What if SU offered options? POLL
 

What would change for you if SU offered mounting options. Check all that apply.

Just wanted to let you know there is not a poll showing on your thread! Sorry, if you already know this, but worth mentioning just in case! ;)

Hmmm, I can see it. I wonder what is wrong.

8) I see it now! Duh to me! Sorry! :oops:

I tried voting for both unmounted and clear but had to choose, so I chose clear -- assuming that they are top quality, which I think they would be. I hope a lot of folks respond to this poll regardless of opinion because I think it is great way to see what the trend in interests are here.

I love the idea of the clear unmounted stamps because of the ease of placing your image exactly where you want it. I bought a couple clear stamps at Joanns for $1 to experiment with but I wasn't happy with the result. It seems like the stamp didn't accept the ink as well as a rubber stamp and the image wasn't clear and crisp. Do the clear stamps require a different kind of ink? What do I need to do to get a rubber stamp quality image?
Thanks.

Yes, now I wish I had allowed for more than one option. Any way to start this over? If someone knows how, please go for it!! I wonder if SU can be swayed?

I think I remember hearing Shelli say a while back that SU wouldn't go unmounted. It was at a Regional Seminar.

If this poll continues the way it is, she may have to eat her words to keep 60% of her customers from spending their money elsewhere.

The cost of the mounted stamps is what took me aways from SU. I don't have the space for the wood blocks, nor do I like to pay the premium. I still love their cardstock, inks and colors- but I have moved on to another company for all my stamps. I found a company that offers great images, and high quality rubber- and generally for a lower price- I'm in love.

If SU were to offer unmounted Rubber, I don't know where I would shop.

I love SU's stamps, and I buy lots of them, mount all of them on the wood. However, I voted for the rubber unmounted because I am running out of room. If they had them with the cling mount (or whatever it is you need), I would buy them to save space. Of course, I would need a picture on the other side to know what I am stamping. I don't read backwards very well.

I bought a couple of TAC stamps a few months ago and while I like the SU images much better, I have really liked working with the cling mounted rubber. I think there is cute stuff coming out in the clear stamps, but so far i'm a die-hard rubber fan. If SU started offering cling mounted, even if it didn't cost any less, I would go in that direction. I don't unmount my SU now because I hate the idea of spending even more money to unmount stuff.

Or maybe just corner the market on wood mounted stamps.

I'm too lazy for the unmounteds. I don't like the idea of having to change them when I need to stamp my next image. I like cleaning them and popping them back in their box with their mounts. There are a lot of + and - either way. It just depends on attributes are more important to you. Personally, I like wood. :mrgreen:

:mrgreen: Teehee ~ me too!

I would buy the regular rubber UMs and the mounteds - depending on stamp type and what I would be using it for. Generally, though, I'd rather have the UM rubber. Storage is at a premium in my studio.

I like having wood mounted stamps, too!

They could still carry the wood mounted market and imagine if they also carried the UM market at the same time!

*snort*

leave it to shani... ;)

I went with mounted rubber. I don't mind unmounted rubber.....but I will always prefer mounted. The convenience is worth the extra cost to me.

I LOVE my wood-mounted stamps. I keep a lot of 'em out on display -- love just looking at 'em in my studio. I just like that they're already *together* when I'm ready to play.

I was thinking that what Shelli had said was that SU would not go to clear stamps . . .
I could be wrong about that (heaven knows it wouldn't be a first!!) but that's what I seem to remember.

I would LOVE for SU to offer unmounted. I'd buy a TON more.

Hur hur hur. So do I!

[Oh. This is a stamping forum? Uh...that's what I meant...stampie thingies. Right.]

Me too!

For me it comes down to whether or not I like the stamp itself. Doesn't bother me if it's clear or any of the options out there. I admit that I have been a bit scared by the idea of getting just a rubber sheet without foam or anything, but the more I've been reading the threads from the last week, the more I like the idea.

I voted for the mounted wood! I have been trying the clear stamps (MSE etc.) and the rubber UM stamps from other companies, and they are fun and a great option, too! But overall I am still whole-heartedly addicted to SU's way of doing stamps!!!

