Ok - So it looks like the first Hot product to be featured in the DST insider and on the home page of DST is a Mystery Mega Collab Kit by the Scrap Orchard Designers.
If you want to see the contents, it was revealed here:
Mega Collab Revealed
Looks like it currently is selling for $3.00 and the product listing says that the price will increase in one week. I don't know when that will be.
Remember, "The introductory cost for this package is $350.00" I don't know if this is what they actually paid.
Let's discuss.
How did the DST CT team do using the kit?
Do you think this was cost effective advertising for this product?
Did you click on the DST link to take a closer look?
Did you buy this kit? Are you planning too?
Do you look at reveals before purchasing?
Do you think the store covered the fee, or did the designers all chip in?
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265 comments:
1 – 200 of 265 Newer› Newest»As I understood this process, for $350 the designer submitted a kit - the new "creative team" at DST would take that kit and whip you up something new, fresh, yada yada.
This...not so much. This is just an everday, themed halloween kit. I can't see one thing that is new and fresh about it.
Where is the $350 worth of investment for creative output? I can do all of this myself, so right now I am patting myself on the back for being prudent with my money and not falling for this hack job.
I didn't even realize they had done it. I just scanned through the newsletter to find the template download links since I know they usually have one or two in there. So, I went back and got the newsletter out of my recycle bin since you mentioned it.
Was it effective advertising? Well, it didn't sell me on it. I'm much more likely to buy a grab bag because of a reveal, not because of seeing the DST favorites using it, and really, I don't think I'd base a kit purchase on what they do, either. I don't think a grab bag was a good choice for a product to do this. In general, I like the Scrap Orchard products and I've bought one of their other bags but I wouldn't buy this one because I don't like Halloween/fall themes.
I couldn't see the product preview on the DST homepage without scrolling. Someone over there needs to remember that not all of us have huge monitors. I have 1024x768, no desire to change, and having to scroll irritates me.
I saw that reveal a few days ago and didn't think anything of it. I also saw the kit at DST and didn't even manage to put two and two together. I was not impressed with the layouts created with the kit. I'm not sure if that's because the kit is so ordinary or the team is. Probably a bit of both. I think a really good scrapper can make even the most ordinary kit look wonderful. If I had paid $350 for those layouts, I'd be pretty steamed right now.
I wouldn't rush out and buy this.
For 3.00 I almost feel like making a pity purchase. But alas, I don't feel like registering at a new store.
eek, if I were a designer, I'd have expected a lot more for my $350.
The Insider has turned into a total time waster-not even worth the download.
oh, and did the DST LOs make me want to buy the kit? No way-I actually liked it better before I saw the DST 'feature'
I have to agree, the first couple of layouts in the Insider were good, not great. The rest were 'meh'.
I guess they'd better hope they sell at least 117 of them to make up for the advertising.
I'm not a designer. Do they really make at least 117 sales on one item?
You'd have to sell even more than that to make a profit.
At least Shannon makes the money.
I hate the crumpled worn papers in kits. The kit I just bought, all the papers are png and not jpg. The kit size is huge. now I am forced to layer those papers, and not one single paper in the kit is 12x12 to the edge. ummm...I have the same overlays, if I want worn and distressed I will do it myself. I will be glad when this trend is over.
That's the biggest travesty of all!
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At least Shannon makes the money.
October 5, 2008 10:28 AM
That's the biggest travesty of all!
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At least Shannon makes the money.
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I guess, but if people are stupid enough to invest $350 without knowing what they are getting into ... I certainly wouldn't throw that much money into advertising without knowing exactly what I was going go get. It would be interesting to know just how well it was working. I wonder if any of the designers are going to ask.
Isn't this whole idea just another reason for Shannon to try to make money off designers without really every doing anything for them in return?
Designers, if you bit into her scheme just let this months results be a lesson to you and pull out now!
DST is such a joke anyways. I am pretty sure it's run it's course. I know I don't go there anymore. Not that I matter anyhow but at some point I am sure all the money I wasted on advertising and banner space sure did.
you people always have something to bitch about.
Bitching? I see a discussion about the wisdom of spending $350.00 on advertising a 3.00 mystery grab bag.
Were you offended by something that was said?
I agree. This isn't so much a discussion as a bitchfest. Let's see who can beat down Shannon and DST today! I think everyone is over it. Find something better to do with your lives and time.
I agree. This isn't so much a discussion as a bitchfest. Let's see who can beat down Shannon and DST today! I think everyone is over it. Find something better to do with your lives and time.
October 6, 2008 2:58 PM
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Follow your own advice next time, find something better to do with your life and time, instead of making trouble where there isn't any. There's only discussion here, no bitch fest, until you came along that is.
Did the advertising work? Well we are talking about the product, so they probably got some new people to look at their products/store. Will it be enough on this one product? I don't know, but if it translates to sales across their store then it ends up being worth it, and no one designer had to fit the bill.
but if it translates to sales across their store then it ends up being worth it,
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That depends. If they make $100 of sales, I would see that as money wasted. If they make $250 worth of sale, then it probably was worth it.
How does spending $350 and getting $250 in sales make it worth it? The customers coming to the store and getting the kit doesn't guarantee that they'll be regular customers. For all you know, the $250 could be coming from customers they already have. Either way, I still consider that a $100 loss, which is in my opinion, not worth it.
How does spending $350 and getting $250 in sales make it worth it? The customers coming to the store and getting the kit doesn't guarantee that they'll be regular customers. For all you know, the $250 could be coming from customers they already have. Either way, I still consider that a $100 loss, which is in my opinion, not worth it.
October 8, 2008 5:02 PM
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You probably aren't a designer or store owner then. Personally, I think $100 every now and again going into advertising isn't that much if it brings in customers.
It is too bad that won't be able to source the sales, so they really won't know if was a good choice or not.
In my opinion a grab bag was a poor choice of product to promote. I nice large, well done collab might have been a better choice. Paired up with a coupon code so they could track sales from DST.
Where on earth are the owners of the scrap n chat forum. Its overloaded with porn, some of the girls seems barly 13. Seriously, If you can´t maintain your forum, please shout it down.
It's really just proof that a lot of people talk big, but have no idea how to run a forum, and should give Shannon more credit. It takes work people!
@@ 8:24-if DST is so great, what are you doing here?
Well that's the problem with self-moderation. If nobody reports the post it doesn't get deleted. If nobody uses the forum nothing gets reported. It does say wuite clearly all over the website that if you see a post you don't think is appropriate you need to click the 'report post' button so it can be moderated. Nobody did, so it wasn't.
Odd that you should decide to complain about it here instead of at the board itself isn't it?
Well that's the problem with self-moderation. If nobody reports the post it doesn't get deleted. If nobody uses the forum nothing gets reported. It does say wuite clearly all over the website that if you see a post you don't think is appropriate you need to click the 'report post' button so it can be moderated. Nobody did, so it wasn't.
Odd that you should decide to complain about it here instead of at the board itself isn't it?
October 10, 2008 11:06 AM
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Agreed!
It's really just proof that a lot of people talk big, but have no idea how to run a forum, and should give Shannon more credit. It takes work people!
October 10, 2008 8:24 AM
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Shannon has a team of moderators who help her out, it's not just her. Besides, there are a lot of well run forums out there, despite what you think, DST is not the be all and end all of digi scrapping.
Where on earth are the owners of the scrap n chat forum. Its overloaded with porn, some of the girls seems barly 13. Seriously, If you can´t maintain your forum, please shout it down.
October 10, 2008 4:39 AM
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You are only trying to cause trouble. I just had a look at that forum. There's been no messages since mid August, it's not overloaded with porn, in fact, a quick search revealed non at all, which since you claim it was overloaded I find strange and the girls seem barely 13? I don't even know why you would even say that, the messages don't give me that vibe. Of course, you could have been at an entirely different board to me.
