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I'm not a demo, never have been, but I know that me and my friends order lots from our demo, big ticket items included. Still cheaper than what we can buy from our local stamp store.
I think that SU will continue to be overpriced on some items as long as people buy them. The bow die is a good example. The one in the Christmas catalog is $32.95 plus tax (not SU's choice...but part of the cost so I have to include it) plus $7.95 (or is it $6.95?) to ship if that is the only thing you are getting. Makes it right around $42.00 when all is said and done. Moving on over to Sizzix: Same exact quality die, almost the same die visually and available at most retailers for right around $16 plus shipping. That is half the cost of the SU one. I know which one I will be buying...how about you?
__________________ "For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack" ~Rudyard Kipling my gallery
I think that SU will continue to be overpriced on some items as long as people buy them. The bow die is a good example. The one in the Christmas catalog is $32.95 plus tax (not SU's choice...but part of the cost so I have to include it) plus $7.95 (or is it $6.95?) to ship if that is the only thing you are getting. Makes it right around $42.00 when all is said and done. Moving on over to Sizzix: Same exact quality die, almost the same die visually and available at most retailers for right around $16 plus shipping. That is half the cost of the SU one. I know which one I will be buying...how about you?
I know I won't be buying either one! I mail my cards, and those bows would be crushed by the time they got to the recipient. It just doesn't make much sense to me.
I know I won't be buying either one! I mail my cards, and those bows would be crushed by the time they got to the recipient. It just doesn't make much sense to me.
Unless you're doing a card in a decorated gift box, you'll have to think outside the card...box... ha! to use the die.
I could see it used on holiday or wedding decorating, dressing up gift bag handles, creating a bow in place of the cheap kind to go on presents (you can layer the pieces to have a more traditional bow shape).
My sister can take wired ribbon and make neat 3D bows to decorate presents, but I just can't get the hang of it. With this die and a little glitter paper, my presents can look extra special too. :cool:
I did two bow blog posts, one to show how to assemble the bows and one to show it on a card. I creased it on a card and it still does stand up and works. You could even put some dimensions under the loops to help it stand up on a card after you mail it- if that makes sense. BUT....I did buy the die to make presents and little gift boxes pretty!!!!
I think that SU will continue to be overpriced on some items as long as people buy them. The bow die is a good example. The one in the Christmas catalog is $32.95 plus tax (not SU's choice...but part of the cost so I have to include it) plus $7.95 (or is it $6.95?) to ship if that is the only thing you are getting. Makes it right around $42.00 when all is said and done. Moving on over to Sizzix: Same exact quality die, almost the same die visually and available at most retailers for right around $16 plus shipping. That is half the cost of the SU one. I know which one I will be buying...how about you?
I was thinking of this one:
Die-namics Beautiful Bows
There's several sizes of bows there... ($24.95 and $6.50 shipping, unless your entire order is over $75 and then it's free shipping).
But I know for a lot of people, just one bow die is enough.
I believe the SU bow die is a Bigz die which could cut through other materials such as fabric or felt whereas the MFT dies appear to be wafer dies which would work best for paper.
The shipping is a real issue for SU and does add up quickly particularly when you tax the shipping too!
I don't understand the tax on the shipping. Pampered Chef and Creative Memories (the one time I ordered from them) didn't tax the shipping. Both of those are also direct marketing companies.
It depends on what state you are in. Here in IN, they tax after the shipping and handling is added to the price. Here's what I found when I googled it.
SHIPPING
Some states require that you collect tax on shipping as well. Currently, the states that require tax on shipping include:
Arkansas Connecticut
Florida Georgia
Illinois Indiana
Kansas Michigan
Minnesota Mississippi
Missouri New Mexico
New York Ohio
Texas Washington
West Virginia Wisconsin
Thanks for this information!! My state is not one that you listed. But SU! still collects tax on the shipping here.
Are you buying through a Demo website? Or doing a paper order through a demo? If it isn't through an SU website, it could just be that the Demo is doing it incorrectly, and not SU.
I've always done paper orders through demos. But this is many demos, across many years, back to 1994. The two demos I use now (they're friends and one is the other's upline) go waaaaaaaaaay back. One is a Manager (?) or something way high up. The other just went to convention, so she is up there too. Always in the same state, always tax on the shipping. Who knows, maybe my state just recently got off the list??
edited to add: No wait, my state did NOT get off the list; I remember clearly buying from other direct marketing companies several years ago and they did not charge tax on the shipping.
