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We appreciate you contacting us and apologize that you do not receive a response to your follow up e-mail. We do want you to know that we take very seriously the feedback that we receive from our demonstrators and customers. We have received similar feedback from other demonstrators and are constantly reviewing our pricing structure. We do listen to your feedback and take into account the needs and wants of our demonstrators and customers as we make decisions. That doesn't mean every demonstrator or customer will agree with all our decisions. Stampin' Up! sincerely tries to serve two goals that we consider equally important: the needs and wants of our demonstrators (each of whom has unique goals) and the financial stability and profitability of the company. We do our best to balance both factors when we make our decisions. We are sorry for any frustration this has caused. We hope that you continue to work with us even though, in this instance, you may not agree with our position.
Thank you again for sharing your thoughts. Please contact us if you have any further comments.
And there you have it...pretty much nothing new...sigh!
Last night was my last stampin up card month. I ordered the jumbo snowflake punch, and the matching stamp. It came to over 40$. I refuse to give SU one more Canadian dime. I quit my card club for next year. I'm actually looking forward to seeing what else is out there. Besides I truly hate the new cattie and was not drawn to one "must have"
Haven't received my form letter yet. They don't need me and I certainly don't need them.
Feeling rather bitter but hey I'm in control not them.
I am waiting for my LAST order to come. I heard that the prices would increase so got the things I needed (mostly paper and ink). That is the last Canadian dollar they will get of mine. It makes me sad that SU really doesn't give a rat's butt about their Canadian demos or their Canadian customers. There are lots of American companies willing to treat us with the respect we deserve. Too bad SU..as far as I am concerned you have just lost another customer!!
Before the prices went up I placed an order for punches (I have a thing for punches � paper punches that is ;)). My super nice demo added a free Level 1 Hostess stamp set of my choice and the new catty � both free!
Then I read about the New Mini Starter Kit for $85 � US funds that is � and the 30% off your next order. I have been so tempted � so very tempted.
US$85.00 = C94.22, but the Canadian Price on the kit is $105.:mad:
So I read through some of the posts on this thread again and it leaves me with such a negative feeling.
I can take the $105 to my LSS and have so much more fun there and I'm sure they appreciate my business more than SU does.
Once again ladies, thank you for helping me to decide, the LSS it is!
I agree with you about the LSS. I have, lately found it more interesting. I did not order anything this month from SU (as I said I was not going to). I really have everything I need anyway. I seriously do not know if I will order ever again.
The holiday mini is leaked... and I had a sneak peek....I am not a demo
So here's my response to SU!
We as Canadians sincerely try to serve two goals, that we consider equally important, the needs and wants of our craft rooms and our pocketbooks. We will do our best to balance both factors when making our decisions. We will accept the frustration that you have caused, and will work with our local stores as apparently you do not see or agree with our positions.
The holiday mini is leaked... and I had a sneak peek....I am not a demo
So here's my response to SU!
We as Canadians sincerely try to serve two goals, that we consider equally important, the needs and wants of our craft rooms and our pocketbooks. We will do our best to balance both factors when making our decisions. We will accept the frustration that you have caused, and will work with our local stores as apparently you do not see or agree with our positions.
The holiday mini is leaked... and I had a sneak peek....I am not a demo
So here's my response to SU!
We as Canadians sincerely try to serve two goals, that we consider equally important, the needs and wants of our craft rooms and our pocketbooks. We will do our best to balance both factors when making our decisions. We will accept the frustration that you have caused, and will work with our local stores as apparently you do not see or agree with our positions.
Love the letter Donna! You defintely should send this to SU!!! Sooner or later they'll get the message (at least I hope)!
For Canadian customers there will be a 12% discount on your whole order to bring prices to an at Par level or lower. This adjustment is processed manually to your credit card. All Canadian orders are shipped from Canada.
__________________ �:*�*:�My next house won't have a kitchen. Just a bunch of vending machines and garbage cans.�:*�*:�
For Canadian customers there will be a 12% discount on your whole order to bring prices to an at Par level or lower. This adjustment is processed manually to your credit card. All Canadian orders are shipped from Canada.
Maybe this should be sent to Stampin' Up also. They might not listen to Canadians but they might listen to their competition.
I love my SU demo - she's the greatest!! I will continue to buy SU - BUT - very little.
I find Gina K, Flourishes, Papertrey, Addicted to Rubber have great prices.
