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Well, that math IS quite an eye opener...I am now really considering other options for my stamping supplies. I guess the $700-$1000 per year that I spend with SU isn't all that important to them...
Fat . . . dumb . . . and happy. That's the feeling I'm left with here.
There are a couple of things that cause me considerable angst.
1. SU insists on hiding behind it's demos. Not a great way to treat those who invest so much time and effort towards furthuring the success, really, of someone elses business.
2. The gross and obvious pricing inequities. As Canadians, we are by far outnumbered by our neighbors to the South, and perhaps our business is not as valued.
3. If you want to compare pricing, based on todays exchange rate, let's look at the math:
The US dollar today, according to the Bank of Canada, is .13 stronger. So, lets use the ribbon price comparison noted earlier:
US price = $9.95
CDN price = $14.95
True $ conversion @ .13 on the dollar = $11.23
Difference = $3.72 = .25 on the dollar. That's .12 over and above today's rate.
How do you feel now?
Add to this, the 10% shipping gouge that we're treated to as loyal customers.
Personally, I really REALLY hate paying for all that wood that I totally do not want!! But do they listen? nope . . . that's another discussion.
Now, let's put this into context. I just over paid $3.72 for a single item.
So, now, as a consumer I'm getter 12% less for my money, overcharged for shipping and forced to receive those bloody wood blocks that I do not want.
I'm not the type of consumer to waste time writing to a company to voice a complaint that I really well and truly believe they don't care about. I'll just walk quietly off into the sunset of their competitors arms.
Wenchie would you consider sending this to Stampin Up? I think it is great and even though they will not listen at least you have your say. I would believe that you speak for many of us here.
I also agree with Jennifer. You would like to think that they would have thought this whole price increase through but seeing this may help them understand why we are getting so frustrated with this situation.
Having worked in retail for so long, I know for a fact the powers-that-be usually see everything by the numbers and not necessarily the "human factor".
You know, we can all complain on this forum but it won't do us any good unless we email the company. I just did and I hope to hear from them real soon.
__________________ I got a Nikon camera. I love to take photographs, so momma don't take my kodachrome away."
Paul Simon
I agree that the price increase sucks but I wanted to add a few things...
- the price difference between the US & the Cdn prices is not based just on the current exchange rate. The catalogue was sent to printing several months ago when the Cdn $ was weaker. The difference also includes duty, brokerage, etc. Have you ever ordered on-line from a US place then had to pay an additional $40 or $50 when it's delivered?
- we got a huge price break about 2 years ago. The markers used to be $187.95, they dropped down to $152 & have slowly been climbing back up. They're still below the price 2 years ago & we've enjoyed a couple of years of big savings.
- I love the quality of SU's products (yes, I'm a demo but I would still buy from SU). Sometimes I think the prices for stamp sets are too high then I go to Michael's & see that 1 stamp can cost almost $20 & I realize that SU's prices are pretty reasonable. I love that everything matches (ink, cardstock, paper, markers, etc). It makes scrapbooking & cardmaking so much easier!
I don't disagree what anyone else has said here...just wanted to give a different viewpoint....
__________________ Angel
Check out My Gallery!
'Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.'
Actually I really shop around now. I am disappointed in the price increase too.
As I said in another thread there is a store in B.C. where I can get punches and some equipment that SU sells at least 4.00 dollars cheaper. So I will be buying there. I may always get paper from SU because of color match. Even so there are other companies who now attract my attention.
Recently purchased some Websters pages from my local Scrapbook store. I did all my teacher thank you cards with those papers. It cost me 10.00 dollars.
Are you hearing this Stampin Up?
If there's a store in B.C. where I can get some SU items I'd really like to know where. Thanks!
I have resisted buying into the SU hype until the last few months. I've always maintained the opinion that their products are well overpriced. Yes, they have nice quality cardstock (and that's about all I buy from them), but there are other companies that have the same quality as SU. I'm disappointed by the disparity in prices, and I guess I will have to go back to Bazzill papers. There's so much choice out there, I'm not going to limit myself to overpriced merchandise. I say, we should spend more time and $$ at our LSS and support our local economies rather than shipping our money to some big conglomerate south of the border.