Check out Hero Arts. They are doing some great one/two stamps with dies to match. Price point around $9.99. I've realized I don't need 5 snowflakes and 5 matching dies----I likely just need one----so the larger cost/larger 'package' isn't what I'll use long-term, and costs more money.
Archivers online has many of their items (I think I got free shipping, too).
I agree this price is a bit steep :/ Have you seen a snowflake stamp & die? I tried searching but just found a Hero Art's snowflake die, but no stamp that goes along with it :(
I did purchase the Ornament Keepsakes last year and made a bunch of them for Christmas gifts & everyone LOVED them. They took forever and used up almost all my ink, but they were a big hit. Hoping to do something like that this year with the snowflakes. Seems silly that they are priced higher than the Ornament set and you get less...
I agree this price is a bit steep :/ Have you seen a snowflake stamp & die? I tried searching but just found a Hero Art's snowflake die, but no stamp that goes along with it :(
I did purchase the Ornament Keepsakes last year and made a bunch of them for Christmas gifts & everyone LOVED them. They took forever and used up almost all my ink, but they were a big hit. Hoping to do something like that this year with the snowflakes. Seems silly that they are priced higher than the Ornament set and you get less...
I think with snowflakes, the detail of the line drawing on the stamps and the more detailed shape for the die might be what makes it a more costly item. I'm not trying to argue the fact, they are expensive! I didn't get the ornament set last year, but my friend shared hers and I won't be buying the snowflake ones either.
After reading this thread I had to share that I too feel pretty disappointed at how through the years I continue to see SU repeat former sets, just changing a thing or two here and there. They also have done the same with most of the colors. I have been a hobbyist demo for over 5 years and I feel the stamp sets this year are their worst, especially those on the Holiday Catalog. For the first time, since I started to buy from SU I am not compelled or dying to buy any of their stamp sets. Their latest inventories have not even appeal to my customers. For the last 1 1/2 years I have seen a horrible decrement in sales no matter how much I enthusiastically demo a set, offer incentives, demo new or old sets, etc.
It amazes me to see how the other competitors (Flourishes, Heartfelt Creations, Penny Black, Verve, Heros Arts, etc) come up with so many different and beautiful stamps (singles & sets) from season to season, yet is no longer the case with SU. I am at the point of getting out, because buying to meet my quarterly requirement is becoming too expensive just to maintain the discount. And trying to sell old and/or recent sets is almost a matter of giving them away, because folks can't or won't pay the asking price or there are another 10-20 trying to sell the same thing as well. So now that I have had to face the reality of looking at how I spend my stamping addiction money I am coming to terms that is best to go out and buy the few stamps I want and keep my inventory fresh for less money. Is less painful to lose $20-$50, than pump $300 or plus every quarter and have most of it remain "virgen" in my craft room.
I considered being a demo again, but figured that if I couldn't find enough stuff that I wanted to use, I probably couldn't sell it to anyone else, either. Not a single thing in the holiday catalog that I can't live without, and there are only a couple of things in the regular catalog that are even tempting. I'm finding items of equal value for better prices elsewhere, as others have said. I do like (and buy) a lot of the older SU sets, though.
I perceive it as quite cynical that SU seem to change their sets, colours and punch shapes every year now - there's a lot of repetition, as others have said, of very similar sets from catalogue to catalogue (e.g. snowflakes). I just think of all the different label punches they've had over the last couple of years (at �15 a pop) and it really rather annoys me!
Styles and colors do change and things come into and out of vogue-think of the fashion world. If Nina Garcia says tangerine is in....tangerine is in! And of course, SU is not the only company that does this.
Not only that, but there are people just coming into SU and stamping in general to whom all this is new!
I perceive it as quite cynical that SU seem to change their sets, colours and punch shapes every year now - there's a lot of repetition, as others have said, of very similar sets from catalogue to catalogue (e.g. snowflakes). I just think of all the different label punches they've had over the last couple of years (at �15 a pop) and it really rather annoys me!
I'll chime in and be even more cynical - I think the reason they keep making these types of changes is because they have a built-in customer base of demos. That's who really takes it in the shorts (pardon my imagery) when there's a big color redo or they retire an expensive punch or die set after only one or two catalogs. As a customer, I can say, "well, this other label punch is close enough that it will work" or "gee, this old color is close enough to the new color that I can make it work". Demos don't have that option - they have to buy the new stuff to demo with in order to sell it. It wouldn't surprise me to learn that SU is making as much or more from their demos than they do off regular customers.
