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Honestly, (steping into armor suit for protection against flaming that may ensue), I don't get it. My demo told me about this today. From her understanding, we can go directly to the SU site and order. We can either order without a demo and pay higher prices and higher shipping or we can order and give the sales credit to a demo and pay regular prices and regular shipping. HOWEVER, you (SU demo) have to pay SU $13 or so dollars per month to have the special web site exposure / access / ability - whatever you want to call it - to be an eligible demo to do this. That is about $150 a year you have to pay SU for your customers to order from the SU site themselves and possibly being picked by the random customer to order "through" you. From her understanding, the overage that customers are paying without a demo to credit for the sales will be pooled and divided among the demos that do pay for the web fees. No idea how much that will be.
What is especially interesting is how SU will deal with working with customers directly on quality issues. My reinker leaked, the stamp set is damaged, when will my backorder ship, etc. I personally think this devalues the demonstrators positioning and dilutes resources available to the demos that represent the company.
I agree with you. As a demonstrator w/out a website...I'm not getting any benefits from this and I feel I'm being underhanded for not paying for a website. I'm what you call a "hobby demonstrator"...my career is teaching...I don't have the time or money to devote as I would like...I do the best I can. Not happy with this new marketing endeavor by SU! TLC went to online ordering and got rid of consultants...worried that might eventually happen here!
First of all, we have to remember Stampin'Up! is a company. A company I love, by the way. So with that in mind that Stampin'Up! is just like any other business, they are doing what is best for Stampin'Up! If we owned our own company, we would be doing what is best for us.
Last week on the demonstrator page, Stampin'Up! was talking about customer leads that demonstrators weren't following up on. SU! was viewing this as a lost customer and lost income for SU! On-line ordering must be their answer so as not to lose customers. How can you blame them?
Now what I am unhappy about is the fee for DBWS. Someone said in an earlier post that it costs near $150 a year for the DBWS. This is a lot of money!! If SU! is going the internet way and yeah for them, I think the DBWS should be free.
Ok, my two cents!
Andi, hope you're hanging on somewhere with Dolly coming right at you!
I'd like the DBWS to be free as well, but I understand why it's not. People tend to not value free things and I could see DBWSs not being updated and maintained and making the company look bad. If it's costing me $$$ I'm jolly well going to take care of it!
I canceled my DBWS because I didn't see any benefit from it. However, I'll probably sign back up for one because I believe my customers will appreciate and use this option. I'll poll them first, but I can see this making me more than $150 for the DBWS.
__________________ Pegg Thomas Socialism is trickle up poverty.
According to my Local Scrapbook store owner, she loses most of her business to online ordering.
In our fast paced world, Customers love the convenience.
So she is working on having an online store, as well as her store front.
For people who are interested in your products, but don't want to purchase a catalog, you can refer them to your website.
I wonder if this is SU's strategy to capture all the eBay sales of current stamps and products. Many of which sell for more than the current catalog prices and much higher shipping rates.
Maybe the people on eBay who are purchasing these items want to avoid ordering directly from a demo. I've had some bad experiences with demos from other company's like Mary Kay and Tupperware being very aggressive and endlessly calling me to the point of harrassment to get more orders.
Just my thought, I have no idea what the real issues are. I would think this could be good for demos if SU has a fair way to pass the commissions on to the demos. It would be extra income that they don't have now.
What about online catalog parties?
A hostess just sends your website link to her friends. You can also send a link to your blog showcasing samples or online tutorials.
She collects the orders...emails to you (the SU demo)
You place the order, so she can enjoy her hostess benefits
Karen S
I agree with you. As a demonstrator w/out a website...I'm not getting any benefits from this and I feel I'm being underhanded for not paying for a website. I'm what you call a "hobby demonstrator"...my career is teaching...I don't have the time or money to devote as I would like...I do the best I can. Not happy with this new marketing endeavor by SU! TLC went to online ordering and got rid of consultants...worried that might eventually happen here!
But if you don't have the time to devote to new customers, why would you feel undercut by SU!? :confused:
The way that SU! looks at it, if you are working your business and paying the extra for a website, you are looking to get new customers and business by maintaining an online presence.
