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Is that they charge $10 for their catalog. I know its full of ideas but the main reason to create a catalog is for people to look at the products...which they eventually buy.
I mean, I'm already paying a ton for CS, stamps, ink etc etc, why do I have to be charged for the catalog?? Lands End doesn't charge me for their catalog.
In fact, it seems a lot of stamping companies charge for their catalog: TAC, Hero Arts, Stamps by Judith. IT DRIVES ME CRAZY!!!
I look at the catalog as an "idea book". Magazines that cost $4-$6 don't have anywhere near the number of samples as stamp company catalogs. I buy CTMH, SU, and the TAC catalogs every year for the ideas. Never throw them away - they are a terrific resource.
Well you do have to take into account this is a catalogue and an Idea book. Scrapbooking or stamping magazines aren't free and yet they also make money by advertising some one elses product for us to buy. JC Penny catalogus aren't free either for that matter.
Also most demos (like myself) give you the catalogue free if you host a workshop. I believe this is the case with many other stamping companies who sell throught a home based business rep.
Note that the catalog is a significant book. It is large, and packed full of substantial glossy pages. If we gave them away, we would go broke. That said, as a demo, I pass on my price for the catalog to my regular customers, making no profit what so ever. It is significantly less than $10. I figure that they will give it back to me in stamp commissions. If you If your demo does not do this for her regular customers, perhaps you should shop around for another demo....
It DOES depend on the demo what you are charged for your catalog. The price listed is $10, but I give mine away free. I figure people won't buy anything if they don't see the ideas in the catty. Some demonstrators charge $5, some charge the full $10, and there are still others give them away with a certain dollar amount purchase...so really its not SU's fault..
__________________ Keva
We shouldn't have expectations of others that we, ourselves, could not fulfill.
The Idea Book & Catalog has over 500 samples in it, and includes the "recipe" for each project in the back of the catalog. That is more than a year's worth of stamping/scrapbooking magazines for the small price of $10!
As a demo, I'm pretty sure it is standard procedure to give your hostess a catalog with a $150 workshop. As a "thank-you" I give my customers a catalog for individual orders of $100 and my club members all get theirs for free too when the join the club.
__________________ Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels. -Faith Whittlesey
I used to feel the same way. I couldn't believe you had to pay for a catalog. But eventually I found I really wanted one so I went ahead and bought it. Now every July my demo knows just to bring it to me as soon as she gets it. I don't even bat an eye at the $10. I get MUCH MORE than my money's worth out of it!
And there are ways to earn one for free--host a party!!!! (free stamps and a free catalog!) My sister babysat for her demo one afternoon and asked if her payment could be a catalog! Your demo might work with you. I know it's hard at first but I can't live without mine. $10 very well spent!
As a demo, I'm pretty sure it is standard procedure to give your hostess a catalog with a $150 workshop. As a "thank-you" I give my customers a catalog for individual orders of $100 and my club members all get theirs for free too when the join the club.
My old demo and I both give catalogs away if you just book a workshop. This can backfire, but usually doesn't. It creates good will and it gives the hostess a chance to get orders before her party.
I agree you shouldn't take issue with SU over the price, take issue with your demo. If you're a good customer, she should be giving you one to encourage you to order.
Right now Stampin' Up's IB&C is ranked #1 in scrapbooking and card making mags. I read that just last week. Sorry I don't remember where I read it.
Jamie
I certainly don't mind paying for the great ideas in there, but I'm happy to say for the past three years I've gotten mine free from my demo for hosting a party!
Every demo runs her business differently. The retail price is $10, but many demos charge less than that if their business can support doing so. If you book a party and hold it, you will get one for free.
The catalog has over 200 pages of sets as well as ideas in nice color and wonderful quality. The images are full size and very clear. I got my 1st one for hostessing a party and it was free, and got lots of use. I love that they put therecipes in the back for every card in there-in that sense it is better than some magazines b/c you have an idea with one place you can see it all together. I love the convenience of it.
__________________ I want people to be afraid of how much they love me-M. Scott
I don't think it's unusual to have to purchase a catalog in the stamping world. I know both TAC, Hero Arts and Stamps by Judith sell their catalogs. Look at the new Joy of Cardmaking PaperCrafts is putting out. $14.95 for 295 cards - plus it is filled with a ton of advertising and on a lesser quality paper. Frankly SUs is the best at giving you recipes and you know you will find everything they used in their catalog. I think it's a bargain at $10!
