Poll Results: Best Decks of 2012 and All Time

These results do make sense. As to the Thoth thing - I'd guess that there is a lot to specifically discuss about Thoth in particular, but many here are either afraid to get involved or feel they cannot cope (Me for one - I read but don't post !)

RWS is - dare I say it - more accessible...

To be honest, I have doubts as to how representative the poll actually is. The results may be somewhat "comforting," but even ignoring the three million registered AT members and focusing only on the active ones, three and a half per cent is an absurdly small figure. Has the Mary-El topped sales figures this year?

Hard to tell, as it is sold in so many places. But there did seem to be stock shortages at times. And when I took it to show people at one point, those who didn't have it went home to order it. (the second time I did that, they didn't, though, so I have no idea what that tells me !)

Then again - the Daniloff is up there; many here could not afford to buy a copy, but it still garnered votes because even on line it can be seen to be something special...

Thank you for spending the time to do all the work involved with this poll.

It was great to see what results would be from a group of members only, even
though it was a small group. Still it is interesting and I feel it is a more accurate view of
which decks are preferred by the people who actually use them. I think a larger
percentage of members would yield similar results. I think the decks on the list
would be the decks you see talked about and being used here on the forum by
the members. None of these is surprising.

A larger poll would be really enlightening and hopefully next year AT has one for members only.

Thanks again for the work and time invested.

closrapexa said:

To be honest, I have doubts as to how representative the poll actually is. The results may be somewhat "comforting," but even ignoring the three million registered AT members and focusing only on the active ones, three and a half per cent is an absurdly small figure. Has the Mary-El topped sales figures this year?

Click to expand...

I am not sure.that sales figures are the best way to judge popularity. Plus, sales
figures are just a snapshot taken at one point in time. The next day, the sales
could go up for one deck and it wouldn't be shown if only going by sales figures
taken the day before. I agree with Gregory about appreciating a deck on line
not having purchased it yet.

The results of the poll on this thread at least more sincerely reflect the opinions of true tarot enthusiasts.

And congratulations to the Mary-El!

Thank you for doing this closrapexa. Your dedication and enthusiasm is always an inspiration. I'm not sure what to think about this poll. While the results are what we kind of expected, for all the ballyhoo that occurred in response to the official poll I'd have guessed more people would have voted in your poll.

I think I agree with posters commenting on the official poll who said that these types of polls probably don't amount to anything of great certainty or importance. They are fun and create a centerpiece for debate and chatter, but honestly, I'd love the Mary el even if it didn't do well in either poll. I think they may be more important to newbies who are looking to try something different that someone else highly recommends and there isn't anything wrong with that. I love music but couldn't give a toss about the Grammys.

After reflecting on this, and with the Doreen Virtue thread going on, doesn't anybody think that with the predominance of big money on the market, don't polls like these become more important for the indie creators? Many people seem to be bemoaning the lack of any exciting decks in their local bookshops, but I feel it may be exactly polls like this one that could give much needed publicity to small craftsmen. While the All Time poll is fairly uniform and uncrackable, the 2012 poll (or ones like it) could be exactly the push stores need to stock the winning decks.

This isn't American Idol or The Voice; this is small, about things that could actually make a difference.

closrapexa said:

......While the All Time poll is fairly uniform and uncrackable, the 2012 poll (or ones like it) could be exactly the push stores need to stock the winning decks. .......

Click to expand...

I think the New Age and Metaphysical shops could benefit from the input. I should think (or hope) that customers of such stores would already have Thoth and Rider-Waite in their stable and may be readers of AT.

Personally I like all the decks in your 2012 poll, but for different reasons, such as art, originality, etc., considerations of which are not usually sufficient inducement for me to purchase such decks. However, I am not everyman. Local brick and mortar shops could well take into account the results of such polls. It might be more profitable than caving to the pressure of DV and the like.

I have to say it isn't that simple.

When Alta and I were in Ottawa, we found a store that stocks "our sort of stuff" - and almost everything she had was DV and things like fairy statuettes and that. We talked to her about it - as we had read up on the store and it had sounded great, and we'd actually hoped to buy stuff - and she said yes, she USED to stock all the good stuff and the books we might buy and so on - but she needed to survive financially - and the stuff that sells is - DV and "product". By which she meant the statuettes, pretty cloths, pendants with little plastic angels and so on.

She was determinedly hanging on to a few goodies - there was a Waite and two LoS decks, as I recall - but PILES of DV. And she orders all the stock herself and knows her stuff - I think she was pleased to be able to talk to people who took it seriously. But she has to make a living.

Same thing with the one in the small town near where I live - though they do manage to have a lot that ISN'T DV - mostly because they are both practising witches as well, and run circles that people pay for on the side, as well as healing, ionising (I just had a look at their website, which is NOT up to date (I was there not long ago, and that is NOT their current stock...).