I'm dithering - opinions needed.

[LindaBabe]

I belong to a "stamp club" of 11 women with Stampin up. The deal is - every month we spend a mminimum of $25 and once every 11 months we get to be hostess.

Which is a better deal for me?

1. Stay in Stamp club, pace my purchases over 11 months, be the hostess once, get approximately 65-80$ free and 1 item at half price.
2. Drop out of stamp club, hostess 2x a year (party of 1, me) get about the same amount free, but pay larger amounts 2x year.
3. Become a 'hobby' demo - do same as #2, but also make the 20% commission. (Must meet minimum 300 / quarter, but have until end of December for 1st quarter.)

On the surface, it looks like #3 might be more 'profitable' but is it really?

I know some of you are or have been demos in various things. What has been your experience?

As a customer with a wish list, which would you choose?

[shestamps72]

It is tempting to jump in for the 20% discount but remember that $300 a quarter is a lot if you have to do it alone. That works out to be about $100 a month and if that does not fit your budget then don't go that route. You could always look at stamp club as a night out away with your friends doing something you enjoy but 11 is alot. Ultimately your decision just some food for thought.

[cdjkssss]

I did #3 - signed up as a demonstrator just as I was getting started in stamping. In the beginning, it was a great way to get a lot of supplies quickly and at a discount. I did sell to a few others, but not very often, so I was basically my only customer. The $100 a month (average) isn't bad if you have the budget for it as well as a long wish list. I made the mistake of hanging on too long. I was a demonstrator for about five years. After awhile, I was making purchases not from my wish list, but from the "oh well, I guess that might be something I'd use" list, just to satisfy my minimums. I ended up with quite a pile of things I would never use. So my advice if you choose option #3 is to be honest with yourself when your purchases should slow down and get out at that point. If I could turn back the clock, I would have dropped at about year two instead of year five.

[xayide2]

Or do a smaller stamp club, 11 is a lot of members.

[Kgeans]

Option #1 costs $300/year
Option #2 costs $300/year
Option #3 costs $1200/year

I would continue to choose #1 for the friends and the good customer service from my demo.

[SophieLaFontaine]

I would choose #2 because my economic situation is uncertain. I am making sure I have as little money "committed" as possible. With things like cell phone plans and internet plans, I am making sure that they are either "no contract" or "month to month" contract, so I can cancel them at a moment's notice without any financial penalty. This goes for stamp purchases too. No subscriptions or clubs for me.

Also, #2 would allow me to buy stuff on my own schedule, not on a monthly basis. If I change my mind and decide that I only want enough for one party after all (instead of two), no harm done.

I have never been a demo, so am a little biased against #3.

[Karen99]

I would also go route #2. If you do 2 parties a yr, great! If not, and you only do 1, that's fine too. But you won't be COMMITTED to something you may regret in a few months.

[LancasterLurker]

There is no penalty for dropping your demo ship, so it isn't really a big commitment in my opinion. In August you get an awesome hallowe'en bundle when you sign up, $125 of whatever you like for $99, then if you make your first order of $150+ in your first 45 days, you get 10% instant income on top of the standard 20%. You have until December to make your quarterly minimum and there is no penalty for dropping at that point, or earlier if desired. To me it's a no-brainer if you can spend $250 in the next 45 days. Yes, that's a lot, but you'd get a good deal!

[plkelley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LindaBabe

I belong to a "stamp club" of 11 women with Stampin up. The deal is - every month we spend a mminimum of $25 and once every 11 months we get to be hostess.

Which is a better deal for me?

1. Stay in Stamp club, pace my purchases over 11 months, be the hostess once, get approximately 65-80$ free and 1 item at half price.
2. Drop out of stamp club, hostess 2x a year (party of 1, me) get about the same amount free, but pay larger amounts 2x year.
3. Become a 'hobby' demo - do same as #2, but also make the 20% commission. (Must meet minimum 300 / quarter, but have until end of December for 1st quarter.)

On the surface, it looks like #3 might be more 'profitable' but is it really?

I know some of you are or have been demos in various things. What has been your experience?

As a customer with a wish list, which would you choose?

If you have made a committment to this club, and there are people in the club that haven't had their turn at being hostess, I would stay in the club.