I personally think that if you are a repeat customer with a demo, you should get a catty for free or at least 1/2 price. I spend $10.00 for the catty, but I've bought over $600.00 worth of stuff during the year and go to her monthly stamp sessions.....so the demo easily recovered her money for buying the catty from SU.
My TAC demo gives me a catty for free. I offered to pay and she refused saying that my placing an order is payment enough. Very sweet girl.
I'm not a demo, but if a demo is smart, she will give the catalogue for free, at least if the customer makes a purchase of $30 or so, or is part of a club that purchases all the time. Without the catalogue, your customers will not buy.
As an aside, ever since I purchased from the Williams -Sonoma catalogue at Christmas a few years ago, I get a WS catalogue in the mail EVERY DAY between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is full of super lovely and expensive stuff and has good recipes but is basically the same catalogue with a different cover. Amazing waste of postage and paper!
Personally, I think SU should have the catalogue on its website, just like most companies. However, I understand that SU is a home-based business and has its own way of doing things. I'm sure the owners are making a fortune so I guess they must be doing something right!!
__________________ Dear Paperlicious is my blog...with a series on how I'm learning to improve my cardmaking by studying others.
I would encourage that those of you who spend an enormous amount on SU to do so as a "hostess". You don't actually have to hold a workshop. Anytime you submit a personal order of $150 you can be a "hostess" and earn a free stamp set and $15 in merchandise, in addition to a catalog.
I don't understand why people wouldn't want to hostess, but I guess there are people who can't for one reason or another. Still, if you are spending $50 each month, just save up for 3 months and spend it and you'll get extra goodies for free.
__________________ Sharon Rogers
My Blog: www.stampwithsharonrogers.com Attitudes are contagious. Is yours worth catching?
I used to think that when I started using their products. Then I became a demo and saw the value in having the catalog for ideas. I would pay the $10, but in the club that I'm in, we get a free catalog when it's our month to be hostess...luky me, my month is July...na na na na na na ....I get the new catalog! :P Yes, I'm crazy, but I'm really excited that I have July
As a demonstrator, there are a couple things I'd like to clarify for anyone wondering. The cost to the demonstrator for the catalog is $5. To recover the cost of the catalog, the demonstrator has to have a sale of at least $25.
Now, if you are a good customer and spend a lot of money, you will most likely get a free catalog from your demonstrator. I give free catalogs to my hostesses or those customers that spend $100.
The catalogs feature well over 600 full color samples in them. For $10, you are getting 10 times more than you would in a stamping magazine that most likely will cost you $6.
I'm sure many demonstrators can attest that if they gave the catalogs to anyone that asked for them, they would go broke. Many times, we do a workshop where there may be 10 people there but many people spend under $25. It's the economy conditions, I'm afraid.
When I'm preparing for a workshop, I might spend 10 + hours coming up with the make & take projects (2 cards), cutting paper, prepping my catalog folders, printing specials, etc. Customers don't realize that sometimes, one of the main ways demos make any money is by selling the catalogs for $10 because the margin is a little higher vs. selling stuff from the catalog. Don't get me wrong, I love demonstrating but it's mostly for the social interaction and seeing the joyful faces of my customers. I certainly don't make a boat-load of money for my efforts. In fact, if I factored in all the cost of the supplies I had to buy for my workshops and the time I spent prepping, doing the workshop and the follow - up, I know I'm making way less than minimum wage.
Just a thought for those customers who never really gave a thought about it when they went to a workshop or stamp camp.
It is all about money. They can do it and people will pay AND order from it. I think the fair thing would be to do like many other companies do. They sell you the catalog for $10 but then you get $10 off your order of $20 so no one is out anything. Then they have established you as a customer and you are more likely to buy more. I buy from demos who treat me right. Some give catalogs and some give merchandise from the catalog. BUT to expect you to buy their book of advertisements, which is what a catalog is costs them many a customer. Also, beginning stampers want product, not a book of advertising that they had to pay for. After being a stamper for awhile you would value the catalog more. I think they lose potential customers by not giving the catalogs. Some demos even make people pay for the mini catalogs!!
