Are you a Net Bonsai Wanker?

[JasonG]

I think everyone is jumping the gun on his sale's being down. Nowhere is that mentioned. This is advertising not a cry for help. Everyone does it, some are a little better at it than others. What it does say is that you won't be a wanker if you get off the computer and work on trees more and while you are at it try an ICHIBAN. His mass emails come from when you signed up for his newsletters on his website or the tools website.

This goes back to my other post….he is European, ICHIBAN is a European company and that might not mean that his advertising is going to suite every country that he reaches out to or those that reach to him. They have a different way of doing things than we do. Accept it, laugh at it, shake your head then move on. It's working for him though, this is driving his website hits up, people are back to discussing the ICHIBAN and yes, even some bad publicity is not always a bad thing.

And at the end of the day is message is right on, we should be working on trees more instead of trying to be an internet master, or wanker, lol!!

Heck, right now I am a NBW!!! Here on the puter instead of doing something productive! haha

 

[Klytus]

Free Cornetto with every purchase?

But is it big in Japan?
Nobody knows.

If a Balisong could be combined with a scissor action,now that would be too cool.

I use scissors and knives a lot in my work and always have an urge to twirl them whilst waiting to use them,but actual single bladed Butterlies have been illegal for some time.

 

[greerhw]

one word...Karma

What does he sell ?

keep it green,
Harry

 

[snobird]

I think this is more of an internal Italian affair with all the different machos vying for the top spot. I found Marco to be a very nice and helpful guy and extremely focused when it comes to presenting bonsai and sharing his vast knowledge. If you invite him as a speaker respect his view that when he is on stage, the stage is his for the duration of his presentation.

 

[Victrinia Ridgeway]

I have held it... it's a tool... it likely does most of what it says with effectiveness... but again... there's this association that somehow having this makes you a "serious" bonsai artist. That's my only hang up with the advertising of it. Some noob with more money than sense will buy one of these things and think... I'm serious! While half his trees are dieing due to bad watering or crap soil.

A tool is just a tool... face time with your trees... and having a variety of quality material is the thing. A tool can make things easier... but it has nothing to do with being good or serious about the art.

Jason isn't a better bonsai guy for having one... Jason is a better bonsai guy than most because he works on great trees he humped out of the hills. Not everyone has the know how to do that... so he's luckier than most. I also work on very good trees with excellent results... without an ichiban... and I do not feel the loss.

Now if I could only figure out how to stop an azalea from blooming early.... if the ichiban can help me with that... I'll pay the $300 bucks and gladly. Danged warm winter.... ARGH.

Kindest regards,

Victrinia

 

[Si Nguyen]

I think Marco's use of the term "wanker" in referring to bonsai people is a bit inappropriate. I am no prude either. I have done some pretty blue stand up routines at the Irvine Improv a few times (on open mike nights), so I have no aversion to dirty words. Marco is probably a nice and fun guy to be around though. We have all said a few inappropriate things at times. Maybe this poor choice of word was just a bad Google translation. How does one say "wanker" in Italian?

 

[Greg Brenden]

I think Marco's use of the term "wanker" in referring to bonsai people is a bit inappropriate. I am no prude either. I have done some pretty blue stand up routines at the Irvine Improv a few times (on open mike nights), so I have no aversion to dirty words. Marco is probably a nice and fun guy to be around though. We have all said a few inappropriate things at times. Maybe this poor choice of word was just a bad Google translation. How does one say "wanker" in Italian?

There's nothing wrong with Marco's grasp of English language; I've seen him demonstrate at a GSBF convention, at our club meeting, and in a workshop situation. He may have a better sense of the word than we do because it's an idiom in England and that's European. I lived next door to an English chap and he used "wanker" rather loosely and as an umbrella term for anyone who was inexperienced or incompetent. I think this is the meaning Marco is driving at with his latest ad. One thing is for certain, he has coined a new term and one that is very relevant, don't you think?

 

[Mojosan]

How does one say "wanker" in Italian?

"Italian"

 

[greerhw]

I think Marco's use of the term "wanker" in referring to bonsai people is a bit inappropriate. I am no prude either. I have done some pretty blue stand up routines at the Irvine Improv a few times (on open mike nights), so I have no aversion to dirty words. Marco is probably a nice and fun guy to be around though. We have all said a few inappropriate things at times. Maybe this poor choice of word was just a bad Google translation. How does one say "wanker" in Italian?

How does one say Wanker in English, unless you are English of course. My understanding is slaping your monkey, crude enough, I have more.

keep it green,
Harry

 

[ianb]

There's nothing wrong with Marco's grasp of English language; I've seen him demonstrate at a GSBF convention, at our club meeting, and in a workshop situation. He may have a better sense of the word than we do because it's an idiom in England and that's European. I lived next door to an English chap and he used "wanker" rather loosely and as an umbrella term for anyone who was inexperienced or incompetent. I think this is the meaning Marco is driving at with his latest ad. One thing is for certain, he has coined a new term and one that is very relevant, don't you think?

Mmm guilty as charged, you don't live anywhere near me do you Greg?

 

[Marco Invernizzi]

from marco

wanker in italian is PIPPAIOLO, SEGONE and we have a phonebook long of words to describe a wanker.
My understanding of the english language may be limited but when I choose a word as a title of one of my emails I do choose it carefully.
I really mean it. Google has nothing to do with it.

So ICHIBAN sales are good, very good actually, so thank you very much for worring about that. It was featured on KINBON as well. Do you remember any bonsai tool or pot designed by a non japanese ever for sale in the best bonsai magazine in the world....?