[I think the reason they keep making these types of changes is because they have a built-in customer base of demos. That's who really takes it in the shorts (pardon my imagery) when there's a big color redo or they retire an expensive punch or die set after only one or two catalogs. As a customer, I can say, "well, this other label punch is close enough that it will work" or "gee, this old color is close enough to the new color that I can make it work". Demos don't have that option - they have to buy the new stuff to demo with in order to sell it. It wouldn't surprise me to learn that SU is making as much or more from their demos than they do off regular customers.[/QUOTE]
That's EXACTLY right! And it's what I was saying all along!
My previous post:
Unfortunately, SU is well aware that their prices are high--and they don't care! They know that their #1 customer is their DEMO.
The Hobby DEMO is just trying to find items she can buy to get to her $300 quarterly quota total, which can get to be hard the longer you hang on.
BOTTOM LINE = The Hobby DEMO is buying the big ticket items.
The Regular DEMO is actually demonstrating the product, so she thinks she HAS to buy the newest/coolest stuff. The Regular DEMO is buying this bundle to show. But (alas) it will be retired in the blink of an eye and replaced with ANOTHER snowflake set that looks vaguely the same as the old one--except for one slight difference: It's MORE expensive than the last one!
BOTTOM LINE = The Regular DEMO is buying the big ticket items.
Stop the Madness!!!!!
SU doesn't need to market really to anyone beyond that. They have their guaranteed sales. And they don't need low prices or bargains for that.
My feelings exactly! And I am a demo but purely for myself and that could be changing soon..... I made my last order almost all paper. Can't even imagine what I will spend $300 next.
I am positive that most of the profit is from the demonstrators. That is why there is always a big push to recruit. I would love to know what the retention is.
My feelings exactly! And I am a demo but purely for myself and that could be changing soon..... I made my last order almost all paper. Can't even imagine what I will spend $300 next.
I am positive that most of the profit is from the demonstrators. That is why there is always a big push to recruit. I would love to know what the retention is.
Can't speak to the question, exactly, but I've been a demo three separate times over the years and never hit the minimums that would have kept me active past the first quarter that I was in. In fairness, each time I signed up it was because they were running a great sign-up promo and there were enough things that I wanted to make it worthwhile for the initial splurge. I'm not much of a salesperson (it doesn't help that I've moved 30 times in 22 years - hard to build a customer base), and also very fickle with stamps and inks and tools and toys
I'm an equal opportunity stamper (I buy from a lot of companies including LSS, CTMH, online, etc.) and I'm a low volume sales SU demo. I've found that all stamping/paper crafting supplies and stamps are getting expensive. I recently bought a single stamp from SU for $6.95 and though OMG then I remember buying a tiny 2 word stamp from memory Box for the exact same price.
Another thing to note, if SU was only in business for us demos there wouldn't be a SU. It may seem like we buy a lot, but it's really the customers who the most products. Really - it's true
if SU was only in business for us demos there wouldn't be a SU. It may seem like we buy a lot, but it's really the customers who the most products. Really - it's true
I wouldn't have bothered reading this thread years ago, but things have changed. I recently unpacked all of my craft supplies. They'd been packed for about 5 years because we've moved 7 times and had no extra room. Now that we bought a home with an actual craft room, I finally have the space.
There is nothing wrong with my old, old, old style original ink set, nor is there anything wrong with the Stampin' Write markers that I finally splurged on in 2005. However, my paper stash won't last forever. The "In Colors" are fine, I guess. Obviously it's a marketing ploy to sell more stuff. It's business, I get that much, and I can choose not to buy them. If I chose to buy them, it's still not a huge annual investment.
Anyway, with my rapidly depleting pile of CS and DSP, I'm considering buying one last set of inks. Yes, I know half of them will be gone by next week, or whatever, but it's unavoidable, as I don't live near any craft stores, and haven't found a viable option. I really don't want to spend that kind of money on ink. I'm cheap, always will be.
The issue for me is that Stampin' Up has always marketed itself as a one stop, with the focus being on fuss free matching. This is why the colors stayed the same for long periods of time, because it truly was idiot proof. The only way to stay in business is to sell more products to the same customers, or sell new products to more customers. It seems the latter wasn't in their business plan. It's irritating, because now it's MORE trouble to match things. The DSP I bought years ago doesn't match any current CS, neither do half of my inks and markers. It is a losing business strategy if they continue. I wish they would work on improving their product to sell more of it instead of trying to force more of their products on us. It's almost frustrating enough for me to think about packing it all back up again, because I know that if I buy a huge hoard of CS and DSP with the new ink colors, it won't be an endless supply.