SU!'s intent, by adding online ordering capabilities to our websites, is to gain customers who prefer to order their products online as well as benefiting existing customers who would like to order online from their demonstrators. But it's not as if this will be the ONLY way your customers can order from you...they can still email you, hand you an order or call you on the phone and have you put it in the old-fashioned way. And with the people who prefer online ordering, they'll be able to maintain their distance from demonstrators if that's what they prefer, plus being able to get that immediate satisfaction from ordering whenever they please. I think SU! finally realized that internet shopping is not just a small segment of the market...it's really the preferred method of shopping for a large number of people. I know *I* prefer to shop online for lots of things; I've been in love with on line shopping ever since I had to buy birthday presents for my middle child right after I gave birth to her brother...it was great to just shop from the comfort of my home and not drag a newborn baby around a store.
Obviously, in the past, you evaluated your goals and determined that you don't have the time or money to maintain that presence. That was your decision, not SU!'s. With this new information, we all will need to evaluate if we have the time and money to maintain an online presence. Yes, it takes time to maintain the gallery and events calendar. Yes, it takes money. Yes, following up with the customers who order will take time as well. Demonstrators are not just going to sit on their keisters and watch the money roll in...it's going to take work. Some customers will not require and/or wish for any demonstrator help, but others will want to have more personal service.
I've had a website for the past 5 years. I've wondered if it was worth keeping many times...just seemed like an elaborate place holder on the internet and I wondered if it wouldn't be better to just chuck it and concentrate on my blog. But I've hung on, because I hoped that online ordering would be coming, because that would be the only benefit to keeping it.
I'm not a big business demonstrator, but I'm not a hobby demo either...I'm somewhere in between. If, after a year, keeping the website for online ordering does not pay off, I can re-evaluate and rethink it again. That's the beauty of running my own business. I'm hoping, though, that continuing to make the financial investment will pay off.
Ok quick question...I have a stampin up demo and if I order online and I give her credit will I still pay the higher prices?
If you order through her website, you will pay regular catalog prices and shipping. You will also have the ability to earn "Stampin' Rewards" which are just online hostess benefits...they will work the same way.
If you order through the SU! website and indicate who your demonstrator is, you will pay regular catalog prices, but pay higher shipping.
If you order through the SU! website and do not indicate who your demonstrator is, you will end up paying higher prices for the merchandise plus higher shipping.
So if your demo has a website, order through that if you want the lower prices and shipping plus the ability to earn benefits. If she doesn't have a website, you can either choose to pay a little more in shipping for the convenience of placing your order online OR you can order from her the way you always have, in person, by phone or by email.
I wonder if this is SU's strategy to capture all the eBay sales of current stamps and products. Many of which sell for more than the current catalog prices and much higher shipping rates.
Maybe the people on eBay who are purchasing these items want to avoid ordering directly from a demo. I've had some bad experiences with demos from other company's like Mary Kay and Tupperware being very aggressive and endlessly calling me to the point of harrassment to get more orders.
Just my thought, I have no idea what the real issues are. I would think this could be good for demos if SU has a fair way to pass the commissions on to the demos. It would be extra income that they don't have now.
All the reasons listed above are why I order online. I hate being bugged all the time for sales.
I was very eager to have the online convenience, but I am cheap as well, and higher shipping is not an option for me. I also feel bad that my demo would have to pay for her DBWS; she's dropped down to hobby demo and I don't want to increase her overhead. She lives across the street, so I'll just have to get dressed, put on shoes, and go over to place my orders.
The price of the DBWS isn't that bad when looked at in reference to the big picture.
As a demo, I only have to sell $65 each month to pay for it. That's $195 a quarter.... $100 LESS than I'm REQUIRED to sell to stay active. Totally worth it to me. Of course, I have a number of long distance customers too....
I too am a demonstrator and I am not very happy about the online ordering...I have several downlines who are hobbyists and I am already, in just one day assured, that they will not remain with SU. They do not want to do the website and yet they do get a few outside orders.
I'm also not very excited about the way SU is doing the demonstrator locator thing...I have customers from all over the Denver Metro area as well as in Brighton, Castle Rock, and several other places. If the locator does not bring up my name to a customer who has been buying exclusively from me for 6 years because I am not "close" to her, does she give my commission awy?
Why can't SU cross reference customer data base to the demo data base???
So that, when my customer can't remember my DBWS address, or remembers it wrong, I am the first demo that is on her lokk up list!
Also if you are a demo, SU announced that if customers order directly on line and pay the extra S&H and extra 10% per stamp set, the DBWS pool will get a 10% share, SU will get a 10% of the profit...what happens to the other 80%???? Anybody figure that out yet? So is a customer pays and extra 2.00 for a $20 set, plus extra S&H, after a "certain level of online sales is reached",
the DBWS pool gets 20 cents, SU gets 20 cents...who do you think gets the 80 cents???
