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For the last year or so, I've been noticing the prices of stamps and dies just seem to keep climbing. Sometimes, while shopping online, I just have to stop and shout a "Are you kidding me?" as far as the pricing goes.
This morning, I was on a particular website admiring some new sets. As I was just about to add a set to my cart, I noticed that it was 23.95 for the set. Granted, that's a higher price point, but I told myself."well, that's because its a bigger stamp set". Then, I looked at the coordinating dies. The price is 17.99 for 4 small (and I mean small) dies. To me, that is just out of control.
Will there ever be a ceiling cap or will these companies keep raising their prices? I often find myself having to comparison shop because stamp sets are priced differently on different websites. One set was even as much as 12.00 higher than others on a "certain" site!
My allegiance will always be to the companies that often offer sales, discounts, low shipping, rewards and mega fast shipping! There are definitely a few 4 star companies that deserve big time accolades. And that's why I support them.
Thank you for letting me vent!
Looking forward to reading YOUR thoughts on this subject as well.
I have never found the retail costs from the major brands reasonable in any way, shape or form. Not for what you get versus the production cost. That's why all my supplies come either from thrift / yard sales, or directly from China. No way I could justify the expense of crafting as a hobby otherwise. I do feel a lot of craft companies take advantage of their market in regards to pricing. Form is often placed ahead of function, yielding overpriced 'gimmick' tools in pretty colours that don't work half as well as their regular counterparts. Add in that every step in the supply chain doubles the eventual cost to the consumer, and it's not surprising to get sticker shock at the local craft store or online shop.
I'm always looking for better deals. Was actually wondering why there's no Share thread for 'new to you' purchases? Not even sure what forum something like that would belong in? Seeing other people's awesome finds is second only to the excitement of getting my own crafty thrifts!
Last edited by Embri; 08-30-2018 at 09:09 AM..
Reason: Meaning of last sentence was the wrong way around; sorry!
Hi, I'm a retired, somewhat new paper person. When I started this fantastic hobby everything I bought was from thrift stores. To this day, I'm still scouring yard sales, thrift stores, and now Tuesday Morning store to get all of my supplies. Granted I don't have the latest and greatest but honestly, I don't care.
Recently my son (also a thrifter) found a green Cuttlebug for me at a yard sale, it came with all the plates and 18 embossing folders. No dies, though.
So I started googling nesting dies as I don't have a lot of punches like that. Yikes!! The prices! So I looked on Ebay and Amazon and found dies from China. Didn't really want to get them but I ordered 3 sets anyway. I'll have to wait until next month or if I'm lucky the middle of September for my new dies but considering the total price for all 3 sets ($10.85 including shipping) I can be very patient. ;)
__________________ We can't all be stars but we can all twinkle.
I agree prices are rising but unfortunately that's happening with everything, not just stamps/dies. I don't see the companies capping the rising prices until enough people stop buying and their profits become affected. When a person buys a stamp/die they could, in theory, have and reuse that product for a lifetime with no need to replace it like, say, a candle which will burn down and be gone. They come out with new stamps/dies to whet our appetites for different designs and try to get as much for it as they can then move onto the next design.
For me personally, the rising costs have helped me save money.
I have a "Black Friday" board on Pinterest where I save things to buy that day and then will search for which store offers the best deal. I've done that for the past 2 years and discovered when the day comes I'm no longer interested in ALOT of the items I've pinned which has taught me I impulse buy way too often so I've become more discerning in my purchases.
I invested in a ScanNCut which has already paid for itself. I use it to cut out my stamped images and the only dies I will buy, most of the time, are specialty-type dies. A company just came out with an expensive die set for an interactive card that I really liked but knew I would only use a few times. It was mostly straight lines so I drew the shapes myself and made a prototype which I then used as a template and scanned into the ScanNCut. It took me about an hour to do.
I was a hobby demo with SU but had to drop due to the costs; I find I can get more for my money with other companies during sales.