I'm very fortunate because my daughter lives in the States and I have orders shipped to her.
For example: my last order for Gina K was $120.00 CDN. Included 4 stamp sets, 2 stamp pads, pack of her wonderful cs (50), tim holt scissors. And, a package of m n m thank yous!!!! The above companies will ship to Canada. Duty charges may apply, but you are getting wonderful quality. Wonderful service too!!
I like the fact SU rubber is manufactured in the States - that is a bonus. Anything manufactured in USA and Canada has my loyalty.
SU.....bring the prices down please.
Oh....no shipping charges from Gina K. or Flourishes or Papertrey!!!!!
Sorry to come in again......
Stamping Up shipping charges are awful. The orders are coming in for a party and everybody is charged sky high shipping. what's with that? I have written SU before about that. No valid answer.
I've written stampin up too as far as the pricing goes. I only wrote them early this am - so no answer yet. I let them know that the prices in new catty were far too high, how much I spent last year - a lot! and this year -since the new catty - nothing. I'll purchase a few essentials - but I let them know that I did not accept the excuse of the Canadian dollar - because for a while last fall the Canadian Dollar was above par, and right now we are about 10 % lower than the US dollar - whereas prices have gone up as much as 25 % on Catty Items. I let them know that I did not think they valued their Canada customers much, that we Canadians are perhaps subsidizing the lower US prices, that I can order item the majority of stamping item that I like via internet with at the current dollar pricing, and most often with far lower shipping charges, and that I have several LSS'a around me - and I'll be doing my purchasing there.
Not that I think SU cares - but if you don't write them - they won't hear Canadians for certain. We can try. But I expect to be purchaseing very little from SU. I really like my demo - but what can you do?
I am soooooooooooo glad that all of you are writing to SU. They will never know what people are dissatisfied with if they don't hear from them! I had written and received a response which was totally expected, but I don't agree with their reasoning. Here's what they wrote:
Quote:
Thank you for contacting us with comments regarding the price increase of our products in the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog. We appreciate the time you have taken to share your thoughts and concerns. We appreciate you honesty and have passed your feedback on to the appropriate department for review. Although you will not receive an additional response from this department, we want to assure you that we value your input. Stampin' Up! believes that our success is built on the contributions and ideas of our demonstrators and customers. We understand the value of your time, and we are grateful that you have shared your thoughts with us.
We wish to inform you that our Canadian prices are based not only on the exchange rate; several other factors also contribute to the cost of sales and doing business in Canada. The company works hard to establish fair and valued pricing, and in addition to the exchange rate, there are other business costs, including Revenue Canada corporate income taxes and pricing and cost structure regulations for affiliated entities doing business across borders, that need to be and are considered in pricing. The company also must take into account sales volume in pricing its products to ensure it will be a value to customers during these initial years but still keep the company viable for the long term. The prices appropriately reflect the value of the products, including our exclusive artwork and designs, the quality of our products. Customers buying from our demonstrators get person-to-person training and long-term customer support-you need only call your demonstrator to get stamping or scrapbooking advice and ideas. Customers across Canada agree that our stamps are a good value, as shown by the rapid and steady growth of our sales.
Demonstrators in the US have long used these points to field questions from customers about why prices for some of our accessories are higher than the prices for those identical accessories available in local craft stores. These answers (convenience, personal service and in the case of our artwork, exclusivity) are accurate.
For one thing, I don't care what US demonstrators say to field to their customers. Not that I have a problem with American demos! I'm not American though. I was talking specifically about a Canadian issue that the American catalogue was not affected by.
and as far as I am aware, the income tax structures from Revenue Canada haven't changed???
oh, and one other thing, if they take into account sales volumes, the prices next year are going to be HUGE because no one will buy at these prices when they can buy elsewhere. Even though I am a demonstrator and I can show you what to do with the products you buy, so do craft stores. More and more are having classes and informed employees (not the big stores, the small ones).
I am soooooooooooo glad that all of you are writing to SU. They will never know what people are dissatisfied with if they don't hear from them! I had written and received a response which was totally expected, but I don't agree with their reasoning. Here's what they wrote:
For one thing, I don't care what US demonstrators say to field to their customers. Not that I have a problem with American demos! I'm not American though. I was talking specifically about a Canadian issue that the American catalogue was not affected by.
and as far as I am aware, the income tax structures from Revenue Canada haven't changed???
oh, and one other thing, if they take into account sales volumes, the prices next year are going to be HUGE because no one will buy at these prices when they can buy elsewhere. Even though I am a demonstrator and I can show you what to do with the products you buy, so do craft stores. More and more are having classes and informed employees (not the big stores, the small ones).