It is significant that a demo would have to have a very busy, thriving business to be able to just give out catalogs. These are costly and the demo has to pay for them. It is hard enough to buy them ahead of time by the case and wait to earn enough to cover the expense! :shock:
As a demo, I do not make so much commission that I can just give away full-sized catalogs. I give them to hostesses with a qualifying order and club members. There are times that I give away mini catalogs, but they do not cost me as much.
If $10 seems too much (really more if you consider s/h & tax), I'm sure you could buy an expired catalog for less if all you want are the ideas.
If you were to take the argument of 'if someone wants orders they should give them out', then SU as a company should just give them away to everyone. Doesn't that sound absurd!
I too remind others that it is an idea book and to keep past books. I give my club members a book free. I also do preorders on Catalogs for $6 each. I get alot of folks taking advantage of that. As others have said, other idea books are by far more expensive.
I will never forget the first time I saw an SU catalog. Two years ago.
I placed my order with my now upline, and I told her, "I don't care how much this catalog is, I WANT IT!" I could not get over how many samples were in it, and how inspiring the catalog was to me.
Location: by the coast but used to be by the Iowa river
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One thing I hate about SU
I love the SU! catalog for ideas and seeing what's new. I have been a SU! customer since 1999-present and have the last 6 catalogs. I have had 4 demos and got each catalog free. Guess I am pretty lucky. It does depend on your demo but in my experiences the demos gave me the catalog upon scheduling a party and after that one party with whomever the demo was I could always count on getting the catalog gratis. Perhaps, shop around for a demo who will do that for you.
I also was surprised when I had to buy the catty (I'll use the site's term, but I love to call it the Big Book - reminds me of when I was a kid and the Sears Catalog arrived ; that's how I feel when I'm thumbing through SU's catty) but when I got it and saw how robust it was and all the ideas and info it contained I realized it was more than just a catalog.
Other home based businesses that give you the catalog for free are really no more than a few pages, a pamphlet compared to what you get from SU.
With that said, I agree that a great sales-minded Demo would logically provide the catalog to an enthusiastic customer.
I'm a bit disappointed, I've heard from a lot of demos on this post who are quite generous.
I'm afraid to say that I spent $600+ in 6 weeks with my Demo - and I had to pay for my catalog. Maybe I'll hope for a free catalog in July :o
I as a demo charge $10 but I give a 10% off coupon for their first order, and they get two make and takes with sets from the new catalog( that's the July special) and anyone who buys it there after it is 10 dollars and you get the 10%off your first order too. Every demo is different, but like everyone said, before,it costs us money to buy them.. I realized a long time ago, that if you get something for free you are less likely to appreciate it, so that is why I charge for my cattys, and my classes. I do give my customers a lot and they appreciate what they get for the price. I love the products that I get from SU and I love the price, so that is what keeps me and my customers comming back.
I am a demo and give catties free to my hostesses, stamp club members and to anyone who places an order of $100 or more. It is not impossible to give them away for free but we still have to pay and I do want to make $$ at this business. It is not only a catalog but an idea book as well---remember the "recipes" are in the back. I understand that other companies give their catalogs away, but they are not like the SU catty. Hero Arts catties are $9.95 and are about 1/3 the size with much less in terms of ideas. I was happy to buy the catalog before I was a demo just for some of the wonderful ideas.
I too give a free catalog to a hostess and anyone who places a $100 order. I sell my catalogs to customers for $5, which is roughly my cost including
S & H. I figure that I want them to have it because it is such a valuable tool. It doesn't cost me anything to do really. I am not a big $$$ maker at this, but I enjoy sharing my hobby with others and it gets me out of the house once or twice a month.
Location: I recently moved to Topeka, KS from NE Nebraska in 2005
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Stampin' Up Catalogs & Other companies
I love the SU book. By far it is the best idea book out there. I use to pay any where between 5.99 - 20.00 for idea books, and when I found SU I stopped. 10.00 is by far the best price for the number of samples and ideas. My demonstrator offers old catalogs and mini books for reduce costs at her classes each week. I even buy those. She has been a demonstrator for about 10 years, she is very good and I just love her.
Note that the catalog is a significant book. It is large, and packed full of substantial glossy pages. If we gave them away, we would go broke. That said, as a demo, I pass on my price for the catalog to my regular customers, making no profit what so ever. It is significantly less than $10. I figure that they will give it back to me in stamp commissions. If you If your demo does not do this for her regular customers, perhaps you should shop around for another demo....