My biggest weakness is Tim Holtz. The man kills me but his products are right up my alley. I jump on the pre-orders at Marco's for new stuff and I've been slowly building up my stash of the different distress lines when I can get a good sale.
These processes haven't completely stopped me from spending frivolously but it has helped.
Hi, I'm a retired, somewhat new paper person. When I started this fantastic hobby everything I bought was from thrift stores.
Greetings fellow thrifter! I love how many things I'm able to give a new home and purpose to simply because someone else decided they didn't want them anymore. My first die cutting machine, and still the workhorse of the house, was also a thrift find - an original purple Wizard. May not be fancy, but I also never have to deal with buckling/warping plates. Fair trade-off if you ask me.
It's a pain waiting on stuff from China/eBay but it's worth it. I have yet to be disappointed by any of the dies I've gotten from overseas. Stamps have been much more hit-and-miss.
This is a hobby and a luxury - not a necessity. The Chinese sites often are selling stolen artwork from American/UK/European companies which have much higher operating costs than are found in places with deplorable working conditions, sometimes literally slave labor and horrible environmental practices.
I support the independents in the country I live in who are honest and care about their workers and the consumer. I'd rather save up and pay an honest price for a company that takes care of their employees than spend a dollar on something that came at who knows what human and environmental cost. I can do without until I can pay for a product I feel good about.
That's how I define a reasonable price.
And amen to shopping Goodwill, online BSTs etc. for bargains. That's a great way to get deals on non-counterfeit product.
Yes prices are climbing and I know I have to pick and choose on what stamps and dies I buy - I'm retired and don't have an unlimited budget but I've always been frugal and have some money to spend on my hobbies. I only buy items on sale - and the sale has to be a good one, 20% off has me shopping and if there's free shipping after a certain amount then I'm going to order more. I have wish lists on several websites and go directly to them whenever there's a sale. CreativePlayStamps.com has 20% off right now and I placed an order from my wish list.
Up here in Canada there really isn't a lot of choice. You can pay exorbitant retail and/or shipping costs for Made in China goods, or a fraction of the price for a similar item made in the same place. We don't have the availability of locally made goods or Canadian made when it comes to most craft products. So if given the choice between paying someone directly for their labour and buying from the 'big names', I'll always choose the former.
Crafting may be a luxury, but a life with nothing but the bare necessities doesn't leave you much to look forward to.
I think part of the increasing costs is that SO MANY of our stamp sets come with matching dies! And 95% of the time, I want the dies too!! I hate fussy-cutting and am not good at it. I don't have a Scan'n'Cut because I have a Silhouette Cameo that sits unused b/c I got frustrated with it - I couldn't get the right pressure with the blade and the software was wonky with my computer. I have a new computer now - an iMac, I should try again. But after hearing SO many people having bad luck with their Scan'n'Cuts, I decided I didn't need two expensive gadgets that I don't use!
It used to be if we had stamp sets and ink, cardstock and a few punches, we were good. Dies are very expensive, but they help us use the stamps more to make the gorgeous cards we see online!
__________________ ~ Susan - Celebrating 19 years as an SU demo! Grammy to Anna 15, Elizabeth 14, Nora 12, Abigail 12, Kendall 10 , Isaac 10, Evan 7, and Hudson 3 with me in my avatar Proud to be SCS Fan Club Member since the beginning!
I think part of the increasing costs is that SO MANY of our stamp sets come with matching dies! And 95% of the time, I want the dies too!! I hate fussy-cutting and am not good at it. I don't have a Scan'n'Cut because I have a Silhouette Cameo that sits unused b/c I got frustrated with it - I couldn't get the right pressure with the blade and the software was wonky with my computer. I have a new computer now - an iMac, I should try again. But after hearing SO many people having bad luck with their Scan'n'Cuts, I decided I didn't need two expensive gadgets that I don't use!