I think Ruby saw the post here because I saw the porn after the person mentioned it. She probably took care of it.
And they did look really young.
Yes indeed there were many porn posts at that site. If Ruby was unaware of them until possibly being alerted by reading about them on this blog it obviously means Ruby doesn't exactly check in on her own forum too often.
I do check in regularly, the posts were deleted less than 24 hours after they were made. I pop in once a day. If there had been a post report made (a single click of a mouse button) I would have received an email about it and been there quicker. But there wasn't. If the forum was busier I would be hanging out there more, but it isn't so I don't.
It was made clear from the very start that Scrap n Chat was a non-censored board, and would be moderated by the users deciding what was acceptable and what wasn't. I'm sad that whoever it was who came here to complain about the spam didn't even bother to hit the report button, I could have cleared the mess sooner if they could have been bothered.
Anyway, the posts have been deleted now (as I say, they were all timestamped very recently so this isn't a question of having been there for days un-noticed), and if anyone sees something they don't like all they have to do is click.
I'm not sure how that is more difficult than surfing to a totally different website and making a blog post complaining, but apparently it is as NOBODY reported anything.
it wouldn't surprise me at all if the same person that came here to complain was the same person who posted the porn.
At what point do you just give up on a site that constantly seems to have 'technical difficulties'? I just bought a few things from ES, and it is taking HOURS to download--and since the downloads are split into lots of pieces, it's getting a bit ridiculous.
I understand the occasional problem, but since they had supposedly 'fixed' the issue, I stupidly went ahead and made this purchase. I think it will be my last.
UGH!! I had the same problem at Scrap Artist. Half of my items went into queued status and then they took forever to download. I think it might just be large traffic spurts all trying to download at once but who really knows.
Can't a store do something to handle large amounts of traffic or big spurts of activity?
It just seems that some rarely have this problem, and then the same few just always seem very bogged down. If a high traffic store like DD or SP or LDD etc. can manage, why can't places like SA and ES???
It isn't always the store/owner's fault when downloads are slow. It has more to do with the server where they are hosted. Unless one is paying in the neighborhood of $200-$300 a month(or more - I know a business that pays $1500 a month) hosting service with dedicated servers, the chance for connectivity and slow downloads will exist. Most store owners can't afford that level of dedicated service. They are paying low monthly fees and hoping for the best.
Digiscrap Stores brought a new level of storage and bandwidth requirement to the table - and many hosting services are not geared up to handle the sites when there is a major sale or promotion that draw in large hits and huge bandwidth draws with downloading.
If you notify the store of the download issue, they should get your product burned on a disc and sent out to directly.
Scrapartist just had a huge server upgrade a few months ago. Sometimes hosts just have downtime for awhile, that's no fault of the store.
While it may not be the owners "fault" it is a direct result of the owners conscience business decision to risk the customer experience because of cost. Some stores have made a decsion to make this a priority, some stores have not. It is controllable, they just have to pay for it.
*****
It isn't always the store/owner's fault when downloads are slow. It has more to do with the server where they are hosted. Unless one is paying in the neighborhood of $200-$300 a month(or more - I know a business that pays $1500 a month) hosting service with dedicated servers, the chance for connectivity and slow downloads will exist. Most store owners can't afford that level of dedicated service. They are paying low monthly fees and hoping for the best.
Fine... go spend heaps of money there ('cause in this day and age we all have it right?) and the store owners just may have the extra money to upgrade.
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While it may not be the owners "fault" it is a direct result of the owners conscience business decision to risk the customer experience because of cost. Some stores have made a decsion to make this a priority, some stores have not. It is controllable, they just have to pay for it.
How does spending $350 and getting $250 in sales make it worth it? The customers coming to the store and getting the kit doesn't guarantee that they'll be regular customers. For all you know, the $250 could be coming from customers they already have. Either way, I still consider that a $100 loss, which is in my opinion, not worth it.
October 8, 2008 5:02 PM
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You probably aren't a designer or store owner then. Personally, I think $100 every now and again going into advertising isn't that much if it brings in customers.
October 8, 2008 6:00 PM
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As a matter of fact, I do design. And what I'm saying is that if the $350 isn't bringing in the $250 from NEW customers, then it's not worth it IMO.
Well said-ITA!
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While it may not be the owners "fault" it is a direct result of the owners conscience business decision to risk the customer experience because of cost. Some stores have made a decsion to make this a priority, some stores have not. It is controllable, they just have to pay for it.
Nice attitude, I am going to make an assumption you are associated with a store that has issues with performance.
Problem that these store owners fail to recognize: There are a lot of choices on where to spend money. I choose to spend my money at stores where I generally have no customer service issues. I don't like having to email and request links or resets because I have 5 tries and they all fail because of server issues. I will do this to get my goods, but I will not continue to support a store where this is an ongoing problem. Stores that have these continual issues are losing customers, and the store owners don't get that. They expect customers to keep buying and having to take extra steps and time just to get what they paid for.
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Fine... go spend heaps of money there ('cause in this day and age we all have it right?) and the store owners just may have the extra money to upgrade.
Why does everybody always assume it has to be the STORE'S fault? Look at the traffic at LDD, ES, SA...SA is EXTREMELY busy. They did indeed have a major server upgrade this summer, and it solved ALOT of problems, but they can't help problems with your ISP (yes, your ISP connection be slow or intermittent and burp and make your downloads difficult to get!), payment systems (which, as far as I know, are ALL off site), etc. SA's always answered any concerns of mine promptly. Just keep your shorts on and be PATIENT. I know we expect everything to be instant, but sometimes it doesn't work out that way. It's what a digital business strives for, but you have to take into account that the internet is basically just bunches of data flowing over wires all over this world, and it's bound to mess up. I'm sure SA doesn't intend to take your money and run.
Untwist your panties for a second. The initial complaint was against ES and SA's name came up. Reading your post, you'd think that everyone here had bashed SA on and on and on, when in fact, only two people were wondering why SA were having problems.
Well said 12:21.
I complained against ES because every.single.time I have attempted to buy something from that site, it's either DOWN or it has taken hours, if not days, to get my downloads.
I find it hard to believe that they get more traffic and/or sales than sites like SSD, DD, SP, SMJ, TLP, etc. If those high volume stores can handle their traffic and sales, then so can ES. Ditto for SA-but at least they made an effort with the recent server upgrade.
It's not my isp that's the problem. I do all kinds of shopping and downloading online. ES is the ONLY store that this happens with on a consistent basis.
It seems some people from the stores with consistent issues sure do get defensive when this issue comes up. It's a shame, because not only are the store's issues going to lose them customers, but the snarky, defensive attitudes from their owners/designers/ct's/rabid fans is going to cost them even more.
It all goes back to the store being willing to invest in making sure that a customer's shopping experience is as trouble-free as possible. (And of course, every store or site is going to have occasional problems or glitches-it's the stores with CONSTANT, PREVENTABLE prolems that are being discussed).
I seem to recall a very radical, vocal SA member. Seems she is still around. Maybe we should check her blog and see if she has called us all stupid complaining bitches yet. Defensive much?
I have no affiliation with SA, just a person with computer smarts. Sorry I sounded twisted(!), but you can't really expect amazon.com-type functionality (hey, even THEY have problems from time to time) without the venture capital. I don't know of a single digital scrapbooking site with a ton of cash. Not even Prima, I'm sure. They use X-Cart, for Pete's sake, not exactly state-of-the-art. I'm not saying your ISP is ALWAYS to blame, but please be aware that it can be a factor. Please don't write off your favorite sites because of technical difficulties. This has been discussed before, and I realize that there's a whole crowd who believes that you shouldn't run a business on a shoestring, but in digital scrapbooking, most if not all sites are indeed run on a shoestring. You *could* look at it this way: the more you support the art you love, the more money the site makes, and the better service they're able to provide. Things are always changing, though. Who knows what capabilities we'll have in a year or two? Keep pushing for better service, but please concentrate on the hobby you love.
http://catscrap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4104
what the hell are those anyway? That is the scariest freebie I have ever come across. It truly creeped me out LOL.