Also, why did the new "STORE" announcement not mention the extra 10% or even that customers will be able to order directly from SU...only that they will be able to order through the DBWS.
I guess I am taking this out on all of you Splitcoasters because the demonstrator website will nopt let anybody into the chat room there!
the Angel Company mins are just 100 per quarter! We have online shopping, we don't charge extra, Su is getting to big for their own good.;)
OK, SU! makes a business decision that will benefit them, demos and customers but they are getting too big for their own good. Things that make you go hmmmmm.
Location: Oh that poor carrot! It's been fondue'd!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 3boysstampin'
OK, SU! makes a business decision that will benefit them, demos and customers but they are getting too big for their own good. Things that make you go hmmmmm.
ITA... makes her look small and petty to keep posting things like that... not exactly the way to win friends and influence people ;)
I don't appreciate the SU bashing either. Nobody on here is saying negative things about TAC and if we did everyone would jump on us. Lets keep this civil please.
As for the OP, I am a hobby demo and I am thrilled with SU's decision to have online ordering. I feel like this decision is way overdue. People are turning to the internet more and more for the convenience and if you are a business owner and don't at least consider online ordering then you will be left behind. People are busy these days and the internet never closes.
I do not have a DBWS and frankly I haven't decided if I want to have one yet or not, but I am so excited that if I choose to have one then I can be on the demo locator. That's something that I could not do in the old system because my sales weren't high enough. I think the way that SU is doing this is very fair for ALL demos and I feel it is generous that SU will divide some of the profit from website sales with demos. That means that demos with a DBWS can earn extra income for doing nothing.
__________________ Tricia SU Demo since April 2005
SU will get a 10% of the profit...what happens to the other 80%???? Anybody figure that out yet?
Ummm, it's called running a business. Paying for materials, manufacturing, paying salaries and benefits etc. and there is the matter of making a profit! They are a business not a stamping charity
__________________ Tricia SU Demo since April 2005
Su is getting to big for their own good.[/I]
:rolleyes: wow, you just don't quit, do you?
BIG turn off...
Calm down I was just joking. Sorry ya'll so sensitive. I didnt mean to offend or put off I was merely teasing. yes I think its allowed to still joke around isnt it?? :(......
Last edited by jbalcer; 07-23-2008 at 11:55 AM..
Reason: removed promotional language
It is true about the higher pricing if you do not tie your order to a demo. You can choose a demo from the site if you do not have one in order to get a the lower pricing and benefits from what I understand. Also the shipping will be higher if you do not tie your order to a demo. It is going to be awesome!
Blessings.
_______________________________________
That sounds weird to me.... I don't have a demo. I would be paying a higher price for shipping and for my order.
It sounds like SU is taking the commission on that sale.
It's a good thing I have a couple of good friends that are SU demo's.
At least I will know that they are getting the commission.
-------------------------------------------------------
I totally understand the Not getting the Hostess bennies, Cause that's what happenes when someone goes to a TAC website and places an order.
One can place order through a TAC site. They will also pay the same shipping that they would, If they were ordering from a Demo.
The only drawback from ordering at a TAC site. One will not get any of the Bennies Like a Free GWP(gift with purchase) or any of the 1/2 off items.
or Hostess benefits.
You only get this with a Order when you go through your Demo.
That makes total sense. I wasn't thinking it all the way through (or not reading the thread properly), not realizing this was on the main website as opposed to individual demo sites. I'm cursed with an enquiring mind and this wasn't making sense to me - thanks for clearing it up.
That shows great support of the demos by SU too
____________________________
Kay you and I are in the same wave link on this post!!!!
It isn't coming across as joking considering this thread is about SU and not TAC. SU demo's take their business very serious and for you to come into a SU thread and throw in TAC comments is not cool. :(
Quote:
Originally Posted by scrappingmelissa
Calm down I was just joking. Sorry ya'll so sensitive. I didnt mean to offend or put off I was merely teasing. yes I think its allowed to still joke around isnt it?? :(......
I too am a demonstrator and I am not very happy about the online ordering...I have several downlines who are hobbyists and I am already, in just one day assured, that they will not remain with SU. They do not want to do the website and yet they do get a few outside orders.
I'm also not very excited about the way SU is doing the demonstrator locator thing...I have customers from all over the Denver Metro area as well as in Brighton, Castle Rock, and several other places. If the locator does not bring up my name to a customer who has been buying exclusively from me for 6 years because I am not "close" to her, does she give my commission awy?