I agree with the title of the thread. If anyone has any alternatives for colors, please let me know. I'm looking to restock, but I want to put much thought into where my hard earned money goes.
Okay, I'll chime in here. I've been a demonstrator for 10 years. I have never had problems meeting my minimums, and no, it isn't usually from my own purchases, though sometimes in the beginning it was.
It always bugs me when I see people comparing apples to oranges. When you compare SU! to Hero Arts, you are doing just that. SU! is a party-plan company. It makes money by introducing new people to stamping who might have never stamped before using the party plan. The hostess has a party and invites friends, relatives, and coworkers to come. Some have never stamped before and they try it and like it. They don't have a craft room full of stuff like a lot of us (cough cough) do, so the snowflake set in the current holiday catalog doesn't get compared to every other snowflake set that SU! ever came out with.
Hero Arts,along with other companies that sell through retail, sells to people who are already stamping. They don't have a way of getting people to come and try stamping who have never done it before, except to attract people through print ads in magazines or people who happen to be in a craft store and decide to try a craft they never have before. So they might have to try a little harder to come up with different stuff. But even they change their snowflake sets. They probably just don't do it as fast.
Yes, as a demo I usually buy the most current snowflake set. I use it for while it's current, then I sell it when I'm done unless there is something significantly special about it. By demonstrating it, though, I hope to sell other people on buying it, which helps pay for my own toys. I really only keep sets for always if I really love them, and if something comes along that is better, I can always sell the old one and keep the new one. I'm not a big business demonstrator, although I'm not purely a hobby demonstrator either. I fall in between those two pillars. Yet, I make enough at SU! to totally pay for my hobby (and I am an addict and buy a lot!) and to pay to go to convention every year. If I weren't a demo, I would not be able to do that. In fact, I'd probably end up getting rid of all this stuff unless I could figure out another way to pay for it.
So what you are looking at is two different business models, direct sales and retail. Personally, I love stamps put out by a lot of different companies, but I mostly use what I sell because for me it makes good business sense. I do buy stamps from other companies if I absolutely love them, but mostly I buy from myself because I really love SU!
As someone pointed out, there are different options with SU! to keep the price lower for customers, and one of those is using the MDS images, then there is clear mount vs. wood mount, and the new polymer stamps that seem to be very promising. They are also offering more single stamps than ever before, including a whole flyer of Christmas images that can be bought singly: http://www.stampinup.com/us/document...Aug1213_NA.pdf
Of note, these images are reproduced smaller in the flyer than than they actually are.
If anyone has any alternatives for colors, please let me know. I'm looking to restock, but I want to put much thought into where my hard earned money goes.
Maybe if you listed some of the old DSP that you have or at least the colors that are in them, someone could help you know what new colors would blend with what you have.
As far as ink, I have a lot of old colors that I still use with the newest colors and it does still look good. True it isn't a perfect match but it still goes.
You don't need to get rid of what you have. I am a hobby demo and I sure don't get rid of my stuff just because it is retired. I use it all and hopefully someone here can help you.
If anyone has any alternatives for colors, please let me know. I'm looking to restock, but I want to put much thought into where my hard earned money goes.
Well, the colours won't be exact, but I would buy inks from a place like Oozak.com | Pads & Inkers | Craft Supplies
Oozak has free shipping over $50. It doesn't have to be Oozak; it can be any online shop that offers lower prices overall.
I don't have any SU! paper so I'm not familiar with colour matches for SU!. BUT I have Papertrey paper, and I'm a little leery of Papertrey's matching inks, so I have been buying rather close colour matches in ink by other brands (not Papertrey) like Memento (Tsukineko) or Ranger (Distress inks). Not exact matches, but close enough for me. Perhaps you can do Google searches to find ink alternatives.
Okay, I'll chime in here. I've been a demonstrator for 10 years. I have never had problems meeting my minimums, and no, it isn't usually from my own purchases, though sometimes in the beginning it was.
It always bugs me when I see people comparing apples to oranges. When you compare SU! to Hero Arts, you are doing just that. SU! is a party-plan company. It makes money by introducing new people to stamping who might have never stamped before using the party plan. The hostess has a party and invites friends, relatives, and coworkers to come. Some have never stamped before and they try it and like it. They don't have a craft room full of stuff like a lot of us (cough cough) do, so the snowflake set in the current holiday catalog doesn't get compared to every other snowflake set that SU! ever came out with.
