will always sell out at my local (busy) counter, but it will take 1 or 2 weeks. So me and my mom can go, swatch everything, maybe even think for a day if we 'really really need it' (yes!), and buy it. When we return a week later, it is usually sold out. THAT is the way I like it. It's limited, but not so limited that loyal customers are being disappointed if they don't come shop for it first morning it is launched. (Exceptions like Jade not taken into consideration :-). What has been done here is a whole different kind of LE. OFCOURSE it isn't limited to the quantity that has been brought to sale now, there are many, many more palettes in stock. I just do not believe I am wrong in this. They are just playing with their loyal customers, profitting of it because it all turns into a great hype (for a cardboard box palette with tiny pans of eyeshadow, of which many colors are not new at all), and now they can sit back, relax and watch the money come in. I hope this will blow up in their face, because this is not the way a company should treat their customers.

I checked the Urban Decay site this morning and they have changed the message about the Book of Colors III from sold out to "Temporarily sold out. More on the way." Perhaps they have gotten a clue that their potential customers feel burned by the marketing strategy for this product.

This is a great topic. I personally think it has gotten out of hand. It's great for those who want to make a quick buck on Ebay, but for the rest of us, it is simply annoying. I love to have the latest, newest product, just like everyone else, but at the end of the day, why? Is it worth it? I understand it's like being in some exclusive beauty club of the I got it vs. they couldn't get it's. But what is this club even offering? Like many of you say, it is all hype and by the time we get the product do we like it? How often do we use it? Or are we off chasing the next LE palette or release and forget about our last treasure? I'm fairly new to makeup blogs and used to just go to the counters and pick out what I like, so a lot of things I missed because I didn't know it was the popular must have item. (to be honest, I think the beauty blogosphere has created this cycle) Or if I had a chance to try it out, would've probably loved. Some things I'm just now learning how to use so I totally missed out on, for example, I'm still learning about E/s, blush, MSF, so I missed out on all of the BOS and Stereo Rose. Can you beleive when I went to buy that line that day, they might have had Stereo rose, but I didn't "know" about it. LOL For me, to save my money, and stress levels ;-), I'm going to adopt the attitude of if I get it, I get it, if I don't, I don't. There will always be something else. If I've lived this long without it, surely I'll be ok without it. :-D

I didn't check my email until an hour after UD sent the email that it was available and of course it was sold out. I'm pissed off but I'm still determined to get it when it comes to Sephora. I don't do ebay so I'd never pay 30-70% more for anything.

I totally understand everyone's frustration but when you break it down it's just an eyeshadow palette that is going to be restocked at a later date. It's not like it's never going to be instock again. It will be in Sephora and the other retailers at a later date. Naked constantly sold on me. I got lucky one night on Sephora and could order it. If not I would continue waiting. I never stressed about it. I was one of the fortunate ones to be on their website right at the time BOS3 went on sale because I was on my lunch break. If it wasn't meant to be I would have just waited until Oct with the masses. Limited edition truly means what it says Limited. Not everyone is going to be guranteed to get one.

Yes SOMETIMES hype influences me to buy things. Not going to lie. Part of it is a feeling of a sense of belonging--you got the same color everyone wanted, you chat about it, post pictures, yay! I'm not going to lie--if I saw a Marine Life in a CCO I would buy it right now because of the hype. I also got Stereo Rose (again). When MAC re-released Parrot I bought it because of the hype I read about for years--and it is one of my favorite colors! Those are the only two majorly hyped sold-out Limited Edition products lately. What else am I missing?

In general I don't 'do' LE stuff. Most of the time it's just overhyped and nothing special but by promoting it like something special and creating a buzz people go nuts for it. I'd only buy something if it really adds something extra to my stash, not just because some beauty editor of company hypes is up. Like Chanel's 'Jade' polish... There so much good dupes out there. Why spend a whole lot of money just to be able to tell your friends you have the Chanel one? Maybe it's just the dutch attitude but I'd never line up at a store to get a certain product. If it's there when I want it: great. If it's not: fine, I'll find something else.

I spent about 60 $ on the Urban Decay Naked Palette because I live in Germany where you normally cannot get that brand at all - basically I am used to paying way more especially for brands like MAC etc... (even in stores here MAC is 1.5 tzimes the price of the one in the US...)

It's honestly really annoying. Not only with limited edition palettes and such, even things like MAC collections and launches get ridiculous. You have to dish out the money right then and there for products you'd rather wait to spend money on. I think that limited edition products should be made and released according to the demand. If they sell out quickly, they should make more. What's the worst that could happen? The company will make more money off of the products?

