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I am OVER seeing base prices of things temporarily going up so a company can mark it "on sale". There are some companies that do this on a regular basis, really do they think we are that stupid.
I'm pretty sure they do.
I mean if a good chunk of your target demographic is already proven willing to pay a 2-10x more on most products simply by putting them in 'craft' packaging... it's not a far stretch to believe they'd fall for price rigging too. Crafts are part of the 'fun / luxury / impulse buy' category for a lot of folks.
That's one of the reasons why it's important to always do your due diligence before committing to a purchase.
Would giving a specific example of an item with price changes/time-frame in a non-accusatory manner be a violation? Or just price information? For example if CraftyCo listed the loonybaloony die set for $10.00 two weeks ago, raised it to $13.00 last week and is now giving $3.00 off. Would that be okay?
There are many posts where people mention the cost of an item and someone chimes in they’ve found it lower elsewhere. (I recently did that!) I know that isn’t at the same, but in both cases it would be providing factual info about prices.
I’d want to know about shops that did that.
I *think* she may have meant, don’t start a list here of the companies who do that...
I’m thankful when you chime in with information. I don’t know all of the companies who offer the things we crafters use nor can I keep track of who has a better price on specific things. It’s nice to have backup as long as it’s done nicely, not a “you're an idiot for purchasing this/from them” kind of way.
I *think* she may have meant, don’t start a list here of the companies who do that...
I’m thankful when you chime in with information. I don’t know all of the companies who offer the things we crafters use nor can I keep track of who has a better price on specific things. It’s nice to have backup as long as it’s done nicely, not a “your an idiot for purchasing this/from them” kind of way.
Agree with you that’s what was probably meant - just thinking giving factual info could be okay about prices that were raised than lowered to make it appear there’s a sale, without saying XYX is a rotten company.
Oh - and just remembered, there have been posts and threads about a few companies that haven’t shipped orders after being paid for them them weeks or months earlier. Since we’re here to help each other, i.d.ing those few companies by describing our experiences has helped others.
Haven’t noticed price manipulation in small, online craft stores, but I have seen it in large department stores and chain stores. I’m happy as long as I can get something at a fair price. However, raising prices just to give the appearance that something is on sale will eventually erode consumer trust and hurt/cheapen the brand.
Getting back to things to retire...
If it hasn’t already died, I’d love to retire hashtag sayings/sentiments.
If unicorns are put out to pasture, what should replace them? And the other critters and topics? Should bumble bees replaces sloths? Pandas for deer?
I read, somewhere, that elephants are to be the critters for 2019.
Then I'm already sorted with four or five stamps in different styles and one die :mrgreen:. I hadn't realised koalas were a trend, I've always loved them. I've had my sloth and a mermaid for years and struggled to find a flamingo I liked because I was looking before they were trendy. I think the real problem with a trend isn't so much whatever it is ( because there will always be some people and it's just what they were looking for) but that it becomes so ubiquitous so quickly and then there's sensory overload. I must have skipped over the surfeit of butterflies somehow.
Some years back people were asking for llamas and unicorns because there simply weren't any around.
Still don't understand why these things have to come and go. Why can't llamas, flamingos, unicorns, etc. exist along with sloths, koalas, mermaids and whatever. Why do any of them need to go away. (I have none of the above and no desire to, but see no reason they should not be available to those that do.) If there is a need/desire for some other types of images, then ask for them, but it should not be done by booting out some other images. So many companies and so many stamps, there is no reason to get rid of some just to make room for others. I say there is room for them all.
Still don't understand why these things have to come and go. Why can't llamas, flamingos, unicorns, etc. exist along with sloths, koalas, mermaids and whatever. Why do any of them need to go away. (I have none of the above and no desire to, but see no reason they should not be available to those that do.) If there is a need/desire for some other types of images, then ask for them, but it should not be done by booting out some other images. So many companies and so many stamps, there is no reason to get rid of some just to make room for others. I say there is room for them all.
I wonder if any of you saw sentiment stamps like "Kind AF" or "You're Awesome AF".
And just in case you're wondering, AF is shortened for "As F**k".
"You're Awesome as F**k" - *** does that even mean? (Sorry, couldn't help myself; no offense intended.)
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
Too funny. I think that if I were around 12 or 13, I would find AF cool or hilarious or both. However, at my age, uggh.
It just occurred to me — what if, instead of retiring sloths and mermaids, we just created new categories like sloth mermaids? It could have the torso of a sloth and the tail of a fish. Likewise, we could have flamingo-corns.
I view trends that don’t interest me about same as yellow, beige, or orange blouses. They look horrid on me due to my skin tone but lovely on others. #nobigdeal
And I would not use #nobigdeal or other hashtags on a card. Unless it was for someone who used hashtags. A lot.
I’m a bit tired of mixed fonts within sentiments. And cursive within cutesy sets... little kids may find it hard to read
Just curious, I like word dies but do you think that is a trendy thing or something that’s here to stay?
The non card-making people we send cards to would be clueless about what’s classic versus trendy. In fact it wouldn’t occur to them to notice. In fact I bet many would be surprised there is such a thing. So it doesn’t matter? :shock:
For me word dies or words made from letter dies will always be in - small, medium and large. I just wish there were more word dies in fonts I love.
I wonder if any of you saw sentiment stamps like "Kind AF" or "You're Awesome AF".