It used to be if we had stamp sets and ink, cardstock and a few punches, we were good. Dies are very expensive, but they help us use the stamps more to make the gorgeous cards we see online!
Digital machines don't "feel" like crafting to me. I like the process of die cutting.
It's supply and demand. The more we buy, the higher the prices will go. I absolutely think that digital machines are crafting and are a less expensive route in the long run. I purchased digital files instead of buying layering dies. I spent $1.49 for this set (I got the SVG files too) in the Silhouette Design Store, Silhouette Design Store - View Design #165913: a2 stacking card base burst, instead of paying over $70 for the same set of metal dies somewhere else. Not only did I save over $68, but I can also cut the shapes in different sizes. Oh, I still love my dies and the machines that cut them, but I would never give up my digital cutters. Although if the influencers start using them, the price of the files will start to go up too.
This is a hobby and a luxury - not a necessity. The Chinese sites often are selling stolen artwork from American/UK/European companies which have much higher operating costs than are found in places with deplorable working conditions, sometimes literally slave labor and horrible environmental practices.
I support the independents in the country I live in who are honest and care about their workers and the consumer. I'd rather save up and pay an honest price for a company that takes care of their employees than spend a dollar on something that came at who knows what human and environmental cost. I can do without until I can pay for a product I feel good about.
That's how I define a reasonable price.
And amen to shopping Goodwill, online BSTs etc. for bargains. That's a great way to get deals on non-counterfeit product.
Because I'm curious, how do you folks who feel buying from China is unethical handle other products in your life? The toys your kids/grandkids/niblings ask for, clothing, general household goods, electronics, etc? For that matter brands like Spellbinders, Stampin' Up dies, Recollections, MISTI or W R Memory Keepers who also have their products made in China?
Because I'm curious, how do you folks who feel buying from China is unethical handle other products in your life? The toys your kids/grandkids/niblings ask for, clothing, general household goods, electronics, etc? For that matter brands like Spellbinders, Stampin' Up dies, Recollections, MISTI or W R Memory Keepers who also have their products made in China?
After my cat was killed in the pet food contamination where the Chinese supplier ground up melamine because it acts like protein on chemical tests, I've worked hard to eliminate those products from my life. Not one thing in my kitchen was made in China. I never buy toys for humans or pets from China. It's hard, but you can do it. Some durable goods from reputable companies using reputable factories (yes, I ask) is fine. I didn't say buying from China was unethical. I said MANY Chinese sites are selling counterfeit craft products/stolen designs produced in deplorable conditions, and that's exactly what the price is based on - that's what's unethical. If you are buying a die that costs 50 cents - that's not possible in a reputable factory paying a living wage, and odds are they aren't paying for R&D, illustrators, etc. If it sounds too good to be true, it's sketchy, stolen or worse. Postage stamps and steel dies can't possibly cost the same thing in an honest market.
Most stamp companies' dies are made in the US, and the ones that aren't are by reputable companies (Sizzix, Spellbinders, etc.) who have visited their manufacturers (many post videos of their manufacturers) and they most certainly do not cost $1.
I encourage people to work for or tour a craft manufacturer's facility and you'll see what goes into those prices. It's an eye opener and will make you appreciate the price tag and the jobs those people create.
I would much prefer to have a lot less and know I've voted for something good and fair with those dollars I've spent - as Alton Brown says - every dollar you spend is a vote for something.
I'm voting for the awesome people in the craft industry running and working in companies that don't produce counterfeits for literally a buck.
Because I'm curious, how do you folks who feel buying from China is unethical handle other products in your life? The toys your kids/grandkids/niblings ask for, clothing, general household goods, electronics, etc? For that matter brands like Spellbinders, Stampin' Up dies, Recollections, MISTI or W R Memory Keepers who also have their products made in China?
It's not just that they're made in China, it's that they completely stole someone else's product. If we love the companies that are putting out these wonderful stamps and dies, we are actively harming them when we buy the cheap stolen versions, and could ultimately put them out of business. Then we won't have new products from those companies and those artists.