This is a great post because it hits on not just the annoyance of too little of something being released, but it brings up a bad habit consumers have become too comfortable with -- buying for sake of ownership instead of value. For example, I remember buying three of the MAC Hello Kitty lipglasses because of the adorable packaging and limited edition status. However, the lipglasses themselves suck. The pigment quality is poor and I have yet to use a single one of them. Why did I buy them? Just to have them. Looking back, it was ultimately a stupid purchase. They have no practical value to me. Now I need to go through the emotional process of giving them up via Back 2 Mac so I can get something of true value; something that I will actually use and enjoy. Businesses are, at the end of the day, trying to make money. The problem with Limited Edition isn't that they are limited edition. I can see the point in not wanting to have a permanent inventory on an item that only sells well every couple of seasons. Why would MAC overstock itself on dark lipsticks when they really only bring in maximum sales during the fall season? Its a waste in production, inventory, resources, product, and ultimately, money. The real problem with Limited Editions is how we've been cultured to own more than we need and the emphasis we place on owning something just for the sake of having it. Blame this on marketing, the thrill of having something exclusive, or just trying to keep up with other collectors, but ultimately the decision to buy comes down to the consumers themselves. Cosmetics have grown more aggressive with Limited Edition marketing; its one of the few ways they can post profits and stay afloat in an economy where consumers are holding on to as many dollars as possible by putting off as many purchases as possible. Making a product scarce is an effective way to separate persons from their money during such an economic climate. So how do we as collectors, makeup artists, bloggers, or just cosmetic junkies in general overcome this? We need to take a step back from the marketing for a moment and ask ourselves about the real value of the product that's being pushed on us. Is this really that unique of an eyeshadow color, or is there a dupe in the permanent line that has a better formulation and can either be purchased for less or at a later date? Just how many tubes of lipstick do I have in this shade of pink? The packaging is cute and the product looks fun, but do I really even like cream eyeshadows and do I ever use them? But most of all, does this product meet a certain expectation of quality I have for this brand and will I be getting lasting enjoyment by purchasing it? Its not just important but great to have hobbies or occupations that we enjoy doing. At the same time, we have to be aware of things we enjoy might be bordering on an obsession that's interfering with normal functioning. Isn't there something more beneficial to myself and others that I could be doing than stalking retailers just to get my hands on a Limited Edition product for the sake of owning it? In the end, if we really do want to mend the holes in our pockets and be happy with our purchases when we leave the store, then the solution is to be more critical as a consumer as we're shopping in the first place. We need to focus on the value that a purchase delivers in terms of uniqueness, quality, practicality, and enjoyment before we buy. Money is a reflection of our irreplaceable time spent on laborious activity -- we should at least put it to good use.

The first LE product I went crazy trying to find was Bobbi Brown's Chocolate Palette. I searched the internet and called several stores before calling Sak's 800 # and ordering it from them. I also went nuts for Lancome's Erika F because so many people raved about it but it wasn't available in the US. I swapped with someone in Germany to buy it (ended up being an expensive swap) and now I live here in Germany, see it all the time and think "Meh, it wasn't that special." I've learned to not get swept up in the hype and only buy things I really want and know I will use.

I've always believed that "Limited Edition" was simply a marketing strategy, and there would surely be plenty of the item for those who wanted it. I was proven wrong enough times that it was VERY annoying. Although most cosmetics brands are owned by the same parent company, and that a similar item may come along sooner or later, I'm a pretty stubborn person when it comes to settling for the next best thing. Most recently, I've been trying to get my hands on the Urban Decay Naked Palette from Summer 2010. It's getting ridiculous on how I'm practically stalking the Sephora and Urban Decay sites for updates despite already being on the e-mail notification lists.

Im over the LE hype. You get something so coveted and then you are scared to use it and it never fails if anything ever happens to any of your makeup its your LE lipgloss that gets lost in the bar or your style black eyshadow that falls off the counter and breaks. Its too stressful for me. With all the dupes in the world get over it.

To find Nouvelle Vague I have to search for 12 shops (ok, I phoned, but you have understood). To find Illusion d'Or, that has not even been commercialized in Italy, it seems, a friend of mine has gone to Ireland for holiday and bought one for me. She said "In case you change your mind, you can easily sell it on E-bay. It is 75€ there!" while the polish itself, in a normal shop, costs about 20 (and it is not cheap even at 20!!!). So in my opinion, companies are spoiling their own gain. 100 limited edition of X. 99 buyers with the aim of re-selling it on Ebay with incredible high prices and 1 make-up addicted are getting it. The company, ok, has gained 100*(price of X). But the addicted that for the n-th time has been spoiled of the possibility to have the beloved cosmetic, would get angry. Plus 99 re-sellers on Ebay have gained a lot. So, 99 re-sellers have gained a lot of money (even 10 times the original price) but the company has gained just 100*(price of X). So they are favouring the re-sellers, not the company. o_O Yes, I really think companies should re-consider their way of making money!

This post is very thought provoking and resounding for me. After being unable to get my hands on Stereo Rose, despite being at my MAC store within twenty minutes of it opening on release date, it made me think about WHERE these LE products are going to exactly. My MAC is a large pro store. I find the idea of them only having 5 stereo roses pretty unbelievable, yet when I made it to MAC, minutes after opening, there was maybe 5 or 6 people in the store....where is this stock going?! how can a store sell out within minutes, when they have only 5 customers in the store at a time? Its absolutely outrageous. After being unable to get a stereo rose from any of the MACs in my city, I check ebay a couple of days later and low and behold, certain ebay sellers have 10+ stereo rose's in their online shops! Its obvious people buy several items of a coveted item just to make profit by selling online to desperate collectors for triple the price. It makes me wonder, does MAC have a policy whereby the amount of a certain product is limited per customer or transaction? If not, they definitely should. It makes me want to never buy from MAC again when I miss out on an item because having to chase a product down the same day its released makes me mad as hell.