If there's a store in B.C. where I can get some SU items I'd really like to know where. Thanks!
Maria
Hello Maria
They do not have products that are exclusive to SU. What they do have is circle punches square punches that are the same as what SU sells. I do not want to give the name here. My advice is to go to the yellow pages and check around at the prices.
Hey there,
Just joining in.
I belong to an SU once a month card club. I am not continuing however due to the price of SU supplies. I agree their paper is terrific, but I'm going to have to settle for something else. I don't agree that a roll of ribbon should cost $3-4 dollars for shipping etc. Why is each person charged such a huge amount for shipping when it all comes in one box to the demonstrator?
I have enough I don't need more and I won't continue to buy into the "retired/semi-retired/dormant-semi-dormant" frenzy that their marketing pumps out. I would rather visit the local scrap store and use what I have.
Just my 2 cents....
Jen
and....after reading back over the posts, I too will write SU but to tell them I'm resigning from my group and buying local.
Chantal put it really well when she said, post prices in U.S. dollars and then when our dollar is doing well we get a bit of a break.
Have a good one ladies.
jen
Just an update. SU received my letter but has not responded. People hate to admit when they are wrong. I think they believed the price increase would just be attributed to the low Canadian dollar. Either way I am going to find other ways to get my fix.
They do not have products that are exclusive to SU. What they do have is circle punches square punches that are the same as what SU sells. I do not want to give the name here. My advice is to go to the yellow pages and check around at the prices.
Thanks Gracey'sgirl.
I go to the LSS for most of my supplies - at least once a week - one's right by the grocery store and the other by Costco, very convenient
It's the punches I have a "thing" for - the exclusive ones that can't be found in the LSS. Now if I could find those at the LSS I'd be one very happy camper - and I don't like to camp!
Hey there,
Just joining in.
I belong to an SU once a month card club. I am not continuing however due to the price of SU supplies. I agree their paper is terrific, but I'm going to have to settle for something else. I don't agree that a roll of ribbon should cost $3-4 dollars for shipping etc. Why is each person charged such a huge amount for shipping when it all comes in one box to the demonstrator?
I have enough I don't need more and I won't continue to buy into the "retired/semi-retired/dormant-semi-dormant" frenzy that their marketing pumps out. I would rather visit the local scrap store and use what I have.
Just my 2 cents....
Jen
A roll of ribbon doesn't (shouldn't) cost $3-4 for shipping. Especially if it's part of a workshop order. Shipping/handling is 10%. SU! doesn't have any ribbon (even in the new Canadian catalogue) that costs $30-40 per roll.
I am sorry that so many of you are choosing to discontinue purchasing from SU! Obviously it's not a decision you're making lightly. Please be sure to tell your demonstrator why ... so she doesn't think that it was something that she did wrong. And I'm glad to hear so many of you are emailing SU! ... because that's really the only way to help make change happen.
A roll of ribbon doesn't (shouldn't) cost $3-4 for shipping. Especially if it's part of a workshop order. Shipping/handling is 10%. SU! doesn't have any ribbon (even in the new Canadian catalogue) that costs $30-40 per roll.
I am sorry that so many of you are choosing to discontinue purchasing from SU! Obviously it's not a decision you're making lightly. Please be sure to tell your demonstrator why ... so she doesn't think that it was something that she did wrong. And I'm glad to hear so many of you are emailing SU! ... because that's really the only way to help make change happen.
Good point Gail, I will make sure my demonstrator knows it is not her. I have always felt that my shipping seemed higher than 10%? I will go and check my order forms. I love the SU punches, I love their paper. But...I've been re-thinking this long before the price hike.
I agree that the price increase sucks but I wanted to add a few things...
- the price difference between the US & the Cdn prices is not based just on the current exchange rate. The catalogue was sent to printing several months ago when the Cdn $ was weaker. The difference also includes duty, brokerage, etc. Have you ever ordered on-line from a US place then had to pay an additional $40 or $50 when it's delivered?
