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Hi Everybody,
I'd like to get your opinion on something. Well, I buy my things through one or two demonstrators. One of my demonstrators is a friend, so she'll give me good deals and incentatives when I buy from her. However, she doesn't have workshops at all, so I'll go through another demonstrator for that. Well, I went to a free workshop for the first time with a new lady who happened to work with a former coworker of mine.
I ordered some things over a month ago, yet have not received a single word about my order. I know that these things are not backordered because these aren't new things like the aquapainter, but are more like "essentials". Since that day of the workshop, I have ordered things through other demonstrators and received them within a week or two. My question is, "Should I not order from this demonstrator anymore?" It seems like the communication isn't there. What do you think?
Yeah she needs to give you the stuff ordered within 7 days of recieving the order from Stampin up. I would call her and see what is going on. Maybe there are some circumstances that you are unaware of. If there isn't then I wouldn't recomend ordering from her. I know I wouldn't. I think communication is the most important thing about being a demonstrator. I keep in constant contact with my customers about what is going on with their orders.
Since you have so many options of demos...I would stick to someone you feel trustworthy....
When I do a workshop, I deliver all of the orders to the hostess. Either I have the whole workshop shipped directly to her from SU or I drop off all of the orders from her workshop.
I would suggest a couple of things:
1. Call the hostess. I know a couple of my hostesses have gotten busy after their workshops and waited longer than I would have like to pass out their orders.
2. Call the demo. Her phone number *should* be on your order form.
Also, keep in mind that shipping times are running a bit long right now. I placed an order last Tuesday that hasn't even been picked or shipped from SU...I usually have the orders in my hands within 5 business days!
Hi Elizabeth,
I don't have an yes or no answer for you, but just some things to think about when you make your decision.
A lot of demonstrators, myself included, go the extra mile for their customers. I can only speak for myself when I say I do this because of my work ethic, and I have been in the sales industry for a long time. "You'll catch more flies with honey than with vinegar" I think that's how the saying goes.
Also, do you REALLY want to continue purchasing from her? What may happen next time? Is it worth it to receive no communication regarding the products you have purchased with your hard earned money? Don't get me wrong...maybe she has been taken up with a family emergency or something?? I would give her a call to find out.
Even though she should have contacted you by now, to give her the benefit of the doubt, I have been waiting on several "standard" items for weeks. According to SU, they are backlogged because they are moving to a new facility.
I would still call her though and see what's going on. Either way, I wouldn't recommend ordering from her again just based on the lack of communication unless there was a very good reason for it.
When I was intoduced to SU, the demo would take individual orders and hold them until she could get enough freebies and the like for herself. Then she would process them and get them to you eventually. I remember waiting a good 6 or so weeks sometimes. I didn't know she was doing this until I placed an order with a friend's friend at another party and got my stuff in record time. Needless to say, I switched demos!
I have waited that long - because she was in the hospital. Now that I am a demo - i always get the order in right away. Keep people posted on when things will get here, etc. Nothing is so frustrating as not knowing.
I feel the same way about my own orders.
I'd say it has already been too long. Even with the slower than usual shipping times, you should at least have gotten a call -- even if all she can tell you is that there's been no change in the status of the order (that's just professional courtesy, IMO).
We usually have our monthly workshops at the office on Wednesday nights, and the orders arrive in one big box on Friday of the following week. Our demo sends the hostess a tracking link by e-mail, and the hostess in turn forwards it to the rest of us. We're all in the same small firm, though, so I usually just relied on updates at lunch from the hostess!
The first workshop that I attended the demo said the order should arrive in a week. I then decided the next day that I wanted to sign up as a demo and called up this lady to sign up under her. It took her a few days to get everything together so I could sign up, which I probably should have saw this as a sign. Needless to say, I got my kit before I even recieved my order from this workshop. It took over a month and then she called and wanted me to come and pick it up from her house. Shortly after this she invited me to one of her stamp camps where you had to order a min. of $20 worth of stuff and I really didn't want to order because I was worried that this would happen again (which it did) and I really wanted my discount. I had my first workshop a week after that and my things from my work shop were in and delivered probably a week or two before I had to go and pick up my things from her. It really made me mad because I really wanted something out of this order for another workshop of mine and didn't have it. I hate to wait for things especially when it comes to my stamps and I don't like to have anyone else to have to wait. My upline wants to get as many orders in so she can get as much of the free stuff as she can. I don't mean to bash her but it really makes me made.
Hey. This just sucks! :( But, there are lots of things that have not been shipping out w/ regularity due to SU! switching buildings and apparently, this has caused delays in shipping times since its not all in the same building yet. I have a customer who is currently waiting on EE stampin' spots and natural ivory med. envies. I wouldn't have thought these would be things on backorder. Nor are they "backordered". I don't know the status of them, but I keep my customer updated w/ all the info I can find out.
I also recently had a customer waiting over a month and a half on the old style cutting/scoring blades. This too, was very frustrating as they weren't showing up on the backorder list that we demos get every Monday.
SU! has let us know that we have exceeded past sales, the distribution center is moving, and problems w/ other manufacturers making the products fast enough are the major causes of products taking longer to ship.
Needless to say, there seem to be endless reasons your order could be taking so long, but your demo should be trying to ease your fears w/ updates. Give her a call, and if you get no help, maybe you could call SU! and talk w/ them about your problems w/ this demo.
Thanks everyone who responded to my post. To followup, I ended up calling the demonstrator who told me that the items were shipped out already. She was shocked that I hadn't gotten my things and would get back to me on it. She got a hold of the hostess who told her that she contacted my email and hadn't gotten a response... hmmm... kinda strange when she's contacted me via email before and does have my phone number. Anyhow, I ended up getting my things two days later by me GOING over to the demonstrator's place and getting my things. Needless to say, I will not be ordering anymore from any of them. My items didn't come in the official SU bag nor did it have one of those stampin up techniques booklets in there when I did go get them. Oh well.
I know that some of my regular items are still not here and I ordered them for customers over a month ago. Be patient SU is having some growing pains but it will pass. My SU bags have not arrived. I was lucky I had bags already.
Another thought in the demonstrators defense, SU thought they hadn't shipped any of my last order and they had already shipped 80%. They are working as fast as they can. FYI for those of you that are customers. They are doing their best and we are too.
Stampin up is having delays - but the demo should have contacted you and explained why there was a delay. I would call her. If it was me - I would go with the demo you feel most comfortable with and one who communicates with you. Stampin up communicates the delays with us demos - and your demo should do the same with you. Just MTC :lol:
Tina
How long is too long?
