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Unfortunately I missed all the good Black Friday sales. Wasn't interested in buying anything at the time. But within this past week I have sold quite a bit on Ebay and now I have play money :cool: I went on SimonSaysStamps and put over $300 in my shopping cart. I emailed them asking if they're running any sales and they told me that they were not and that I just missed out on BF sales. :( Bummer.
My question is this.....Does SimonSaysStamps represent most of the stamping companies around? Because I think what'll I'll do is make a list of the rest of the stuff that I won't be buying right now and get it next Black Friday. I like the fact that they have all the companies all in one shopping spot. Or do you find yourself getting better deals when you order straight from the company themselves (like Lawn Fawn, Sunny Studios, Hero Arts, etc)? Or are there many other stamp companies around than on SSS?
The items that are in my cart right now that I plan on buying are split between Lawn Fawn and Sunny Studios and one MFT. I did email LF and SS and SS said they'd give me 10% off. Haven't heard from LF yet. So it looks like I just might buy from them separately instead of going through SimonSaysStamps.
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Life is NOT a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely BUT...to skid in sideways, chocolate in hand and screamingWOOHOO-WHAT A RIDE!
Ellen Hutson, Scrapbook.com, and 123stitch.com are other sites to check out too. I tend to build a wish list at Simon Says Stamp through the year, and then if there’s a sale or discount, go back to my list and see what I still want. Good luck with your shopping!
You might try https://www.scrapbookpal.com/ . They have great pricing and free shipping over $25. I have ordered from them several times and had good service.
The thing with Simon Says Stamp is that yes, they do offer all these great stamp companies. But the minute there's a new stamp set/dies showcased by anyone like Jennifer McGuire, it seems that they are OUT of it within minutes! Also, their shipping is very slow. If you order from Ellen Hutson, they have their own brand of stamps/dies which are great, but you don't get the SSS branded ones. But EH's shipping is REALLY fast (like same day or next day) and they include a little thank you and a length of ribbon, which is very nice, I think.
I say this as an SU demo who doesn't buy much outside of SU, but I look around a good bit, and do order from other companies a couple times a year (small orders) when I see something I just must have, like the Joyful Sentiments from Neat & Tangled. I also got the Concord & 9th Plaid stamp at the same time which was out of stock everywhere else. And they had a sale going on.
I like ScrapbookPal.com too, but they don't carry the huge range of stamp brands that SSS and EH do.
__________________ ~ Susan - Celebrating 19 years as an SU demo! Grammy to Anna 15, Elizabeth 14, Nora 12, Abigail 12, Kendall 10 , Isaac 10, Evan 7, and Hudson 3 with me in my avatar Proud to be SCS Fan Club Member since the beginning!
I used to order from SSS a lot because they do have a lot of things from different companies. But I started getting impatient with their slow-ish shipping. Just my experience. They don't price things any more cheaply than other places, they're just a good one-stop vendor. Using them to make a list and then ordering elsewhere if you can find a sale is a good idea.
You are making a list for next Black Friday? Like, next year, 2018? Wow. I don't think I could wait a year for something I wanted, and I don't think a year from now I'll want the same things. ;)!
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
I rarely shop at SSS because they think 10% off for your birthday is a sale. They also don't communicate well if you have a problem, at times.
They had SSS brand items 30% off for one day, but the shipping charge on a small purchase was not worth it. Then the next day the sale changed.
I shop online at Joann when they have 50% off stamps, dies or cardstock AND free or $1.99 shipping. I know I will have to wait for relatively slow shipping, but for Black Friday sale I got my stuff really fast...surprise!
I also like 123Stitch for good selection, good prices, reasonable shipping and great service. Another upcoming company is 7 Kids for good prices and fast shipping.
I signed up for email notifications from the companies I like best, so I get notification of their sales. I don't even shop unless things are at least 20% off and Really like 30 & 50% off.
I don't crave anything enough to pay too much (in my mind, and for my budget) If you can wait until next Black Friday, you can shop around all summer and post things on your wish list, then you can check that vendor's sale.
I used to order from SSS a lot because they do have a lot of things from different companies. But I started getting impatient with their slow-ish shipping. Just my experience. They don't price things any more cheaply than other places, they're just a good one-stop vendor. Using them to make a list and then ordering elsewhere if you can find a sale is a good idea.