- we got a huge price break about 2 years ago. The markers used to be $187.95, they dropped down to $152 & have slowly been climbing back up. They're still below the price 2 years ago & we've enjoyed a couple of years of big savings.
- I love the quality of SU's products (yes, I'm a demo but I would still buy from SU). Sometimes I think the prices for stamp sets are too high then I go to Michael's & see that 1 stamp can cost almost $20 & I realize that SU's prices are pretty reasonable. I love that everything matches (ink, cardstock, paper, markers, etc). It makes scrapbooking & cardmaking so much easier!
I don't disagree what anyone else has said here...just wanted to give a different viewpoint....
I know that they can try to tell us that the difference in prices are due to duties, taxes, etc. on some stuff (and I understand that) but things that they make in the US should be exempt from duty because of NAFTA. I'm guessing that they make their stamps in the US so they really can't justify charging up to 40% more.
I sent my letter to SU on Saturday but haven't heard back from them either.
I know that they can try to tell us that the difference in prices are due to duties, taxes, etc. on some stuff (and I understand that) but things that they make in the US should be exempt from duty because of NAFTA. I'm guessing that they make their stamps in the US so they really can't justify charging up to 40% more.
I sent my letter to SU on Saturday but haven't heard back from them either.
Oh and they will, you will get a letter telling you all about the "mailing" costs and "duty" at the border etc. I get lots of those whenever I question U.S. companies about shipping costs.
I think it was Urban Outfitter who wanted 29.99 to ship an 8.99 t-shirt to Canada. I do believe some of the smaller companies struggle with the costs, I had a lovely reply from one of the smaller stamping companies who was honest and said they were working on a solution because they didn't want to lose the Canadian market.
jen
I agree that the price increase sucks but I wanted to add a few things...
- the price difference between the US & the Cdn prices is not based just on the current exchange rate. The catalogue was sent to printing several months ago when the Cdn $ was weaker. The difference also includes duty, brokerage, etc. Have you ever ordered on-line from a US place then had to pay an additional $40 or $50 when it's delivered?
- we got a huge price break about 2 years ago. The markers used to be $187.95, they dropped down to $152 & have slowly been climbing back up. They're still below the price 2 years ago & we've enjoyed a couple of years of big savings.
- I love the quality of SU's products (yes, I'm a demo but I would still buy from SU). Sometimes I think the prices for stamp sets are too high then I go to Michael's & see that 1 stamp can cost almost $20 & I realize that SU's prices are pretty reasonable. I love that everything matches (ink, cardstock, paper, markers, etc). It makes scrapbooking & cardmaking so much easier!
I don't disagree what anyone else has said here...just wanted to give a different viewpoint....
Sorry to disagree -but I purchase stamps and paper often from the US via the mail - and the pirces are much much much better than those in the SU Catty. I don't get charged brokerage fees, and very rarely I get charged PST and GST - but never duty.
I get the current exchange rate - not that I think the exchange rate is an excuse for SU to charge so much in the catty's! It's ridiculous.
As for Micheal's - they are the about the most expensive store in Canada to purchase craft stuff from. I would never purchase from them - but rather a local LSS or on line.
I do like some of SU products, but they are much overpriced in Canada. My demo agrees with me. To pay 22.95 for a punch??? when I can go into an LSS and pay far less for one.
I don't think that we have enjoyed 2 years of big savings. Our dollar is wa above par for quite a while and we've never had SU prices anything close to par. Even how, our dollar is doing quite well compared to the US dollar.
I suspect SU will get a lot less sales. I will still purchase some SU stuff, but it's going to be a lot less. This new catty does not have much new!
Hey there,
Just joining in.
I belong to an SU once a month card club. I am not continuing however due to the price of SU supplies. I agree their paper is terrific, but I'm going to have to settle for something else. I don't agree that a roll of ribbon should cost $3-4 dollars for shipping etc. Why is each person charged such a huge amount for shipping when it all comes in one box to the demonstrator?
