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Sigh...my husband ordered me some High Hopes Stamps back in November for my birthday (which was 10 days ago). They never showed up so he wrote to the company and they said they'd send a second package - which I initially thought was great customer service as you can't blame them for Canada Post losing the package.
The second package (first never did show up) finally arrived today but they are just bare rubber instead of foam-backed which is what he ordered. I don't have access to cling mount foam where I live (unless you can buy something at M's I have to order EVERYTHING on line) and I don't use my stamps "bare" (and have no interest in doing so).
I am disappointed that they overlooked the option that was selected on my order (there is a print out in the package that states we wanted foam-backed). My husband is going to write to them again about the mistake - I'm not sure what they can do except send out the proper option or send me some cling foam - either way is MORE waiting. I don't even know if they will offer to do anything. If not I think I will ask if I can return the stamps and get a refund (It's almost $80 worth of stamps) Had the second package been what was actually ordered I would not have an issue whatsoever with HH.
I just thought I should post this as I've seen a few threads regarding failure to receive stamps from this company and feedback is vital when deciding where to spend our precious stamping dollars.
Incidentally, I am in Canada and the stamps were mailed from Ontario so it should have only taken a few days for them to arrive. They were mailed in a 5X7 manilla envelope.
Anyone else having trouble with High Hopes? I feel kind of bad but I don't think I will order from them again. I guess they are having growing pains.
From what I have read High Hopes is very much a cottage - family run business AND their popularity has grown exponentially over the last year. I would give them a chance to sort it again, but then again I am totally in love with their product.
Give them a ring and let them know, what has happened.
I had a problem because my first order never arrived. I sent an email and they responded that there was a SUDDEN, BIG increase in their business (due to being seen so much on SCS, I think) and needed to move to a larger space and that they were also looking for some help. It is my understanding that the lady and her mother were running it all by themselves up to now. She apologized for the problem and said they had been sent out and provided the date they were sent. I am guessing they were lost in the mail. I am in the USA.
She sent a second package on Dec.3 and it arrived yesterday. She included several free extra stamps as a "goodwill " gesture. I always order my stamps with "just the rubber, please!". I use a different mounting system than the foam mount.
Also, she, very generously, told me to keep the first order if they eventually showed up and not to bother returning them.
From what I understand ( and I could be wrong about this), the lady is trying to support her children by herself. She has lovely stamps and I am willing to give her another chance. Things can get lost very easily in the mail.
I would suggest contacting Bethany again and explaining the problem about the foam. Maybe she will do something for you. I think she is sincerely trying to do the right thing for her customers.
The emails she sent me were very sincere and she seemed genuinely sorry about the problem.
I have dealt with other companies that have sounded like they did not care about keeping their customers happy.
This is certainly NOT the case with HIGH HOPES!:-D
Location: Wishing I was not at work but I have to pay for my hobbies some how! LOL!
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I had the same problem except I was still waiting for my first order. I placed the order on 11/8/08 and I received it yesterday. But mine were just plain rubber too not cling foam. I was kind of dummed until I found a sheet of EZ Mount in my cabinets. But that's not the point.
Bethany explained to me about the increase in orders recently and the holiday deliveries from Canada. I will order from them again, I love their images, but I will wait a little while to be sure the rush has been dealt with.
Since the first problem got sorted (and as you say, that was most likely a problem caused by somebody else after all) I don't see why this problem wouldn't get sorted too. It's an easy enough mistake to make and really it's the first mistake High Hopes have made on this order even though it's the second problem you've experienced. I understand it's frustrating to have to wait when you're itching to use new stamps but personally I'd give them a chance to put it right before deciding they're not a company I'd want to deal with again.
I know this is a little off the topic, but if you do not have the foam (EZ MOUNT) and wound up with just rubber, there are many ways to still use the stamps if you do not want the hassle of returning, etc........
Many people use double stick tape on the back of the rubber, others use Tack It Over and Over on the rubber. I think there are more ways, too.
I happen to use Tack N Peel on the ACRYLIC BLOCK, not on the rubber!:-D
Personally, I LIKE buying just the rubber-I can buy more stamps! Hehehehe!:-D
Small update - sort of. My husband just came to see me a few minutes ago and handed me the stamps (he was going to keep them for Christmas as he'd bought me an alternate BD gift when the initial order didn't arrive - he got me a Cricut Create so I can't complain!). Anyway, he told me that he wrote to High Hopes and asked to just have the foam sent. It's too soon to hear back but I'm sure she'll send it. I didn't mean to imply that nothing would be done.