"You *could* look at it this way: the more you support the art you love, the more money the site makes, and the better service they're able to provide."
As a struggling shop owner - and by struggling I mean the cost behind the scenes to keep the backend clean and running, I appreciate this comment very much. Thank you.
3 Scrapateers is closing, 4 years is a long time for digital scrapping. I wonder how many other stores are on the verge?
3 Scrapateers is closing, 4 years is a long time for digital scrapping. I wonder how many other stores are on the verge?
October 21, 2008 4:05 PM
Well, in all honestly I have never shopped there, as there stuff has never been my thing, but you're right, 4 years in digi is a really long time.
With the US economy the way that it is right now a lot of stores may be closing their doors unless they can tap into other markets. Photographers, traditional scrappers, maybe even European scrappers, stuff like that.
It is with great sadness that after more than 4 years, 3Scrapateers is closing down.
October 31, 2008, will be the last day of operation for the entire 3Scrapateers’ site.
This decision was based on declining sales.
We want to thank each and every one of our members and team members for letting us be a part of your lives.
Be sure to watch the site for various upcoming sales - you do not want to miss them.
Also, in a week or so, we will be announcing a new site where you may come and visit and play.
Brenda & Lianne
So they are closing this one and opening another? Sales are down or using it as an excuse to open another store? Confused....
Maybe they are opening a new store as an excuse to not renew contracts with their mediocre designers. I knew 3S from the beginning and their stuff never excited me. It was OK 3-4 years ago but looks crappy nowdays. The site needs a huge revamp and a talented team in order to stay in business.
Well said 12:21.
I complained against ES because every.single.time I have attempted to buy something from that site, it's either DOWN or it has taken hours, if not days, to get my downloads.
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That's because she doesn't pay her server bills on time and there have been two instances this year alone the server was cut off for non payment.
The rabid SA member you're referring to was fired... a long time ago. The same day she showed her ass in fact.
Anyone know what happened to "The Dark Side" or when/where it moved??
Anyone know what happened to "The Dark Side" or when/where it moved??
October 22, 2008 2:41 PM
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Nope, but considering that nothing was happening on there for a while and no one could post comments, maybe it just away?
They have a private blog somewhere now..and decided to shut down the public one.
Is Treasures To Scrap closing?
Who cares? Treasures to scrap is just another shit ass digital store. 40 others need to close too.
40? Have you seen a recent shop list? More like 95% of the last "current" one I saw.
"More like 95% of the last "current" one I saw."
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So which stores do you all think are in the top 5% and should stay open? Like... the top 10-15 stores?
They have a private blog somewhere now..and decided to shut down the public one.
October 22, 2008 6:35 PM
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At least it's all sycophants together.
Oh, you didn't get invited either then?
Is anyone else frustrated by the change in how you have to navigate through the DigiChick since the remodel? When I click on a designer, I don't like having to limit myself to one category at a time. It's too frustrating to try to browse now!
8:10 - I'll list 15
The stores that should stay open, in no particular order.
1) The Lilypad
2) Shabby Pickle
3) Scrapartist
4) Sweet Shoppe
5) Funky Playground
6) The Digichick
7) Scrapbook Bytes
8) Polkadot Potato
9) Scrapbook Elements
10) Shabby Miss Jenn
11) Designer Digitals
12) Scrapbook Graphics
13) Two Peas
14) Oscraps
15) Scrap Girls
IMHO - the rest should just give up. Obviously the above list is not all places that one person would shop because some are very different style-wise. But, honestly the rest are just shitty.
Although I think that the majority of the stores out there are pretty crappy, I have a few more to add to your list that I think are doing the right thing.
1. Peppermint Creative
2. Shabby Princess
3. Scrap Matters
4. Inspiration Lane
5. Scrap Orchard
For the most part I agree with the ones you've already listed, too.
Yeah, I forgot about those.
Also, I'm the one who listed the first 15 and I'd like to add We Are Storytellers and After 5 to the list.
Oh, you didn't get invited either then?
October 24, 2008 5:32 AM
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No, I refused the invitation. Why the implication of jealousy? I left high school a long time ago and being out of a group doesn't bother me anymore.
Also, I'm the one who listed the first 15 and I'd like to add We Are Storytellers and After 5 to the list.
October 24, 2008 2:38 PM
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WAS yes, After 5? No way. They may be great scrappers, but they are terrible designers. I'd add CatScrap.
I'm not sure I can come up with fifteen.
1. Shabby Princess
2. Shabby Miss Jenn
3. Shabby Pickle
4. Designer Digitals
5. OScraps
6. Scrapartist
7. Funky Playground
8. TADA
9. Weeds & Wildflowers
10.Scrapbookgraphics
There are a few designers whose work I like but don't shop in their current stores: Amy Hutchinson, Audrey Neal, mira, and Zoe Pearn
I would add NDISB and maybe Gina Miller, and several more as well. I think there are a lot more than 15, actually. Everyone has different tastes and styles.
Everyone has different tastes and styles.
October 25, 2008 3:38 PM
So why is it a bad thing for there to be lots of choices out there?
There are lots of stores out there that I don't or wouldn't buy from on a regular basis, but that I have found one or two really great things.
I look at digi scrapping like regular shopping-I like having lots of options and choices. It helps me find what I want and get the most bang for my buck!
These would be my picks for the top stores (but not in any particular order):
Shabby Pickle
The Lilypad
Scrapbookgraphics
Catscraps
Oscraps
Scrapartist
Funky Playground
Scrapbook Bytes
Polkadot Potato
Scrapbook Elements
Designer Digitals
We Are Storytellers
I'm curious about the We Are Storytellers picks. That place has always been way too high-priced for me. They have a few nice things, but nothing that I would consider to be worth their prices.
For those of you that shop there, are you catching some great sales or do you just like it enough to pay their prices?
"No, I refused the invitation. Why the implication of jealousy? I left high school a long time ago and being out of a group doesn't bother me anymore."
Hey, if you were there long enough and participated often enough to get an invite to the new blog, doesn't that make you a sycophant too?
I didn't get an invite. But it's alright, I'm over it.
I have a list of 60 that I've bought from, each of them I've bought from at least twice in the last year.
A current fave of mine that's somewhat new to me is Christina Renee's store, she's been having a block party with a lot of designers I already like and for me it makes an irresistable combination.
I did notice Ali had a few pieces at DD. I'd love to see more "real" scrap chicks bring themselves to digi. :) If they can do some of what they do with real paper I can only imagine what their creativity would bring to digi! :)
Is anyone else frustrated by the change in how you have to navigate through the DigiChick since the remodel? When I click on a designer, I don't like having to limit myself to one category at a time. It's too frustrating to try to browse now!
October 24, 2008 11:31 AM
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OMG, yes! I'm glad to see I'm not the only one. It's so frustrating that I stopped buying from there. I know it could sound ridiculous to stop buying for that reason but, hey, keep it simple and efficient and I'll spend my cash in your store.
Me too. Their previews used to be 600 X 600 pixels, now that stupid white green border makes them about 20% smaller. Very customer friendly!
http://www.deviousdesigners.blogspot.com/
Is anyone else frustrated by the change in how you have to navigate through the DigiChick since the remodel? When I click on a designer, I don't like having to limit myself to one category at a time. It's too frustrating to try to browse now!
October 24, 2008 11:31 AM
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Yes! It's as bad as Designer Digitals.
ey, if you were there long enough and participated often enough to get an invite to the new blog, doesn't that make you a sycophant too?