Do I call everybody a wanker? I don't think so, I carefully describe a NBW, and if someone see him/her self in that profile I try to picture for everybody's better understanding......well! than I feel sorry for him/her.

I'm not pissed at no one. I'm just very sorry to see how nowdays lots of people are spending most of their bonsai time in front of the keyboard more than with a tool in their hands and how the superficial opinions of certain wannabes seems to be worth as much as the ones of way more experienced bonsai artists. Then among the so called bonsai artists there are some who woke up one day and decide to call theirself like that and others who spent all their life learning from the best sources and have been performing the highest level of bonsai all over the world.

The Art of Bonsai is very objective kind of Art, either you know how to do it or not. Either you have good trees or not. Either you convince the world's oldest bonsai tool manufactured to produce a bonsai tool for the first time ever or you just ask yourself how someone actually did it.

How much a average Masakuni tool costs? How much?
An average $150. ICHIBAN does the work of 7 and does it better also because is made by a very special carbon steel. Did you know that every ICHIBAN owner gets the right to ask me any questions about their trees and I will always answer? How much that is worth?

ICHIBAN is for sale for $350 and it comes in a beautiful hand made wood box together with a special grade blade polisher.

Do you know how many $2000 tool set I saw in my life owned by people who never even touched those tools because they don't really know what to do with them?
ICHIBAN comes with a super website that, with 130 pictures and 7 videos, explains everything.

Get your facts right people...... and anyway, the email was about some of the most reknown bonsai artists in the world who actually are using ICHIBAN every day. They don't use because they are Pro, they use it because it help them work getting their body in much healthier position allowing them to get less tired. But if you don't work on trees you wont understand the differences.

Thank you everyone who supported me and guys......most of all! get a bit of sense of humor would you?!?!!?

Ciao

 

[Si Nguyen]

How does one say "wanker" in Italian?

"Italian"

You funny!

 

[Victrinia Ridgeway]

Marco...

I find it amusing that every single one of your 16 posts is soley about your tool.

I think there's medication for that kind of obsession.

Put some signal in all the noise. Take 5 mins to contribute something to the community... everyone will think you are cooler for it. And no... more references to how hawt your tool is, is not what I mean.

Victrinia

 

[chansen]

Danged warm winter.... ARGH.

Kindest regards,

Victrinia

Tell me about it. It was in the 70s yesterday afternoon and snowed this morning with snow predicted for tonight.

As far as the tool (disclosure: I've never seen one, and I don't know Marco), I like business and it would be interesting to me to see what the break even on the tool is. Most businesses look for a 3-5 year break even on new products. TiVO didn't start generating profit for 8 years, let alone break even. So sales may be lower than expected, but they may not be too far off on what's considered a reasonable break even time frame.

The real business problem probably lies within the size of the market (those willing to buy the tool). I don't doubt that it could be great, but for me it's just too expensive. But I'm a grad student, so a lot of things are too expensive for me. The tool is probably designed for the bonsai pro or the very experienced bonsai hobbiest/artist/etc. (not me), and there probably aren't too many of them out there. And I would bet that most are not early adopters in a product's life cycle. So it's reasonable to conclude that the product would sell slowly. I wonder if there is a way to introduce a 'beginner' level tool. Something that's not as high in price but would give people an introduction to the product. If they like it, they'll probably move into the nicer product when they have the resources and the need (kind of like Scion and Toyota).

As far as the advertising/marketing style... I understand Europeans are different. I lived in Europe for two years, and I don't have a problem with they way they do things. But if anyone wants to sell a product in a country/culture not their own, they need to adapt to the needs/expectations of those they're trying to sell to. If not, it's going to be a big uphill struggle to get people on board (not intended as a criticism of Marco, or anyone in particular for that matter).
Just a few thoughts...

 

[Ang3lfir3]

phewwww.... almost thought I was a NBW.... but since I've used Jim Gremel's Ichiban (and didn't feel it was worth the $$) I must not actually be one.

thank god too... I was petrified ....

 

[Si Nguyen]

wanker in italian is PIPPAIOLO, SEGONE and we have a phonebook long of words to describe a wanker...Ciao

This is great! I have an Italian friend I could use this on.
I got another one for you. How about Pasta Pullini?

I am sure the Ichiban is a great tool Marco. I would love to own one someday.

 

[Si Nguyen]

How does one say Wanker in English, unless you are English of course. My understanding is slaping your monkey, crude enough, I have more.

keep it green,
Harry

That's what I thought it meant too! Great minds think alike

 

[Smoke]

What does he sell ?

keep it green,
Harry

Misery.....

 

[milehigh_7]

Marco...

I find it amusing that every single one of your 16 posts is soley about your tool.

I think there's medication for that kind of obsession.

Put some signal in all the noise. Take 5 mins to contribute something to the community... everyone will think you are cooler for it. And no... more references to how hawt your tool is, is not what I mean.

Victrinia

Darn it Vic do you have to be so blasted logical?

 

[R_F]

That's what I thought it meant too! Great minds think alike

That is what it means, in America anyway. Harry has a good translation "slapping your monkey". I think Marco knows that too, hence his reference to cyber sex.

I have no problem with this kind of humor, but when you're trying to sell something I don't think it's very effective to insult your customers. But it sure does generate the buzz over your product. Maybe that's all he was going for? To get people talking about it again?

I have no opinion on the tool itself, but the price seems steep. I can't imagine the actual cost of the materials to make it coming anywhere near the retail cost. I'll probably never purchase one based on the price alone. I'd rather put that money towards trees. Good luck Marco.