what determines if you make a purchase? This applies to vendors, who design and make their own hairsticks...not mass produced ones.

gosh that's a difficult one, there are a bunch of factors that I consider. I'm sure everyone else does too.

But if I find two hair sticks that I like and are equal in all the factors (like 2 Mei Fa's, or two papadonh's) - I choose Design....

I voted quality - because good quality (fine materials, good craftsmanship) already implies that the item is beautiful - something can be very simple yet beautiful cause it's well done.
I don't mind paying more for good quality, all within reason of course.

Of course design is a factor as well, but I won't buy a nice design with crappy materials unless it's really cheap, too (and worth my time to sand down rough spots and seams for example).

well, if they work or not
some work in my hair, most don't
i voted other

I think I need to list them in some sort of order, though:

Quality of Materials & Workmanship - I don't mind paying more for good quality.
Design (aesthetic quality) - It is soooooo pretty...I must have it!
Uniqueness (one of a kind product) - No one else has one like it.
Value (price) - I don't want to pay too much.

but I voted for Quality

Well, I look for a lot of things, but the number 1 thing (be it from a vendor OR mass-produced) is quality. If it's not high-quality I know I won't wear it much (I'll always be choosing another, high-quality item I already own in its place).

I mean, unique hairsticks are actually pretty easy to come by and (I know I may be weird) I always reach for something simple but very high quality over something decorated and pretty when I'm actually throwing my hair together. And, inexpensive is only value if you are going to get a lot of use out of the thing. (Sometimes you can find high-quality and inexpensive, that's the best, of course!)

I also look for hairsticks that aren't too long, and prefer those I can use on wet hair, but that's just me.

I prefer to make my own so they're just right for my hair, but when I select wood I go for the prettiest stuff I can find. I like simple, too, so I chose design.

I consider a few things when purchasing hairsticks.

First and foremost is always:

Design - If I don't like the way they look, why bother buying them?

Second:

Quality - I'm picky. Things have to be just so. Also, I'm not going to purchase something that'll fall apart on me.

Third:

Price - It has to be a good value.

quality

Prettiness, and then quality for me. It's not that the former is more important than the latter, but I order many of my sticks online, and it's hard to evaluate the quality in that way.
That having been said, I really need to give up completely on sticks from Claire's. I don't think I've had a pair yet that didn't break on me.
Kim B.

Quality is the most important thing to me. Also uniqueness and design. I love my MeiFa sticks and I also make my own. I have a few sticks from Claires but I rarely wear them as they are all so long and antenna like looking.

i voted other cos i dont have hairsticks...cos my hair isnt long enuf... cos i dont know how to wear it :DD

i just keep drooling at all those hair sticks on the pictures that u ppl post and some from the net shopping sites :D

someday soon, i'll come back to this post and type out my reply :D

I voted design...this, with the previso that I also expect that they will be of quality workmanship.

.
The Pantyhose Test is the answer for me.

A hairstick that can be run over a pair of pantyhose without
snagging is the one for me. I can file if I have to, but if I
run a hairstick over my clothing in the store and it 'sounds'
scuffy, I put it back.

To date, the best sticks I have found which I use quite
a bit are plastic wavy sticks from Claire's, shiny ones.
The same exact sticks in a buffed finish - I don't like.

Smooth and shiny with bumps to the design. This
works SUPERB in my scrunchie-stick method.

:-) Karen Marie