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August 27th, 2014

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When 16,000 Danes tried to buy a Kähler 175th anniversary limited edition vase at the same time on Monday, all hell broke loose in the online ceramics world.

When the online sale started at 10am, thousands of vase-hungry Danes were standing by, ready to buy.

But unfortunately, the huge amount of traffic on Imerco’s website caused its system to shut down. Even though the vase appeared in the webshop, customers could not complete the purchase.

The negative comments – and then the begging – started pouring in.

“You have to make some more, so everyone can get one,” said one customer.

“I can’t put it in the basket – fuck this is bad, Imerco,” said another.

No more on the way
Just after noon, Imerco reported that the vase was sold out in all its stores and only available on the web.

By that time the webstore still didn’t work, and company director Jesper Schmidt had already said they would not be making any more.

"We will never do more vases with this unique glaze, even if there is such a demand,” Schmidt said in a statement.

“From a commercial point of view, it is hard to step back knowing that we could sell so many more, but we have promised consumers that the commemorative vase only comes in a limited edition.”

Schmidt would not say how many vases were produced.

“I am incredibly sorry,” said Schmidt. “The vase has been available in the web shop since June and many people preordered it from the shops, so it has never really been on the shelves.”

The hits just kept on coming
The mess also made it hard for other customers.

“Great, I have spent all day trying to buy an egg cooker, and it hasn’t been possible because of a fucking vase," wrote Rene Kristiansen on Facebook.

The vase is now showing up online and in classified ads for two to three times what it initially cost.

Meanwhile, Twitter lit up with those mocking the ceramic junkies.

Under the hash tag #Vase-gate, jokes are piling up about those whose life seemed to revolve around a 20cm white and brass vase.

One said: “Having a bad day? Swing byImerco’s Facebook page. There is someone who has it worse."

Personal information on the web
Some customers who made it through to Imerco’s payment page realised they could see personal stats of other customers.

“I saw the account of someone named Christina,” one such customer, Lisbeth Sillesen, told Jyllands-Posten.

“I could see her, address, phone number, email address, and her date of birth, so I logged off."

She informed Imerco via its Facebook page and saw that other people were having the same problem.

Imerco said the error occurred when it tried to shore up the online mess created by the vase.

“It was unfortunately an unintended consequence that some customers saw another clients' information, which of course we deeply regret,” said Imerco in a statement.

The anniversary celebrates the 175th anniversary of the first Kähler vase.