__________________ aka Sue. Or Sue-odd.
No blog for me. My gallery chronicles my card-making successes and mishaps.
A couple of years ago I was considering buying some dies made in China after reading a post here on SCS because they were so cheap compared to the dies available here. But then my brother who works in a manufacturing firm in Germany and has nothing do do with stamping actually warned me and said he would not buy them because they could possibly contain harmful chemicals because they are not going through any quality control since it's a direct purchase.
We don't always have a choice where things are made, but at least when I buy products made in China from a reputable company, I know that their products will have to go through quality controls before being imported.
The dies I wanted to get were just simple stitched squares, rectangles and circles, so nothing fancy and not really anything with a copyright. Since then I just purchased a couple frame die sets from a US company.
It's not just that they're made in China, it's that they completely stole someone else's product. If we love the companies that are putting out these wonderful stamps and dies, we are actively harming them when we buy the cheap stolen versions, and could ultimately put them out of business. Then we won't have new products from those companies and those artists.
It's not just that they're made in China, it's that they completely stole someone else's product. If we love the companies that are putting out these wonderful stamps and dies, we are actively harming them when we buy the cheap stolen versions, and could ultimately put them out of business. Then we won't have new products from those companies and those artists.
This just happened to Effie over at The Ton Stamps. She's devastated. She's spending her time redoing her site so its harder to copy the graphics instead of releasing new products.
This just happened to Effie over at The Ton Stamps. She's devastated. She's spending her time redoing her site so its harder to copy the graphics instead of releasing new products.
That's awful.
__________________ aka Sue. Or Sue-odd.
No blog for me. My gallery chronicles my card-making successes and mishaps.
It happened to Claudine Hellmuth too. Her designs were stolen and sold on some Chinese rip-off site. It pretty much destroyed her business at the time. That's why I won't buy from sites like these.
Digital machines don't "feel" like crafting to me. I like the process of die cutting.
This made me laugh, because I used to feel exactly like that about die cutting! I liked the process of fussy cutting... Having said that, I will also say that I have evolved to the point where I have a decent collection of dies, but I still fussy cut, too.
Because I'm curious, how do you folks who feel buying from China is unethical handle other products in your life? The toys your kids/grandkids/niblings ask for, clothing, general household goods, electronics, etc? For that matter brands like Spellbinders, Stampin' Up dies, Recollections, MISTI or W R Memory Keepers who also have their products made in China?
I find it alarming to see how cheap dies have proliferated on Amazon UK from "sponsored sellers", sometimes for as little as �1.00. It's obvious that they're from China when you read the listing.
In response to Embri, while I would find it impossible to avoid "made in China" altogether, I generally try to but less and better quality. I think that things that are unrealistically cheap to buy have a hidden cost somewhere. I feel the same about food...people want it to be cheap, and that impacts the quality and the way it's produced, not always for the better.
Back to the original topic, I do think dies seem to have got very expensive. I enjoy fussy-cutting, so only tend to buy dies if they can also be used on their own without the stamps. Sometimes I buy only the dies and not the coordinating stamps, sometimes vice versa but not very often both.
Geez that is much bigger topic than just 'aren't dies expensive'? I re-wrote this 5x times completely and it is still way too long. Sorry. But I always love when we "round table" topics. Lot to respond to!
I agree about supporting American industry. In theory there should be at least one LESS layer doubling the cost as correctly noted above, as we can buy direct from MFGs or LSSs/gen suppliers. There is no wholesaler in there that is the only source. The mfgs though do have sales reps out in the field still...but are those jobs decreasing as bloggers take over trumpeting new releases? Not condemning, just sayin'. True vids are not the same as physically touching, but they are forever.
