SU, TAC, CTMH
 

:confused: Hi all....
I am going to sign up to be a demonstrator. I belong to a SU club and go to Stamp and Stacks. Before I make a choice though, I want to know about these other 2 comanies....
No one that I know of sells either of these, and I can't find info on the discount for CTMH (I ran across one of their idea books at a yard sale from 2002)
I love SU, but I can't love what I don't know about right????
Thanks in advance for the info...

CTMH discount is 22%, but volume rebates start very low sales, I think $100.

CTMH will not drop you for missing a quarter. Instead, you go to "Junior" status, which means that you get only a 10% discount. You bump back up to full active anytime you place $300 in orders in one quarter.

Thanks for the info... So do you run Stamp and Stacks, clubs and things like that? Or do you do home shows? Questions questions questions....:D

I used to be a demo for SU for 3 years and just recently resigned and joined TAC. I looked at CTMH closely as an option.

I left SU b/c I was getting tired to the art work, and because of the saturation of SU demos and I couldn't make my mins and was buying it all myself and I became a collector. I was too much of a SU snob and once I started to free myself and use other items from other companies, I felt freer and started to be more creative.

Anyways, I looked at the pricing and the artwork options. I found that CTMH has some great scrapping papers and some good pricing, decent pricing (below SU) on stamps, but their artwork in stamps didn't strike me too much. I think demo discount is better then SU, but I don't remember exactly. Mins are same as SU, but when you don't meet them, you are not dropped, you go into JR status and drop to a 10% discount, but are reactivated with a 200$ order?? that amount of the order I am not exactly sure on. Oh, do love the Stamp Of The Month that they have.

I settled on TAC b/c I loved much more stamp sets in their catalog then any other. I love the pricing better then any other 2 companies....20 is the priciest stamp sets, and many are 16, 15, 11 8 and even 6$. That I love. I have learned to love working with the unmounted stamps. I love to be able to see what I am doing and might have to unmount my fav SU stamps for that reason. I hate trying to see through the wood block now! :)
Min party order is 100, they have half price stuff, they carry the scor-pal and many other cool tools... Mins for staying active is 100/4months, they have Stamp of the months too for reduced prcing, gift stamps with 30$ purchases. I love the mins, love the art (well, I have a longer wish list here then any other company)--

Hope you found some help out of all my rambles! :)

I landed with tac b/c I

You can pretty much run your business any way you choose with either of the 3 companies. Home parties, Stamp-a-Stacks, classes, it's whatever you choose to make it. I think each company has lots of good things to offer, it's just a matter of finding a good fit for you. I chose TAC and have been very happy. I started out just intending to be a hobby demo. Now I am so excited about TAC's products and pricing that I am persuing it as a business so that I can spread the word to others.

Whatever you decide, I'm sure it will be fun!

P.S. Hi Angie.

I think the most important question you have to ask yourself is whose products do you love the most. If you're just going to buy from yourself, it makes the most sense to get the discount on stuff you like the most. If you're going to sell to others, it makes sense to sell to them products you love the most becasue, unless you're a born salesperson who can sell snow to an eskimo, it's really difficult to sell stuff you do not care for. Customers sense if your enthusiasm for the product is real or not, so if you want to build a busines choose products that excite you the most.

Regardless of which company you decide to sign up with, make sure you are choosing the right upline who can offer you the kind of support you are looking for. A great upline is not essential, but having one makes it a lot easier and more fun. So I would recommend interviewing potential uplines from all 3 companies and asking them some tough questions. The , basedon the decision youmade about the products, go with the upline that seems like the best fit.

As a Stampin' Up! demosntrator who uses Stampin;Up! stufff exclusively I am obviously somewhat biased, but I will say that if you already love Stampin' Up! stuff now is the best time to join. With the 20% discount on the starter kit and the free stamp set you are basically getting the stamping supplies in the kit at a 50% discount off the retail price, which is an awesome deal. And there are plenty of resources to help you make your Stampin' Up! business a success, even in areas that already have demos. (In fact, "how can I run a successful business in an area that is/that may become saturated with other demos" is something you may want to ask your potential demos to see what types of ideas they can offer.)

Regardless of which company you choose, good luck in your new venture!

Each company has a different style of stamp, meaning that currently SU is all wood mounted, TAC, unmounted rubber with ez foam, and CTMH is clear. I know that CTMH and SU have coordinating lines of inks, pens, and paper, so if that is important to you, I would consider those. TAC may have the same thing, but I can't remember.

Definitely invest in a cattie from each company. Better yet, see if you can attend a workshop by a CTMH and a TAC demo to get a feel for their product line.

Go with what you love!

I never had any intention of becoming a demo for any company. Some friends & I became interested in TAC products, bought some and loved them! I became a demo for TAC for only one reason - the closest demo lived an hour away. I'm strictly a hobbyist - I've only done 2 "funshops" in the year and a half I've been a demo. I've never had difficulty meeting the minimums. I just collect orders from friends every once in awhile, and do a few classes per year.