I especially don't understand how they must take into account sales volumes. I mean - they are making the same product for the US market as well as the Canadian market - so it's not like they have to do something special when selling to us... I don't understand that at all.
And yes - as far as I know there have been no changes to Revenue Canada. I think Stampin Up is just writing goobledygook. You know - big words with no meaning!
Okay - I really like my demo - but truthfully she is very new to stamping and does not have a club or anything.
I've learned plenty from my LSS's - I've taken copic classes from certifed copic instructor, I've taken so many technique classes from my LSS,s - - well - I've learned FAR more from my LSS than my demo. She is lovely - but I haven't learned anything.
Maybe those who live small cities might have to rely on SU more.
But I think we can still try to talk to SU........ I'm trying!! I too am glad to see that folks are writing into SU!!
I think SU is going to see a big dip in sales this year in Canada though. Hardly any new things in the catty, outrageous prices - they are out of touch.
I just placed a BIG order with PTI. Great service, great products. just got some new Whipper Snapper Stamps - just took an A muse class aat my local LSS. I think SU has forgetten that they aren't the only game in town - or they don't care. Probably the latter. Sigh.
Check out the differences in prices in the new minis... We're paying 25% more than the US, if my math is correct (which may or may not be the case :rolleyes.
Check out the differences in prices in the new minis... We're paying 25% more than the US, if my math is correct (which may or may not be the case :rolleyes.
Thanks for posting the link to the Mini Catty, Angela! There's some cute stuff but they obviously haven't taken the hint that the Canadian customers are upset about the price differences. I was on E-Trade today and according to them, the exchange rate is 1.06 CDN to US. Yep, that justifies the 25% price difference...
I think the solution would to be create just one catty and put it US prices, and then when we Canadians order, we can pay the going US vs Canadian rate - and then SU would have no - IMO - reason to charge Canadians any more than they charge Americans. I'm sure SU won't see it that way.
Oh well. Fortunately I am not much taken with the new stuff at SU - not the mini either.
Well Magnolia is not the only one trying to give us a break. Saw a pop up here saying Unity Stamps only charge $5 to ship to Canada, Yep $5.!!!!
Someone should tell the founder of this company (SU) ,that Location, Location is not the only thing to know when you are running a business.
Another business concept they should keep in mind is the following rule. While it is hard work to attract customers to your business, its even harder to keep them, most important is that if you loose them, very few will return. Something which statistics bear out.
Canadians are not ones to rock the boat and complain as a rule, but they sure dont like being taken advantage of ,and they know when it is being done,and will talk with their pocketbooks.
I think the solution would to be create just one catty and put it US prices, and then when we Canadians order, we can pay the going US vs Canadian rate - and then SU would have no - IMO - reason to charge Canadians any more than they charge Americans. I'm sure SU won't see it that way.
Oh well. Fortunately I am not much taken with the new stuff at SU - not the mini either.
I feel badly for the demos.
Exactly. Let our prices float with the exchange rate... like you can do with interest rates on a loan.
I'm finding that I'm liking a lot more of the retired sets than the new ones. I've only been at this for a few years, so what's old is new to me. I spent way more money on retired sets last year than I did on new/current ones. If I flip through an old catty, I find myself going, "Oh, I like that, and that, oh, and that too." Not so much with the new one and the mini. There are only a few sets I want from the new catalog. Those will likely be put on wish lists for birthday and Christmas. I cannot imagine spending $50 for a new set of stamps. It's insane. I'm very interested to see if CTMH follows suit with their prices whenever their new stuff comes out.
I feel bad for the demos too. :( They are going to suffer as a result of circumstances they can't control.
Angela
__________________ Just twist my rubber arm... ;o)
Check out the differences in prices in the new minis... We're paying 25% more than the US, if my math is correct (which may or may not be the case :rolleyes.
Hi Angela, I know the URLs you posted are different, but they're both the same catalogue - both the US mini.