I agree about ripping off design-but were we (I got one too) ALL guilty of supporting that when the rip offs of the MISTI came out and we grabbed them?? That was all she had as I understand it. Didn't stop American multi-million (billion?) players from doing that and one of them a designer himself. I am glad she won. Again, not condemning, I did it too-just askin'.
So this is complicated. Many facets to consider.
There are companies who charge less to begin with.
There are always clearance bins both at mfg sites and gen suppliers....and you can save a ton. Guess what can go on sale BEFORE the stamps? The dies.
There are sales if you sign up to your fav companies.
I still shop for companies that are out of business on ebay for the right price which expands my horizon choice a lot.
There is always the buy/sell thread here-I have gotten AMAZING deals. Better than ebay.
I love the Pin board for black friday idea! Better than my wishlist where I can forget what something looked like. I was just up last night cleaning up/reviewing my Gina Marie wishlist.
You can save a lot IF you are willing to wait and do the elbow grease.
I'm always looking for better deals. Was actually wondering why there's no Share thread for 'new to you' purchases? Not even sure what forum something like that would belong in? Seeing other people's awesome finds is second only to the excitement of getting my own crafty thrifts!
Start a "haul thread". Given the nature of this place, hard to believe there never was one....
Maybe it would help if one thinks about how stamp sets are just that-they have more than one stamp. So that 15 buck set may have 6 or more stamps on it (thus we end up with 4000 Happy Birthdays :rolleyes so how much is it per stamp that you are going to use? 3 bucks?
But when I see a new release of SINGLE small clings for 14 bucks like I just saw for Xmas....no. I can wait or live without it.
Jenny my eyes popped out on that digital cut...wow wow wow!!! I know exactly who you are thinking of...I drooled over them before I walked away shaking my head. If people are computer smart (so not me)-there are a ton of digi stamps out there and they are not only a mere fraction of the cost but take up NO room. You just need the right printer and cutter right? I personally am not AND I like to use my hands. But the new generation is so incredible...and some smart older birds around here! ;)
There's a whole forum right here on SCS: Buy, Sell, Trade, not too far further down the main page from here and I'm sure the folk who post there would appreciate some love and attention.
__________________ If you don't want your tax dollars to help the poor, then stop saying you want a country based on Christian values, because you don't. ~ Jimmy Carter
Last edited by jeaniebean55; 09-02-2018 at 08:37 AM..
Buy/Sell/Trade only helps if you are American. Go ahead and look, see how many of the offers ship outside the continental 48. It's pretty much none. Same goes for 'buy local' - many countries don't have any local producers of hobby supplies. Some don't even have hobby stores. Of those that do, many will not have the sales you're used to enjoying as Americans. I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen things discounted more heavily than the ubiquitous 'coupon', that isn't actually a discount. It only brings most products down to their normal retail price, which is often much higher to begin with.
I don't know what the solution is. I don't even know if there is a solution, but 'buy American made' isn't it. That 20$ stamp set an American gets free shipping on is 25% more expensive (currency conversion) plus international registered shipping (15$, 20$, or even more, sometimes 50$+), plus customs handling fee (10$) plus duties, plus taxes, for a Canadian. And we don't even have it the worst out of the world when it comes to importing goods.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wavejumper
Start a "haul thread". Given the nature of this place, hard to believe there never was one....
I considered it, but was also thinking 'there must already be one, and I'm just not seeing it!' Guess maybe there really isn't?
Fun fact for the day. Lego is a copy of not one, but a whole lineage of other patented products.
points taken, embri (that the SCS B/S/T doesn't really help folk outside the continental 48 and that what is original/patented isn't a simple black and white thing.)
for the B/S/T part, I wonder if SCS might designate a sub forum for Canada (sure seems like there's a lot of Canadian stampers/scrappers here), and maybe for UK/EU and Australia? I dunno, there may not be enough interest in each of those regions to B/S/T within that region, but who knows?
for the other, (kind of, not exactly the whole 'who should profit from this?', but more 'what's the ethical aspect of this purchase?') for me, whenever I see something new and awesome, my first personal challenge is to think about what I already have that could be used instead. If it's something I'm feeling like I really want to add to my collection, I do my best to look into the fair trade aspect; wherever it comes from, are the workers being fairly compensated for my new toy? If I can't really answer that (and that goes for all my purchases, not just this hobby), then it looses it's appeal. I'm not a 100% adherent, there are purchases I've made where I really don't know, but I try. At the moment, I won't buy off of Amazon because I can't be sure where something is coming from and I don't have a clue about worker conditions.
__________________ If you don't want your tax dollars to help the poor, then stop saying you want a country based on Christian values, because you don't. ~ Jimmy Carter
Last edited by jeaniebean55; 09-02-2018 at 01:25 PM..
I believe that when it was added to the list of icons available for marking posts, the maple leaf was primarily provided for using with BST listings so that people could indicate when they were willing to ship to Canada. But, ha, there was never anything to indicate people willing to ship internationally. I have got two or three sets I really wanted through it, though, and have also sent a couple of things in response to ISO, though I gave that up when one person never acknowledged receipt of the stamp till I followed up on it a few weeks later when it crossed my mind that I'd never heard from her.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jeaniebean55
points taken, embri (that the SCS B/S/T doesn't really help folk outside the continental 48 and that what is original/patented isn't a simple black and white thing.)
for the B/S/T part, I wonder if SCS might designate a sub forum for Canada (sure seems like there's a lot of Canadian stampers/scrappers here), and maybe for UK/EU and Australia? I dunno, there may not be enough interest in each of those regions to B/S/T within that region, but who knows?
for the other, (kind of, not exactly the whole 'who should profit from this?', but more 'what's the ethical aspect of this purchase?') for me, whenever I see something new and awesome, my first personal challenge is to think about what I already have that could be used instead. If it's something I'm feeling like I really want to add to my collection, I do my best to look into the fair trade aspect; wherever it comes from, are the workers being fairly compensated for my new toy? If I can't really answer that (and that goes for all my purchases, not just this hobby), then it looses it's appeal. I'm not a 100% adherent, there are purchases I've made where I really don't know, but I try. At the moment, I won't buy off of Amazon because I can't be sure where something is coming from and I don't have a clue about worker conditions.
Oh yes....our Canadian (worse for Australia and possibly HI) peeps don't have it easy putting their hands on supplies.
I understand for some reason mailing to you is more than mailed to us across that border?
What about....European mfgs? Do Canadian gen suppliers carry those? The exchange rate is not favorable for us (which is why I wait on sales) but what about you? Is that a more level field bc they make a lot of beautiful stuff over there!
I'm sorry one of your buyers never acknowledged their package arrived; that's really unfortunate. I'd be worried out of my mind that it had gotten lost or abducted by customs - you want to hear some horror stories, find an international group of _______ collectors and ask them about their shipping woes!
I've seen maybe one maple leaf flair over the course of a few months, and that was from someone who was in Canada to begin with, if I'm remembering right. I've never seen a single international sale offering. And I can understand a bit why - it's more expensive to ship, there's the customs form to fill out that intimidates some people for whatever reason (it's really not hard, honest!) and people worry about how long it takes, if the item will arrive safely or not. Mostly though it's the cost. Adding 10-15$ on top of the price often makes it cost as much as new. Nothing anyone can really do about that, postal rates are what they are.
It does make me a bit wistful seeing interesting things but knowing there's no point in getting excited. Mostly why I stopped looking at B/S/T, no sense in making myself feel sad.
Oh yes....our Canadian (worse for Australia and possibly HI) peeps don't have it easy putting their hands on supplies.
I understand for some reason mailing to you is more than mailed to us across that border?
What about....European mfgs? Do Canadian gen suppliers carry those? The exchange rate is not favorable for us (which is why I wait on sales) but what about you? Is that a more level field bc they make a lot of beautiful stuff over there!
I would consider myself lucky as far as a non-American crafter goes - I have access to a major craft store (Michael's) and while it's not the most convenient thing, I don't have to drive to the next city/town over just to visit it. We also have a Wal-Mart but I never buy there unless there's absolutely nowhere else to get (fill in the blank) product. I also have access to thrift stores and garage sales, local classifieds and the like. There's also several local fine arts stores that have some crafty type supplies. That's the good part.
The not-so-great part, well the Fine Art stores will charge 20-40$ for a stack of paper or cardstock. Die sets can be north of 60$. A set of cutting pads, 15-20$.
Over in the hobby store, there's no big variety of acrylic 'dollar stamps'. Open cardstock is 1-4$ a sheet. Used to be 75� at one of the dollar stores but it's gone up to 1.25$ now. A set of Made In China acrylic stamps will be anywhere from 20-30$ (or 10-15$ if you use the 'discount' coupon). You get the idea.
Dies are even more, and matching die/stamp sets, higher still. There's way less variety and choice than what I see in the American hobby store videos or online listings. The only products I can think of off the top of my head that weren't Made in China and I've bought are Tombow, VersaMark, and ColorBox. My local store doesn't even carry a single type of stamp positioner, MISTI or otherwise. There's maybe 100 dies and/or stamp sets on offer at any point, almost exclusively Spellbinders or Recollections. They don't even carry the full Versa line, and only a few Ranger products. All of the stamping/paper crafting stuff is two short aisles, 1/4 of which is devoted to Cricut vinyl and accessories.
I have never seen a single European craft product available to buy locally. :(
As for the maple leaf icon in the BST forum, I have used it a couple of times whilst searching for something, both times a fellow Canadian reached out to me . I occasionally look for someone willing to ship to Canada, and browse their offerings. There aren’t many people who will, sadly. And as mentioned already, prices have to be REALLY affordable ie: cheap haha to make me willing to even think of responding.
It’s unfortunate and I can imagine Aussies and Europeans are even more frustrated by the unavailability of used products.
I, too, have been taken aback by the cost of dies, and have posted on this very topic before. When the cost of the dies exceeds the cost of the stamp set, I really have to decide how badly I need it.
I have become a very good fussy cutter with practice. Get a good pair of pair snips, only use them for paper, and move the paper, not the scissors, around the image.
And here's a newsflash for those who haven't been stamping as long as I have. As Sue (Gregzgirl) mentioned in another thread, die cuts have really not been around that long. We were all making great cards without them ten years ago. Just stamps, inks, paper and embellishments. It may be a trend right now, but that doesn't mean it will be "the look" forever.
I have become a big buyer of gently used these days, for many reasons. It just seems more sustainable and responsible, and yes, it saves money, too. If I am patient, I can find items at a greatly discounted price on one of the many buy/sell forums. I buy my clothes this way (Thred Up, Poshmark), and I buy and sell my crafts this way. But you have to be patient. You will not get the newest release of the month. But later, when someone thought they had to have it and didn't really need it, then they will post it for sale. I give unloved stamps new homes.
My suggestion to our Canadian crafters is this: If there isn't a buy/sell forum for Canadians, then you all need to start one. Seriously, with all the Canadian crafters out there, it shouldn't be too hard. Start a group on Facebook! I belong to several there myself, and I find great bargains. Never had a bad transaction, either.
well, as far as the dies go. you may have seen the hype on the news about the trade wars and it started with steel.
we buy steel at work in fairly often and large-ish quantities. and yes, from some suppliers the prices of certain pieces have doubled and tripled this last few months.
the funny part of that is the tariffs I "think" are not supposed to go into effect until this fall some time. so, for all those companies that have hiked their prices already it is more of a fear of missing out than a real cost. and yes, that hike is passed along down the line.
well in the great scheme of things the die manufactures are probably buying a good quantity of steel but, it is so thin and I'd bet they can make quite a few from one good sheet of it that, they are probably not buying it in the quantities that other mfg.'s are so, it is probably hitting those stamp companies harder to even order more dies for their stores if they have to hold the inventory for any length of time.
