Placed my last SU demo order today!
 

My pending status will not be reversed even with this order. I made the decsion to give up my demonstratorship at the end of this month. I dropped out of the demo side of SCS earlier this week. I have to tell you it is a relief for me. I was never meant to be a business woman. Although I love SU products and will continue to order them on occasion, I can't keep myself a float with my own orders. I have a few faithful SU stampers and I will see to it they are taken care of by another demo. I have always been a teacher and will continue to so do so. I am will be able to use other products and stamps in my classes, now that I don't have to support my self with SU. It is so freeing.:-D

Well, good for you for figuring this out!!

It sounds as if you made the right decision. You know, just because you are no longer a demo does not mean that you can't still teach workshops/classes if that is what you love. You could still make a small amount this way to pay for different supplies/stamps that you want to try out. :D

I will be joining you soon. I am also not a business minded person, and for a while I kept myself afloat with my own purchases plus an occasional order from my mom or my friend. But I haven't "loved" a lot of the stuff in the catty lately, and I am down to tools-and-paper-buying. After that I will be resigning my demo-hood. There are too many stampsets from other companies I am coming to love and I can't afford it all!

I think the classes idea, without any "pressure" to buy and being able to use anything, is a great idea! I may try the same thing. Probably get more people there if I am *not* a demo!

I made it by the skin of my teeth this quarter. The new catty just didn't have much in it I wanted.... I'm very concerned about the Fall catty that comes next month because I detest the new in colors, and have all the basics (inks and papers) of the regular colors.... so now what?

I don't need $600 of new stamp sets! I will probably need to lose my demoship in the next quarter or two. My upline and I are both in the same boat, so we may work something out where we can order from eachother and still share the discount...

When I stopped being a business demo, it was a VERY freeing feeling - but it is becoming very expensive being a hobby demo!

I completely understand, too. I haven't been a demo for long but I don't have any customers and I can't afford to do it on my own either. It's too bad because I think I could be more business-minded. It's just that I live in a small town and don't know a lot of people.

I sent an email to 17 people (everyone I could think of!) about having a Stampin' Up open house for the new catalog and had one response from a sweetheart who said she'd like to see the catalog sometime but will be out of the country. It's only been a few days since I sent it out, but I expected a little enthusiasm. Everyone's money is just too tight right now. I'd stay if I had customers, but I just don't. Oh well... I'll miss that 20% discount. I've already made my list of what I'm willing to trade for items from the new catalog. I wish more had retired that I could sell!!

Email is very passive. Have you called the 17 people? I bet if you did and said that you were following up on your email you would get some takers!

This is an interesting thread to me, because I, too, have been toying with the idea of giving up my demoship. I'm only a hobby demo and have found that once you get most of the colors, punches, etc., there's not much to keep up the habit of $100 a month. Plus, I'm really enjoying some of the "other" stamp companies out there. More my style. Perhaps SU should come up with a plan for hobby demos who want to continue to be a part of SU, but maybe not to the tune of $1,200 a year??

I have had the same feelings for a while now. It apears that we are all in a very big boat:) . I am so torn. I love SU! and know that I will keep buying it, but I want the discount. I have to figure out if it is worth me spending $100 a month or let it go and buy when I want with no pressure. I once had a business with a one person downline, that was a year ago. Alot has changed and I haven't put forth the effort to start over. I know I am rambling but this is the only place I have to vent any stamp frustrations.

I'm at the other end of the spectrum, considering giving up my demoship because I'm busier than I want to be! I work a 30 hour a week job plus home on the farm... I picked up SU 3 years ago to have some fun ladies nights out (all male household here) and because I enjoy the craft so much and love to share it. But honestly, it's getting too much to keep up with. I'll hang on for at least the 1st quarter of the new catty and then... maybe I'll drop out.

I should say that I have no downline to leave stranded either, never recruited, never wanted to.

I also have been more tempted than ever before by other companies. I've come to the conclusion that I'm just not as 'trendy' as SU is leaning. Does that mean I've officially become an old fart???

SU Should have a "hobby demo" Program
 

I absolutely agree! I think SU should come up with some kind of Hobby Demo program. For those avid stampers (and avid stamp stuff buyers!) who IMO deserve a little bit of a discount for buying so much. I am not a demo, but have toyed around with the idea. But, at the same time I don't think I could pull my weight at 1200 a year! It would be great if we could share what we love and not feel so pressured! And with the economy the way it is SU might keep more demos this way instead of losing them all together. Maybe even gain new demos under a new "hobby demo" program. I know I would be interested! Anyone agree?:)

SCS
 

I think is it all SCS's fault....my empty wallet...:) No matter what kind of stamps there are....I am thankful for this place.

I finally let my demoship laspe last fall after almost 9 years with them. It was almost a relief and since I was rather tired of their things, it has turned into a really fun time for me. It has actually re-energized my stamping because I feel like a whole world of other resources has opened up to me and there is no guilt with buying from them. I used to think I could really only order what I think I could sell or what I could demo but NO MORE!

Is anyone else that has been with or buying from SU for many years finding that a lot of their stamps look or feel like repeats? I have not bought a set from them in over two years for it doesn't seem fresh or up to date. Maybe I was just really tired of them or maybe my world has opened up to so many other vendors, I am not as turned on or excited about them. I still think their products are top quality just don't want to spend the $ on full sets for a few stamps when I can buy others for less.

I think in a while, I will come back to SU. Maybe I just needed a break! I am enjoying this break though!

