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Post by maryboys on Oct 31, 2015 15:21:52 GMT
@devildog yes, I was banned for a good couple of weeks before I was admitted to the hospital. It was a nice gesture. For sure. It's just puzzling with the SC one is all. Please excuse me for being cynical - but I believe anything benevolent SC does is never without a motive to benefit themselves. I'm referring to AF; there have been some very kind, compassionate, good employees there over the years. I agree with you, abr79 - it is very puzzling and really almost insulting.
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Post by maryboys on Oct 31, 2015 15:16:52 GMT
I think the timing of the announcement is the biggest indication that this is a recent development. The kit was announced in November three years ago, with the first kit shipped in January 2013. And while I do see pros for SC in not renewing the contract, I see many more cons. They have known for months that the contract deadline is looming so this "surprise" announcement is suspect, in my opinion, and leads me to believe that this was not by choice - unless, of course, it is no longer financially feasible for them to continue with the partnership. In which case, the hole in the ship is getting bigger by the minute. I couldn't agree more! There is simply NO way that AF would end a contract with BH...this is a HUGE deal, HUGE loss for them. As per April's MO, she can manipulate the words to try to make it sound like a positive thing - BUT IT IS NOT - AND APRIL KNOWS IT! Not that she will ever, ever acknowledge that. Please get out soon, Ali!!
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Post by maryboys on Oct 30, 2015 14:19:58 GMT
I worry most for Ali. If she knew the details of things she would probably do something about it. But if she never finds out, SC could take her down with them. I've been wondering about this. I don't think it's beyond reach to theorize that SC has messed up so badly that the company could go under - what happens to Ali's product line in that case? Perhaps they have a huge base of consumers that really never look at the boards and don't realize that there is a huge change ahead with the cancellation policy and it will keep them afloat. Hoping Ali has considered this and has been looking for a backup logistics partner. Definitely would be concerned if it were me. Wonder if she knows what has transpired in last several months? Gonna change my avatar for Halloween I worry most for Ali, also, and hope this won't take her down before she can get out. I don't have any insider knowledge on anything, of course - but I have a strong hunch that Ali is well aware of the precarious business situation at Studio Calico. She is smart and aware, and I'm certain she stays informed. It's just that it's impossible to know what her contract terms are with SC and if she can save her brand before she has to take a financial hit. I'm betting on her - that she will somehow graciously extricate herself from this hugely unfortunate mess.
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Post by maryboys on Oct 29, 2015 12:46:44 GMT
oh my goodness! after looking at the kits for SC - i've decided they've become the world's first Kamikaze Kit Club !!!
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Post by maryboys on Oct 18, 2015 1:36:26 GMT
I checked the SC message boards and cannot believe how dead they are. Is that what they wanted, for everyone to just leave? What little enthusiasm there is just comes off as fake and trying too hard in my opinion. I just don't get it. I am getting excited about trying something new and love the input about other kits shared here. i don't believe for a minute that this is what SC wanted...i think it's simply April's incredible hubris that has led to this debacle. she has done whatever she wanted and gotten away with it for so many years, that she simply has never considered that it could actually fall apart. if she had wanted to close their kit business - she simply would have. without apology or explanation, of course, because that's just not part of her paradigm.
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Post by maryboys on Oct 4, 2015 14:04:49 GMT
I'm looking for someone to share an Ali E DD kit - I posted details on the FSOT board
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Post by maryboys on Oct 3, 2015 1:29:11 GMT
Amanda - I'm so very sorry to hear of your diagnosis. I'm thinking of you and looking forward to your healthy return here ASAP. Sending you a huge hug...
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Post by maryboys on Sept 24, 2015 13:47:59 GMT
Remember the old saying: the fish rots from the head down! I completely agree with you, Skellinton and cath4k. I have nothing but sympathy for the CS staff. They are working in literally "crazy" conditions and can't win, no matter what they do. I really feel for them, they're victims in many ways.
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Post by maryboys on Sept 24, 2015 2:23:44 GMT
If I have a chance in the next day or so, I'll see if I still have the correspondence they sent me and share it here - you will shake your heads for sure!
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Post by maryboys on Sept 24, 2015 2:11:14 GMT
I didn't realize other people had been banned before. Can you share why you were banned? I'm sorry - I didn't see this post at first...I'd be glad to tell you. I was really direct and outspoken about the things that were happening there - but always factual. Not inflammatory. I think I made too much sense and was seen as a threat at that time. It was really, really ridiculous and almost laughable as they had no posts that were rude or disrespectful to blame on me; just truthful, direct observations that I made on their MB. ETA: They also tried to pull shenanigans as far as my account, as it was shut down without warning. I simply told them that what they had done was illegal, as I had paid for classes that were now inaccessible to me. I contacted my credit card company and let SC know that, too. They immediately backed down and gave me a certain period of time to download classes.
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Post by maryboys on Sept 24, 2015 2:03:08 GMT
I don't think Skellinton was ever officially banned. She got a hand-written warning from AF but she was never banned. There were a couple of people that got the special snail-mail letter. @devildog was one of them as well. I apologize if I am wrong about this! Can you clarify, Skellinton - I think you were "snickerdoodle" back then?? I was definitely banned/removed from the boards and received a snail mail letter. And yes - I forgot about @devildog... sorry for that! Feel free to clear up anything I've gotten wrong...thanks:)
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Post by maryboys on Sept 24, 2015 0:13:44 GMT
What were they hoping to accomplish by banning people? Everyone would start playing "nice" and gushing nothing but praise? The reality is that targeting just two individuals to ban has silenced members, driven away customers, and encouraged people to complain openly on social media. Seems to me a few scathing, albeit accurate, posts on your contained message board would be preferable to having your shortcomings aired all over the world wide web. The former is only seen by customers who take the time to go to your boards. The latter is reaching a HUGE audience of present and potential customers who just might zip their wallets a little tighter. I don't think they expected what they got. The internet is a big place and they didn't count on the two ladies getting the support they did. I think they just didn't think through the consequences. