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to purchase non SU accessories like ribbon? I read an earlier post today about discount ribbon sources that seem to match SU ribbon. I am intrigued by this because I love ribbon embellishments but I will be a new demo in January and I don't want to waste my money or shoot my fledgling business in the foot. Any thoughts or opinions would be appreciated.
My thoughts are this, I am a demo and only buy SU! ribbon. I don't have any worries when it comes to demoing, I can just pick any one of my spools and know that it is a SU! product. Also, while not totaling a lot, unless you buy it all at once, it does add to my sales totals which may help in the long run. Most importantly, I love our ribbons and the fact that they match the cardstock for the most part, and I don't think they are terribly expensive for the amount of ribbon that comes on the spool.
Personally I buy all kinds of ribbon and fibers from everywhere! I love the huge selection available now and I use it for all my scrapbooking and personal cards. For my demonstrations or samples I use at workshops I use the SU ribbon. I just joined a ribbon swap here to be able to get all the colors of the ribbons to use for my samples. And I buy SU ribbon for any projects that I demo or use as a make and take in the workshop, but SU just doesn't have the variety of ribbon that I like to use in my personal projects. Plus I don't like to use 25 yards of the same ribbon for all my scrapbooking, I like variety. So for me it's worth it to buy other ribbons. I wouldn't buy the discount 100 yards of ribbon that's like SU's though because I have enough trouble figuring out how to use 25 yards! lol
I can tell you that there is a huge difference between non SU grosgrain and SU grosgrain. I bought some of the "other" grosgrain thats out there and I HATE it! First of all, its a tiny bit bigger than SU grosgrain. And its hard to describe, but it feels inferior to ours. It is much more stiff and grainy feeling, while ours is softer and smoother. The "other" stuff is VERY hard to tie into nice knots and bows because it is so stiff and grainy. I have some other fibers from other places and they are nice, but I think there is a huge difference in grosgrain ribbon quality.
Hmmm....good one. While I have not had the inclination to buy non-SU!, here's what's running through my mind...
I am lazy. And there is a LOT of stuff going on in my life right now. I don't have the mind space to remember where what is. I guarantee I would get them messed up. I guess I always thought that 20% off of 6.95 was a small price to pay for the high-quality of SU! ribbon. Of course, if you go through it like water, that's something else entirely, isn't it?
So bottom line, I do not have the space, nor the will, to keep ribbon separate. (Don't forget that demo-ing a non-SU! ribbon is a violation of our contract with SU! since it is available through SU!) If you do and you think that you have found a good source of non-SU!-by all means go for it!
Catie
__________________ We love SSG R. King-US Army & SGT J. Priest USMC!
ΑΦ#14574 Just sayin'�atie 2005 ND rules!
I buy all of my ribbon from JKM Ribbon. It is the same ribbon that is sold in the SU catalog. It comes on the same spools and except for a few of the colors, the names are the same. I save over 1/2 by buying it from here. The organdy is $2.20/25yards in 5/8" and $2.80/25yards in 7/8". The grosgrain only comes in 100 yard spools and it is $8.80/100 yards. I go through tons of ribbon!!
I'm with Andrea. The grosgrain from JMK is NOT the same as the SU grosgrain. There is a marked difference in texture and it is so noticeable. It's like comparing MIcheal's cardstock with SU. No comparison. And it ties harder.
As for the organdy, I think there is a difference in texture there too, although it isn't quite as noticeable.
Although I saved a lot of money by buying 100 yds units of JKM grosgrain and organdy, I'm sorry I did.
There are people out there that swear by the white cardstock at Walmart. I used to. I asked my upline if she could notice a difference and she said she could. I couldn't then, but I sure can now. Strange, but "once I was blind, but now I see."
__________________ Sharon Rogers
My Blog: www.stampwithsharonrogers.com Attitudes are contagious. Is yours worth catching?
As a demo is it worth it