You are making a list for next Black Friday? Like, next year, 2018? Wow. I don't think I could wait a year for something I wanted, and I don't think a year from now I'll want the same things. ;)!
SSS also has their own branded (exclusive) items. If I want something quickly I don't order from them. I've never had terribly slow service, just not fast like Ellen Hutson - or Amazon Prime, of course.
They've responded to my emails by the next business day or two. Oh, and generally I have a $5.00 off coupon from my last order.
Every now and then I've made a wonky request, like help identifying an ancient die of theirs I've seen on line but wasn't identified, and they've come through.
But I don't think of them as a site where you can get great deals except on their big sale days, which they announce through emails, of course, and sometimes start the sale earlier for their email list customers.
Sign up for MFT's mailing list. Every Wednesday they have blitz day where five things are on sale for I think 30% off. Downside is the shipping starts at about $6, but if you were willing to pay that in the first place, may as well get 30% off.
MFT also offers a free die with orders over $60, free shipping over $75, and discounts at purchases over $100. Their black friday sale this year was 30% off the week around thanksgiving.
I don't usually buy enough to qualify for any of that, LOL. Sometime the free die, but usually not. ;)
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by SSS. I ordered two of their background stamps and a stencil on Black Friday (waited months for the 30% off) and I got it within 4 days. It was my first order and I do live in a city, but that's super fast. I got a shipping notification the very next day that I thought was just a pre-shipping notice. I didn't get a 5$ off coupon, but that's probably because my order was pretty small and on sale. I had wanted to purchase one other of their background stamps, buy that sold out. I only wish they had the 30% off more often and on other products too. Nevertheless, I love the quality of their cling rubber (my fav), the intricacy of the stencil and the fast shipping.
You are making a list for next Black Friday? Like, next year, 2018? Wow. I don't think I could wait a year for something I wanted, and I don't think a year from now I'll want the same things. ;)!
For the past couple of years I've kept a Black Friday Wishlist Pin Board and use it to shop around for the best sales. It has also unintentionally saved me a lot of money because the stuff I really, really wanted earlier in the year but didn't allow myself to buy no longer appeals to me!
Thanks so much for everyones responses. I did go and create an account with ScrapbookPal. Never heard of them before. And I found everything (except 3 stamp sets and 1 die set) for a decent amount cheaper than SSS. I haven't placed my order yet because I emailed them asking if they offer first time customers with any kind of % off coupon. I hope so but even if they don't, I already saved over $45 with the cheaper prices and free shipping so that's a plus.
And yes, someone mentioned about already making a list for Black Friday of 2018......I usually have a "master list" of stamps, dies, cardstock, etc in an Excel spreadsheet (LOL) but now I'll know next year to check Black Friday sales. Never really took advantage of them before. Things will change next year LOL. I have enough in my craft room as we speak to last me the whole year through (and then some) so I don't mind just putting things in my wish list until next year. Makes it a lot easier for me, since I can't remember off the top of my head all of the stamps that I'd like to get.
__________________
Life is NOT a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely BUT...to skid in sideways, chocolate in hand and screamingWOOHOO-WHAT A RIDE!
I have a wish list at Simon Says Stamps but shop around for the best prices. For Black Friday sales this year I bought at individual stamp company sites since their discounts were sometimes 20, 35 or 30% off. And I usually had enough for free shipping too. I've had problems with Simon Says customer service so they are now far down on my list to shop from.
I'm a tremendous fan of Ellen Hutson. She carries a ton of assorted companies, has an Ellen Hutson line, customer service is top-notch, shipping is fast, and she has a frequent-shopper discount running all the time. (Check her site for details.) She had some specials this holiday season on top of that.
I've found that new release stamps, especially when Jennifer McGuire features them, will go out of stock quickly at any online store. It happens at Ellen Hutson, too. But she will notify you when they come back in stock, and that is dependent on the company that makes them and how quickly they ship.
I appreciate the variety of products from SSS. However, the cost of the product is rarely discounted, and I do not believe I have ever gotten free shipping. Would also echo the statements of others about products being out of stock. Frustrating. Now I go to the independents and see if I can get a percent off or free shipping. Tupelo designs always has free shipping and usually is less expensive. However, they do not carry a full line of every company. This year, I shopped Altenew, Concord and 9th, and Tupelo. Among the three companies, I got what I wanted, for much much less than I would have paid at SSS. Yes, it took some leg work, but who doesn't like to shop for your favorite crafty things and save money to buy more crafty things?