TAC has a little less professional feel than other companies. Please lemme explain before you flame me. TAC is a young company and is growing rapidly. They are striving to be a blessing to those who use and sell their products. The newsletters are less professional-looking than SU, and sometimes things just don't come out on time. That said, I love that about TAC. I feel like I am completely supported by the company, even though I don't sell a lot. They are super friendly to hobby demos. There's not a lot of snobbery in the company.

We do not carry matching inks & papers, which is somewhat frustrating. We do carry palette inks, however, and they are awesome! We also have a beautiful line of decorative papers with coordinating hardware, ribbon, cardstock. For me, the stamp styles work. I'm more drawn to the cute and whimsical. If you're not, TAC might not be the best choice, although there are a lot of flourishy and elegant word stamps in the new catty. I also love the huge variety of Scripture stamps because I am involved in a card ministry and use those a lot!

Yes, it is a personal preference. I went with TAC because it was a great fit for me. However, I'm glad that others have chosen SU & CTMH so I can buy from them!!

Don't think it's been mentioned - commission is 25% and demo discount is 30%.

Good luck with your decision and please keep us posted!

ya'll are awesome. Thanks for all of the info.. I can hardly wait to see the catties from each co.
Really ladies a very sincere thank you, for taking the time to answer all my questions.:-D

CTMH is a 22% discount/commission but you can earn more commission with higher monthly sales. Minimum sales is $300 a quarter. I love the Jr. consultant status, it's nice to know it's there if you don't make sales in a quarter.

I agree you should go with the company whose product you like most. But also look at how many consultants are in your area. One reason I joined CTMH is there are so many SU reps around and not many CTMH, it helps my buisness. But the main reason I joined was because I LOVE our clear stamps.

I agree with what everyone said about choosing the company that you feel is the best fit for your style. But, I'm chiming in about the demo saturation. To me that is not a factor for determining which company. Even if there are a lot of SU demos in your area and you sign with TAC of CTMH, you are still competing for those stampin $$. And just because there are a lot of demos (of any of the 3 companies) in your area doesn't mean you can't have a successful business. I live in an area with a lot of SU demos, but I still find people that have never heard of SU! You might have to be more creative in getting your name out, but you can do it. Good luck on your decision!

I have to agree. I'm an SU business demo in an area that has a lot of SU demos as well, and 90% of the new customers I meet have never heard of SU. Also, just because no one else in the area sells it doesn't mean you will be able to if you do not love the product (if you do love the product, that's a different story).

Right now I am seriously thinking of signing up with TAC. I want to do something with my craft than just send friends cards every holiday. My heart is with SU! and has been for years, but I recently received a TAC catty and there is so much in there that is similar to SU. I do however like the UM TAC sets, I have UM all of my SU! set's and that was a chore.

Like I said my heart is with SU! but I really like how TAC's minimums are so much less, just in case I can't get things off the ground I won't be so pressured. And I still have my dear SU demo for those occasional "SU fixes" that I might get.

Thanks everyone for the info, this thread helps.

TAC's minimums, sets, and price are what made me choose them. I can stick with it, even if I have a "bad quarter". I LOVE THIS COMPANY!

Just to play devil's advocate--if your "heart is with SU!" don't you think you would be better at selling it, even if you UM your SU! sets? I think Diane brings up a great point--that in order to sell, you have to believe in your product. One thing with SU!'s minimum--the first quarter is waived. So if you sign up now, you have until the end of June to get that first minimum in. Of course, if you want it to be a business, you'll want to start selling right away.
It's a big decision though so I think a thread like this is probably helpful to people who are trying to make that decision.

Dana,
You have received some fabulous advice! I love SCS for this very reason!! :)

If you have not yet checked them out, please be sure to check out the company websites of CTMH and TAC.

www.closetomyheart.com
www.theangelcompany.net


I chose CTMH because I LOVE, LOVE the clear stamps! I also enjoy the coordinating papers, inks, and embellishments.

Good luck on YOUR choice... and be sure to share with us what you choose! :)

I checked out a few companies before I signed up for the Stampin' Up! kit only.....which was 4 years ago LOL...

The thing that sold me to Stampin' Up! above anything was their Color Families. I loved their colors and how everything matched.

I have not regretted my decision for one minute!

Good Luck whatever you decide.

Also going along playing devil's advocate, I would be wary of not going with the company your heart is most with... I am a TAC demo and while prices helped push me, I also love our stamps. However, if I didn't love our stamps so much, my heart might be with SU cause of DSP and paper/colors.

You want to be able to show people how much you genuinely love your product. If they feel it from you they will believe it to!

Kelley

When I first experienced stamping, at a party, it was with Stampin Up. I used their products for about 3 yrs, and I still do. I love their products!! However...once I decided that I wanted to actually SELL stamps...I looked at several companies...SU especially. I decided for me, I wouldn't be able to meet the min. required orders..since I am just a hobby demo. I hadn't even experienced the unmounted style, but I read about TAC on this website. I contacted a lady on here, and she sent me a sample stamp to try. Let me tell you....it was love at first sight!! I loved being able to SEE what I was stamping! All of the companies are terrific, and I'm sure whichever one you choose, you will be very happy with! TAC works for me, because I don't feel the pressure to place large orders, since I hobby demo only. Plus the unmounted, acrylic blocks are more my style. Hope this helps you. Let us know what you decide! Karen

I myself have been with The Angel Company since 2004. Before I joined TAC. I looked into SU too.

