Iron Heart Loyalty Vouchers - 2026 and Beyond
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@sabergirl
I would buy that as well, that’s a great idea. or any kind of iron heart coffee table book, maybe one already exists from years ago I’m in aware of ? -
@meatmarketdenim1 said in Iron Heart Loyalty Vouchers - 2026 and Beyond:
I would buy that as well, that’s a great idea. or any kind of iron heart coffee table book,
Been talked about a lot, some people have even offered to help. But it always comes to nought. It would be an enormous undertaking. Just finding one of everything would be LARGE job. If I lived my life again, I would have tried to have kept one of everything, but that would have knocked my revenue to shreds, and in the early days just would not have been able to afford it
@meatmarketdenim1 said in Iron Heart Loyalty Vouchers - 2026 and Beyond:
maybe one already exists from years ago
Nope
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@will6er raising prices might work if it was something like flour, or milk, or tea or rice or basics that everyone buys and continues to buy, that is there aren't alternatives easily available. People sort of don't have an option.
raising prices for luxury "inessential" items that are already at the higher end from one particular brand will only ever have a detrimental effect in the long run. especially if its just seen to be the same product as before. A great product nonetheless but you know what I mean etc etc.
It's basically "we have an internal issue so everyone can pay more, just because". And I say that with the greatest respect.
remember a lot of businesses are hopefully growing each year anyway, so all this would do is bring in more money but they're also STILL making more product anyway. slowing the rate of growth perhaps, but thats without knowing the details of how businesses are leveraged against all sorts of bank loans, complex overdraft arrangements and individual credit agreements with suppliers and vendors.
Decisions like raising prices and tariffs etc can't just be taken in a vacuum.Reducing demand let's not forget is the last thing a business wants to do. because its not actually reducing the demand, it always remains, its purely that Iron Heart themselves (or whoever) would be failing to meet that demand.
That's the whole point, you can't just wish the demand away, you need to find a way of fulfilling it. So charging people more in my opinion is short sighted, there will be someone else fills that gap and finds a way to fulfil that demand.remember we only know all these issues because the team are graciously sharing it.
if Samurai or whoever you want to mention here just upped their prices (outwith the standard inflationary based mechanisms) with no explanation let's not pretend there would be anything other than disquiet.
It's a bad idea, it's pulling the wrong levers and what you dont want as a business is for people to ultimately start buying from other brands to the point where they never come back.
One day we all sit around in an empty warehouse saying proudly "we have solved the demand problem"
Its a tough problem for sure, some may say these type of things are a 'good' problem to have. but there are no such things as a good problem. because they still have the same potential to derail the whole operation and relationship and finely balanced product pipeline.
This is all good healthy debate but with finite manufacturing demand, products that take a long time to make, an ever growing market for this type of thing and factories that are not solely owned by the procuring companies it becomes a dogfight.
The brand has to be protected, and rumours of disquiet or bad vibes or price hikes and all sorts of stuff are better left in here if at all. It doesn't take much to tip the balance and from my couple of years on here I've seen an outwardly super slick operation run by an absolutely dedicated but relatively small in house team that deliver a vast range of very different products all year round at a fairly high price point that people love and want to support and continue to live and work in.
The answer isn't printing calendars, coffee table books, t-shirts, or trophies for best forum post.
Sadly businesses have to tend to look at product rationalisations, longer runs with even longer between restocks, less flexibility and mobility and speed in bringing new lines to market, making it even harder to react to fluctuations and spikes in demand, and likewise end up sitting on piles of unwanted stock when everyone has moved onto something else.
I wish I had the answers, actually giving it some serious thought last night as if I was at my work lol.
I have full trust in the squad there, building a business this strong isn't a fluke, so the folks there are serious business minds with strong relationships. Keep the faith.
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Lots of great ideas from everyone. Oh and love that @sabergirl called out the 4th post comment hater lol.
