*UPDATED: JUNE 2022*
Before we dive in, here are a few simple truths about ERSTWILDER.
We are and always will be a limited run brand. Since the very beginning, our intention, our mission, was to spark joy in the world through our designs, not take over the world! And while we want to bring happiness to as many people as possible, we also believe there is something beautiful to our designs remaining limited, collectable and exceptional.
We consider ourselves privileged to have such a fantastic community. And we aim to delight, not to disappoint, of course. In response to increasing demand (and increasing requests!) we have steadily increased how many pieces we make on average for each design over the years, but often we still fall short come launch day. We envisage that to some extent, we always will. There’s just no getting around it.
All of that said, there are some helpful and easy steps taken by those most successful in securing their favourite designs on a launch day. We’ve collated a list of those steps below, to help you be ready for launch.
So, let’s get into it!
STEP 1 | CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT
It’s always faster checking out with an account! Our clever site will remember you and your key info if you have an account with us. Upon registration, you’ll also automatically get an ERSTWILDER REWARDS account as well as 1,500 bonus points to get your loyalty club membership started. Here’s where to do it.
STEP 2 | SUBSCRIBE TO EMAILS & FOLLOW ON SOCIALS
By following along, you’ll be sure to catch every announcement. From our save the date emails to pre-launch sneak peeks, the collection reveal video and blog, and the launch itself - we have multiple posts and notifications that will tell you when to set the alarm/cancel all meetings/post-pone all arrangements/organise childcare etc. to make sure you’re all set on the day. It will also help you refine that all-important ‘must-have’ list ahead of time and plan your budget
STEP 3 | GET FAMILIAR WITH FAQ’s
Suppose you have a question about shipping, returns, re-stocks, payment options or anything about shopping with ERSTWILDER. These are questions you don’t need to ask during a launch, and chances are we’ve already addressed them in the FAQ’s section on the website. So, take a look here and if you still have a question that needs answering, send us an email or jump on live chat a good few days before a new collection goes live.
STEP 4 | PREPARE YOUR DISCOUNT CODES
What discount codes? If you're reading this and asking that question go back to STEP 1 to create your ERSTWILDER account and set up your REWARDS account. Whether you’ve received a discount offer from us via email or plan to redeem a discount code via the regards program, be sure to have your code written down and ready to go, or better yet, have it copied and ready to be pasted into the discount code field at checkout.
STEP 5 | GET ONLINE WITH TIME TO SPARE
A quick and easy one. Navigate and log in to ERSTWILDER.COM at least 10 minutes before the official launch time, and be ready to refresh your page! Remember, unless notified otherwise, the launch time for our major collections is 12:30pm (AEST/AEDT).
STEP 6 | ADD EXISTING DESIGNS TO YOU CART
If there are any designs or items currently listed online that you want, including previously released designs, MagnaPins, Brooch Converters, Gift Cards, etc., make sure to add those items to your cart before the launch, to ensure you check out as quickly as possible at launch time.
STEP 7 | ADD ANY NEW AVAILABLE DESIGNS TO YOUR CART
For any releases with new Rings, Essential Earrings, Scarves and/or Enamel designs, these are now listed online at 12pm (AEST/AEDT), a handy thirty minutes before the limited run, layered resin brooches, earrings, necklaces and hair accessories accessories are released. This gives you a chance to add those items to your cart early, allowing you to focus on securing your favourites from the main collection at 12:30pm, when the craziness really begins!
STEP 8 | LAUNCH TIME! GO FOR WHAT YOU MUST-HAVE
It’s one minute to launch. You’re sitting in the ‘NEW’ collection. OMG! Okay, breathe. First, new designs won’t just magically appear on the page. You’ll need to refresh your page. Do that every few seconds from one minute before the official launch time, and you’ll see the new pieces start to populate. They may not all come at once, so refresh a few more times once you notice any of the latest designs appear.
Now is not the time to make tough decisions about which to buy – hopefully you've planned your purchase already from the collection reveal and live reveal videos! Consult your must-have list and add those designs to your cart. Get out of there quick smart, and repeat if necessary. One caveat here, we cannot combine orders, so do try to get your whole wish list onto the one order.
And the most important tip here - keep calm ❤
STEP 9 | IF ITEMS ARE DISAPPEARING FROM YOUR CART, DON’T TURN BACK, KEEP GOING!
It’s imperative to know that designs in your cart ARE NOT YET SAFE! Most e-commerce sites (outside of services like ticketing and hotel bookings, for example) do not actually 'hold' items for you even if they're in your cart. It's not quite the same as popping things into a literal shopping cart in the real world. Once you’ve proceeded through to checkout and payment is being finalised, our site will do one last check to make sure all products in your cart are indeed still in stock.
Sometimes the response to our launches can be overwhelming, and on occasion, we may have thousands of people all trying to buy a limited piece of which we only have one hundred units, all at the same time. So, it’s possible that things ‘disappear’ from your cart from time to time during launches, even while the payment is processing.
We’ve done the research here, and for a brand like ours, with launches like we have, to hold stock in people’s carts will cause more problems than it will solve. That said, we appreciate how frustrating this can be, and we appreciate your understanding.
You may be notified that an item or items are not longer available, which just means that others managed to complete their purchase first. You will receive an order confirmation reflecting your final order and you can rest assured that if the design is on your order confirmation, it's coming your way.
*BONUS PRO TIP*
Checking out with ‘express’ checkout options like SHOP PAY will almost always be fastest - and significantly faster than options like AfterPay or PayPal which effectively take you off-site to complete payment before bringing you back for confirmation.
STEP 9 | STILL MISSED OUT ON SOMETHING? GO FIND IT!
Remember, you’re not alone. We’re a limited-run label after all so there will always be people who miss out from time to time. But there’s still hope! We have an incredible network of stockists, and you can often find designs otherwise sold out on ERSTWILDER.COM with them. Visit our stockist listing online and join the Erstwilder Shop Local Facebook page; one of our terrific stockists may have the design you so covet!
And, make sure to get involved in the community! Part of the joy of brooching is finding new friends who share your accessory love! Join groups, follow hashtags, swap your designs, and get chatting to your fellow broochies.
Oh, and some final advice...
Are you experiencing an issue? Maybe your discount code isn’t working? Perhaps you can’t log into your account? In short, if in doubt, get your order in! We can help with lots of things after the fact, so to avoid missing out, it’s best to get your order in and email hello@erstwilder.com if there’s anything you need to follow up with us. Again, note that combining multiple orders is no longer something we can support.