[vz5dzh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by plkelley

If you have made a committment to this club, and there are people in the club that haven't had their turn at being hostess, I would stay in the club.

I definitely agree with this.

When your commitment is over though, I say go with #3. Other posters already brought up to stop when you have what you need and you can drop and sign up again if you want with no penalty. So the first full quarter ends in December, but you have January to be in pending and make up the shortfall if you want. If not, you can drop and sign back up again later, get the $125 worth of stuff for $99 and no shipping all over again and the additional 10% on your first $150 order in the first 45 days. I don't see what you have to lose!

[sc magnolia]

I would agree with option 3
That's what I did, and as mentioned before if you place an order in the first 45 days of 150.00 or more your discount for that order is 30% PLUS you get hostess benefits of 25.00.

I planned on being a hobby demo at first, but I didn't have to try to sell - people just placed orders Then I decided to really try. It hasn't even been a month yet and I've sold nearly 300.00. I'm going to make an effort to sell and see where it gets me. If I get to the point where I can not make my minimum or have enough stuff and no longer need the discount then I'll drop.

I'm really having fun - meeting new people and sharing what I love doing

[lutheran]

Another vote for option #3. You never know what will happen -- you could actually start a business and make some money. At the other end of the demo spectrum, you can stay forever as a "hobby" demo, get a discount on great stuff and be an insider to the stamping world.
Mary Beth

[lindylou1220]

Option #1 spreads the spending out, which is great if a smaller monthly outlay is best for your budget.

Option #2 is great if you can have such a big party on your own, but why not invite some friends and rev up the benefits that way.

I'd go for Option #3 but, if you have already made a commitment to the hostess club, please fulfill your agreed term as the others will lose out if you drop out early. As others have said, there really is no way to lose with this option and I'm sure your demo would love to have you sign up!

[LindaBabe]

NEw round of club begins next month, otherwise I wouldn't have considered the other options at all.

My demo encouraged me to do what's best for me - and Lancaster lurker made a good point - I absolutely could spend the 300 by December (I want EVERYTHING in the Holiday catty) it would be after that that there might be an issue.

Thanks for the opinions, Ladies!

[LancasterLurker]

Don't forget to join the Demo side of this forum if you decide to join us! Lots and lots of great advice & tips over there, should you decide to join us!

I'll keep my eye out. ;)

[sc magnolia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LancasterLurker

Don't forget to join the Demo side of this forum if you decide to join us! Lots and lots of great advice & tips over there, should you decide to join us!

I'll keep my eye out. ;)

Yeah, and Stampin Connection on the SU website! Oh and you know what else? As a new demo you can get two free months of a demo website... DO IT I'm getting orders from people who like to order online.

[basketballmom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LindaBabe

NEw round of club begins next month, otherwise I wouldn't have considered the other options at all.

My demo encouraged me to do what's best for me - and Lancaster lurker made a good point - I absolutely could spend the 300 by December (I want EVERYTHING in the Holiday catty) it would be after that that there might be an issue.

Thanks for the opinions, Ladies!

After December comes the Occasions catalogue. I don't foresee a problem!

[Makalah]

Right - $300 by December, and so you prioritize your holiday card and gift items from that. Then the Occasions mini to shop from, then Sale-a-Bration, then you can go back to the original catalog and get everything else you didn't get during the other orders, and you've found enough stuff at a discount to make it through your first year.

That's my hope anyway, along with the help of a few friends who like to shop too.

[Alice in Md]

For us "ditherers" -- The Holiday catalog ends January 2. Has anyone heard the dates for the next occasions "mini" and Sale-a-Bration 2013? I wonder how they will fit in with the quarterly system for demo quotas. When the new catalog schedule came out in spring 2012, little information was shared by SU! about the rest of the coming year.

[basketballmom]

Occasions catalogue will run from January to the end of May 2013. Which means that demos can pre-order from it in December.

I don't think we've heard anything yet about Sale-a-bration 2013.

[SophieLaFontaine]

Oh - Sale-a-bration - if I was going to spend $$$ on SU!, I'd be patient and wait for Sale-a-bration, and then spend it all at once for a party (or more) for myself. It seems that at this event, I'd get the most bang for a buck.