I didn't get an invite. But it's alright, I'm over it.
October 26, 2008 10:01 AM
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I was being sarcastic.
I'm curious about the We Are Storytellers picks. That place has always been way too high-priced for me. They have a few nice things, but nothing that I would consider to be worth their prices.
For those of you that shop there, are you catching some great sales or do you just like it enough to pay their prices?
October 25, 2008 7:55 PM
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Sales, when I buy, which is rare. They have specials every Tuesday.
I think I read that TDC will be fixing that browse feature in the next week. I'm sure they said it would be fixed by DSD.
Oh my bad it wasn't diva, it was drama queen designs or some shit. And just to prove my point, here's the link to the 4shared with YOUR email on it
http://www.4shared.com/file/67350830/39784ad9/chantal_snapshots.html?err=no-sess
And just in case you delete it, here's a screenshot:
http://i35.tinypic.com/29zv1q1.jpg
And here's a screenshot of one of the chantal emails being forwarded to drama queen:
http://i33.tinypic.com/t8677l.jpg
And then also on that same 4shared is directions for how to add stuff to your store so obviously it's you
http://www.4shared.com/get/66760400/6109d30c/HT_SnapShots.html
Screenshot in case you decide to delete it:
http://i36.tinypic.com/2hxll5g.jpg
So yeah, you were saying?
Oops! I was above poster, meant to post that on the blog someone else posted. Sorry about that
Oops! I was above poster, meant to post that on the blog someone else posted. Sorry about that
October 26, 2008 10:12 PM
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Turkey! Aren't you glad it's still October? Unless you are Canadian, in which case, I'd be careful, Thanksgiving is just around the corner, gobble gobble!
http://www.deviousdesigners.blogspot.com/
October 26, 2008 5:57 PM
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Yes, yes, I will invest my money in that Nigerian bank. Go and tell someone who cares!
http://www.plaindigitalwrapper.com/shoppe/product.php?productid=2311&cat=0&page=4
i guess everthing ifair game in scrap now
PINUPS?
tousee notevn vintage I AM SURE ha big NO
"i guess everthing ifair game in scrap now
PINUPS?
tousee notevn vintage I AM SURE ha big NO"
I don't get it.... they look vintage to me. Besides, I wouldn't assume everything in a scrapbooking store is used for traditional looking scrapbook pages. I could see someone printing these and using them for cards or other crafts.
thats what taggers thought when they started tagging pinups,
i see a big fat lawsuit, specially since i already found who's they are and no they are not vintage,
just look at the colors, they are digitally painted.
It's a vintage image that has been digitally enhanced. Funny thing is that I knew exactly who the designer was going to be, even before I clicked on that link.
The artist of those pin ups is Pearl Frush, they are in the public domain.
You can get them here:
http://www.thepinupfiles.com/frush.html
and here:
http://www.diablo944.co.uk/pearl_frush.htm
or just type in the name in Google and get a ton of results.
What, nothing to talk about because the piracy drama didn't happen?
Did anyone see this... and then this?
http://exposetrolls.blogspot.com/2008/10/half-troll-my-sweet-life.html
and then this?
http://exposetrolls.blogspot.com/2008/10/updates.html
The artist of those pin ups is Pearl Frush, they are in the public domain.
You can get them here:
http://www.thepinupfiles.com/frush.html
and here:
http://www.diablo944.co.uk/pearl_frush.htm
or just type in the name in Google and get a ton of results.
October 27, 2008 6:48 PM
---------------------------
Public domain or not, you don't steal stuff of websites and make money from it.
That's like me taking a Monet painting and putting it in a store.
Get real!
Public domain or not, you don't steal stuff of websites and make money from it.
That's like me taking a Monet painting and putting it in a store.
Get real!
October 30, 2008 3:59 PM
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Tons of people do this exact thing through the use of Dover clip art for a start. You don't for a fact that she took that stuff off a website, do you? No, you are assuming she did that. For all you know, these images are on a clipart CD that can be used for commercial purposes. Now, whose turn is it to 'get real'?
Did anyone see this... and then this?
http://exposetrolls.blogspot.com/2008/10/half-troll-my-sweet-life.html
and then this?
http://exposetrolls.blogspot.com/2008/10/updates.html
October 29, 2008 10:34 PM
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Yes, and? What does this have to do with anything?
No idea, but it's bizarre.
I didn't post the link BTW.
Yeah, that other blog-stuff is bizarre! Well, SAD might be a better word. That someone would do that to a community of people who suffer with CF, which is generally considered terminal...
Wonder if Keely has been through any of those groups. Wouldn't surprise me in the least.
------------------
Yes, and? What does this have to do with anything?
Um, Kelsey Smith was a well known scrapper on MSA and DST (MSA mostly). She was a 15 year old who all of a sudden got onto a ton of CTs... and then dropped out of site. Search her name on MSA/DST.
This one talks more about it: http://exposetrolls.blogspot.com/2008/10/half-troll-my-sweet-life.html
Anonymous said...
Public domain or not, you don't steal stuff of websites and make money from it.
That's like me taking a Monet painting and putting it in a store.
Get real!
October 30, 2008 3:59 PM
------------
Tons of people do this exact thing through the use of Dover clip art for a start. You don't for a fact that she took that stuff off a website, do you? No, you are assuming she did that. For all you know, these images are on a clipart CD that can be used for commercial purposes. Now, whose turn is it to 'get real'?
October 30, 2008 5:00 PM
___________
Whatever. Why would people buy her shit if you can get it for free on the web? http://www.thepinupfiles.com/images/p-pfrush05.jpg
(And I wasn't 3:59 PM)
Whatever. Why would people buy her shit if you can get it for free on the web? http://www.thepinupfiles.com/images/p-pfrush05.jpg
(And I wasn't 3:59 PM)
October 30, 2008 10:49 PM
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Duh! This link has already been posted, but thanks anyway.
Um, Kelsey Smith was a well known scrapper on MSA and DST (MSA mostly). She was a 15 year old who all of a sudden got onto a ton of CTs... and then dropped out of site. Search her name on MSA/DST.
October 30, 2008 9:46 PM
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And, I repeat, what does have to do with anything? It's one blog that says crap about her, it's been shown in the past that anyone can say anything about anyone else with absolutely no proof whatsoever just because they can.
Okay, new topic... .WTF is up with DAM... no OCTOBER issue so far and tomorrow is NOVEMBER?
Are they wanting to piss off their customers?
What a waste of money.
Never, never again.
I learned my lesson with Nancy Comelab a long time ago, sorry you just found out she doesn't follow through with commitments.
Okay, new topic... .WTF is up with DAM... no OCTOBER issue so far and tomorrow is NOVEMBER?
Are they wanting to piss off their customers?
What a waste of money.
Never, never again.
October 31, 2008 11:25 AM
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I'm sorry you wasted your money. I saw an issue of DAM the other day and was wondering why it was still the September issue. I thought maybe the store hadn't put up the new one yet. If she can't handle a monthly mag, make it bi monthly, it's not that hard.
And, I repeat, what does have to do with anything? It's one blog that says crap about her, it's been shown in the past that anyone can say anything about anyone else with absolutely no proof whatsoever just because they can.
October 31, 2008 12:50 AM
Whatever.
About NC. She only took over that magazine a year ago and gave up designing for it (basically). It's an expensive mag too. Hopefully she has money in the bank to refund everyone.
And, I repeat, what does have to do with anything? It's one blog that says crap about her, it's been shown in the past that anyone can say anything about anyone else with absolutely no proof whatsoever just because they can.
October 31, 2008 12:50 AM
Whatever.
October 31, 2008 8:42 PM
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Exactly whatever. That is my point, I'm so glad you agree!