I agree with Fionna's comments about Ellen Hutson - really friendly customer service too. I wish their search function was a tad better.
I used to shop at Tupelo and posted positive comments here. Nice owner too. But they may have grown too big too fast. For the last couple orders there were no email notices, no shipping until I bugged them, items supposedly in stock noted as backordered on the packing slip, and sometimes no responses to emails.
And unless they've stopped, they use free US Post Office Priority Mail boxes and shipping materials even tough they ship via other carriers, which at the least seems unethical.
I really have gotten away from one-stop shopping vendors for the most part. I have to go to a number of places to get the lines of stamps/paints I like to use. And I'm so impatient that any basic supplies that I can get on Amazon, I will.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
I really have gotten away from one-stop shopping vendors for the most part. I have to go to a number of places to get the lines of stamps/paints I like to use. And I'm so impatient that any basic supplies that I can get on Amazon, I will.
And many well known manufacturers are on Amazon too - Ranger (which for some reason Spellcheck changed to Ran gee), Hero Arts, Lawn Fawn, etc. So if you have Prime and need something fast, it may be there and may be Primed.
It doesn't work if you want one of SSS's own items.
I shop a lot at Simon. They've been working hard to improve their shipping, and my Thanskgiving Day order shipped on Black Friday and I had it by the following Wednesday. They usually include a card with a $5 discount for your next order and have really good sales over the Black Friday weekend. The thing I avoid buying there are that dies that match stamp sets for some companies because they are often priced higher than buying them direct from the company itself, like Mama Elephant. I'll buy direct from Mama Elephant if I want dies.
I love Ellen Hutson too, my other favorite place to shop.
Other good places are Scrapbook.com (they have great sales) and ACherryOnTop.com.
I too make my wishlist on SSS and then buy the products elsewhere.
I now ALWAYS buy my LAWN FAWN and SUNNY STUDIO stamps through HallmarkScrapbook.com Their everyday price is 15% off. (That discount is the same for most of the brands they carry - but those two happen to be the ones I buy regularly.) Plus when you first sign up for their newsletter, you get 5% off!
I also shop at Ellen Hutson because once you buy something through them two months in a row, you become a frequent shopper and receive 10% off on all purchase you make the following month. (For example, I placed orders in October and November, and now everything i buy this month I get 10% off)
I typically always buy my MFT stamps directly through them because I tend to meet the minimum not only for the free die, free shipping, but also the 10% off. (The more you spend, the more you save...)
I did buy some SSS branded products on Black Friday at SSS - and it's still processing. It hasn't even shipped. At least none of those were things I was super excited about... primarily ink pads and a few stamp stamp sets.
I too make my wishlist on SSS and then buy the products elsewhere.
I now ALWAYS buy my LAWN FAWN and SUNNY STUDIO stamps through HallmarkScrapbook.com Their everyday price is 15% off. (That discount is the same for most of the brands they carry - but those two happen to be the ones I buy regularly.) Plus when you first sign up for their newsletter, you get 5% off!
I also shop at Ellen Hutson because once you buy something through them two months in a row, you become a frequent shopper and receive 10% off on all purchase you make the following month. (For example, I placed orders in October and November, and now everything i buy this month I get 10% off)
I typically always buy my MFT stamps directly through them because I tend to meet the minimum not only for the free die, free shipping, but also the 10% off. (The more you spend, the more you save...)
I did buy some SSS branded products on Black Friday at SSS - and it's still processing. It hasn't even shipped. At least none of those were things I was super excited about... primarily ink pads and a few stamp stamp sets.
I hope some of these suggestions help!
I'm new here and your post was very informative! I also went and bookmarked the Hallmark site to look around later. Boy, it looks big with a ton of selections! So glad I found this place. Learning a ton of stuff everyday!
So there are no unwanted surprises, checking the return policy of any shop we buy from isn't a bad idea. For example, Hallmark has a 20% restocking fee, and states they are not responsible for damages once an item has left the warehouse. This wouldn't bother some at all and others it would; we all have different comfort levels. : )
Simon Says Stamps ???