I just looked at the rubber stamps (gorgeous images) and there are some bonus images in the lot - a HUGE tree, a cute baby stamp, plus a couple of smaller stamps that go with some of the images I ordered (e.g. she threw in the popcorn box that goes with the clown I ordered and the matching sentiment for two of the other larger stamps I ordered). In all honesty, I think if he'd given me the stamps when they first arrived and I saw the extras I would have let the foam issue go altogether. Free stamps are better than foam!
Joanne (Angelnorth) said it best in post number 5...I was just a bit disappointed not to get to use my stamps especially since a couple are Christmas ones. The images are so wonderful that it would probably be impossible not to order from High Hopes again.
I went scavenging in my messy stamp room and found a small piece of EZ mount that will be enough to mount the three Christmas stamps I ordered - the rest can wait until after the holidays anyway.
Oh I'm glad you have a happy outcome. And I have faith that High Hopes will sort out any miscommunication - I'm honestly in awe of her ability to juggle it all.
I just KNEW that Bethany would come through for you!!:-D
Enjoy your stamps! And YES!!, the number of extras she sends is really surprising! Other places send a tiny saying or something like that. NOT HIGH HOPES! They send FULL SIZE IMAGES! WOW!!!!!:-D
Although it has always taken what seems like forever to get an order from them, I've never been disappointed when they finally do arrive! I've learned to be patient whenever I place an order with them, and, of course, the extra stamps are always a pleasant surprise!
__________________ "Life is much too important to be taken seriously." Oscar Wilde Proud to be a member of Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge DT! My BlogMy Gallery
I'm sure Tina and Bethany will take care of you. I'm not sure if they are in town this week or not, so there may be a bit of a delay in response.
Double stick tape does the trick real well and will let you play until your foam arrives. Quality rubber will stamp just as well with or without cushion.
__________________ Jeanne S - Inky Paws SCS Moderator
I have "talked" with the owner of High Hopes on a few occasions and she is wonderful. Whatever errors are being made, I believe are just bad luck and not a systemic problem with the people at High Hopes.
I would like to say one thing about multiple errors on one order: MURPHY'S LAW is alive and well. If I am going to make an error on an order, the next error I make will be with that same customer. Honestly, it's crazy and horribly embarrassing.
I'm sorry to hear that you've experienced disappointment with them. The only problem I've had is my patience waiting for them to arrive!! Canadian post to the USA is much slower than I care for, but I'm so happy with the products that it is worth the wait. Please be patient with them, I'm sure they'll make it right. I'm not affiliated with them, I'm just one happy customer.
Not sure if the following information will help you or not but it's from their website:
Our family has 7 kids, and we are looking forward to the upcoming Christmas holiday.
Christmas is a special time for us, where we focus on family, home, and Christ.
For the last three years we have not taken time off to enjoy our normal Holiday Traditions as our company was new and we were nurturing it along.
This year we are going to take a two week break, as the kids are growing way too fast and we realize that time is passing us that we cannot get back. We hope you understand, and join us in Celebrating Christmas, and enjoying your family, and the Holiday Season.
All orders received by Dec.1st will be shipped before our vacation.
We will be closed from Dec. 15th through Dec. 29th. You may still place an order online, however we will not start processing those orders until Dec. 29th.
We will be available for questions minimally during this two week period. Our last shipping date will be Dec. 15th. We guarantee all orders placed by Dec.1st will have shipped by then, but cannot guarantee orders placed between the first and the 15th based on quantity of orders to be processed, as always we will do our best...so please keep this in mind if you have an order you will be needing for January.
Orders placed on Dec. 16th will not start processing until Dec. 29th.
Also please keep in mind the overwhelming numbers of holiday shipments processed by Canada Post and the United States Postal Service and customs that start in November, so order your Christmas stamps early! Canada Post asks us to allow 8-13 business days for delivery of any parcel from Canada to the US, and sadly this is under REGULAR postal conditions, not the holiday rush. We anticipate that as the Holidays near, postal delivery times get longer.
Thank you so much for a fun and exciting year, for all the kind letters and new friends we have made! We look forward to more fun in the New Year!
From our family to yours, we wish you a VERY Merry CHRISTMAS, and may your New Year be filled with Peace, Love, and Health!
~ The Collette/Russell Family
__________________ There are many things in life that will catch your eye, but few will catch your heart. Pursue those.....
I've only ordered a couple times from High Hope but I love their images. I'm glad everything worked out. I also love the fact that they are a Canadian company - support your local industries/economy wherever you are. Once the Christmas rush is over, I will be ordering some more stamps from them - they're worth the wait.
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Wow, I should have checked my bag before putting it away. I did not have the foam but due to the delay in my order, they included 3 more full sized stamps and 2 small sentiments. I guess they know how to make it up to you for waiting so long. I can't wait to ink them up!