Does anyone else feel gipped by the DSD sales? Last year there were lots of 40% and 50% off in the stores. Now I'm seeing 20% off mostly. I know the economy sucks, but I feel like a kid who got a lump of coal at Christmas.
Does anyone else feel gipped by the DSD sales? Last year there were lots of 40% and 50% off in the stores. Now I'm seeing 20% off mostly. I know the economy sucks, but I feel like a kid who got a lump of coal at Christmas.
November 1, 2008 6:37 AM
A bit, but there are some stores out there that are running generous sales. Shabby Pickle, most of the OScraps Designers, CRD, Sugarplum Paperie, and the biggest surprise of all to me is WAS-they've been putting quite a few things on for $1.00 for the past few days.
In this economy, I'll be shopping with the stores and designers who were generous with their DSD specials. The other stores + designers who ran no specials or very chintzy specials are sending the message that they don't need the business. Fine by me-they won't be getting mine.
ES is down on DSD. Not a surprise, but if I were a designer there, I'd be pretty ticked.
I agree, they are sending a bad message with the chintzy sales because most stores have one day a week where you can get the new releases at what they're having their whole stores on sale for today. I would have rather spread out my purchases on new release days rather than saving them thinking there would be good sales today.
So what's the general consensus on the previews for the DST treasure hunt kits? I'm thinking - meh.
ITA on the stingy sales-not a good marketing idea when people are cutting back on discretionary spending.
DSD is my last scrapping related spending opportunity for months. With the holidays coming up, every spare penny will go for the kids, and even then, they won't get as much as past years.
I'm pretty disappointed with the lack of specials or even effort and acknowledgement that some stores and designers put into DSD this year.
I have picked up a few things at some of the generous sales. And now, I'm on a total digital spending freeze until at least February. I'm just going to apply my leftover budget from DSD toward the kids' Christmas, and that's a better cause anyway :)
Hey 11.07, nobody is making you do the hunt or download any of the "Gb of stuff. In fact, even if you do do the hunt you don't have to download any of it (unless you see something you like). And there is a LOT more treasure than you see in the previews.
If you don't like the stuff, don't download it. Same as with everything in digiland, cept this stuff you don't have to pay for if you DO like it. What's your problem with that?
Hey 1:07, what's YOUR problem with someone having an opinion?
What is the point of saying 'what do I think of this, I think it's Meh', nobody is forcing you look at it. You're not participating in it, so what is the point of expressing an opinion on it at all? The only point I can see for expressing an opinion on something that you are not involved with is to disparage it for some reason. Why do you care what the previews are like? If you don't like them, don't participate. Those who do like them, or want to have some fun even if they don't download anything, will join in. Everyone else can move along and do something else.
Just seems it was a snark for no reason other than to make a snark.
The same could be said of almost anything that people ever voice their opinions on, scrap-related or not.
It was one comment. Not that big of a deal. Did you design something in the treasure hunt? That comment sure did seem to hit a nerve. Rest assured that if people are interested in checking out the treasure hunt, they will.
I did design one of the downloads. But since the comment didn't actually point out any particular preview, just said all 60+ were 'meh' I didn't take it personally. I just don't see what the point is in dismissing the work of so many different people, from different stores and different styles, with such a meaningless, single word remark. It's not like they are for sale or anything, nobody is trying to make on the hunt, just provide a fun game for DSD and some freebies for those that want them. Only a few comments further up the page from here are people complaining that some stores aren't giving big enough discounts. Yet 2Gb (40 kits worth) of free stuff isn't good enough either. Makes me wonder why anybody bothers trying to do anything nice for people like that.
Yet 2Gb (40 kits worth)
_______
I'm wondering when did there become an "official" kit size?
I'm only going on what I have on my hard drive. Average is about 50Mb per kit. Maybe it's just the designers I buy from.
I just don't see what the big deal is. Some people will check out the freebies and like them, some won't. Some people won't check out the freebies at all.
People should be allowed to have their own opinions.
So, where were the best deals today?
For me, they were at OScraps, Shabby Pickle, CRD (yesterday before the site gave it up), and After5.
Weeds and Wildflowers has some great deals, but I don't know if I can scrape together any more scrapping $
Exactly whatever. That is my point, I'm so glad you agree!
November 1, 2008 3:52 AM
You're an idiot...
Exactly whatever. That is my point, I'm so glad you agree!
November 1, 2008 3:52 AM
You're an idiot...
November 1, 2008 7:22 PM
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Why?
I haven't looked at anything at all. I don't have the money to spend.
Yet 2Gb (40 kits worth) of free stuff isn't good enough either. Makes me wonder why anybody bothers trying to do anything nice for people like that.
November 1, 2008 5:01 PM
----------------------
It's the quality that counts. I wish designers would stop going on about how big a kit is. The size of the kit doesn't tell me anything about the quality of the kit.
There are a ton of 40-50% sales. I don't know where you all are looking, but DST has a huge list of them.
And the kits in the treasure hunt are supposed to "mini" - a gift to the customer. Some designers take it to the extreme and then the ones that followed the guidelines can look chintzy.
If the customers could know how much work went in to this event - one designer, Ruby Rynne, organized the entire thing - came up with the idea of splitting the paths to prevent site crashes like last year. I think she did a great job.
Bottomline - its a gift. take or leave it.
check out the DigiShopCropHop site - there are 12 kits for $2 each.
Get off the big name freeway and on to main street where all the smaller, boutique shops are - plenty of big sales going on.
Did anyone do the the Scrap Orchard/Sunshine Girls blog train? I know the stuff is free but after spending ages downloading the kits I ended up deleting the lot of them. Not one of them was worth my time. Even the designers that I know normally do good stuff didn't bother that much here. Yeah, yeah, it's nice that it's free but I believe that if you aren't going to put in the effort for a freebie, just don't bother at all. I'd rather spend money and get something good than waste my time and get something crap.
This was my first time with some of those designers and I'm not going to go back because of the lack of quality on those freebies.
I noticed that to 9:30pm. Why do freebies if it's not your usual quality. And I was the original poster about the DST treasure hunt, and that was my point there too. Why do the treasure hunt for all those downloads that didn't seem to be of the quality we're used to from DST?
Even the stuff I did buy I had to delete a TON of extra crap from my downloads. There are some new designers I tried that I will definitely not be buying from again after that.
I know you can't please all the people all the time, but I really don't see the need for all the extras in the downloads. Especially for the people on dial up or limited downloads each month. All you need is the product, a text file TOU, and ONE preview. You can put your anti-piracy and website info in the text TOU file.
I picked up the most gorgeous freebie today. It's here:
http://lilydesign.blogspot.com/2008/09/we-hope-you-all-have-great-weekend.html
It's just beautiful.
Even the stuff I did buy I had to delete a TON of extra crap from my downloads. There are some new designers I tried that I will definitely not be buying from again after that.
--------------------------
Let me guess, some of the After 5 crew?
Ya, I was kind of annoyed at the 15%, 20% and 25% sales. That isn't a sale in my book, especially when you offer 20% off new releases every week anyways. I had stuff I wanted from those places but didn't bother. My money went to the 40% off or more stores.
I picked up the most gorgeous freebie today. It's here:
http://lilydesign.blogspot.com/2008/09/we-hope-you-all-have-great-weekend.html
It's just beautiful.
November 2, 2008 2:47 AM
----------------------------------
That is a very pretty freebie. Not the sort of thing I usually scrap with, but I can still appreciate it.
I spent most of my money at Shabby Pickle and Scrapartist. Both were having fantastic sales!
Let me guess, some of the After 5 crew?
November 2, 2008 2:48 AM
Actually, no. I think some of the A5 designers are really improving. Some were also good to start with. A few aren't my style or taste, but I can say that about almost every store out there.
