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I'm in a bit of a quandry about how to handle this. Maybe some of you can help. Last night, I attended a stamp camp (stamp 20 cards for $15). The host was an SU demonstrator. I thought it sounded like fun and signed up to go.
When I got there, I discovered that all the supplies (except the stamp set, markers, and a couple of ink pads) were NOT SU. The paper especially was a knock-off brand. The black paper we used was so thin I was afraid it would tear when I folded it.
I left quite disappointed. I don't mind paying a fee to cover the cost of supplies, but I couldn't help but feel cheated. I certainly didn't get $15 worth of supplies, maybe $3-5 if that. AND I know this woman buys a LOT of items with 40-50% off coupons from Michaels, joanns, etc.
I do not have a problem with demos trying to save a dollar or two, but aren't they supposed to use SU products when hosting a stamp camp? (And there were SU catalogs and order forms on the table when we walked in. .)
What would do? I feel I should do something. None of the other 8 ladies there were experienced enough to know that they weren't getting SU product, so I feel they were cheated too. Thoughts?
Well, you're right on that what she did was wrong. As a demo, we are NEVER supposed to use items that are not SU. So, she was wrong.
What to do - Ugh.... so hard! I'm not sure what confronting her would do for you - so I guess my advice would be to just steer clear of her and her events. Perhaps there is another demo out there who you could find that would 'follow the rules'.
If you do feel like you really need to do something, you can call Demonstrator Support and let them know.
Good luck and sorry you experienced this - that is SO not fun!!!! :(
No, I will NOT be attending any more of her events. I do have a "regular" demo (ie, my sister), but she lives out of town so it's hard for me to make her camps. I tried this with her (a co-worker) because I wanted to socialize with local stampers. But this was not what I was expecting. .
Do you know this woman? If you do - do you know her well enough that you could talk with her about it?
I don't know her particularly well. She's an acquantiance more than anything. If I contronted her, I have a feeling she would say "well, most people wouldn't know the difference anyway" or "it's the same as SU stuff, so what's the difference."
My $0.02: I think she's kinda shooting herself in the foot, business-wise...
As a customer, if I went to a camp and the supplies were low quality, what makes me want to buy from the company? I buy SU because of quality. Their cardstock is great and if I were a demo I would be proud of their quality.
I would talk to her if you know her well enough and just ask what is up.
You could ask her for some of your money back if you really wanted to, or maybe call her and tell her you weren't happy with the quality of the supplies and see what she says.
I probably would just chalk it up as a bad experience and leave it be, since you won't be attendng any more of her events.
Ok, I called the 800 number and reported the camp. The bad news is that there are 10 more women going to her house tonight who will receive the same quality of items. :(
Well, she may lose her demo-ship. I'm not sure exactly how the process works, since thankfully - it's never happened to me! ;) (and not that there is reason it should - LOL). SU is really good at sticking to their guns, so to speak, so she'll either get a warning, or lose her demo-ship immediately I think.... sorry I can't speak more definitive then "I think".
I think she was in the wrong for using Non SU materials in her camp.
But as a side note when you are paying $15 to make 20 cards with SU materials the demo is making no money on these events. With costs that low she would be barely breaking even in her costs. That means no pay for her planning, cutting and teaching time at the event.
__________________ Jeanne S - Inky Paws SCS Moderator
Hmmmmmm.........I go to a stamp a stack often that the demo doesn't use strictly SU procucts. Non SU glue sticks, paper snips, pampered chef scraper in stead of bone folder,non SU stampin scrub, non SU punches. She does use SU exclusive CS. Stamps and Ink. I guess I thought it was ok because these are things that are available @ LSS.
Hmmmmm it is a shame that not all products were SU! But who knows maybe she had to run out and get something quickly instead of having time to order it.
As for the Price $15, not bad at all, anyway you look at it, the cards cost you under $1 a piece and like a PP pointed out not a lot is made money wise for demo's at this. Just think about this my brother teaches ice skating for a living at $60 an hour, and he has people that book whole hours or multiple times a week. What are they getting for that $60? His knowledge and is it really worth $60?
K
Just think about this my brother teaches ice skating for a living at $60 an hour, and he has people that book whole hours or multiple times a week. What are they getting for that $60? His knowledge and is it really worth $60?
K
It must be if he's busy
My demo has used strictly SU stuff, except for maybe scissors, at every event I've ever been.
She absolutely should have used SU products if it was advertised as an SU event. If it was just, I'm a crafty person and I give classes then you can't assume she will be using SU products if she is not doing it as a demo.
Now that being said, I only use SU products because it's what I have AND I think once people see how to make cards where everything matches they are more satisfied.
That being said, $15 for 20 cards? I would have thought right away that something was wrong with that. You can't expect to pay that kind of money and get quality. I tell my customers, you get what you pay for. I do not do events for less than 10 cards for $20 (not including envelopes). You have to factor in not only the supplies but the time spent designing and cutting. Demos that do events where the cards end up costing $1 each (and they are using SU products LOL) are doing it to show appreciation for their customers, help them get stamping, etc. not to make money.
