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VeronaSue- The price increases worry me too. For the most part I have bought my items from SU on Ebay from demo’s getting rid of old stash or flippers. I know I am not in SU’s marketing range. I do love their items. I have bought a few things new but not enough to make their company rich, lol.
I don’t want to see them go under. I have a feeling we are going to see a lot of our companies go under because they have to increase prices to pay for higher wages, fuel increases, etc, etc, etc…
My DH’s company he worked for closed and sold. It was a successful company that was critical infrastructure. If this is happening to companies like this how does that bode for companies who are not critical infrastructure?
I made a scrapbook paper order this weekend. It was Easter weekend. The owner got my order out early Monday morning. She never ever has been able to do that after a Holiday weekend. I have been ordering from her for years. I told my DH a lot of people must not be able to shop heavily at her store any more with inflation hitting everyone so hard.
I am sure there are many who would love to order from SU but it is way out of their budget now when in the past it was more doable. With so many legitimate companies offering similar products at more affordable prices.
I always said the influx of paper crafting companies coming out and competing with each other with similar products in their frequent releases was going to come back and haunt them. Very few people are going to pay for a die from SU that is $50 when you get a similar die for $20 from Spellbinder’s for example.
If our industry is going to survive it will have to go back to the days of yore when each company was unique and offered unique items. Back then even if it was pricey customers would pay for it because it was special. I know I did. I didn’t have disposable income then. I started buying used when companies started what I called the “owl syndrome”. You know monthly releases would have five owls from each company and you would have 200 owl stamps per month and they all looked like doppelgänger owls.
Prices are going up. Stampers are getting older and going into the time when their income will be fixed. Now we have a generation of new stampers who are starting to make an impact in our industry and they sure can not afford insane pricing. They need to pay insane rent prices and student loans and expensive groceries.
I have a feeling the paper crafting companies that are going to win during the next few years are unique companies, with smaller inventories and fair prices.
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The following 4 users liked this post by lylacfey:
This thread came up in a search for me this morning. It is less than three years old and even then people were unhappy with the price increases and shipping at SU. This next catalog will really be a shock. Nearly EVERYTHING is going up, some as much as 20% (linen thread from $4 to $5) and shipping is going up as well.
I agree that it is more and more difficult to keep a MLM format going. Covid certainly did not help that. But these prices are getting out of hand. My sister and I "share" a demonstrator-ship for the paltry 25% discount and we also share that discount with a handful of friends. Even with 25% off, the product is pricey.
SU does make their stamps in Utah. But their dies are 100% made in China. In December, I ordered two sets of dies from ********** because they were 16% of the SU price! I had purchased the stamp sets from SU previously. They took almost four weeks to come but that was ok. Guess what? They fit my SU stamps perfectly.
I would prefer to buy American but every well has it's bottom. I can afford to pay the SU prices but why would I? At this point, my purchasing will be limited to paper and ink. And even those are going up a lot.
I agree. The prices on their stamp and die bundles is so expensive that I cannot afford them anymore. After all, how many times do you actually have to use a stamp set to justify the cost? Yes, it is true that SU gets their dies from China so why can't others? I would like to buy American made prodcts as well but they have priced stamping out of my budget. I love to stamp and if I want to continue with my hobby so I will have to resort to buying from other sources.
I am so glad I found this thread. I have felt the same way about SU for some time. Their prices have really gone up and their incentives have gone down. I don't buy from SU anymore. i buy from ********** all the time and even though the quality is not the same as SU, it suits my purpose. I can buy 10 ********** stamp sets for less than one of the SU of the same design. I know that they are "copying" SU designs for but us that have a passion to stamping and send beautiful cards to our friends, this is an alternative that works. I have not seen anything in the SU catalog I can really say I would buy at the price. I am relieved to know other stampers out there feel the same way. I also buy from ebay when there is set I really want and wait until I see it at a price I can afford. The shipping is much more reasonable and so are the stamps.
There is no doubt that the quality in SU stamps far outweigh anything from ********** but with that said, they stamps very well and are worth the price they charge. Their customer service seems very willing to help you with any product that you do not like or is not what you ordered. I used SU for many years and just loved it but now that I am retired, I cannot afford the stamps, dies or the shipping. If I want to continue stamping (and I do) I will have to buy from other sources.