Hero Arts,along with other companies that sell through retail, sells to people who are already stamping. They don't have a way of getting people to come and try stamping who have never done it before, except to attract people through print ads in magazines or people who happen to be in a craft store and decide to try a craft they never have before. So they might have to try a little harder to come up with different stuff. But even they change their snowflake sets. They probably just don't do it as fast.
Yes, as a demo I usually buy the most current snowflake set. I use it for while it's current, then I sell it when I'm done unless there is something significantly special about it. By demonstrating it, though, I hope to sell other people on buying it, which helps pay for my own toys. I really only keep sets for always if I really love them, and if something comes along that is better, I can always sell the old one and keep the new one. I'm not a big business demonstrator, although I'm not purely a hobby demonstrator either. I fall in between those two pillars. Yet, I make enough at SU! to totally pay for my hobby (and I am an addict and buy a lot!) and to pay to go to convention every year. If I weren't a demo, I would not be able to do that. In fact, I'd probably end up getting rid of all this stuff unless I could figure out another way to pay for it.
So what you are looking at is two different business models, direct sales and retail. Personally, I love stamps put out by a lot of different companies, but I mostly use what I sell because for me it makes good business sense. I do buy stamps from other companies if I absolutely love them, but mostly I buy from myself because I really love SU!
As someone pointed out, there are different options with SU! to keep the price lower for customers, and one of those is using the MDS images, then there is clear mount vs. wood mount, and the new polymer stamps that seem to be very promising. They are also offering more single stamps than ever before, including a whole flyer of Christmas images that can be bought singly: http://www.stampinup.com/us/document...Aug1213_NA.pdf
Of note, these images are reproduced smaller in the flyer than than they actually are.
All I know is that SU stamp sets seem to hold their value alot longer then some of the other stamps that I've tried to sell at garage sales, and with the other stamps priced at super low prices too! Not so with SU stamp sets, I can sell them and still get a reasonable price for them even 5, 7 or longer years later. Thanks Jan for chiming in
As for SU verses other companies--I have written to SU in Utah asking why they ship on Fridays so it can sit in UPS warehouse all weekend. I do agree their S/H is far too high for what I order. Plus the cling stamps are so much lighter than the wood stamps but the S/H never decreased. Agree about this year's holiday catalog--last year I seriously bought A LOT of the dies/sets/bundles and have used all I ordered. This year I have ordered NOTHING. Sizzix now has clear stamps/die sets @ Hobby Lobby, AC Moores, and Mikes. With a coupon it is a definite savings. Also you can check Pinterest or Splitcoast for a stamp/card/project idea or Google it. Just seems SU stamp sets are the "old ladies" of what is out there to buy. I agree--how many flower stamps can we use? Buy 3/4 of my SU supplies at garage sales and stuff--saves on S/H and prices are affordable--esp with the economy as it is. Always seems the crafts/hobbies are the first things we give up to save $$$. And now SU offers less catalogs and that is less inspiration and fun for the SU customer. As with any craft/hobby we have to continually be inspired to make that best card/project and to try new things. Seems as if SU has lost their "spark". Even Tupperware is evolving . . . SU seems to not be. Thanks for the forum! Candee P
Hmm..SU ships them out as they pick them. I've never noticed them all being shipped on Friday, in my case, and sitting in UPS warehouse all week-end. Maybe it was because of the day you placed your order? Hmm..again, Gorgeous Grunge, Tape It, By the Tide, etc. are the "old ladies" of what is out there, your definition of old lady is alot different then mine, for sure! Less catalogs, help save cost, helps keep stamping supplies cost lower too. Sorry you feel this way because of the items I've seen made with items from the Holiday Catalog are pretty darn cute and outright gorgeous in some cases. But it seems that you already have your mind made up, so nothing anyone says will open your mind to the possibilities of SU. Have a wonderful day!
I used to be a demo, but decided there were so many other stamps out there, that I didn't want to be required to spend $300 a quarter.
I just want to clarify, for anyone considering being a demo or who is new, that demos are not required to spend $300/quarter. You're required to have sales of $300/quarter. You're not required to buy it all yourself.
So what you are looking at is two different business models, direct sales and retail. Personally, I love stamps put out by a lot of different companies, but I mostly use what I sell because for me it makes good business sense. I do buy stamps from other companies if I absolutely love them, but mostly I buy from myself because I really love SU!
That's a good point! Totally different sales models.