Thank you for sharing the link to this freebie. It really is gorgeous.
----------
I picked up the most gorgeous freebie today. It's here:
http://lilydesign.blogspot.com/2008/09/we-hope-you-all-have-great-weekend.html
It's just beautiful.
November 2, 2008 2:47 AM
In this economy, I'll be shopping with the stores and designers who were generous with their DSD specials. The other stores + designers who ran no specials or very chintzy specials are sending the message that they don't need the business. Fine by me-they won't be getting mine.
November 1, 2008 10:25 AM
___________
Like Catscrap! I was so annoyed at their 25% off. They seem to never have any good sale. I was waiting forever to pick up a LOT of stuff. Too bad they lost my business.
I discovered 2 french stores recently: Digital-Crea and scrapmalin. Again, I was really disappointed by their lack of sale. Their prices are in Euro which mean, a 5.99 euro kit is actually $7.63 US. Are you kidding me? Don't they want any international customer? In this economy, they should adjust their prices. Please European store owners/designers, think about Australian, New Zealand, Canadian and even American customers!!!
Please European store owners/designers, think about Australian, New Zealand, Canadian and even American customers!!!
November 2, 2008 4:09 PM
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Not to be snarky, but why? The American based stores never thought about their international customers, did they?
Hey, did anyone notice that MSA did absolutely nothing this year for DSD?
Shabby Princess didn't do anything either.
Hey, did anyone notice that MSA did absolutely nothing this year for DSD?
November 2, 2008 5:17 PM
Noticed, but wasn't a bit surprised.
Re Shabby Princess, she is one of the few that IMO has never engaged in the designer drama, has always been very generous with her customers, and puts out very high quality stuff. I think she's in a league of her own.
I noticed that the October DAM is supposed to be out. It was supposed to be released on the 31st and it's already November. Late again, even when being late.
This seems to be par for the course in most of digi land. It seems that there are very few true professionals in the digital industry.
--------------
I noticed that the October DAM is supposed to be out. It was supposed to be released on the 31st and it's already November. Late again, even when being late.
November 2, 2008 7:19 PM
What exactly would you expect MSA to do? All of the sponsors were having sales and promoting in the forum. Why did MSA need to have a totally separate bash? In case you forgot they just gave away an insanely HUGE kit in August for their birthday. What did DST do that was so special for DSD? They gave you some extra forums to talk in? Whoopdefuckingdoo.
I think that on average the prices are just too high in most of these shops. I mean, come one, $6-$7 a kit? Oh and I saw an alpha this weekend for $4. WTF? These used to be 1.50-2.00 not even a year ago.
This economy is going to bring change to the mindset of these designers - it has to. When no one is shopping outside of sales, what do you think happens then? Yup. Prices will drop.
I would think that they would rather sell a 50 items at $3 than a handful at $6. Besides, after the first few sales of any item, you must have made back your time and the rest is just profit.
Geez Louise 8.03, did we hit a nerve? It's people like you that give MSA such a bad name.
I didn't see 'all the sponsors' promoting sales, and some of the sales that were being promoted were not worth the effort.
The least MSA could have done is to do what DST did, and that is to have the extra forums so anyone interested could promote their goodies.
When no one is shopping outside of sales, what do you think happens then? Yup. Prices will drop.
-----------------------
Nice theory, but it hasn't worked in the past, has it? Everyone was complaining about the price hike by some designers, but when more and more designers hiked their prices, the customer paid as there were less sales.
Re Shabby Princess, she is one of the few that IMO has never engaged in the designer drama, has always been very generous with her customers, and puts out very high quality stuff. I think she's in a league of her own.
-----
And how is putting a few things on sale to celebrate DSD designer drama? I know quite a few designers that put out high quality stuff and are very generous with their customers - BUT they also participate in sales and in the community. They are the designers that get my business. This has nothing to do with drama.
Re Shabby Princess, she is one of the few that IMO has never engaged in the designer drama, has always been very generous with her customers, and puts out very high quality stuff. I think she's in a league of her own.
-----
And how is putting a few things on sale to celebrate DSD designer drama? I know quite a few designers that put out high quality stuff and are very generous with their customers - BUT they also participate in sales and in the community. They are the designers that get my business. This has nothing to do with drama.
November 2, 2008 11:07 PM
-----------------------------------
Exactly, nothing to do with drama, just looking to pick up a kit or 5 for less than $6 or $7. Personally, Shabby Princess is one I can only afford during a sale.
10:16 - Okay, so if all the sponsors didn't promote their sales, how is that the fault of MSA? Did every single designer at DST promote a sale? If not (and I'm sure they didn't) then you're just preaching double standards here, eh?
So basically then you're just upset because MSA didn't create new forums for you to promote in. The people at MSA are also at DST so what would be be purpose of posting the same promotion in both forums? If the 'people' at MSA are really the way you feel they are then chances are they wouldn't be that interested in your products anyway, so it would be a waste of your time and effort. Not to mention a blow to your self esteem.
And no, I'm not affiliated with MSA in any way, aside from just being the average scrapper. It just irritates me when I see jealous designers like you posting smack about MSA when there's no merit behind it.
All this talk about high prices. I'm what you would call at 'high priced designer' selling my kits for more than $6.
To 8:05 who made this comment:
I would think that they would rather sell a 50 items at $3 than a handful at $6.
I actually sell most of my 'high priced kits' at full price. I sell an average of 200-300 kits and I'd say only about 25% of that is sale priced. The problem with sales is that people then begin to expect them and they will never pay full price. Designers are operating a business too... many times using the money to feed our families. So yeah, you might get a bargain. But that designer is just shooting herself in the foot. She might sell more of those kits this time. But next time she releases a kit, no one will buy it full price because they'll just wait for her to put it on sale.
Now, about this comment:
Besides, after the first few sales of any item, you must have made back your time and the rest is just profit.
How are you determining this? A real 'designer' (one who doesn't press the actions/styles buttons in photoshop to make everything) puts forth many hours, days, and sometimes weeks into a kit. How are you the authority on how many kits sold equals profit for a designer. As I said before I sell 200-300 of each of my kits and I don't even make 'minimum wage'.
---Did anyone do the the Scrap Orchard/Sunshine Girls blog train? I know the stuff is free but after spending ages downloading the kits I ended up deleting the lot of them. Not one of them was worth my time. Even the designers that I know normally do good stuff didn't bother that much here. Yeah, yeah, it's nice that it's free but I believe that if you aren't going to put in the effort for a freebie, just don't bother at all. I'd rather spend money and get something good than waste my time and get something crap.
This was my first time with some of those designers and I'm not going to go back because of the lack of quality on those freebies.---
I was actually pretty proud of my part. LOL. Sorry you were disapointed! - Amy S.
6.52 Nice try, but NOBODY sells that many of one kit (unless maybe you're at DSP, even then I doubt it). Divide by ten and you'd be selling well, better than 99% of the designers out there. Way to big yourself up though, how's the weather in dreamland?
^^^
Sorry to burst your bubble but selling 200-300 is not that improbably. I am not 6:52 but some of my kits do sell that much. And I usually spend weeks on one kit.
^^ ugh typo there but oh well.
What's DSP?
Am I missing something?
What's with all the hype and bringing "Drizzle" from Catscrap out of retirement?
I had to do a search, I'm not sure I would even download it if it was a freebie.
Is it just me?
Um, I'm not 6:52 but I sell way more than 200-300 of each of my products. Why would we lie about something like that on an anonymous blog? There are many designers who sell that much.
I could probably tell you alot of the designers that sell that many. Just for shits and giggles I'm going to give it a shot!
Jofia Devoe, Natali, Robin Carlton, MandaBean, Dani Mogstad, Kasia, Traci Reed, Flergs, Gina Miller, Holly Greigo, Amanda Rockwell, Cori Gammon, Shabby Princess, SMJ, Tracy Ann, Zoe Pearn, Dianne Rigdon, Melissa Bennett, there are probably 20-30 more but I just can't think of them all right now.