I love High Hope Stamps, cute images, nice quality stamps. Never had a problem with delivery but then I have never ordered near the Holidays. Will definitly order from them again.
I have been thinking about ordering from High Hopes, and I will more than likely be placing an order with them in the new year, it is good to know that they are a great place to order from and I also agree with cat_woman about ordering from Canada whenever I can to help support our Canadian economy, that dosn't mean that I will stop odering from the States though.
The other thing to remember is that all across Canada we have been getting hit with some major storms and really cold wheather so that will probably delay deliveries as well.
I wld like to know if they send a shipping notice as well. I placed my first order with them over two weeks ago and I haven't heard anything. I am in Texas and was hoping it will "only" take a mth to get them!
Thanks to Amber. The envelope arrived today (I am in Newfoundland which is as far East as you can go so mail takes a while to get here) so I can mount up the rest of my stamps tonight. Yay!
To clarify about my order and holidays etc. The order was placed in November as my husband wanted to get the stamps before my birthday so it's not really to do with Christmas.
The first order was "lost in the mail" as I never received it and the ones I did receive were shipped after my husband emailed enquiring about the status of my stamps. I wasn't complaining about the delay in regards to High Hopes. I was just frustrated that I didn't get the stamps with the foam on them as I'd specified in my order and, since I rely on SCS members' feedback regarding suppliers I thought I'd share my experience.
The stamps at High Hopes are super cute and fun to colour. I would consider ordering from them again when their new crop of designs comes out.
Thanks again to Amber. You are a sweetie. As we say in Newfoundland "God bless your cotton socks!".
I love High Hopes Stamps images, and will likely order from them in the future, but I also had some disappointments with regards to shipping time and communication from the company.
I ordered November 9th which I thought would have been well before the crazy Christmas rush that the postal system would have to deal with. When I hadn't received my stamps, or heard anything from the folks at High Hopes, 3 weeks later I sent them an email. (I am also in Canada, and mail should take less than a week to get to me from Ontario).
They replied to my email promptly and said that with the increase in business they had to move to a bigger space, and hire new staff. I think that is GREAT for them, but I would have really appreciated some communication either on their website, or via email to let me know of the delays.
The info on shipping on the website indicated that stamps are sent out within 3-5 days, but obviously things were delayed through the move, and the rapid increase in popularity. I would have appreciated some sort of updated shipping projection.
In these economic times I guess on the bright side it great to see a good little stamp company suffering from growing pains. I'm sure they will get it all sorted out.
Well, here is my final (good) update on High Hopes:
I got an envelope in the mail today. It was the foam (sticky both sides, not to be confused with EZ mount) that should have been on the stamps I ordered. We had told HH not to worry about sending the foam but they sent it anyway.
Additionally, there were a bunch of Easter themed stamps - on sticky foam as is my preference - already cut out for me and packaged all tidy in a ziplock bag. How amazing.
Conclusion: You will probably have to wait a little while for your stamps to arrive and communication from HH is not the best but they give awesome extras and the stamps are so cute they are worth the wait.
I just got my order from HH too. They included more extra's than what my order amount was and the extra's match the stamps I purchased. My order took 3 weeks, but it was definitely worth it and I will order from them again!
I placed my second order from High Hopes on Dec, 29th. Other than the original thanks-for-your-order email, I haven't heard anything. Today I emailed them to ask for an order status and my email was returned saying it wasn't deliverable. Anyone know if they're email has changed? I used the one from the thank-you-for-your-order email and then again from the link on their webpage.
My first order was during the holiday rush. It took about 3 weeks and I got my order, along with an additional stamp for my patience during the delay. I DO love their images and hope things get straightened out soon. I believe I heard that they were moving their business?
I placed my second order from High Hopes on Dec, 29th. Other than the original thanks-for-your-order email, I haven't heard anything. Today I emailed them to ask for an order status and my email was returned saying it wasn't deliverable. Anyone know if they're email has changed? I used the one from the thank-you-for-your-order email and then again from the link on their webpage.
Just to let you know, I emailed them at their sympatico address yesterday after I posted in reply to you. It did go through, and I got a response from her daughter late last night. She said my order would be shipped first thing in the morning. I think that either she didn't really look at my order, or that it was a canned response though, because she got the country that I live in wrong. If you would like to see the email I will PM it to you.
Just to let you know, I emailed them at their sympatico address yesterday after I posted in reply to you. It did go through, and I got a response from her daughter late last night. She said my order would be shipped first thing in the morning. I think that either she didn't really look at my order, or that it was a canned response though, because she got the country that I live in wrong. If you would like to see the email I will PM it to you.
That's odd- I tried twice and both times it was returned as undeliverable...the yahoo address did go through but I haven't heard back from them yet.
