16 November 2009

New Product Suggestions

I received an enquiry over the weekend from one of our readers asking if we knew of a particular organiser with specific features. I couldn't think of one with that particular set of features (Zipped and with large rings but in Pocket size). I approached our friends at Filofax HQ and they were unable to help. There is only one Zipped organiser in Pocket size and it has smaller rings than the regular organiser in that model range.

But it started some ideas about 'What if' you were able to specify exactly what you wanted in a particular organiser and it wasn't currently available. Filofax told me they are are always looking for new ideas for new products and I think they value our input highly, as being some of the most qualified and interested bunch of users. We are 'real customers' with a passion for the products. Experts in the field of Filofax..

So what could they do better? What would you like to see in any future products? Let us see if we can influence future or evolutions of current products.

I wonder if anyone has ever used the subject of 'Filofax' as their specialist subject in Mastermind? I think some of us would get quite a high score!!!

.

19 comments:

  1. I suppose I should start as it was my query in the first place.

    Well...

    I'd like a Lyndhurst, pocket size with 19mm rings so I can fit day to page refills for the full year. Also, as this is a wish list, I'd like it in red or green.

    Thank you very much! ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'd love to see a binder whose rings fall between the Slimline and the Personal - so, somewhere between (US size) 1/2 inch and 7/8 inch. Specifically, I'd love to see a Guildford this size - love the Guildford Slimline but the rings are a smidgen too small for me to use all the time, but the personal size (although I use this most often) is sometimes too bulky.

    Also, I'd love to see cotton cream week-on-two-pages with lines (personal size), as well as cotton cream monthly pages.

    Thanks for the opportunity to mention our wish lists!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I would like a Mode organiser in A5 size. It is such a beautiful organiser (I have two in aqua/pink in the personal just as I love that style so much) but too small for me. I would also like a bigger selection of A5 organisers with 30mm rings.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Someone awhile back said she would love to see a Slimline A5, and I agree. I wonder if that would solve my problem of page size (Personal too small) vs. book size (A5 too big). A slimline book with the large page layout of the A5 would be really nice!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Laurie, the smallest ring size on an A5 is currently 25 mm, although some are 30 mm.

    But a good one to add to the list. There are slimlines of most other sizes, not available everywhere though...

    Steve

    ReplyDelete
  6. A wishlist, how cool!!
    Well, I would like
    1. a Scanda in a pocket version
    2. the Chino to make a comeback
    3. the Metropol Pocket (and the Domino)to have the full width back pocket (like the finsbury)

    My list could go on and on... but I don't think it would be proper to do so :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. I dream up these requests all the time....!

    I'd love an A5 zipped Kendal - such a lovely organiser, just wish I had the security of a zip round it.

    Apart from the actual organisers, I'd love to see:
    - 'Top Tab' dividers
    - Add on pen loop device for extra pens (maybe inside the rings somehow?)
    - a stiff cardboard page to put at the front of my Filo to make it easier writing on the left hand pages - I have so much stuffed in the front of my Filo it makes writing on that side tricky,

    I once had an amazing contraption that fit in a personal FIlofax - can't remember if it was made specifically by them. It was a flat plastic 'page' about 4mm thick which had lots of implements you could pull out of the side - flat highlighter pens, pencils, biros, scissors, ruler, hole punch for filo pages, tape measure.....like a swiss army knife for filofaxes. Was wonderful - does anyone else remember this?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow! Some amazing comments already! I will be sure to pass them on to the team who will be very interested indeed to hear what you want.

    I would like to see a mirror for the mini too! I might pop my suggestion in at the same time - hehe :)

    Jess - Filofax

    ReplyDelete
  9. Another wish I just had to include but forgot:
    an extra pen loop, it could be like the plastic ruler, only wider...this would be very awesome!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. @Oni - I do actually have an insert that's an extra pen loop. Pretty sure it wasn't a Filofax product (maybe Muji once sold them?), but it is like a fairly sturdy semi-transparent flyleaf with the loop attached.

    I could really go to town with a wish list based on the huge product range that existed in the 1980s. But my top choice would be to start producing product listings and (ideally) catalogues in Personal, punched format once again, so that they can live in a binder. Listings were fold-out, four page affairs, while the catalogues sometimes had a special binding whereby the pages could be separated if you wanted.
    This was all very useful back in the days of mail-order, probably less so now with on-line facilities, but it would still be handy. For me it would really bring a touch of nostalgia too!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I too can remember the printed catalogues they used to do.

    On the website there is a 'Request a Catalogue' form:

    http://www.filofax.co.uk/catalogue/catalogue_request.asp

    I've filled this in a few times but never received a catalogue.

    Also there is a form in each refill you can send in to get a catalogue, but I've never received one.

    Can anyone else remember when they last saw a catalogue?

    I once had a very old catalogue, but I'm not sure where it is now. Mis-placed many years ago...

    .

    ReplyDelete
  12. I did receive a catalogue via filling out the form that comes with a diary. I think it was dated 2007. But it does seem quite hit & miss what comes from doing that.
    It was quite a glossy brochure, but not in a Filofax format.

    ReplyDelete
  13. In Germany, you get a printed catalogue at all stores that sell Filofax: It's 75 pages with 1 page for every organiser plus a few pages for pens, bags and refills. It's about 8" x 8", so it doesn't fit inside the Filo... but I keep it at hand on my desk.

    ReplyDelete
  14. oh please please please please please with a cherry on top:

    i would love an affordable slimline a5 with snap closure and two elastic pen loops (one front, one back). i'd like the rings a bit larger than the slimline personal, but not as large (25mm) as most a5's. which style? classic, bond, domino? i'm not too picky!

    most recently i've ended up buying my a5 binders from b&n because they are lighter and less expensive than the current filo offerings. i'm also pretty sure the ring size is a bit smaller and i find it forces me to think about what i'm carrying.

    while i want the cost to be uhm free? (we can dream) i'm willing to pay for such product because i know good filos last.

    ReplyDelete
  15. @laurie & @steve , hah ... i think that was me that you were remembering. i've been asking on and off i think for a few years! i should've read the comments before i just barged in with the contents of my wish list!

    there are a few forms i would like, but since my printer can print a5, i care more about the hardware than the innards.

    ReplyDelete
  16. My sister was in a store (in the US) recently that sells Filofax, and they had a stack of catalogs. She grabbed one and mailed it to me. It's nice to sit and thumb through, the photos are beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I remember personally writing to Filofax asking for a catalogue about a year ago. The only thing they told me was that they were forwarding my email to their spanish distributor.
    I am STILL waiting for someone from Tombow & Esatom to send it to me.
    Needless to say I got bored of waiting and picked up a free copy at the London Filofax Store.

    ReplyDelete
  18. @gmax: That is exactly what I would like! Sadly when I was finally able to visit a Muji store in London, I couldn't find that insert. I couldn't find the Chrono Notebook either, and they told me they were discontinued. Such a pity!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I sell Filofax products for a living, and what I get asked for all the time, is the Mode organiser in a5 size and also, the city dweller insert pack in a5. Also, people always ask for the filofax conference pads for there a4 folios.

    ReplyDelete