As I said before I sell 200-300 of each of my kits and I don't even make 'minimum wage'.
November 3, 2008 6:52 AM
______
Ya right! If you sell that many kits, which I believe is true, you must make way more tham minimum wage.
Here is the simple math:
250 sold kits at $6 = $1500
If the kit took a week to make it we will say 40 hours the designer is making $37.50 per hour.
Don't forget the consignment fee each designer had to pay in the store which is generally between 16%-24% commission.
I am all for designers making as much as they can. If they are an original artist and can do it, by all means they deserve it.
@ 2:41 RE: extras in downloads
Some shops require all that crap in the zips - don't hate on a designer for something they are required to do.
I agree with you, just sometimes, it isn't the designer's fault.
I bought a very normal (not a collab etc) sized kit from MGL studio - It was divided up into 21 downloads. That is excessive. 12 of those downloads were alphas recolored or all in one sheet. Problem is you couldn't tell what they were and had to download everything and sort it out. It was a mess. I will not buy again from her.
While I agree about the dilution of retail when sales are held all the time, but tell me this - what diff is it when most all the designers/stores have preview sales or new listing sales?
Why should I buy your products full price when I damn well know every Tuesday I can get it for less?
So here's an idea, why not just bring the prices back into a decent orbit and forego the weekly sales. This way, you get to sell your products at full price and we get to have more money to spend...hmm..sounds like a win win to me.
Anonymous said...
I bought a very normal (not a collab etc) sized kit from MGL studio - It was divided up into 21 downloads. That is excessive. 12 of those downloads were alphas recolored or all in one sheet. Problem is you couldn't tell what they were and had to download everything and sort it out. It was a mess. I will not buy again from her.
OMG, really? I'm assuming it was the Rock-A-Bye Baby Bundle, judging by the amount of downloads, but I just rechecked it in the store and the downloads are labeled, unless XCart has gone all wonky on me (has been known to happen) and only shows that at the provider level.
I try to split my kits in downloads not bigger than 50mb to account for those with slower connections, and I include full sheets and separate characters because I know some people prefer ones, and some the other ones, but it is always the plan to label the downloads accordingly to avoid duplicates.
If you could please confirm for me that it was Rock-A-Bye Baby, I'll be sure to find a way to label it from within the product description if the XCart labels aren't working.
If you happened to like the kit, unlabeled downloads aside, I hope you reconsider and that it won't stop you from buying from me in the future.
And no, I'm not affiliated with MSA in any way, aside from just being the average scrapper. It just irritates me when I see jealous designers like you posting smack about MSA when there's no merit behind it.
November 3, 2008 6:40 AM
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I'm not a designer, just an average scrapper too. I hate it when people assume things, it makes them look so stupid. Last year, I was at DST and MSA and it was fun at both places and different, I was just looking to have the same kind of fun this year, I'm so sorry that you thought that mean I was jealous and a designer.
I didn't post "smack" either, I was just saying, I'm sorry that a dissenting opinion to yours is automatically considered smack. It must make socializing a bit difficult for you.
I could probably tell you alot of the designers that sell that many. Just for shits and giggles I'm going to give it a shot!
Jofia Devoe, Natali, Robin Carlton, MandaBean, Dani Mogstad, Kasia, Traci Reed, Flergs, Gina Miller, Holly Greigo, Amanda Rockwell, Cori Gammon, Shabby Princess, SMJ, Tracy Ann, Zoe Pearn, Dianne Rigdon, Melissa Bennett, there are probably 20-30 more but I just can't think of them all right now.
November 3, 2008 1:34 PM
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Per item? I know for a fact that is not the case for some of these designers. Nice thought though and I'm sure some of them would love to know that you think that highly of them.
5:25 If you're not a designer why do you care about what MSA does for DSD? If you're just the regular scrapper like you say you are, then you can get full views of the DSD sales at DST. Why would you need to look at the same sales twice?
The only reason it WOULD matter was if you were a designer and you were miffed about not being able to advertise your less-than-stellar products that no one would have bought anyway.
What's with all the hype and bringing "Drizzle" from Catscrap out of retirement?
------------
What hype and where?
5:28 - How do you know this for a 'fact'? Are you one of those designers?
If you happened to like the kit, unlabeled downloads aside, I hope you reconsider and that it won't stop you from buying from me in the future.
November 3, 2008 5:23 PM
-----------------------
Not the original poster but I really like your product, I just wish you hadn't moved to SBG. I understand from a commercia point of view and other reasons that it was a good move for you, I just don't like SBG all that much.
ditto what November 3, 2008 5:35 PM said.
Yes it was the Rock a bye kit...I understand you are trying to accommodate several but the downloads said all in one, alpha 1 etc, but it was not clear they were duplicates of other files, and it was not clear if the kit alpha was different than alpha 1-6. On a day I was buying a lot, having to download 20files for a single kit and then sort it out was not how I wanted to spend DSD. Maybe you can put a note in the download area explaining what is duplicates. Agree with others on your move to SBG.
I added a note to the description (as far as I'm aware I can't add notes to the download area) that will hopefully clear up any confusion for future customers (hopefully being the operative word here, I've been trying to word it right for half an hour, lol): http://shop.scrapbookgraphics.com/product.php?productid=22442&cat=0&page=1
As for you guys not liking SBG, well, not knowing your reasons there's nothing I can say, really. As far as I'm concerned, in the short while I've been there, everyone has been nothing short of amazing to me. And yes, 5:35 PM, from a commercial point of view it was the best move I could have ever hoped to make.
Anyway, enough about me, lol, back to the regular scheduled programming! :P
What's with all the hype and bringing "Drizzle" from Catscrap out of retirement?
------------
What hype and where?
http://www.digishoptalk.com/boards/showthread.php?t=154450&highlight=drizzle
Re: Shabby Princess. I'm sorry if I didn't make myself clear. I don't think sales have anything to do with drama.
All I was trying to say that she is one of the very few designes that I have seen not get involved in all the drama fests around digi land during the past few years.
She just does her own thing, and doesn't seem to begrudge anyone any of their success. She helps other designers by promoting their stuff. She has an open gallery. Her attitude doesn't come off as snotty, or diva-ish.
She's very generous to her customers and offers high quality freebies-full kits even.
She does high quality work. She has great customer service
I consider her to be in the very small minority of talented, professional-acting designers. So if she didn't want to or have the time for a sale on DSD, it doesn't bother me a bit. Some stuff truly is worth the price, and for me SP is one of those. THAT's what I was trying to say.
I never meant to imply that sales were part of the drama. Or that SP was anything less than great. She's one of the very few designers that I actually admire as a person.
What's with all the hype and bringing "Drizzle" from Catscrap out of retirement?
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What hype and where?
http://www.digishoptalk.com/boards/showthread.php?t=154450&highlight=drizzle
November 3, 2008 9:01 PM
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I would hardly call 4 or 5 people out of 70 responses 'hype', but maybe I have a different definition of the word 'hype'.
5:28 - How do you know this for a 'fact'? Are you one of those designers?
November 3, 2008 5:35 PM
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Not necessarily. She could be the store owner where some of these designers sell or even another designer from their store because in some stores, you can see every single sale of every designers you work with.
So here's an idea, why not just bring the prices back into a decent orbit and forego the weekly sales. This way, you get to sell your products at full price and we get to have more money to spend...hmm..sounds like a win win to me.
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Except that when designers lower their regular prices (from an already ridiculously low price compared to what you'd pay for a one-time use paper kit) into what you call a decent orbit, people STILL expect a sale (case in point ... the whining about a 25% off sale at Catscrap - that's a sale people!) and then designers would be practically giving them away. Definitely not a win-win situation. More like a designer loses, customer wins situation.