I'm thinking that because everyone does conduct their demo business differently, perhaps that should be respected and we shouldn't be suggesting customers find other demos.
Also, the OP suggests a comparison of the IB&C to Lands End. I'm hoping you realize that isn't fair. As stated by others, the SU catty is much more of a resource, and much larger. When I was a customer I would have paid twice that to get all those samples.
__________________ Molly Stampin' Up Demonstrator & <----- SAHM to my buddy Jack!
It is all about money. They can do it and people will pay AND order from it. I think the fair thing would be to do like many other companies do. They sell you the catalog for $10 but then you get $10 off your order of $20 so no one is out anything. Then they have established you as a customer and you are more likely to buy more. .............. BUT to expect you to buy their book of advertisements, which is what a catalog is costs them many a customer. Also, beginning stampers want product, not a book of advertising that they had to pay for. After being a stamper for awhile you would value the catalog more. I think they lose potential customers by not giving the catalogs. Some demos even make people pay for the mini catalogs!!
I have to disagree with it being all about the money. Demos have to PAY for the catalogs. When the new catalog first came out I had an open house and had 5 people come JUST to get the catalog. These people have yet to buy anything from me, which is fine. They said they only wanted the catalog for ideas in scrapbooking. They are not avid stampers but love all the samples.
This is also not a book of advertisements. Yes, it is all Stampin' Up stuff, but I most certainly would not call it a typical "catalog." Honestly, how many people would want to have a catalog if it ONLY featured pictures of the products? People want these catalogs for the ideas, not for the images of stamps that are for sale.
Every demo is entitled to run their business as they see fit. Whether they give catalog away, sell them at a discount, or at full price. That is their choice, but there is very little money to be made selling catalogs at full price. I know for me, personally, it is hard to keep catalogs on hand b/c everyone wants them. Can you imagine how hard it would be if SU just GAVE them away? There are SO many people that want these catalogs simply for ideas and will never purchase anything from SU. Which is fine, but is also why there is a cost. If you are a good customer your demo has the option to provide you with an incentive, such as a catalog.
I hope that everyone sees that and does not think that SU provides a catalog just for the money! If it was all about the money they would not pay people on staff to create cards and such to put in the catalog - they would charge you just for a book of product and no ideas or samples! :lol:
I have to chime in here to the post about SU! putting their catalog online-NO WAY! The reason I feel strongly against this is then what do we as demos do? We are out of doing what we want to be doing- meeting new people, getting together with others to show techniques, the latest products and how to use them. So that is my two cents worth.
Maybe then it is the company that needs to provide them free. Land's End mails me 16 full color and quite thick catalogs every year (clothing and Home catalogs) free. They even pay the postage. When I saw what the SU company made last year I would think they could more than afford to do this. I can now see from the posts here why demos cannot just give them to anyone free and why they have to have a bottom line. I worked for a direct sales company in the late 80's and the company footed the bill for all advertising that we shared with customers.
Sorry, as a demo. I think we are going to just agree to disagree on the subject of the catalog being too expensive. I find it very hard to compare getting a Lands End catty with the SU catty. With the LE catty, you do not receive ideas that you can CASE----I cannot imagine that customers will go home and make jeans, sweaters, shirts, etc. They are relying on people who receive the catalog to purchase from them. They are a decent catty but just is not the same as the SU catty. I have also purchased other catalogs like CTMH and Hero Arts just to see their ideas and how they compare to SU's and although both HA and CTMH have very nice catalogs, they are about half the size for the same cost. Also, as a demonstrator, I give away my mini catalogs even though they cost me money. I also will presell the upcoming catalogs for $5 when i have my retirement party in June. I made no money from them but it made my customers happy. If they ended up having another WS, they got a $5 credit toward their order. I think the SU catty is worth the $$ and is a great resource. I go back to my old ones from 5 years ago and will use ideas from them with other stamp sets, etc. To me, they are a very valuable resource whether they are current or retired.
I know that with my demo, we pay $8 for the catalog, and then get that $8 off our first order of $25. This seems to me to be a very fair way to do it. The demo isn't out anything if the person does not make an order, and if you do make an order, your cataloge is free.