I'm also in the same boat. I'm in pending for the first time in almost 3 years of demoship. I'm going to make a few phone calls and see if I can squeak by for the new catty, but I definitely don't want to foot the bill all on my own for the old catty products. I'm really sad that they chose to change the catalog date but not the minimum for the quarter... since this is such a unique time and with the slow economy.
If I don't make it, I think there will be a time of mourning... then I'll enjoy the freedom :)

Thank you, 3boysstampin', I think the personal approach is a good idea. I started with an email so I could get the whole concept spelled out for them to really have an idea of what I was aiming for, and now a follow-up call would make a lot of sense.

It's comforting for me to hear all of this discussion and know that I'm not alone. I'm actually sort of hoping SU doesn't have much to be excited about in the new catalog!!

Thank you for posting this thread. I have toyed with the idea of becoming a hobby demo but I am not sure that is the right thing for me to do. I love the paper and supplies but the stamps haven't been all that great in the present catty. I don't want to feel that I can't afford to buy from other companies because I need to make my quota. I think I am rambling....sorry.

Yep Peg, we have offically become *old farts* ! LOL

By the way, I just love your *ewes* too!

As for you hobby demos, find some of others that can make you $100 every 3-4 months and combine us togother in a demo discount club! We'd all come out good with this one.

It's so refreshing to know that there are others in the same boat right now. I'm just a hobby demo (for the past year), but I honestly don't know how much longer it will be worth it. I am excited about some of the things I've seen that are coming with the new catalog, but with the economy being as it is and everything costing so much, I don't know how much longer I'll be able to stick with it. I'd love to be able to go business, but I don't know if it's worth it to my family and I. Anyway. Just glad to hear that I'm not the only one!

I think there is a way to be a hobby demo without spending 1200 a year (US).

Sign up when there is a deal. I signed up for $159 or maybe it was any set for free, I can't remember. In any event, I used my 30% off first hostess order to buy everything I wanted from the catty.

That's it. I had almost 6 months to spend $300, but with the 30% discount off the first hostess order, I only spent $210 plus tax and shipping, or approximately $243 -- and I got all the hostess benefits that accrue with a $300 order. So, my total for 6 months was about $402.

That was enough to stock up on tons of paper, all the punches, ribbon, stamps, embellishments, designer paper, etc that I wanted. Because I already had the ink pads, I used the demo kit to get the in colors for ink and paper.

I haven't bought anything since. Maybe I'll buy more when I see the catty, maybe not. But, I got a TON of stuff for that $402!!

There is nothing wrong with signing up, stocking up with that 30% discount and moving on...Oh, and I traded all the business supplies for new merchandise! Plus I'll get a free catalog in August.

Not too shabby...

I was a hobby demo and resigned last quarter. I wasn't getting any other benefits besides the 20%, so in my mind, if I could find a demo willing to pass on her discount, I benefit and the hobby demo also benefits by me helping to make her minimums. There are quite a few demos here, that I have found, that will pass on their discount.

I wouldn't mind even if they did a "hobby" package where you get a few less benefits...maybe only need $600 a year but get 10% discount instead of 20% and maybe cut out the business magazines and pre-orders/bulk buy options or something.

I'll be joining the rest of you. I came to terms with it, oh last May I guess. The sad part is I just received my five year pin in the mail this week. I have other priorities right now. The bad part is I don't even know any other demos in my town. I've looked on the demo locator and their aren't any. My upline and sideline live over 300 miles away. I'll have to find a way to take care of me and my one customer.

L

This is my plan! My upline and her upline are both about to bite the dust. Between the 3 of us, we can get a new kit under someone and save 30% on new catty merchandise. I could stay active with a $154 order but don't have enough to order to stay active :-)

I am also in the same boat. I think the new catty will determine my demo fate. I hope its good because I am not feeling the new in colors :(

Wow, interesting topic, glad I read it. I am not a demo. I am my demo's BEST customer, lol! Where we live there are several demos in a small market, so while my friend has become a hobby demo, she shares some of her perks with me. That is one way to stay afloat. ;-) But, as I read here, I think it is a sign of the times. How many gallons of gas can I buy with the money I would have spent on stamping? Groceries prices have gone up by a higher % than the raise I got this year . . . I think that we all are feeling the squeeze and our discretionary spending cannot help but be influenced by the current economy. I'm sure at some point SU! will notice this, although it may take longer to trickle into their sector.

You can always find a demo to a CDO for you. And there are Hobby demo's that are happy to give you their discount in place for your order towards their minimums. Good Luck!.

I am signing up in August with the new catalog. I am planning to stay as long as I can. I have offered my close stamping friends my discount and will do the same for family members but that is just to get me through until I have real customers. I have been thinking about signing up for a year, so I figured now or never. Remember with the 30% off, you only have 45 days, so to do it the right way, you would have to wait to sign up when your 45 days goes into the new quarter, say the 20th of August. That way 45 days would be October 4th and in the new quarter. Then you get the 30% off, and don't have to order again until the end of March. By that time, hopefully our economy will be better and people will be off their spending hiatus.

Thank you all who PM me., It is good to know I am not alone and from the looks of the postings here there are several of us who are leaving SU, sadly not because we don't like the products, but that the hobbyy demo is just not going to make it in the present economy. The good thing is there are so many other products to try. :)

I haven't been a SU demo- but i know exactly how you are feeling- I was with Creative Memories for a while and i was just plain BORED with their stuff! I wanted to move on- but had to keep my demo albums all CM stuff and that was killing me! LOL
when i let it go- it was a sigh of relief!!

I think that's a GREAT idea for hobby demos. Have you tried contacting SU about this or made a suggestion to them about it? I know there are quite a few demos that feel the same way you do. Good luck with your decision and I hope you stick with it.:)

Be careful in doing this. What you start with is what people will EXPECT of you later. It's that ole saying "don't do for one what you wouldn't do for everyone...

I know it's none of my busiess, but I have seen this happen and it's not pretty when the time comes to turn your hobby into a business if or when that time comes. Good luck!