Just a thought. (first cuppa Joe is still loading here so excuse the typo's)
So, Stacy's post brought another thought to mind: I'm not sure what the molds for rubber stamps are made from, but it's not too outrageous to think that it's steel. It takes more steel to make a mold than a die, so it's only fair to assume that, if the company producing the stamps has to pay more for the steel, that price increase is then reflected in the price of the stamps.
Extrapolate that out to realize that there are probably "hidden" costs in many of the things we purchase, since we are not in the know on the process. In my former life doing re-upholstery, for example, people were often shocked at the price of the foam rubber, which is a petroleum-based product and follows the rise and fall of oil prices.
There was a big brouhaha a few years back about the increasing costs of Copic markers because the ingredients in the ink were in short supply and caused the prices to rise (or something like that - I'm a bit fuzzy on the details now).
The point made by others that we never quite know what's actually IN any of the things that come from China, since they don't have the regulations and quality control that we have here in the US, also gives pause. We've all seen recalls of kids' toys because there's lead in the paint on them or whatever. What, then, would make us think that our stamps and dies would be "safe"? Especially the stamps - some plastics give off highly toxic fumes.
Lydia's point about intellectual property, research and design, and all of those type of factors that the "ripoffs" are truly ripping off, is also very valid. Sue reinforced it by pointing out that - if/when we fail to properly appreciate (and pay for) those services - we will fail to have them available to us.
I love a bargain as much as the next person, but all of the factors should be carefully weighed to decide what the hidden costs - tangible or intangible - actually are in assessing how reasonable the price might be.
Getting together to form a Canadian B/S/T forum doesn't change the fact that the cheapest shipping options inside of Canada for packages are normally in excess of 10$. I had three smallish board games (smaller than Monopoly) shipped to me from the maritimes, and it cost almost 20$ just for postage. That severely limits second hand sales by mail.
Steel is not used in rubber or photopolymer stamp production based on what I've been able to research. Bakelite or aluminum is used for the etched negative, or a plastic film in the case of photopolymer. Even a weak acid like vinegar can etch aluminum, while steel takes a much lower pH.
As for how dangerous Chinese produced goods may be, so far all of the reports have been attributed to major brands / companies, have they not? So unless you're avoiding everything Made in China, seems like there's a risk regardless? Are there any substantiated reports of a dangerous dies bought directly from China, or is this conjecture? The two metals I know of that have been implicated in cheap manufacturing are cadmium and lead. Both of them are soft metals with a low melting point - that wouldn't be helpful for producing dies that need to withstand the high pressures of a die cutting machine. And both of those are only a threat if ingested. Taking sensible precautions like not putting things in your mouth that aren't food-safe and washing your hands after crafting are probably a good idea for all of us, regardless of where we buy our supplies.
All very valid points, Embri (and thanks for doing research)! Safety issues and particular materials aside, there are still "hidden costs" and there are still intellectual property and development issues that the knockoffs steal, so there's still evaluating to be done by conscientious consumers. The point being that it isn't as black-and-white as cheap vs expensive, and it is up to each individual to determine which factors they value most and make purchasing decisions based on those. AND - as with any other 'personal choice' issue - everyone is allowed their choice and opinion and everyone deserves respect for that choice or opinion, whether or not someone else does or does not agree with it (think religion, politics, philosophies, diets - whatever)...
Yup, it's a very complicated issue and there is no one right answer. People's choices shouldn't be predicated on misinformation though. I'd highly encourage everyone to do their own independent learning about manufacturing, 'Made in the USA' and how that doesn't always mean what you think it does, etc. We're incredibly fortunate to live in a time where access to information is trivial.
Is it me or is it getting out of control?