I'm a wood mounted gal myself. I do like the other kinds, just not as well.

I prefer wood mounted.

I love the wood blocks. From a demonstrator point of view, switching to the clear stamps would not be feasible. I'd have to get rid of all of my current stamps beause I wouldn't be able to demonstrate them. If that happened, I'd probably have to quit!!

simmy :-)

They are very easy to unmount! Again, as we mentioned if there were options there would be no reason not to continue demonstrating your wood mounts.

I'd love it if they sold UM!!! RUBBER!!!http://www.smileypad.com/v224/Happy/Big-Thumbs-Up.gif

I just wish they would mount them for me :)

For me...
 

I love SU stamps. Two and a half years ago when I really got interested in stamping, I didn't find any companies that offered a wide selection of unmounted stamps that were of good quality and fit my style. So I bought the SU stamps and pulled off the foam to mount them on EZ mount. I have hated spending the money on the second set of mounting foam and all of those wood blocks which I don't need. But that was my only option. However, over the past couple of years that has started to change. So many companies are offering great sets of unmounted stamps. There are more sets that I love than I can afford. So why should I continue to waste money on wood mounts that I don't use. Especially after seeing all the CHA previews, if SU doesn't offer an unmounted option begin in July I won't be making any further purchases. I will miss being part of a stamp club, but....


Beth

I just wish they would precut the rubber like they are doing for the simply sent kits. I think that would be soooo wonderful!

I think she was refering to clear stamps. Not unmounting her rubber.

i would prefer- wood mounted rubber! i want it ready to go. and from what i've been reading the others don't last and don't have as clear an image. i think being able to see where you are putting it isn't enough in trade for quality.

I couldn't vote; not enough options.

Until about a year or two ago, I was a die-hard WM ONLY gal. But, I have evolved into what I call a "hybrid" stamper, for lack of a better term. ;) chuckle!

I will admit, that WM stamps are still my preferred, and, I am very willing to pay for the convenience and ease.

However, if I really love an image, I am now willing to purchase it UM or in high quality clear polymer, if that's the only option available, whereas before, I would probably have not.

One love that has remained constant for me: I adore coordinated stamp SETS (no matter what format they come in--as long as they are made of high quality materials), that feature images designed to be used with each other. I find it really reduces the time spent developing a given project design when I work with sets, and I like that.

I'll admit, I don't have unlimited funds--I'm on a budget just like most folks! ;) However, as a veteran stamper of 13 years, I look at my purchases differently than when I first began: Because of my limited budget, I've had to become very discerning! I'm not so much interested in "buying more", as much as I am interested in investing in images that provide me a lot of versatility, and longevity, for the investment of my limited funds.

So, let's dish things around hypothetically, just for fun and curiosity! ;)

What type of stamp consumer are you (assuming you're like me, and can't afford to get everything you want at the same time)?

1. You only have $100 to spend, so if SU! offered a UM or clear option your $100 would go further as far as buying MORE images, and that's really what you want--more images for your $100. In other words, regardless of how much you love an image, quantity per dollar, or storage issues are more important.

2. You would actually purchase MORE product, beyond your $100 budget, if you had the option to buy UM or clear.

3. You have $100 to spend (No matter what you get, you still only have $100 to spend), you are gonna get what you like, regardless of the format (as long as you really like the images know you will use them a LOT, and they're made of high quality materials), and whatever you couldn't get today, you will hopefully be able to get later, when you have another $100 to spend.

4. Are you predominantly a scrapper, looking to incorporate stamping into your scrapbook creations, and therefore, seeking "minimal" investment as far as stamps go? While I'm not a scrapper, the scrapbooking industry appears to me to be more "consumable" in nature, so that can weigh in on budgetary concerns . . .

5. Are you a STAMPY stamper (meaning die-hard stamp artisan)--if you are, the type (meaning materials) your stamps are made of, are very important because you can't do everything with clear that you can with rubber, and vice versa!