Why can't SU cross reference customer data base to the demo data base???
So that, when my customer can't remember my DBWS address, or remembers it wrong, I am the first demo that is on her lokk up list!
Also if you are a demo, SU announced that if customers order directly on line and pay the extra S&H and extra 10% per stamp set, the DBWS pool will get a 10% share, SU will get a 10% of the profit...what happens to the other 80%???? Anybody figure that out yet? So is a customer pays and extra 2.00 for a $20 set, plus extra S&H, after a "certain level of online sales is reached",
the DBWS pool gets 20 cents, SU gets 20 cents...who do you think gets the 80 cents???
Also, why did the new "STORE" announcement not mention the extra 10% or even that customers will be able to order directly from SU...only that they will be able to order through the DBWS.
I guess I am taking this out on all of you Splitcoasters because the demonstrator website will nopt let anybody into the chat room there!
It doesn't matter what SU does these days. They could invent the cure to cancer and there would be demos that will quit in protest or complaint and some customers that will complain that SU has ulterior motives, and so on.
There will always be change, and I'm glad that SU is trying to stay current with not only their products but with their ordering system well.
[quote=PBaker;10641473]I don't appreciate the SU bashing either. Nobody on here is saying negative things about TAC and if we did everyone would jump on us. Lets keep this civil please.
That seems kind of weird - does anyone know the thinking behind that? Don't get me wrong, it's great for the demos but I'm wondering.....
i would also think there would be higher costs to SU! to act as customer contact [returns, questions, etc.]... so maybe that's part of the reasoning too.
[QUOTE=jeanstamping2;10641924I
If you are a demo for TAC, You have the opition of having a website and paying for it. 6 months or a full year.
If you don't want a Website you can still send in the order via email, snail mail or faxing. And still get your commission credit.
Shipping is still the same as the online ordering. customer's pay $6.95 up to $69.50 and then after that it's 10% of your total order.
The only drawback with ordering online: One will not get any Benefits, Such as GWP (Gift with purchase) or 1/2 off itesm or Hostess benefits.
You can however get these from your Demo. Which is cool!!
__________________________________________________ ___
[/QUOTE]
With SU! : You have the option of having a DBWS and pay for it on a monthly basis.
If you don't have a website you can still order the same way it has been done for years: internet, phone call, etc. Here is the bonus: Your customers can still order from you from the SU! website and you will get commission from the sale and you haven't lifted a finger or paid for the website.
If a customer designates a demonstrator the prices are the same and depending on whether a demo has a website or not the shipping may be more. I don't know all of the exact amounts at this point.
Customers who order with out a demo will pay more for product and for shipping- this is to encourage people to have a demonstrator.
With online ordering customers without a demo will not get the hostess rewards but will be able to get any promotions SU! will be having. If you order through a demo you get the hostess rewards.
I too am a demonstrator and I am not very happy about the online ordering...I have several downlines who are hobbyists and I am already, in just one day assured, that they will not remain with SU. They do not want to do the website and yet they do get a few outside orders.
I'm also not very excited about the way SU is doing the demonstrator locator thing...I have customers from all over the Denver Metro area as well as in Brighton, Castle Rock, and several other places. If the locator does not bring up my name to a customer who has been buying exclusively from me for 6 years because I am not "close" to her, does she give my commission awy?
Why can't SU cross reference customer data base to the demo data base???
So that, when my customer can't remember my DBWS address, or remembers it wrong, I am the first demo that is on her lokk up list!
Also if you are a demo, SU announced that if customers order directly on line and pay the extra S&H and extra 10% per stamp set, the DBWS pool will get a 10% share, SU will get a 10% of the profit...what happens to the other 80%???? Anybody figure that out yet? So is a customer pays and extra 2.00 for a $20 set, plus extra S&H, after a "certain level of online sales is reached",
the DBWS pool gets 20 cents, SU gets 20 cents...who do you think gets the 80 cents???
Also, why did the new "STORE" announcement not mention the extra 10% or even that customers will be able to order directly from SU...only that they will be able to order through the DBWS.
I guess I am taking this out on all of you Splitcoasters because the demonstrator website will nopt let anybody into the chat room there!
Just sign me...may be quitting SU
Actually, there is now new info up on the SU! demo website. There will be two options for customers who come to the SU! website. If they don't have a demonstrator, they can use the demo locator. If they DO have a demo, they can use the demonstrator *directory* to find their demo. So your customers will be able to find you through the SU! site! This is a big improvement and will make lots of demonstrators happy, including me!