I’m really disappointed with the new annual and mini catalogs. Being on a limited income, it’s hard to justify buying much of anything (I’ve been a hobby demo for the past couple years). I can only use so many flower stamps or pine trees, or hello, thank you, happy birthday stamps. I already own all the embossing folders I like and dies and punches that match the sets I own. And I’m not a pun girl at all. I made this month’s quota, but I can’t justify spending money on things I don’t like and won’t use. The only thing I can see buying going forward with these catalogs are card stock and ink pads/reinkers. Bummer
I understand that everyone has to make decisions for themselves but I will ask people to please only buy from legitimate sources. Please do not support businesses that steal designs from others. That only hurts the industry long-term. (off my soap box - promise)
I'm seeing less and less to purchase from SU each year, as well, and I'm someone who sells off or gives away things I no longer use. I still have a few people who purchase through me occasionally, so that has helped me to stay current. The discount we get helps me to be able to purchase enough to make the quota. Lately, my purchases have been more consumable items (certain specialty papers, adhesives, etc.) but I sense that soon will come a day where I just let it go.
If you can't afford to purchase stamps at retail, look at eBay and Etsy, as well as local events (we have 2 stores in my area that host annual yard sales where you can rent a spot (they give you a parking spot space) and sell your items--it's great for finding all sorts of stamps, dies, etc. that people want to offload.
I agree with Adriana--we shouldn't support businesses that don't respect copyright. Copyright was established so that the creators could earn money for their work--illegal copying is unfair because it is stealing someone else's hard work--no wonder they undercut the price, since they didn't have to pay the artist! (Note: the US government has put ********** on its "Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy" list (article from Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/technology/u...st-2022-02-17/ )
As for the thread's main topic: I, too, was not excited about the new SU items. It has been that way for a year +--less and less that I want. I'm getting tired of the constant new colors (they are really starting to replicate old retired colors...) pushed out each year: ink, refills, paper, markers, etc.
It may just be me, though--I'm starting to burn out on buying stamping products. I find myself rather "saturated" in stamping products that I'm not even getting around to using--too much of the same themes across lines, in many cases, or overly-involved projects for which I don't have the time. Besides, I can only make so many cards.
I'm focusing on technique classes and trying to use my current stash in new ways.
__________________ Janis
Last edited by jnsyr; 07-14-2022 at 02:48 PM..
Reason: updated to add link
I understand that everyone has to make decisions for themselves but I will ask people to please only buy from legitimate sources. Please do not support businesses that steal designs from others. That only hurts the industry long-term. (off my soap box - promise)
I'm seeing less and less to purchase from SU each year, as well, and I'm someone who sells off or gives away things I no longer use. I still have a few people who purchase through me occasionally, so that has helped me to stay current. The discount we get helps me to be able to purchase enough to make the quota. Lately, my purchases have been more consumable items (certain specialty papers, adhesives, etc.) but I sense that soon will come a day where I just let it go.
I agree-buy only from legitimate sources. The SU bundles being sold on Amazon are not SU sets-they are knock-offs.
I too am disappointed with "free" items this time. Now there are a couple of fall and halloween sets that interest me.
I wish I can see the catalog to see if I want anything. Being on a limited income it's getting the point where I am highly thinking of buying from **********. It's cheaper and pretty much the same products.
Just remember that anything on these sites that says they are a particular brand name are most likely counterfeit and you have no legal recourse if they end up being subpar product.
Just remember that anything on these sites that says they are a particular brand name are most likely counterfeit and you have no legal recourse if they end up being subpar product.
And unfortunately a lot of stuff on Amazon is also rip-offs.
IMO, I think many of the companies in the stamping industry has become too price restrictive. Don't get me wrong I don't mind paying for quality but I do mind paying for markups. I talk about being a frugal stamper all the time and I always will. Part of me being a frugal stamper is buying quality items that last a long time.
No, I don't mind paying $12.50 for an unmounted stamp from 100ProofPress (for example). I don't mind paying a fair amount for S&H, especially from a small company that S&H can be a killer for them also.
It does disturb me when a company like SU is giving away cruises for their million dollar plus demo's but they can't offer their customer base more reasonable shipping or comparable prices to other stamp companies. There would be no cruises if there were no customer base. If SU reps are reading this please make us feel valuable to.
It also disturbs me that a million dollar demo's receive such high incentives. I am not saying she/he does not deserve it. .
In reality most of the cruise earners are NOT at million dollar sales levels. And outside of traditional earned rewards for recruiting/personal sales the cruise is the only big ticket reward for any demo that qualifies for it.
Most MLM companies offer trips as a top reward.
I do agree that customer rewards being lowered so significantly was/is disappointing and they should have thought more thoroughly before they did that.