I have enough I don't need more and I won't continue to buy into the "retired/semi-retired/dormant-semi-dormant" frenzy that their marketing pumps out. I would rather visit the local scrap store and use what I have.
Just my 2 cents....
Jen
I've wondered myself why each customer is charged what they are and yet it comes to the demo in one shipment. This doesn't seem right and the cost does add up when you have to add in shipping and provincial tax etc.
I order alot of products from the US and I don't pay anywhere near the same price as I do with SU. I did a cost comparison of cardstock from SU and PTI and with the exchange, shipping and duty, PTI's cardstock works out to be $.03 less per sheet than SU, and this is before the price increase, and I think that PTI's cardstock is better for using as card bases. I have told my demo that I will only be buying stamps that I really like and I will probably get the new In Colors, and she is fine with that, she has even said that the prices are not really to her liking either. I am wondering if SU is only putting the prices up because they now have so many of us hooked on buying there product that they figure we won't go anywhere else for our supplies?
i feel torn cause i myself love and use SU products... but i've noticed lately SU as a company(not the demos fault.. my demo is fantastic) has been lacking in the consumer satisfaction area. There has been many awesome example points already told here about the shipping cost when it comes in one box. Who can afford to spend that much $ on one roll of ribbon..etc. I myself have ordered from other US companies and gotten more for my $. I just sign on to SCS and we are always saying what we love and hate about products. Many have wrote to SU and have gotten no response or will get an excuse from them.. i feel as Canadian we are getting the bad end of the stick.....and it seem like SU as a corporation just wants our hard earned $...cause they know we "try" to be loyal to them.... which that's what SU wants our $. i know that last comments will make some come to SU defence but really i'm tired of the excuses. SU makes money off Canadian orders anyways with all the smoke and mirrors already instated, to hike up the prices has made me question SU greed and my loyalty to SU. i have been able to get simular products cheaper and personally been looking into more local options... in a small town it's a little more difficult but still very do-able. and with internet i guess i'll be seeking other options.. which is sad and a bit of as pity when you really think about it... forcing SU to realize their mistakes this way. Supporting local is better for us Canadians anyway! TFL to my rant.
I've been thinking what you said about being from a small town. I'm not I'm in Winnipeg and we have a few scrap stores (I think only 3) but they are well stocked and well run. You must find that very frustrating if you are depending on the mail for your supplies. One thing I always check is kijji and usedwinnipeg.com etc. for deals and for putting my own for sale items on. I also use SCS but some US sellers won't ship to Canada. I've stopped using ebay.
I think we like to feel SU cares about their customers but the recent changes have made me wonder if they think we are ignorant to their marketing ploys? Two catalogues now with repeat stamps and not too many new and exciting ones, the salebration (sp) in Feb was awful. They never really give you a terrific deal and again mentioned the "frenzy" with all of this retiring, dormant semi stuff. I feel no need of urgency to order. Besides, most of my retired stamps I got off ebay for about 5 dollars.
I have a heck of a lot of fun with SU products and I admit it is my "downtime" my "girl time" my 'therapy." But I honestly don't feel that SU values it's customers. It's right up there with the 'dollar" stores are now "dollarplus" meaning heck if we can get $1.00 surely we can get $1.25. Is it greed or necessity?
There is my rant
jen
Smoke and mirrors I say on the shipping charges. I'm waiting to hear back from SU about my letter.
jen
Both my friend and I still haven't heard back from them re: our emails.
You know, I am so terribly disappointed in them- I was considering becoming a Demo whenever I went on Mat. leave just to get me out of the house. I always believed in their product and was always happy with their customer service but now there is no way that I would become a Demo unless they do a SERIOUS about-face.
In all my years in customer service, it was ingrained into my head "the customer always comes first" but I tell you I really think that SU's new mantra is "profit comes first".