Personally, I don't see why anyone would quit over this. Demonstrators are not going to get less orders than before...existing customers are not going to get lured away by other demos with websites IF the customers are satisfied with their demonstrators to begin with. What will happen is that people who normally would not have ordered from SU! may decide that they want to.
My first thought about this is "Yippee! I can order online!"
I have wanted online ordering for YEARS. My demo/upline takes FOREVER to order and then would have everything sent to her house so she could bag it up and then it would take another 1-2 weeks to actually get your order because she was never home or you had to wait for her to deliver it. Frankly, this is why I became a demo, I wanted to order when I wanted to, and have it delivered to me.
But there is NO way I am paying higher prices just because I want the "convenience" of ordering online. So my choice is to deal with a demo or pay higher prices? I'll choose neither, thanks.
EBAY vs SU online ordering:
There are many people who think ebay is evil but I have always loved it. I have only chosen to pay more for something when it was retired and hard to find. Otherwise I would take a few auctions to get a good price or just use the BIN (buy it now) option. Generally I use the BIN on ebay 99% of the time. I use it for online ordering just like any other online store, usually for rare or hard to find things, or if I can find it cheaper there.
What's my point?
How many people do you think will be willing to pay MORE just to order directly from the SU! website? I really don't think it's going to be much. Online ordering should be a convenience, higher prices are a penalty to the customer IMO.
For those who do not like their demo, do not have a demo, simply want a pack of chocolate chip CS or other small item, the extra charge is a turn off. I would still choose to shop ebay and be guaranteed (because of my ebay shoppig habits and the higher price penalty through SU) a lower price.
For demo's who have a DBWS I can see this as a convenience to your customers, and nothing is lost for you. I don't really see how this is going to gain you more customers or more money though unless you happen to have a lot of hits from the demo locator. (most of what I have read has lead me to believe that the majority of demo's do not get a lot of hits)
I guess I just don't see this adding up to more money for anyone except SU, who will get more demo's signing up to the DBWS in hopes of hits. And I'm not saying that negatively against SU for making money. It just seems like they are going to make a whole lot more off the DBWS money then any money made by online ordering.
With SU! : You have the option of having a DBWS and pay for it on a monthly basis.
If you don't have a website you can still order the same way it has been done for years: internet, phone call, etc. Here is the bonus: Your customers can still order from you from the SU! website and you will get commission from the sale and you haven't lifted a finger or paid for the website.
If a customer designates a demonstrator the prices are the same and depending on whether a demo has a website or not the shipping may be more. I don't know all of the exact amounts at this point.
Customers who order with out a demo will pay more for product and for shipping- this is to encourage people to have a demonstrator.
With online ordering customers without a demo will not get the hostess rewards but will be able to get any promotions SU! will be having. If you order through a demo you get the hostess rewards.
It is an awesome opportunity for everyone!
diane
Thanks Diane, I totally understand this alot more now.
It looks like an Awesome Opportunity for everyone like you stated!!
I think online ordering is great. I love my demo she is great, but sometimes she is busy and can't get to my order right away. This would allow me to order on my own, get benefits and still credit my demo. When does this start?
I'm less then please with the process they have choosen. I am not against online ordering since I do that quite a lot myself.... but here in Qu�bec, demo are not allowed to get at DBWS! So we will not be able to be credit for any of the sells made online!!!
This does not make any sens to me! and this will not help us at all!
I just did write to SU! about it and even if my main langage is French I did write it in English so I'm sure they will get my point.
I'm less then please with the process they have choosen. I am not against online ordering since I do that quite a lot myself.... but here in Qu�bec, demo are not allowed to get at DBWS! So we will not be able to be credit for any of the sells made online!!!
This does not make any sens to me! and this will not help us at all!
I just did write to SU! about it and even if my main langage is French I did write it in English so I'm sure they will get my point.
Curious... why aren't you allowed a DBWS? Are there plans for you to be able to get one? I wonder if it is like this in other areas as well.
My opinion is that SU! has a quality product, they always try and bring us the latest trends, and they have good customer service. When I was a demo, I was never unhappy with them. They really are a great company.
This latest online thing is just SU! keeping up with the times. People who are dedicated to their demo's will give them credit, people who don't will just eat the extra costs.
No matter what company your dealing with, you can't please everyone. Someone always has something to complain about. ;)