Now, try viewing it from a manufacturer's stance, where you have to figure out which approach will earn you maximum profit and is therefore worth investing your company's resources; after all, you have to earn a living at this, or why bother making and selling stamps at all? ;)

The manufacturer has to find hard-core supporting evidence (factual data) that you, as a consumer, *really* would buy significantly MORE product from a company than you normally would, simply because a clear or UM option is available, before they can even consider it.

Now, my hypothetical above certainly isn't scientific, but it's just food for thought, UKWIM? There are a LOT of factors they have to consider and they do hafta be careful that whichever move they make, it is in the best interest of their company's ability to profit.

For me, as a consumer, looking to maximize my limited spending dollars, the love of the image(s), coupled with convenience/ease of use, and the versatility of the image to be used in a numerous array of techniques, overrides my desire for quantity of images, or storage issues. So, for me, because I only have a budget of $100 spend, the option of UM or clear in and of itself makes no impact on the amount I will spend . . . it's stuck at $100; the company that will get my dollars is the company that produces the images I'm wild about. And, luckily for me, there are a lot of companies out there whose images I love so I spread my (little bit of) money around! Hah! chuckle!

I'll admit, it would be fascinating to see a scientific analysis of the above, because, just based on my observations, everybody's personal preferences range the gamut, and discussion, while intriguing, doesn't actually provide us with hard core data, UKWIM?

I'm not analytical, by nature, but, I guess the nerd in me is very curious about this! LOL!

My preference has always been wood mounted, but I voted for the unmounted rubber. I'm not a fan of the clear acrylic stamps. I have a several sets, but am disappointed with their durability. BUT - I know they are constantly making improvements to the process, so that is likely to change. Space is an issue in my house, so I have just started unmounting some of my treasured, but seldom used sets. I really like the storage capabilities of unmounting them. Allows me to hoard so many more, lol! I have found, too, that SU has high quality, deeply etched rubber, and the foamy stuff isn't even necessary to get a good image - so I'm peeling that off as well. As I acquire new SU sets, I am removing the foamy layer, and just trimming the rubber. I've been using Aleene's Tack It Over and Over, and am keeping several of each size of wood block so that I have more options. (A layer of packing tape on the block, and you can use wood blocks instead of acrylic handles - keeping several on hand allows me to keep mulitple images mounted at once)

I'd be surprised if SU ventured out of rubber into the acrylics, but then again, there is no denying the popularity of them right now...I would love an option to buy mounted or unmounted rubber though!

OK, I'll play with Julie . . .

I love a lot of SU's sets. I tend to buy considerably more from TAC, however, because the unmounteds cost so much less and I don't mount the SU sets anyway - I stick vinyl cling on them and use my acrylic blocks.

I don't think I'll ever buy an SU alphabet (because how different can you make an alphabet, and TAC has tons of 'em), and my background stamps are from Cornish Heritage Farms (again, very similar to SU's, and half the price)

From SU, I buy what I can't get anywhere else - some of their specialty punches, stamp sets that I can't find something close enough elsewhere. If they offered unmounted as an option, a higher percentage of my budget would go their way.

Heck, I wouldn't even care if the stamps came with the same foam and I'd have to keep using my vinyl cling. I'd just like the option of not paying for wood blocks that I'm not going to use and that take up space I don't have.

chose the 3rd option....I don't do well with change. :)

I have to agree with you on this one Julie. For me it isn't so much whether it is WM or UM or what. It is the stamp itself (or stamp set). There are some great UM stamp sets out there and I want them. I only have a few now and plan on getting more. But I do know that even if I keep getting UM I will not unmount my WM sets. I still love my wood and tend to lean towards them. That is purely convienence. I love the convienence of having them all ready to go. And I think someone mentioned that they like having them to look at in their studio. Me too!

I am hoping that SU reamins the same. I'm hoping CTMH remains the same. I could say that about a lot of companies. They need to keep doing what they do best now. Consistency is important to me too. Can I rely on a company to give the same product tomorrow that I got today?