Parents new to the Tula world scan eBay, craigslist, and B/S/T groups with confusion.
“I thought a new Tula went for $149, how come this one costs $300?”
The deeper down the rabbit hole they explore, the worse it gets.
“I thought $300 was bad. Why is this one $1,250?! Wait, look, there’s one for $4,000!”
Then, denial.
“No one pays that much for a baby carrier. No one.”
Then, realization.
“Wait, was that $4,000 Tula just marked as sold?!?!”
This is the story of every Tula newbie, and from there a passionate Facebook chatter group discussion on the legitimacy of “market value” for used (or, let’s be fair, new in package “NIP”) baby carriers. Although I am not a personal finance advisor, and I hold no degrees in finance (yet), I did concentrate in finance/economics at college. Those 18-21 credits give me just enough understanding to explain Tula market value to you, and why it’s important to you as a Tula lover and owner.
Why Are Some Tula Baby Carriers More Expensive Than Others?
The simplest answer is scarcity.
In economics, the definition of “scarcity” is the same as the dictionary version: there is less of what is wanted or needed. The Tula company is still young and small. Because of this, the number of baby carriers Tula can produce is significantly less than the number of Tula products customers want to buy.
But how come there are some prints in stock for $149 and others that are not in stock but still listed for double or triple the price?
When you add marginal utility to the scarcity equation, you get something that increases the value further. What is “marginal utility”? Well, let’s define it, then I’ll explain it in terms of Tula:
In short, the marginal utility of a Tula is what it’s worth to the wearer or the wanter. Yes, a Tula baby carrier has a specific worth and value as a product that is intended to help parents carry their children in a handsfree method. That is one facet of marginal utility, the other facet is similar to the diamond/water paradox. Although water is much more useful to human beings than a diamond, diamonds are worth far more than water because we value diamonds more. We want diamonds. We covet diamonds. Diamonds are harder to procure, a status symbol, etc. The same is true with Tulas. You can purchase many other ergonomic baby carriers for far less than the price of a Tula, but you want a Tula. Tula’s are cool. You like a certain print of a Tula, that one is not readily available, therefore you will pay more for a Tula.
What if Tula just started making a lot more Tulas?
On one hand, there would be people who were very happy to “finally score” their dream wrap conversion or canvas SSC. On the other hand, the easy access to “scoring” a Tula would diminish the value of the Tula brand itself. There exists a tipping point in the market equilibrium. Make too many Tulas, and run the risk of making Tulas “uncool” and no longer highly sought after. Make too few Tulas, and the secondary market will be making more profits than Tula itself.
So, what does this mean for me as a Tula owner?
If you own a HSA or HTF (highly sought after/hard to find) Tula, you’re in luck. The market is ripe for shedding your baby carrier at a profit. However, as with all things, it’s only a matter of time before the market value decreases or plummets, so do not consider a Tula purchase an “investment”. Remember that the market (ANY MARKET) is unpredictable. Today, a Tula is a hot commodity. It’s stylish, like a Mamas & Papas stroller, but in a couple years, the next big thing will take Tula’s place. Don’t get caught up in the hype. Buy a carrier you love, but don’t expect to get your money (or more) back out of the carrier – unless you plan to flip it that same week. Even then, you never know when Tula can decide to do a “surprise stocking” of 8,000 Tula Love Vogue wrap carriers. So, gamble accordingly.
In other Tula news…
My new Tula, Incognito, arrived this week. Love that it’s black and white. Love that I could make dinner, coffee, and clean up with a happy baby strapped to me, and I love that I paid retail for it! You can buy a Tula at retail right now on Amazon:
Find the current market value of your Tula at Tula Market Value Questions on Facebook.
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Britt says
Nope… Tula is a great company. They are the Coca Cola of baby carriers…. I believe they are an investment; you just have to pay attention to the market for the specific print you have 🙂