I like the stamp set's from Both companies. And I talked with a SU demo about everything that would be required of me for being a SU demo.

At the time I didn't think I could handle the Minimums from SU.

Also at the time I was in a Buyers club through a TAC demo. and after chatting with a few TAC demo's I thought about it and Prayed about it.


I decided to join TAC because I ready knew what the stamp set's were like, And I knew I could keep up with the Minimums with TAC.


Just to let you know alittle bit more about TAC.

AS TAC demo you need to sell $100.00 every 4 month in order to stay active.

You will earn 25% commission on Retail sales. (Workshops, Funshops, Catalog parties, and Customer direct orders.)

With TAC our commission in NOT instant income, TAC will mail you a Commission Check twice amonth.

As a TAC demo you will recieve 30% off Your personal orders. NO Commission.

Earn Career points, Earn TRIPS, Stamp set's FREE, Enter TAC related contest.
Win Prizes.

You can be a hobby Demo or a Business Demo. It's totally up to you!


The starter kit is $150.00 (retail value $280.00) Get all the Business Supplies with 10 Catalogs, Pick your own T-coded Stamps and Paper collections.

The start Kit comes with Standard supplies like Cardstock, Ink pad Palette Noir, Markers of your choice, Chip board FREE Stamp of the Month for the current month.

TAC also has incentives for New Demo's to join.

During the Month of March Each New Demo will recieve additonal $50.00 in T-coded Stamps

The thing I really like about TAC is if you miss your minimums its easy to reactivate. I missed about 8 months of no ordering due to health issues and all I had to do to become active again was place a $50.00 order. and at $100 every 4 months I have no trouble making the minimums by myself. the comission checks are great because I have physical proof of my work and can show hubby that I am doing something and it's just nice to receive a paycheck :) It usually comes in at a time really need the money and I love being able to contribute to the household budget, the gifts with purchase and hostess sets and 1/2 price items WOW I got my Bind It All for half price and will be getting a Scor-pal next month.
And the new Spring supplement just came out beautiful new stamps and best of all it has the Crop a Dile 2 and case in it, the CAD is on my list to get for 1/2 price.
I love this company! I just got a backordered item in and they sent me a free stamp set just because I had to wait! Anytime I've had to call them they are always friendly.

I was a demo for SU around 10 years ago & really had fun with it. Then I went back to college & got busy & sold most everything SU in order to help with my college costs. I am getting back into stamping & looked at joining SU again (I hate paying full price), but like some of the other comments, I realized that TAC is a better choice for me now (I'll be starting in March). My stamping is my hobby for now, don't know that I want to do the business thing again, so the lower minimum works for me. Both company's stamps are great! Good luck with your choice.

I chose SU mainly for the matching color families and I love mounted stamps. I tried some acrylic stamps and was not very happy with them.

I think the main decision is how much do you want to sell vs. get a discount for your own use. I would consider whose products you like the best as the main factor.

I am debating which company to go with myself, so this is a great thread! Several years ago, I was very into stamping - buying mostly from great shops we had in the area. I have hundreds and hundreds of stamps - mostly single stamps. Life got in the way and between the kids, work and school - stamping fell by the wayside.

I am now getting back into it, but all the stamp stores have gone out of business :(, so I am looking into being a demo to support my stamp addiction (and my 25 DD's scrapping/stamping). With the amount of everything I already have, I am seriously considering going unmounted. So far, I have mostly looked into SU! and somewhat into CTMH. After looking at the TAC site, I really like their stamps, too. I do still have a couple of questions about TAC if someone could answer them. Great job so far, jean!

Can you put in your own show to earn hostess benefits? If not, do your personal orders count toward your minimum sales?

Does TAC take credit cards?

Do you place shows and/or orders online or mail in?

Thanks!

Yes, we can earn the hostess benefits on our own orders. We accept Visa/MC/DISC with no extra fee. We use a great online ordering system called AngelNet.

Personal orders I was referring too, Is when you meet your $100.00 minimum Requirement, You then can use your Demo Discount Which is 30% off. You will NOT recieve any Commission this, As you already have gotten a discount.


Something else I thought I would mention too. Is if you become Sick and can't work your business or hobby. You need to contact TAC to let me know.
That you need some time off. This way you will not go inactive.


If you do become inactive which is 4 to 6 months. All you have to do is place an order of $50.00 or more to become active again.

You will loose your demoship if you go for more than 6 months.

Which means you would loose any of your downlines and you would have to start all over again.
You'd have to purchase a New Starter kit. And you would get a New Demo #.


Also Make sure you place an order through your Demo and NOT the Website.

Why? Well you will not recieve any of the Hostess Benefits or any of the GWP's.

Also you can Fax in, Snail mail and even Email order's if you Don't have the Angel net.