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I'm currently a demo, but I don't really do workshops and I've maintained my minimums by a monthly stamp night and myself, but I'm almost to the end of my rope with putting in so much work and people being so flakey.
I'm probably going to just meet my minimums myself, but I've also considered just quitting being a demo and finding someone else to order through when I want stuff.
Is there anyone out there who has converted from being a demo back to just being a good customer??
I was a demo for 2 years and got to the point where I couldn't get much past my family members for orders or parties and I couldn't afford to purchase $300 every quarter so I gave it up-became more of a stress than an enjoyment. Now I am a good customer and I am back to really loving stamping again!
Whatever you choose, you will be fine. If you decide to go back to being a demo, you only have to wait like 6 months before you can re-up.
My tax guy said for just a 20% discount, that really isn't too great if you are seriously wanting to do it as a business.
I know I put alot of time into getting ready for demos and then had a small party-or I would get there and the hostess would tell me that she had already told people when she invited them that they didn't have to feel pressured to buy-well that is great except, it was my business and now I had 10 people doing make and takes and only 2 people order $25 each.
too much, so i am happier now.
anyway,
best to you in whatever you choose,
chooch
Me! I was so tired of ordering/spending because I thought my customers would enjoy it, tired of coming up with new ideas for stamp sets, and tired of organizing events and workshops. I love just being a customer again!
Hi!
I retired from being a demo in July after being a demo for 12 years. I am so very happy now to be able to buy and stamp what I want, how I want, when I want and for who I want.
I love SU and all that I have learned and earned from being a demo and I don't regret it at all. Now I'm just a very happy customer.
Used to be a demo and I did it just for a hobby, but then I quit after about a year.
There is no way I should be spending $1200 a year on stamps/supplies...I think that is outrageous! Plus, it took all the fun out of it for me to make it a "business". My area was saturated with demos (which I did not do my homework before signing up) and it was impossible to get new customers.
So, for the sake of my sanity and for our family financial future, I quit and I have never looked back!
I was a demo several years back. I loved it. I quit demoing only because work got hectic and I was finding it hard to juggle all the things I had going on. I'm now just a customer, but a fanatic at that. I teach stamp classes for women's groups and find myself talking about SU! My SU! demo does well with the customers I send her. LOL I like being just a customer.
I'm so glad I couldn't sleep tongiht and saw your posting. This is a question I have been struggling with. I have so many swaps and with splitcoast I really don't need to have more card fronts. I can find just what I need here. I do have some great customers but make my self sick trying to impress them and spending more money than I make keeping up with everything. This has been going through my head for a long time. Recently I've had problems with poor quality supplies and broken items and I spend a lot of time calling and returning these items. I'm ready t be a customer again and forget the paperwork. Liz
I've been stamping for 7-8 years and finally decided to try being a demo. I had the support of my hubby, but he opened by eyes to a lot. My first WS was a big success, and I thought, oooh, are they all like this? My next few workshops were 1 hour (one way) for me and one of those amounted to an $11.95 set sold. Anyhow, DH asked me to keep a tally, for just one week, of my time: ie: time spent on PC on SU site getting advice, looking for ideas; prepping for WS (cutting CS, etc), shopping at stores, going to PO, driving to/fro, setting up a WS, etc. Well, all my time and what I earned didn't come even close (a huge eye opener). Sooo, my WSs decreased, and to admit, I didn't go looking for them either. I wanted to stamp for me. I loved teaching classes, had two stamp classes, and teaching is so much more fun for me than selling. I guess my love of teaching has evolved...I quit being a demo, I work FT and am going to school nights to get my...yep...teaching degree. I look forward to the day I can be creative in my classroom! My DH is my biggest supporter in me going back to school (much more than being a demo), but he wanted me to try it and find my own way. He's very supportive of my creative spirit and has me make birthday cards for his staff (40 people a year) plus they all get a handmade gift at Christmas.
No matter your decision, be happy for you, life is too short.
I was a demo, I signed up and did a few workshops, but realized it wasn't my thing. I still had some loyal customers who were stampers already at work, so they helped me keep up my minimums. Then I had a couple bad experiences with flaky customers who were also coworkers, and I realized that I didn't need the stress. I also had accumulated many things and really didn't need to spend that much on myself.
I also now feel I have the right and desire to branch out and try new things, (I just placed a CTMH order . . . and a CM order earlier this month) It is more relaxing just to stamp what I want and not think of anyone but me when I place an order.
Try it out, if you want to get back in then the cost of the starter set isn't that bad and you can choose which stamp sets you want and such. Good luck with your decision.