She really should use only SU CS, punches, ink and embellishments as much as possible. My demo does use her own heat gun, but she bought it before she became a demo and it doesn't bother me or anyone else at all. Why should she replace a $20 item? She does explain the SU carries a better one, LOL! One camp in 5 years she did find out she had planned a card and didn't have the correct SU CS and no time to redo the card. She went to the local craft store and tried to match it up as best she could. She apologized profusely and it ended up being a brilliant marketing move as we all noticed the quality was subpar to SU's and I have never bought any CS except for SU's since then (with the exception of what I get for my kids to stamp with, LOL!) I agree with the poster that said she is shooting her stuff in the foot! Once you use SU's quality materials, you don't want to buy anyone else's!
P.S. I agree about the price of the stamp camp, $15 is way too cheap for 20 cards, especially if they are exclusively from SU!!! I would guess my demo would charge somewhere around $30 for that many cards, but all of the material would be from SU!!
The 5 for $5's at my demo's didn't always use all SU products. But usually the things that were non-su were things like DUCK adhesive, generic silver brads, or a non-SU hammer instead of the one in the kit (I think they have a kit with a hammer, right) Little things that most people wouldn't buy from SU anyhow- she was good about letting us know what we could get for less elsewhere so that we could buy more stamps.
However, everything BIG was an SU product. Cardstock, ink, stamps, etc. Or anything she was show casing.
It seems silly business wise to use non-SU products for an SU show. What's the point? How will you sell anything.
But at the same time, I appreciate a demo who will say "SNAIL is awesome, but you can, and I do, get a similiar product elsewhere"
I would talk to her before reporting her for it. Maybe I would report it if she did this at an in-my-home workshop I was hosting, but not for something I went to her house for. It didn't ruin my chances of earning hostess benefits. And really, do you want to possibly cost her her job, her income, etc without bringing it up with her first?
My SIL does an open house every three months. She has 10 cards for $15, and everything is SU. She may not make a ton off the actual open house, but everyone loves it and each one has more people than the last. Plus the people who attend realize the quality and get drawn right in to SU. She gets lots of orders from her oldest customers to her newest customers. I agree with the post that says this demo shot herself in the foot.
I agree w/ the poster that said it was a bad business decision but I do believe it is worst than that. It was a horrible ethical decision. No Congressional inquiries will happen (of course) but it does not make it right.
As far as the other women who will go.... MY thoughts are if I were friends with them I would show them the quality of the SU! CS as a card and compare witht he inferior materials. They are also adults and will do as they see fit.
I just wonder if anyone orders. Because if they order and use the supplies they would have to see the difference.
__________________ Sherri
I never did give anybody hell. I just told the truth and they thought it was hell.
P.S. I agree about the price of the stamp camp, $15 is way too cheap for 20 cards, especially if they are exclusively from SU!!! I would guess my demo would charge somewhere around $30 for that many cards, but all of the material would be from SU!!
I would have been happy to pay more for the camp had I known the materials were going to be lower quality. I'd gladly pay more for SU materials.
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"I'm in a bit of a quandry about how to handle this. Maybe some of you can help. Last night, I attended a stamp camp (stamp 20 cards for $15). The host was an SU demonstrator. I thought it sounded like fun and signed up to go."
You mentioned that you attended a stamp camp but no where does it read that you were attending a "Stampin' Up! stamp camp. It's kinda sad that you may have caused this demo her demoship without even talking it over with her first. Maybe she was just showing all of you how to create beautiful cards and like others had mentioned, the cost of the class should have been some what of an indication that maybe not ALL items were going to be SU! Especially if this class was not advertised as a SU event. Maybe you assumed that it was going to be all SU stuff becasue you are familiar with SU and knew she was a demo, but if she had gals attending her stamp camp who were not into SU but enjoyed making cards and purchased product somewhere else, maybe this is why she went this route. I am a demo and I hate to see something like this happen to you or anyone, but before you reported her to SU you probably should have talked it over with her. Wouldn't you feel bad if you reported her, she lost her demoship, income and benefits and come to find, she was NOT holding a SU event in the first place? I don't mean to sound rude, I just wish you would have mentioned this to her before going straight to the CHIEF (SU!)
Actually, the second line of her post says "the host was an SU demonstrator".
If it's an SU demonstrator and she wants you to place orders, I would assume she would use everything Stampin Up. If she's not, she shouldn't be promoting herself as an SU demo in relation to the camp.
i have had Stamp a Stacks here but never in any of the wording have I billed it as an SU event. It is simply my "Holiday Stamp a Stack"
I have tons of samples of SU cards/items out, but it is not an SU event specifically.
Do I use all SU items? Yup-but I do that all the time anyway.:mrgreen:
BUT you paid for a stamp a stack-and you got a Stamp a Stack. As long as it was not clearly spelled out that it was an SU event (even if put on by a demo) IMO she was not obligated to provide all SU products.
If you had an issue with the quality I would have asked her there or even after I would have 100% spoken to her before I called SU about it.