Sorry I have been so cranky about this, but when you have used a product for so long and recommended their product to pretty much everyone, it just upsets me greatly that SU just doesn't seem to care about their Canadian customers. :(
I stumbled upon this SU promotion for "the camping people in your lives" The break down in US prices ( I believe I may be wrong) so I converted it to Canadian to be sure and added shipping and GST/PST but left out any taxes we might get at the border. The grand total was $191.57 cents to give your camping friends a ziplock bag with 2 marshmellows, 2 graham wafers and a block of chocolate. With a really cute tag of course.
***warning***the following prices do not include marshmellows, chocolate, wafers or ziplock bags.
SUPPLIES REGULAR
Under The Stars $39.94
Real Red 8-1/2X11 Card Stock $7.22
Whisper White 8-1/2X11 Card Stock $9.94
Earth Elements 12X12 Textured Card Stock $15.50
Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad $7.72
Creamy Caramel Craft Stampin' Pad $9.94
Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad $7.72
So Saffron Classic Stampin' Pad $7.72
Large Flat Cello Bags $6.61
Linen Thread $5.83
Stampin' Dimensionals $5.50
Blender Pens $13.89
Stamping Sponges $4.72
I just checked my email and I did get a response from a SU Rep this morning.
To summarize (don't want to get in trouble for cutting and pasting the whole email in here)...
Thank you for contacting us. We are pleased to hear that you enjoy our products and want you to know that we have forwarded your e-mail on so that others may read your concerns as well.
The Canadian prices are based not only on the exchange rate including Revenue Canada corporate income taxes, pricing and cost structure regulations etc., etc., that are considered in pricing.
And then some stuff about sales volume and keeping the company viable in the long term....prices reflect value of the products including artwork, etc., etc., as well as quality. Plus we get person-to-person training and support from our Demonstrators. Canadians thinks that SU is good value judging from the growth of their sales.
Jen it really is frustrating relying on mail for most of my supplies but i love my hobby. I have one local scrap store which is in another building as a side business and a dollar store both are not overly well stocked craft wise. Nearest Michaels store is 3 hrs from me and hasn't been keeping it's stock either so i really try to rely on companies like SU and i try to order mostly from Canadian stores where and if possible. Can't stand ebay (Just me) . my local store can order stuff but takes two weeks to a month any ways for ship reasons, so i order mostly from the internet and companies like SU cause it takes less or the same time as my local store.and yes some companies won't ship to canada it sucks but really is that companies loss. i'd say i spend quite a bit on my hobby and there has been a few companies with exceptional customer satisfaction but with SU the last little bit it really has made me think of SU and how they treat their international customers as a whole. i think the prices hike was the last little urk...i really do like their products but i feel Su is indeed being greedy this time around i agree to pay more for great products but we are really being gouged. "Canadians thinks that SU is good value judging from the growth of their sales" that tell me right there that they are happy with there sales here and figure we will pay crazy prices for their products!!! Ahh.. what a wonderful corporate world we live in... sorry!
Last edited by craftthedayaway; 06-23-2009 at 10:58 AM..
I'm all a tingle now! Who knew they relied so heavily on us and who knew we seemingly enjoy things that our southern neighbors don't such as person-to-person training and support or that we have the dubious pleasure of compensating the artists? Warm and fuzzy for sure! It makes me want to rush out and place a huge massive order because we're also responsible for maintaining their business viability.
But really? That sort of canned response makes me really cranky! LOL
__________________ �:*�*:�My next house won't have a kitchen. Just a bunch of vending machines and garbage cans.�:*�*:�
I just checked my email and I did get a response from a SU Rep this morning.
To summarize (don't want to get in trouble for cutting and pasting the whole email in here)...
Thank you for contacting us. We are pleased to hear that you enjoy our products and want you to know that we have forwarded your e-mail on so that others may read your concerns as well.
The Canadian prices are based not only on the exchange rate including Revenue Canada corporate income taxes, pricing and cost structure regulations etc., etc., that are considered in pricing.