And just in case you're wondering, AF is shortened for "As F**k".
"You're Awesome as F**k" - *** does that even mean? (Sorry, couldn't help myself; no offense intended.)
Offensive??? That little four letter word has eased my pain after slamming my finger in the car door, saved that lady who had the nerve to steal my parking place, and countless other instances throughout my lifetime. No goody two shoes here 😄!
I am a lover of all woodland critter stamps... I finally decided to quit fighting it and buy the stamps that make me happy, even if I already have like ten other squirrel stamps lol. So I guess I fall into the 'collector' category on those stamps.
But I can see how prevalent those cute forest creatures are in the market today! If I weren't so in love with them, I'd definitely vote for that trend to die down. ;)
Anne, I'm definitely not a goody-two-shoes by ANY stretch of the imagination , and I've let loose of more than my share of f-bombs.
But I just don't get the meaning of "Kind AF". But then I don't get a lot of what's written/abbreviated on social media. I must be getting "Old AF". ;)
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
You ladies are cracking me up! I'm not an F-bomb person, but I'm not squeaky-clean, either. One of my daughters is very un-careful with her words (sounds weird, but it suits her) so I bought a couple of sentiment stamps just for her. Her favorite was "Holy s***balls, you're awesome!" (yes, she uses that word for real). Back to "know your audience", right?
Back to the original topic: I view the craft industry - and papercrafting specificallyl - the same way I've come to view popular music. When it was "new", everyone was looking for a way to be different - their own sound, their own identity, whatever. Then the record companies, in their dollar-oriented vision, said "That artist is very popular, let's find five more just like them" and did just that. The result was a lot of bands that sounded pretty much the same. New things still come along, of course, but the market quickly becomes flooded with more of the same.
I think the same thing happens with images/themes in crafting. Something "catches on" and everyone jumps on the bandwagon until there's too much, then something else gets attention and does the same, and on and on.
I also think that there's a similarity with music in that there are "classics" that never go out of style. Even within the overly-popular themes, there are some that stand out and stick around (PSX, anyone?). Time is the test that identifies those...
The thing about images on stamps is they’re just objects. Just a picture of a house, a mouse, a tree, a llama, a squiggle, a sun. So in a way, none go out of style - or stay in style. There will always be houses and mouses in the world.
So if someone makes a llama card but llama stamps haven’t been manufactured in five years, that 5-year-old llama isn’t out of style. It’s just an image someone feels would be appreciated by someone and works well on a card.
In a way even card styles are timeless. In card shops there are cards that are more vintage, heavily embellished, romantic, sarcastic, funny, cute, minimalistic, etc.
Trends come and they go. Some good and some meh. As for the AF stamps, wow I have not actually seen them. I guess I have been out of touch the last couple of years. Even though I have hung around rock bands and heard the f-word a great deal, I still quite can not fathom how I would incorporate AF in many of my cards.
I'm tired of new stamp releases every month, and then all the videos using the same sets. Then, in a few weeks, no one is featuring those anymore, and the new line is released. I know it's how stamp companies stay in business, but it was so much easier when companies had only 2 or 3 releases a year. Now it's just too overwhelming.
I don't know if it's a trend or here to stay, but I just roll my eyes at the stamp sets that are so roughly drawn that they look like a small child did them. If I wanted something that looked that poorly drawn, I'd draw it myself! (and that would be really bad)
I totally agree about the release frequencies, but I suspect it's mainly driven now by the huge sums of money for companies to make, given how much we spend on crafts. Also, there has today been a second stamp designer brought into question over the originality of designs, via HOCHANDA, the shopping channel over here. You can search for them & the post on FB, went up yesterday, apparently.Guessing it's that same 'cash cow' thought thats behind this too.
Offensive??? That little four letter word has eased my pain after slamming my finger in the car door, saved that lady who had the nerve to steal my parking place, and countless other instances throughout my lifetime. No goody two shoes here � ����!
It is one of the most versatile words ever invented. Ho, ho, ho! :p
Trends come and they go. Some good and some meh. As for the AF stamps, wow I have not actually seen them. I guess I have been out of touch the last couple of years. Even though I have hung around rock bands and heard the f-word a great deal, I still quite can not fathom how I would incorporate AF in many of my cards.
Barb
I was Christmas shopping at the mall this week and two stores had phrases using AF painted on to their windows - "Merry AF, Jolly AF, etc.". I wasn't riled up about it, but I did feel disgust at the crudeness and vulgarity on open display. To be fair, though, it was on the windows of stores that are known for their crude humor.
I remember when a lot of words were shocking, screwed being one of them. Now it along with many others are in common usage. It just goes that way but I would be surprised to see AF on a store window. AF is used in so many confusing combos. What does that mean anyway?
I’m trying to talk my son, an accomplished artist/illustrator, into designing a line of stamps featuring teen/tween boys doing what they love. They are the absolute hardest to create for and who better than a just-shy-of-18 yo to design them!!
I was Christmas shopping at the mall this week and two stores had phrases using AF painted on to their windows - "Merry AF, Jolly AF, etc.". I wasn't riled up about it, but I did feel disgust at the crudeness and vulgarity on open display. To be fair, though, it was on the windows of stores that are known for their crude humor.
Wow. That would upset me, especially if I had kids with me.