I guess I am wondering what you want SU to do about it-they received no money from the event and if their name was not used in the marketing of the event then the person held a paid event at their home The fee was paid and you did leave with what you were promised-20 cards for $15 (or $0.75 per card).
I am sorry that you were disappointed with the quality of the cards-that would upset me as well. :(
__________________ I want people to be afraid of how much they love me-M. Scott
My $0.02: I think she's kinda shooting herself in the foot, business-wise...
As a customer, if I went to a camp and the supplies were low quality, what makes me want to buy from the company? I buy SU because of quality. Their cardstock is great and if I were a demo I would be proud of their quality.
I would talk to her if you know her well enough and just ask what is up.
ITA!
__________________ I want people to be afraid of how much they love me-M. Scott
IMO, when the demo put out SU catties and order forms at the place settings, it became a SU event, whether advertised or not. At that point she is representing SU. My demo does events like this and only charges $1 per card. Yes, she doesn't make money on the cards, but we all order the products used anyway!
IMO, when the demo put out SU catties and order forms at the place settings, it became a SU event, whether advertised or not. At that point she is representing SU. My demo does events like this and only charges $1 per card. Yes, she doesn't make money on the cards, but we all order the products used anyway!
I agree with this. Since she is a demonstrator and has hosted other SU parties and such at her house, I assumed this would be an SU event. After walking in and seeing the catalogs, order forms, and SU plastic bags sitting out, that said "SU party" to me. Being a customer, I didn't think that SU demos had non-SU parties, since they generally want orders/to expand their business.
After calling SU customer service, I asked specifically what would happen if I reported this. The lady said she would most likely get a warning letter. If there were _multiple _ complaints, she would lose her demo-ship. So I don't think my one call is going to ruin her business.
Ok, I just sent the demo an email and asked why she didn't use SU paper at her camp the other day. She said she doesn't like the SU paper.
Now I'm wondering why she's a demo at all if she doesn't support some of SU's products? I personally think the paper is one of the best things about the company (outside of the stamps, of course). Do any of you demos out there only like certain SU products too?
Ok, I just sent the demo an email and asked why she didn't use SU paper at her camp the other day. She said she doesn't like the SU paper.
Now I'm wondering why she's a demo at all if she doesn't support some of SU's products? I personally think the paper is one of the best things about the company (outside of the stamps, of course). Do any of you demos out there only like certain SU products too?
What? she is a bit nutty to prefer poor quality cs to SU's, LOL.
At least you did not spend *too* much money on the event. Maybe you can use some of the cardfronts and put them on nicer paper (ie SU's;) ) and actually get to use them.
__________________ I want people to be afraid of how much they love me-M. Scott
What? she is a bit nutty to prefer poor quality cs to SU's, LOL.
At least you did not spend *too* much money on the event. Maybe you can use some of the cardfronts and put them on nicer paper (ie SU's;) ) and actually get to use them.
That's my plan. I also received an email from an SCS'er who knows another demo in my area who does camps.
I don't understand why you are so concerned with this ladies choices in paper or card making supplies. Instead of talking to her you "told" on her.
It doesn't sound like she was hosting a party, but having a fun class to make cards.
Well, I guess the next time I get asked to a stamping related event (by another demo), if supplies are provided, my first question will be "what brand of supplies will you be providing?"
I don't understand why you are so concerned with this ladies choices in paper or card making supplies. Instead of talking to her you "told" on her.
It doesn't sound like she was hosting a party, but having a fun class to make cards.
Because there is a problem when she is misrepresenting her stamp camp. If the people go in thinking they are going to be using SU products and are not, then there is a problem. She should be upfront about what she is charging for and that these customers will not be getting SU products, which is a quality issue from what the OP has said. I would not be happy about it and I would certainly be letting her know. Now, I may not agree with calling the HO, but the OP chose to which is her option.
Okay, here's the 411 according to the Stampin' Up! Independent Agreement that ALL demonstrators sign...............
"Representation of Competing Products. I agree not to sell, promote, or demonstrate any other products, other than those offered and purchased through the Company, while participating in in-home workshops or Stampin' Up! events, or any other meeting with existing or potential Demonstrators or customers."
That's it in a nutshell. Yes, she did do the wrong thing. She should know what demonstrators are allowed and not allowed to do before she holds any type of event. If you all are customers or potential customers then she was representing herself as a demonstrator even if she didn't advertise it as such. Sorry that some of you might disagree but these are the rules of the contract as per Stampin' Up!
Okay, here's the 411 according to the Stampin' Up! Independent Agreement that ALL demonstrators sign...............
"Representation of Competing Products. I agree not to sell, promote, or demonstrate any other products, other than those offered and purchased through the Company, while participating in in-home workshops or Stampin' Up! events, or any other meeting with existing or potential Demonstrators or customers."
That's it in a nutshell. Yes, she did do the wrong thing. She should know what demonstrators are allowed and not allowed to do before she holds any type of event. If you all are customers or potential customers then she was representing herself as a demonstrator even if she didn't advertise it as such. Sorry that some of you might disagree but these are the rules of the contract as per Stampin' Up!
Stamp camp question: what would you do?