I don't think Stampin' Up would provide them for free, unless it was just stamp sets and product, no ideas or samples. Nobody expects PaperCrafts to send them their magazine or idea books for free. I do not feel that it is a fair comparison - SU to Land's End, as it has been made many times by many people. Nobody to my knowledge refers to the Lands End catalog every morning while they are dressing. And hopefully nobody is keeping it for years to get ideas on "how to dress." Just b/c Stampin' Up was/is a successful company does not mean that they cannot charge for an idea book. Stampin' Up is a HUGELY generous company....right now, as we all speak, they are giving away FREE stamp SETS with purchase. Next month they will be offering 6 different stamp sets at 1/2 price. At the end of the year they give away free calendars. They have an incredible hostess benefits program, which I have not seen matched. I think the point being missed is that this is not just a catalog or advertising. It is a compilation of ideas - just like magazines, only in the SU catalog there are about 20Xs the amount of samples for the same cost as a magazine. Those who want it will purchase it or host a workshop. Those who do not have the privilege that our great county offers of not buying one! Stampin' Up is a company that many people believe in and try to support their families with. I think that it is very sad that people are bashing and underminding a lot of great, hardworking demos by telling them to seek out other demos and that Stampin' Up is just out to make money. I am not sure of any company that is out to lose money or break even! Stampin' Up is an honest and generous company that has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to various charities. I think it is important that we all keep that in mind as we make our posts. Every demo is allowed to run her business the way she wishes and that needs to be respected.
My DH is ready to go to bed so I don't have time to read everyone elses comments. But I had to put my two cents in. I LOVE our catty. It's awesome. It has tons of ideas. I just bought a Keepsakes magazine for 8.99 plus tax. It doesn't even come close to what ours offers. Plus I LOVE the recipes in the back. I think it is totally worth the 10. Yes I am a demo. Have you ever done home party sales where everyone and their dog wants a catalog and then they lose their catalog and need another one? This thing is sacred to my customers.
Having said that, if you are a customer and you BUY from me, the catalog is free. I give it to all my stampers club members as a gift. I know they will be spening at LEAST 25 a month with me and they shouldn't have to pay for it. I think I am actually going to start putting a coupon in there for $10 off your purchase of xx amount of dollars.
__________________ Angie
Mother of three wonderful children (Brayton-17 months, Brianna- 5 & Kyle-eight) and one grown man (my DH).
On one hand...FREE catalogs would be awesome. The thing is, as a demonstrator, I have to pay for them and they cost me around 1/2 what I sell them for. If a customer has a workshop, they are free, even if no one buys, which happens sometimes. I give catalogs to $100 orders, too.
I know that with my demo, we pay $8 for the catalog, and then get that $8 off our first order of $25. This seems to me to be a very fair way to do it. The demo isn't out anything if the person does not make an order, and if you do make an order, your cataloge is free.
And the demo loses $3 on the deal, that comes straight out of her pocket.
All demos are free to make choices as to how to run their businesses, but I think it is wrong for anyone to come on here to tell everyone else what they SHOULD be doing. I'm all for the sharing of ideas and opinions, but just because some demo on the other side of the country gives freebies to her customers, that doesn't mean the rest of us have to or should even feel compelled to.
I think it is a shame that there are demos that feel like they have to undercut everyone else to get their piece of the SU! pie. We all love a good deal, but there is difference between what we do as demos, and what places like Walmart and Target do. We make an itty bitty amount on each sale, after we put in the product, time, and effort it takes to have a workshop. What I give to my customers for free is awesome customer service. I think that goes a lot further than any freebie.
In addition to the Idea Book and Catalog being an excellent source of inspiration and ideas, Stampin Up Catalogs are also an investment...I have seen people pay $50 for a retired catalog...like from 1995. So your catalog just increases in value with age.
I can see someone 75 years from now, taking an old SU catalog to the Antique Roadshow..."Ah yes, this a Stampin Up catalog from 2004 when Stampin up decided to combine their Stampin Memories with the Idea Book and Catalog...blah, blah, blah...valued at $10,000!!! :lol: "
__________________ Hollie Lisk ΦΜ
SCS#5115 My Humble Gallery "If God brings you to it, He'll bring you through it" My Blog
One thing I hate about SU...
When I belonged to a CTMH monthly club, that demo use to charge her club members $5. I guess it just depends on the demo 