__________________ Kristina Wife, Mommy, Stamper, Nurse Laura 6yo Jack 5yo, James 4/20/08 Megan arrived 3/16/09
wow - I have really enjoyed reading all these posts. As Su is almost ready to hit our shores here in Australia - I have to admit I was THE most excited person on the planet, thinking of all the things I wanted to do with stamp, camps ect. However, reading these posts certainly has opened my eyes and given me alot more to think about before I sign up!! If anyone else has anything to add, please do so!
Correct me if I'm wrong please US ladies, but I think a major difference here in Australia is that it's going to be new and every second stamper isn't already a demo therefore no saturated market.
I also think it all depends on how you run your business - I've been wanting to teach from home for a while now (I used to teach at my LSS) but I knew I needed product to sell so I think that SU will work well since everything is coordinated and it will be easier for beginners to make cards and easier for me as I won't have to have to deal with several suppliers.
The posts have been interesting though so I'm going to be careful to make sure that I'm not buying stuff just for the sake of making numbers.
I agree that if you are in it with a great business plan and your area isn't saturated with demos your experience may be totally different. I went into it as a hobby type demo and quit whn I had enough, but I could see myself trying it out as a business later in life.
__________________ Kristina Wife, Mommy, Stamper, Nurse Laura 6yo Jack 5yo, James 4/20/08 Megan arrived 3/16/09
At the end of this month I will no longer be a demo. I have considered extending it, but once again I would be spending $150.00 to keep going another 3 months.
I have been frustrated with SU for a while. I have been involved in many other DS companies and SU is terrible compared to the others. I should have investigated further and did not. The 20% is not really 20% when you consider will still have to pay shipping. And why would SU announce new products in magazines before announcing to the demo's? I am also getting tired of all the eBay sales and the inability to SU to shut down some of the sellers.
Anyways... I will get off of my soap box..
I love many of SU products and will continue to be a loyal customer, but I will not miss being a demo.
I was a demo for 2 years, tried the WS thing wasn't really my cup of tea especially when you have grown women who don't respect your things and you come away from the WS with your things being broken, and a measy amount in sales after you took a great deal of time to prepare for the WS. So I decided I would be my best cutomer and started meeting the minimum myself, got a little pricey so my last quarter I was short $50 for the quota and SU! said I had to place a $50 supply order and the $50 I was short for that quarter and also place my next quarter quota of $300 that did it for me I couldn't just spend $400 at one whack so I parted ways with SU! But I have been a loyal customer and I prefer to keep it that way. I admire everyone that continues to be and become demo's but in the small town I live in there isn't that much interest in Stamping and besides I like to stamp when and if I won't to not because I have a WS to prepare for.
Dawn
If you are in Australia I say "go for it!" This is a rare opportunity to get in on the ground floor. Those that do that will be the most successful business-wise. know your 'career plan', though. For us in the US, if you don't sell at least $400 a month you don't get any discount over 20% AND you don't get any - any at all - commissions on any downline you have. (as of July) So be sure you can make the monthly minimum before you recruit all your best customers!
__________________ Judi 'Stamparooni'
If you can't eat it, drink it, or stamp it
you might as well throw it away!
I'm so jealous! I leave the US to move back to New Zealand tomorrow (yippee), but of course I'm going to have to drop my demoship (boo hoo) and SU are not even talking about moving to NZ yet, so I would kill to be in Australia when they officially open the doors there.
I have loved being a demo the past 3 years and while I haven't had loads of workshops, I've supplimented with classes and stamp camps, etc and have supported my habit to the point that I now have literally thousands of dollars in stamps and supplies and haven't actually spent a cent out of pocket. You can't complain about getting "free" stuff!!
I guess I'll just be teaching classes in NZ until SU finally realizes that they "HAVE" to come to NZ too ... (whine, whine)
I think it's a wonderful opportunity for you - grab it and run with it!!
__________________ School days are the happiest days of your life, provided of course, your kids are old enough to go!!
Last edited by Stampin'_Kiwi; 03-24-2006 at 07:37 AM..
Thanks for your encouragment.
Oh you must be so excited to be going home. I've only been to New Zealand once but WOW! what a beautiful country.
Keep hassling SU... you never know, they might come to New Zealand soon, I mean they've come to the other side of the world, so it's not too far to NZ from here. LOL.
Here's why I love this site - I came on here specifically to find information on whether or not I should continue to be a demo and I found this thread! I became a hobby demo last year; I'd only been stamping for about 10 months before that. I have 2 or 3 people that I work with who will order a bit every few months, but that has really slowed down. So now I have to decide if I want to continue and pay the $300.00 myself every quarter. I've never really earned much that's free from SU since I just barely meet the quota every quarter. So why am I having such a hard time making this decision??? I don't do any workshops, work full time so I never wanted to to them. Is all this debating worth a 20% discount? I think it's just that I must like being a part (even just a little part) of the SU club!
Any Used-to-be Demo's out there??