Most of my IH gear was purchased at SF self edge(my fav store) and from buy/sell thread here(love this place). My last few purchases were directly from IHUK, my beloved IHE-51-IND, and then a pair of 634 XHSib. That joy of getting the first package, fast shipping, taking the day off from work to sign for it. Then throwing that “sexy” bag on instantly, to go run errands, walk my dog was such a great experience. Next the great customer service from the team helping find the smaller waist 31s had in stock. After opening that green bag, was so excited made my first ever “unboxing video” for my IG. Brown bag signed by the whole crew and little reindeer, plus the chocolate bar! Such a nice touch, Felt like a little kid at Xmas. Knowing all the extra hustle you guys doe for us, eating the $ on wack ass tariffs, plus the fact I can come here and read, post, hella rad friends. Can’t forget Sam’s weekly restocks and drops videos are a must watch second I see new one came out. That’s all the loyalty program I could ever ask for. I don’t know of any other brand doing all this. Side note I kept the bags as mementos, I’m a dork lol. Plus I still have the chocolate bar displayed on my build out in my dinning room. I’m vegan so sadly can’t eat the milk chocolate bar. Next time a friend comes over I’ll gift it to them. I’ll continue to buy from IHUK as well as self edge, iron heart all day everyday. -
@meatmarketdenim1 I did as well:
“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
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@Stringthing75 I wasn't saying raise the prices. I was saying pass on the US tariffs in the same way the tariffs are passed on for other brands.
Though you make your points well and I am not seeking an argument - to illustrate my point:
If either of us buy from Wonderlooper (Japan) I (UK) pay the tariff / US pays the tariff. I mention WL because they are also a transparent brand and communicated on the topic.
If either of us buy from IH Germany we pay the tariff (Because of this I didn't buy a shirt there last year - it was 20-30% on top of an expensive item and though I really want it - I didn't pull the trigger.
One thing we can all agree on is that we love the IH gear and the IHUK crew!
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@goosehd
Oh hell yeah man! It took a second to realize wasn’t screen printed on, I was like damn they really went the extra mile and signed all these bags during Hollidays. Such a nice gesture, love it. -
@will6er absolutely not an argument, apologies if it came across like that lol. not at all.
ultimately the customer would be paying more, that was my point really.and either way, I am working on the assumption that wouldn't really move the needle on the supply/demand issue, although I suspect the real solution will indeed be a myriad of different options.
thanks for engaging in the healthy debate, it's all good, all positive and respectful.
and the fact you ended up not buying that shirt is a loss. its a lost sale to IH. even if someone else bought it five mins later. they lost your sale. But I totally get what you're saying. it's just a very tricky situation.
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Knowing my personal spending habits, I fully understand the detriment of the voucher program to the current supply/demand issue.
Frankly, not having the number of vouchers received serve as a reminder of how much I overspent my budget, the previous year, will be greatly appreciated...
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@Go-For-Chill said in Iron Heart Loyalty Vouchers - 2026 and Beyond:
That person receives a genuine photo of @Tago-Mago holding a sign printed on a white sheet of paper that says “you are customer of the year” , and WHILE he adorns a slight grin.
Let’s not make any rash decisions
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With the amount of transparency, service, and customer interaction this company provides, I find it sad that anyone would get upset about the loss of a voucher program they may, or may not have been involved with. Such small mindedness misses the bigger picture. There is so much more to be had, if you simply seek it out. On my recent trip to Europe, I had a great number of wonderful interactions with a great number of wonderful people involved with Iron Heart. I would not trade any of it for a voucher...
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seems completely reasonable
I’ll settle for a 25th anniversary hoodie pre-order as a perk. Not sure if that’s already a thing or I’m talking out my #ss, but I would be good with that.
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Regarding talk of a coffee table book... That wouldn't have to be done by Iron Heart at all. Someone with a passion for the brand could just take the idea and run with it, as has been done with so many other things in the past. If it shows the brand and its products in a good light (which I'm guessing it would) then I'm sure it would get the blessing to be an "authorized edition." I'm also reasonably certain the key players would be happy to provide interviews and photos and whatnot for the project, too.
I think I'd call it "The Iron Heart Nepronomicon."
Though that is neither here nor there.
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All an little ethical company really owes to their customers is transparency and good customer service which Iron Heart provides 10 fold. Loyalty should never be associated with money. If it does, the only think you are saying is,that the only thing you value is money.
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Seeing the loyalty program go away as a measure to protect the brand actually feels like the best loyalty program of all. And while vouchers may be disappearing, there are plenty of things that remain that foster real loyalty.
Free repairs for life is a loyalty program. This forum is a loyalty program. Having access to open discussions like this with the owner(past or present) is a loyalty program.
I’ve seen a lot of changes in the nearly 15 years I’ve been part of this forum, but two things have always been consistent: first, the transparency on full display from IH, and second, the fact that we’re all a bunch of quality-obsessed denim nerds who have a place to gather and obsess over the minutiae of the products we use every day.
Vouchers going away changes nothing for me. I appreciated them when I received them, but I never really missed them when I didn’t.
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Real loyalty and real customer service don’t actually have that much to do with money, they have to do with shared interest, human interaction and respect.