Weird! Very weird. I know I had two different ones because I was checking the price differences, but you're right. These are the same catty, even with the different urls. :confused:
Let's see if this works. Let me know if it doesn't. Holiday09_CA.pdf
__________________ Just twist my rubber arm... ;o)
im so struggling to find anything i want in the new catty and how sad because its for a year!!!!
the dollar difference is huge: considering our dollar is around 92 cents right now..
they should charge us what ever the rate is the day the order goes in..
I can't believe the prices in this mini! (or in the catty) I'm really disheartened with SU! It was a bit much last year but then to jack the prices again this year - insane. I refuse to order any stamps no matter how cute they are. It's just cardstock for me from now on unless the prices go down.
I agree with the comments expressed about the offerings in the new catty. There's nothing in there that screams "BUY ME!"
As for the paper . . . I do like things to be matchy matchy, but the price threshold has moved beyond what I'm willing to pay, and so I see this as an opportunity to move into a more complementary arena instead of matchy matchy all colors the same, yadda yadda.
I also don't think I'd be a returning customer even IF (and I think it's a big "IF") SU! adjusts their pricing structure. The whole controversy around the inequity and the optics of it all, along with their non-responses has only served to guarantee that I will spread the wealth of my consumer dollars to the competitors.
I'm all for small businesses making a profit, but not when it "appears" to be solely upon the backs of a particular market segment.
Maybe they think we live in igloos and eat whale fat all year long. Too remote and out of touch to know when we're getting the shaft. Besides . . . I didn't get a kiss first!!
__________________ �:*�*:�My next house won't have a kitchen. Just a bunch of vending machines and garbage cans.�:*�*:�
I just looked through the mini. Nothing I would buy. Mind you I have never really been a fan of SU stamps anyway. But I did notice one thing... they have given you a freebee...The simple seasonal thanks stamp on page 28. You could just print this page (resize to print 2 or three to a page in adobe reader so you get the size you want) and cut around it. Why would you pay almost $30 for a single stamp when you can print it for the cost of your paper and printer ink???
Location: I SHOULD be living in Tornado Alley but I live in Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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I honestly have to say that I am a bit torn right now. I've noticed all the posts about the Canadian SU prices and while I am considering becoming a Demo, I am a little nervous about doing it.
I guess the only pro to this whole equation is getting the Demo discount which (in theory) offsets the price increases.
[QUOTE=Weathergirl;14730444]I honestly have to say that I am a bit torn right now. I've noticed all the posts about the Canadian SU prices and while I am considering becoming a Demo, I am a little nervous about doing it.
I guess the only pro to this whole equation i s getting the Demo discount which (in theory) offsets the price increases.
I dunno what I'm going to do...[/QUO
If worked away from the home and did enough crafting that I could support myself as a demo (quarterly targets) I would probably do it.
As I have said before, I will never buy the same amount as I used to from SU (given the unfair price increases) . I will from time to time break down and buy somethings What???? Did I just say that out loud. Right now I am so furious I am staging my own little boycott.
Well, I got the same form letter back from SU as you the rest of you did. I think I will reply to it. As far as I know, tax structures have not changed in Canada, SU! is not a new business in Canada ad nauseum as per their letter.
I think Ill try responding to the letter they sent me.
Good luck to me. I don't think SU cares much about Canada.
Thank you for contacting us with comments regarding the price increase of our products in the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalogue. We appreciate the time you have taken to share your thoughts and concerns. We appreciate you honesty and have passed your feedback on to the appropriate department for review. Although you will not receive an additional response from this department, we want to assure you that we value your input. Stampin' Up! believes that our success is built on the contributions and ideas of our demonstrators and customers. We understand the value of your time, and we are grateful that you have shared your thoughts with us.
We wish to inform you that our Canadian prices are based not only on the exchange rate; several other factors also contribute to the cost of sales and doing business in Canada. The company works hard to establish fair and valued pricing, and in addition to the exchange rate, there are other business costs, including Revenue Canada corporate income taxes and pricing and cost structure regulations for affiliated entities doing business across borders, that need to be and are considered in pricing. The company also must take into account sales volume in pricing its products to ensure it will be a value to customers during these initial years but still keep the company viable for the long term. The prices appropriately reflect the value of the products, including our exclusive artwork and designs, the quality of our products. Customers buying from our demonstrators get person-to-person training and long-term customer support-you need only call your demonstrator to get stamping or scrapbooking advice and ideas.
Again, thank you for your e-mail. Please let us know if you have additional questions or comments.
Maybe it's slightly different from the others. I am going to write them back!