And then some stuff about sales volume and keeping the company viable in the long term....prices reflect value of the products including artwork, etc., etc., as well as quality. Plus we get person-to-person training and support from our Demonstrators. Canadians thinks that SU is good value judging from the growth of their sales.
Thank you for your email, etc., etc., etc.
Yep, not really convinced...:confused:
I'm not asking in order to start an argument ... but because I'm interested in knowing ... so imagine lots of smilies around ... What did you want SU! to say? Is there something that would have convinced you? What, if anything, would get you to see SU! in a more favorable light?
I have dropped out of my monthly card club. To me this is quite significant because for the upcoming round I had 3 spots which would have amounted to well over $1,200/yr in sales. I'm now in a position where I'll only purchase SU if I absolutely have to. There are gobs of competitors out there who are perfectly happy to back up their business model publicly if challenged to do so. The fact that SU! refuses, further degrades my confidence as a consumer.
Now, I'm going to go home and have me a Canadian beer LOL
__________________ �:*�*:�My next house won't have a kitchen. Just a bunch of vending machines and garbage cans.�:*�*:�
I'm not asking in order to start an argument ... but because I'm interested in knowing ... so imagine lots of smilies around ... What did you want SU! to say? Is there something that would have convinced you? What, if anything, would get you to see SU! in a more favorable light?
I think Canadians just don't like to be took/taken. SU will not have an answer for me that will satisfy me and I told them not to give me their corporate customer service response. Their prices are too high and they have lost my business and my 3 girlfriends. I don't care that they don't care.
Another eg. here in Manitoba is photo tickets. The City of Wpg. made a few million dollars snapping photos of speeding cars on Sunday evenings in work zones. Posted speed 60 work zone. Sunday night there are no workers so was it still a work zone? Obviously most citizens myself included thought we could go at 70. $200.00 ticket comes in the mail. Four of my family got hit with this that is $800.00. We paid it like honest citizens. Some fought it and the city announced a refund for it wasn't clear or fair.. Our elected gov't unanomously votes the refund down. I emailed our NDP rep and told her I like Gary Doer etc. but I simply cannot stand behind this decision and will not vote NDP. They are dishonest and are smoke and mirrors with "they are concerned about our safety, and "we had 4 commercials about it."
Off topic yes I am, but the point is the same. Just say no.
I think Canadians just don't like to be took/taken. SU will not have an answer for me that will satisfy me and I told them not to give me their corporate customer service response. Their prices are too high and they have lost my business and my 3 girlfriends. I don't care that they don't care.
Another eg. here in Manitoba is photo tickets. The City of Wpg. made a few million dollars snapping photos of speeding cars on Sunday evenings in work zones. Posted speed 60 work zone. Sunday night there are no workers so was it still a work zone? Obviously most citizens myself included thought we could go at 70. $200.00 ticket comes in the mail. Four of my family got hit with this that is $800.00. We paid it like honest citizens. Some fought it and the city announced a refund for it wasn't clear or fair.. Our elected gov't unanomously votes the refund down. I emailed our NDP rep and told her I like Gary Doer etc. but I simply cannot stand behind this decision and will not vote NDP. They are dishonest and are smoke and mirrors with "they are concerned about our safety, and "we had 4 commercials about it."
Off topic yes I am, but the point is the same. Just say no.
but we are getting an Ikea....
jen
That's awesome news! It seemed so silly that you had to drive to Edmonton or Calgary to go to IKEA ...
Another eg. here in Manitoba is photo tickets. The City of Wpg. made a few million dollars snapping photos of speeding cars on Sunday evenings in work zones. Posted speed 60 work zone. Off topic yes I am, but the point is the same. Just say no.
but we are getting an Ikea....
jen
Oh, you just know I did the math on THIS one too! Thanks to the media I gleaned some critical numbers and did the math last year.
There were no fewer than 4 of these traps. Some of them weren't even flagged as "construction zones". The city just arbitrarily reduced the speed limit for no good reason.
So . . . I read in the paper last summer when this all took place that they were trapping on average 90 people per hour.
Let's do the math . . .
