When Planner Love Turns into Brand Loyalty Overdrive

It starts innocently enough.
You find a planner brand that “gets” you.
You join their Facebook group, watch their Lives, start collecting their drops… and before you know it, you’re budgeting for sticker releases the way some folks budget for Beyoncé tickets.

But somewhere along the way, for some in the community, that love crosses into something else entirely — a loyalty so deep that it can sometimes feel cliquish, defensive, or even a little hostile toward anyone who doesn’t share the exact same enthusiasm.

I’ve been in the planner community long enough to see it happen. And while I love my stickers as much as the next person, I think it’s worth asking: When does brand loyalty go too far?

My First Planner Group Experience

Back in 2018 or 2019, I had just gotten into decorative planning. My “collection” at the time was basically a few Happy Planner sticker books from Hobby Lobby. Then I stumbled on a small order from a brand that changed everything — a mouse pad and a few little stickers.

The mouse pad had a brown girl on it who looked like me. I loved it immediately. Because of that order, I was invited into the brand’s Facebook group — and at the time, they were doing Sunday Lives.

I’ll never forget one in particular. I was juggling two active kids, my online business, and a nine-to-five, while quietly going through some personal struggles. On that Live, a creative team member spoke so transparently about how they used their planner to make space for self-care, realistic timelines, and personal priorities. It was encouraging, relatable, and exactly what I needed in that moment.

Everyone in that group was welcoming. No question was too silly. For a newbie, that kind of encouragement made all the difference.

The Superfan Factor

Of course, like any brand-centered community, there were superfans — people who purchased every single release, even as prices went up. This particular brand leaned luxury in price and quality, and while I personally never had anyone come at me for not buying everything, I definitely saw the online comments.

Some people labeled the group a “cult.” Others dismissed outsiders as “haters.”
That’s where I started to notice the flip side of brand loyalty — how quickly it could shift from celebration to exclusion.

The Overconsumption Era

I’ll be honest: I’ve had my own sticker-spending sprees. I’ve set budgets and broken them, dropped $200 on stickers just because I could. At the height of the planner boom, big brands like Happy Planner would have drops that sold out within hours. Smaller brands would sell out entire collections in minutes. People would buy two, three, even six of the same item.

That was the era of overconsumption. And at the time, it was part of the thrill.

The Shift

Over the last three to four years, though, I’ve shifted my own habits. Part of it is because I don’t like clutter. Part of it is financial. But mostly, it’s because I want my purchases to be intentional.

Shopping my stash has become a joy in itself — rediscovering why I bought certain products in the first place, using them in new ways, and letting that be enough. Sometimes I’ll still support a brand I love by sharing their releases, even if I don’t buy the product because it doesn’t fit my planning style anymore.

Separating the Brand from the Business

Here’s what I think sometimes gets lost in these conversations:
At the end of the day, these are businesses. Their job is to make you feel welcome, part of a community, even “seen.” And that’s wonderful… until it’s not.

Businesses can close. Prices can go up. Products can change. And customer experiences — good and bad — are part of the reality. If someone else’s experience is negative, that doesn’t automatically make them a hater.

Personally, I can admire a founder’s story and still decide their products aren’t for me. That’s the balance I wish more people in our community could embrace.

Where Do We Go from Here?

I see a shift coming in the planner community. People are moving away from overconsumption. Budgets are tighter, and the thrill of “buy it all” is fading. Brands will have to adjust. Some will pivot beautifully. Others might not survive.

As for me? I’m here for the creativity, the camaraderie, and the inspiration — not the cliques or the backbiting. Planning should be fun and functional, not stressful.

So I’ll keep mixing my brands, shopping my stash, and remembering that I plan for my life… not the business’s life.