And unfortunately a lot of stuff on Amazon is also rip-offs.
Yes. I'm disappointed that Amazon lets these vendors continue business. Especially since my annual renewal fee is now $140? a year and I rarely get shipments in 2 days anymore. AND I saw a mini documentary by investigators that tagged returned merchandise ordered from Amazon and something like 70% of it simply gets thrown away because it's "too expensive" to process the returns (these are items that Amazon sells directly, not from 3rd party vendors).
I'm being much more diligent about what I buy off Amazon these days.
In reality most of the cruise earners are NOT at million dollar sales levels. And outside of traditional earned rewards for recruiting/personal sales the cruise is the only big ticket reward for any demo that qualifies for it.
Most MLM companies offer trips as a top reward.
I do agree that customer rewards being lowered so significantly was/is disappointing and they should have thought more thoroughly before they did that.
I definitely can understand that. I know it is all marketing strategy. In todays climate advertising demo’s bragging about large cruise incentives on their social media is not a good look for a company. Maybe, in the 1980’s but definitely not today.
I really don’t have anything against MLM’s. I do think a lot of their business strategies are outdated. I thought SU was outdated before the Great Recession.
Copyrights- This is a big one for me because I am an artist. I have my work stolen so many times from American artists it is mind boggling. It is more of a slap because I am a minority. It feels like a double slap. I am lucky enough I have an agent for these kind of things.
With that being said yes we all need to be careful buying stolen artwork. I know all of us have done it. Most of it has been unintentional. The thing is that we on this forum should be aware. I can’t fault those who are not on forums to know about these things. Especially when they are just making an order on Amazon. They are buying ink and see a cute stamp set without knowing it is not legitimate, they add it to their cart. I am not going to shame somebody for that.
I hold form if this industry did not saturate us with doppelgänger products from legitimate companies we would not have such rampant issues with copyright. When you have twenty stamp companies in one month releasing twenty different owls that is a problem. I use to be able to pick out a stamp companies style. I can’t do that any more. It makes me sad. Thank gosh for the used market.
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The following 2 users liked this post by lylacfey:
[QUOTE=lylacfey;22186283]I definitely can understand that. I know it is all marketing strategy. In todays climate advertising demo’s bragging about large cruise incentives on their social media is not a good look for a company. Maybe, in the 1980’s but definitely not today.
[ I've never seen a cruise earner bragging. The ones I have seen have been grateful but excited. They wouldn't have earned the cruise/trip without their customers. These people have to do 10's of thousands of dollars in annual sales every year in order to qualify for the trip. I've sold less in the entire 16 years I've been a demo than it takes to go on the incentive trip each year. These people bust their butts to earn their reward]
I really don’t have anything against MLM’s. I do think a lot of their business strategies are outdated. I thought SU was outdated before the Great Recession.
[I agree. The MLM sales model needs some serious updating]
Copyrights- This is a big one for me because I am an artist. I have my work stolen so many times from American artists it is mind boggling. It is more of a slap because I am a minority. It feels like a double slap. I am lucky enough I have an agent for these kind of things.
[What kind of art do you create? Have I seen it here anywhere?]
[I have a dear friend that had some of her design artwork stolen. It really is horrible. Nobody has any honor anymore]
With that being said yes we all need to be careful buying stolen artwork. I know all of us have done it. Most of it has been unintentional. The thing is that we on this forum should be aware. I can’t fault those who are not on forums to know about these things. Especially when they are just making an order on Amazon. They are buying ink and see a cute stamp set without knowing it is not legitimate, they add it to their cart.
[I inadvertently bought a die off of Amazon that I thought was legitimate but didn't realize it was counterfeit until I saw the same die at a scrapbooking store a year later and the real die was significantly larger. I felt horrid that I had paid money for what ended up being counterfeit and then I bought the real deal. Now I do image searches before I purchase any designed item off of Amazon and I avoid ********** and the like, like the plague.]
I wish more things could be manufactured in their continent of origin. It was a sad day when manufacturers sold their souls to earn an extra dollar. I firmly believe that if US manufacturers had kept their manufacturing facilities here that there would be fewer homeless, and fewer people on welfare.
Sigh.....
I'm not sure I even want to know what our world is going to look like 10, 15, 20 years from now, nevermind what it's going to look like for any grandchildren I might have.
But enough of dreary thoughts. I'm going to see if I can stamp something. Injured my right arm a couple of weeks ago and haven't been able to apply direct pressure on it since. I can finally pinch/grab things between my thumb and index finger though.