Average ticket price: $200
Average duration of stake out per day(I'm guessing on this one): 12 hours
Duration of speed traps: 3 months or 90 days
Here's where it gets good!
90 tickets x 4 locations x $200 each = $72,000 in tickets per hour!!
$72,000 x 12 hour stake out = $864,000 per day!
$864,000 per day x 90 days = $77,760,000
Would YOU give that back?
Call the cops! We got robbed!
No wait!!! It's the cops that robbed us!!!
Democracy at it's very best. And we didn't fight hard enough! Winnipeg . . . the land of milk and honey!
OK, I'm done LOL
__________________ �:*�*:�My next house won't have a kitchen. Just a bunch of vending machines and garbage cans.�:*�*:�
Oh ya, and you can blame Palliser for us not having an IKEA years ago. They struck a deal with the city to keep IKEA out for 15 years or something like that. They just KNOW that IKEA might very well put them out of business. Nice to have a monopoly eh?
OK, now I'm cranky again LOL
__________________ �:*�*:�My next house won't have a kitchen. Just a bunch of vending machines and garbage cans.�:*�*:�
I have not received my response yet....but perhaps if SU gets a lot of emails from their Canadian customers they might even cut the Canadian prices like they did last time. I'd be somewhat happy with that. At least I might put in a small order or two. Can't afford more.
__________________ I got a Nikon camera. I love to take photographs, so momma don't take my kodachrome away."
Paul Simon
I remember IKEA..... oh the happy times.... Now the nearest one is in Quebec somewhere....
Wenchie - Coming from the customer service industry... you are the worst kind of customer to lose. The customer who just walks away unhappy and un interested in returning.. BUT willing to let everyone they know, how unhappy they are with the Company.
It was one of the first things we learned on dealing with customer complaints. And I think there will be a lot of people going down that path.
I agree with you, I think the price increases are not warranted especially if there is no increase on the US prices. The excuse of the catalog being prepared and printed months ago does not cut it either.... Insert a price correction... how much trouble is that...
I love SU punches, really do, but why spend $22.95, when I can get almost the same thing at Mike's using a coupon for significantly less.
We have a Mike's and one local store, so SU was a great option. I love their paper and matching inks. and I could justify the prices, Right now I just cannot. I too quit my stamp club for cost reasons and feel badly about it. My demo was great, but I could no longer spend the money. NOW I am caught in a catch-22. I do not know if I should place a significant order to stock up now while the prices are good... or wait and hope that they do not drop the prices in a month or two. either way, I will need supplies... So what now?
Thank you for contacting us with comments regarding the price increase of our products in the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog. We are pleased to hear that you enjoy our products and want you to know that we have forwarded your e-mail on so that others may read your concerns as well.
We wish to inform you that our Canadian prices are based not only on the exchange rate; several other factors also contribute to the cost of sales and doing business in Canada. The company works hard to establish fair and valued pricing, and in addition to the exchange rate, there are other business costs, including Revenue Canada corporate income taxes and pricing and cost structure regulations for affiliated entities doing business across borders, that need to be and are considered in pricing.
The company also must take into account sales volume in pricing its products to ensure it will be a value to customers during these initial years but still keep the company viable for the long term. The prices appropriately reflect the value of the products, including our exclusive artwork and designs, the quality of our products. Customers buying from our demonstrators get person-to-person training and long-term customer support-you need only call your demonstrator to get stamping or scrapbooking advice and ideas. Customers across Canada agree that our stamps are a good value, as shown by the rapid and steady growth of our sales.
As you are aware, the catalog is released on July 1. We are unsure as to what you are referring to when you say that the catalog is secret until that time. Demonstrators are now receiving the new catalog in the mail. They are free to show this to their customers if they would like.
Thank you again for your e-mail. Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
Stampin' Up!�
Demonstrator Support
The above is the answer I received from Stampin Up. The stock answer they give everyone I believe. It just supplies me with further questions. The prices were already higher than the U.S. What Canadians always ask "Where is the Free Trade?"
What store in B.C.?