The MAC MUA will always text me as soon as limited edition stocks reach the store, then I will reply her with whatever stuff that I wanna reserve (thanks to Christine <3). I couldn't get hold of Lithe Pigment from the recent Fabulous Feline collection, they only have 3 in the store (it is a very busy store, and my country only has 5 MAC stores). sigh..

I really hate this marketing strategy of cosmetics company. Only the lucky ones can get their LE items. :(

I can understand the concept behind LE, but is it really necessary to limit production to the point where people have to stalk websites or line up for products? Something like BOS III I can understand because it comes around once a year but MAC has too many LE items! I don't want to be stalking websites, calling different counters or pay insane prices on ebay so others can make a profit. That is what i call TOO Limited Edition.

I do enjoy collecting limited edition products but not at a cost beyond it's retail value. I will go to the stores at opening time on the release date but I just don't see the point in paying rediculous amounts on beauty products! There will always be another exciting limited edition product. I think the term just gets everyone excited. There is really no point in paying scalpers ten times the price because collections come out all the time. Especially MAC. They always repromote products so be patient.

I think it is a marketing strategy and I can respect the company's strategy, but I think they take it too far. At least make enough for a week or so, but selling out in a half hour tells us they either purposely didn't make enough or that they have a stockpile somewhere that will become available when they think the time is right. Think about the Naked Palette and how much hype has built up on youtube...now everybody wants one and actually getting your hands on one is considered lucky. Once they become available again, everyone is going to go crazy and even the people who didn't want one before will spring for it. However I DO like the idea of limited edition items themselves-- it keeps things interesting and gets me excited about the new seasons.

because of the nature of "limited edition" I really don't go for products like that. The reason being when I run out of it, and if I really love it. . . I'll have to go to ebay or a makeup forum to try to find it. I'll probably end up paying double what it's worth, and to much LE products are just not worth it in my mind anymore. Those people who purposely buy it for the sole reason to capitalize on it just make it no fun anymore.

I agree with you about the limited edition stuff, but did you know that milani dressmaker nail polish is an exact dupe for Chanel jade!

I am so over MAC and the LE stuff. Its so annoying when I can never get it on time before it sells out with in 30 minutes. Some people have lives, and work. I just dont want to waste my time with it any more. Grrr.

I was really shocked to learn about the BOS III selling out a few hours ago, I have been waiting for this to come out for awhile and am signed up to receive emails from Urban Decay, however I was in class all day and couldn't check the internet so I feel a bit cheated because these products sell out so fast that if you aren't near a computer the entire day all day you really don't have a chance.

Christine, thank you for writing this article in a tactful way! I'm pretty pissed with UD for the stunt this morning (especially when they were bragging on Facebook and Twitter that it sold out in 10 minutes). I truly believe that they understocked as a marketing strategy, and it leaves me frustrated with the brand. I have my Naked palette and I don't think I'll make any purchases from them in the future.

I was introduced to Urban Decay via their AIW palette. At the time I saw a couple teaser pictures online, thought it was a neat idea and had some pretty eyeshadows unique to my collection. But I still thought about it for a little bit, then decided I would try to obtain one. A Sephora had opened up in my area recently and luckily they had it in stock well before the official release date. At the time I had no idea how popular and difficult it was for others to find the palette, so it was a no stress, enjoyable purchase for me. I had time to think about what I was going to buy, and I still use my eyeshadows frequently. I think it would have been better if Urban Decay had treated this more like the Naked palette. It is not limited edition, and yet is very popular and continuously sells out, and the people who want them will be able to get them. They just have to wait patiently. With the BOS III palette, I wish there was more of a guarantee, like a specific time frame that they will be selling this so that eyeryone will have ample opportunity to get one. Or perhaps if demand starts to drop off, simply stop producing so many palettes if that is the concern. I like Urban Decay but the practice of hyping up a product, failing to have a reasonable quantity in stock on the release date, and then bragging about how quickly it sold out does bother me, and obviously many other fans. I did plan on trying to get this, but only in stores, I have a job and other responsibilities and cannot sit at a computer screen all day clicking "refresh."

okay, i definitely have a love/hate relationship with limited edition products. i HATE the stress that waiting for a new hyped-up collection to come out (ahem, MAC!!) gives me. like thinking about getting everything i want from VV is totally stressing me out. i just want the day to come and be over with. but i LOVE the feeling of getting something that is so coveted (like stereo rose, marine life, etc)..it's almost like an accomplished feeling of some sort..weird, i know....but i think we all feel that way sometimes. and i also love LE packaging and colors and such. i don't know. it's annoying but at the same time totally awesome. but you know, i definitely haven't and never will pay more than retail price for any limited edition products that i want. and no way will i be driving around all over the state to find something that's sold out. luckily i haven't had to even think about doing anything like that as of yet, but if i do miss something i want, i will have to live with it. whatever it is will probably end up being repromoted anyways. :)