You want cheap, go download your freebies. You want quality...put up and shut up.
You want quality...put up and shut up.
November 4, 2008 10:05 AM
Nice attitude.
November 4, 2008 10:05 AM
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We are not asking to get the kits for free or for a ridiculous price, just a decent price like $4 instead of $7. I think with comments like yours, YOU are the one that should shut up.
A decent price to who? You?
$4 is barely a drop in the bucket. The designer alone can decide how much her TIME is worth. If you don't want to pay the $7, then don't. Go to scrappyshit.com and pay your $4 and get your kit that's full of CU and digital-action bows.
Better yet, just switch to paper and try scrapping for $4 per page.
$4 is barely a drop in the bucket. The designer alone can decide how much her TIME is worth. If you don't want to pay the $7, then don't. Go to scrappyshit.com and pay your $4 and get your kit that's full of CU and digital-action bows.
Better yet, just switch to paper and try scrapping for $4 per page.
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ITA. I sell my kits for $7-8+ and sell plenty of them to make it worth my time and more, so why would I sell them for less? There are lots of customers out there that recognize the value of a quality jam-packed digital kit.
This is a very common concept in the sales world. There is a certain crowd that buys full price the day/week I release a new kit. They are the ones that can afford or are willing to pay full price because they want that kit right NOW. Believe it or not, there are MANY in this group of people.
Then, there is another crowd that waits a couple weeks and buys it at 25% off, another crowd that waits even longer and buys it at 35%, and yet another group that waits until sales like DSD and buys it at 50%-75% off.
I can understand and appreciate all of these groups of people, and with the accumulative sales over a period of time, designing is very worth it to me. I also have happy customers in each group as they have the option to buy my products at different times at various price levels.
I think this way of thinking is very common in sales. If I go to a department store to buy clothing, I see the new stuff at the front (usually not on sale at first) and as I go back, I see the different levels of sales until I get to clothing at the very back of the store (that has been out on the floor several months) marked down to 50%+. So this is not a new concept.
Why would I start selling my designs at 50% off when I am selling them fine at full price? If we no longer sell at the current prices, then of course they will come down. But until then, you will probably not see any changes in pricing of the good quality kits out there...
We are not asking to get the kits for free or for a ridiculous price, just a decent price like $4 instead of $7. I think with comments like yours, YOU are the one that should shut up.
November 4, 2008 12:42 PM
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Just calling it for what it is...
No, you don't want them for free yet...you just want them to be reduced to nearly half price as the regular price. You have just proved my point. A $4 kit that you'll want to see on sale for 50% off because heaven forbid that 25% isn't enough...get real. I bet you can't even buy enough products at the dollar store for less than $7 to make ONE paper layout.
Try treating designers with some more respect please. You may think we all sell hundreds of kits, but we don't. A lot of us don't at least. That's neither here nor there. Just because the goods are digital doesn't mean they have less value than something physical, like paper scrapbook kits. And I don't see paper scrapbooking companies lowering their prices to half price because some people find prices incredulous. You think brick and mortar stores are going to lower their prices by 50% on a regular basis because a dollar store opened up next to them? I don't think so. That would be business suicide. They know the value of their product.
You want cheap products, go buy cheap products. But don't bitch about how you want quality products for next to nothing. That makes you cheap.
I'm a designer and let me tell you, I think scrapping and designing is a form of art and it is hard to put a price tag on it, because art is subjective anyways. I create my own little designs (flowers, doodles or what have you) and then decide how I want to place them on the background I am making and what colors I want to use, etc, etc. Each background I make has a bit of me in it, ya know? If designers want to make real money, go into graphic design, that's what I do on the side. Or I should say I do this on the side and graphic design for the real money. This is my creative outlet, no different than painting or sculpting, just not as messy. I am honored if just one person buys one of my digital kit creations because it is much more "me" than the brochure I just finished for the medical supply company. LOL. Just my two cents.
I don't mind paying $7 for a quality kit, my problem is most of the time these days it's just not quality. It's blurry, pixelated, jaggy, etc. I know I can contact the designer and get it fixed but seeing as they don't know what they are doing in the first place, all I get back is another file of sub standard product. Lesson learned, don't buy from that designer. Try next designer, well great, more sub par product, pretty soon, I've spent $21, and that's just three kits, on nothing but bargain store products at boutique prices. At least if I go into a bargain store, I know what I'm getting. If I go into my LSS, I know that the higher the price, the better the product.
Besides, if it takes you weeks to make one kit, you need to rethink what you are doing.
3:40 - You said it yourself. If the kit is of poor quality then don't purchase from the designer anymore. If it's so "blurry, pixelated, jaggy, etc."
If that's the case how is it even worth $4?
3:40, of course the designers capable of pumping out a kit in a day or two must be much better than those that spend a lot of time on a kit. That sounds silly. I can pump out kits in a day or two but really, it won't be as thought out, tried out, quality checked, because there is no time. I sound snarky but I just hope you would reconsider.
3:40 - You said it yourself. If the kit is of poor quality then don't purchase from the designer anymore. If it's so "blurry, pixelated, jaggy, etc."
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Yes, I did but you must have missed it when I said I wouldn't buy from them again, go onto the NEXT designer, only to have the same problem. It's frustrating that more designers don't take the time to double check their work. It's not that hard
3:40, of course the designers capable of pumping out a kit in a day or two must be much better than those that spend a lot of time on a kit. That sounds silly. I can pump out kits in a day or two but really, it won't be as thought out, tried out, quality checked, because there is no time. I sound snarky but I just hope you would reconsider.
November 4, 2008 5:59 PM
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I don't know how you made the leap from not spending weeks to instead spending a day or two. I never said a day or two, I just said that if you are spending weeks, then you need to reconsider. I know designers that make quality kits in a day or two and some designers that can't make a decent kit, even if they spend months making it. The amount of time is irrelevant if you basically don't know how to use your program or can't design in the first place.
What I saw on DSD were people complaining about sites not accessible, freebies that were not good quality, sales weren't good enough. It's enough to give digital scrapbooking a bad name.
Personally I was disappointed that DSD was all about sales. There are sales all the time anyway. I would prefer DSD to be about scrapping, design, learning your program, photography techniques, etc.
To me a day to set aside and work on my craft was more important than shopping (something I manage to do a lot of anyway).
If that's the case how is it even worth $4?
November 4, 2008 5:10 PM
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$4 is a coffee and a sandwich, they don't last either. But you are right, which is why I don't buy kits anymore.
Seriously people...why are you purchasing jaggy, blurry products. Are you buying from people you don't know?
When you are buying something online, you do not have the luxury of seeing the product you are buying like you would in a store. Also you do not have the ability to return something that you don't like. So you have to rely on other means to know if you are going to get a good product. To me one of those means is reputation and previous samples.
I wouldn't dream of buying from someone that I have not received a few freebies from to judge the quality of their work. Or that I have not seen around in the forums to know their demeanor and professionalism.
Seriously, you work hard for your money. You need to be a little more diligent before you hand it over to a complete stranger.
Regarding The DarkSide:
Since it was anonymous, how did people get invitations?
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Oh, you didn't get invited either then?
October 24, 2008 5:32 AM
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No, I refused the invitation. Why the implication of jealousy? I left high school a long time ago and being out of a group doesn't bother me anymore.
October 24, 2008 7:51 PM
6:30 Okay, you got me. You did not say a day or two. I spent a lot of time on my kits because inspiration can come and go. I would like to think I know my program pretty well and don't rely on running play on an action. But we are both doing a lot of assuming here. I assumed you meant cranking it out is better and I assumed you assumed that designers who take their time probably suck. lol. You know what they say when you assume.
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