I've been using SU stuff for 21 years but only signed up as a demo 3 years ago. I never wanted the pressure to buy big or little ticket items, and didn't want to HAVE to sell since I work ridiculous hours at work. I finally caved in to help my BFF make a goal and promotion. I'm happy I did because I can say that, so far, I have been able to spend $0 to keep my semi hobby-demoship going! Really! I'm not exaggerating! (Ok, except my first trip to the Convention in SLC this summer was not free, but we won't mention that to DH, shall we?)
Aaaanyway, I have gotten almost everything I want and need for FREE or within a few dollars of free! I literally have been able to wrap all my profits into sets and supplies that I really liked and wanted anyway. I plan ahead and craft my orders very carefully, down to the penny. I calculate what my customers order, the fill in any additional amount needed to get my highest hostess benefits with my class-fee profits. Then when the sets/papers I order come in, I'll use them to demo at my next "once a quarter" event. AND I get to keep my unused supplies and stamps (of course) So from my perspective, I honestly want to KEEP the madness!!! Please! I love it!
Luckily I don't really like the new snowflake set/dies, but if I did, I'd just wait and order them after my next event (which I'm doing the 21st). So since I'm not crazy about that set, I'll use whatever $ I have and order something I DO like (like the Halloween Happiness stamp, the envelope liner framelits and the punch board) and use those for my next class or camp in October. See? Free! Sweet!
Saw this post on Moxie Fab World featuring some of SU's new stamps. A quote from Cath,
"These are so stylish, so inspiring, and so perfectly designed I can hardly stand it!"
__________________ Gail
Last edited by mamaxsix; 09-12-2013 at 04:45 AM..
Reason: spelling
I loved this post! Yes, there are demos that do buy all of their minimums, but we also have demonstrators who sell upwards of $150,000/year, meaning that that would equal 125 demos purchasing their own minimums for the entire year. There are definitely more customers buying from SU! than demos - purely a numbers reasoning on that!
Addressing the shipping thing...I know it is hard topic but every time someone brings up shipping, I just cringe. I also sell lia sophia jewelry and Thirty-One gifts and both of them also charge shipping and don't have a free shipping option. Both also tax the shipping. I think they do that to all states because of the ones that require it? I think that it is still pretty typical in direct sales and even in the online marketplace to charge shipping. I still purchase plenty of things online (nail polish!) that I have to pay shipping costs on, so I'm not expecting free shipping from ANYONE. I guess when I get free shipping, I just get super excited because it isn't the norm to me!
As far as buying off of eBay, that just makes me sad to hear people say they'll look for it on eBay. For many demos, we are here to provide you excellent customer service, and help you with whatever you may need. For me, this is my full-time job so I guess it makes me sad because the actual relationship and support you could give to another person is being devalued in favor of eBay.
I NEVER feel like, as a demo, that I have to buy whatever is new or that it is some elaborate ploy. Do I like to have new stamps? Heck yes! Because I LOVE stamps and can't get enough of them!!! And I've been with SU! for 5 years and will still continue to buy the flower sets because I'll see something about them I like. We're not mindless victims to be pitied. And I don't see the Color Refreshes to be a ploy to get us to buy new colors either. Whenever they hit, they are much needed updates to keep us on trend colorwise. Seriously, if they didn't get rid of Bravo Burgundy this last time, I was concerned about what they were thinking! Every time they do a color refresh, I think it looks SO much better than it did before!!! I'm not brainwashed by SU! and I will say if I don't like something...
That brings me to my next point. The Holiday Catalog! I think there are GREAT products in there, but unfortunately the format makes it hard to see them. I even have to hunt for some of the products. They tried something new and in my viewpoint, it isn't working out so great. But that will happen sometimes to any company trying new things.
Interesting thread ladies. It made me think a lot and that's always a good thing!!! Oh and yes, I do have the new snowflake set and dies, Festive Flurry. For me, it was the one stamp set I wanted the most in the entire catalog. (I try to limit myself to one or two stamp sets in each mini catalog for business reasons since they are available for 4 months.)
Quote:
Originally Posted by stamphappy1650
I'm an equal opportunity stamper (I buy from a lot of companies including LSS, CTMH, online, etc.) and I'm a low volume sales SU demo. I've found that all stamping/paper crafting supplies and stamps are getting expensive. I recently bought a single stamp from SU for $6.95 and though OMG then I remember buying a tiny 2 word stamp from memory Box for the exact same price.
Another thing to note, if SU was only in business for us demos there wouldn't be a SU. It may seem like we buy a lot, but it's really the customers who the most products. Really - it's true
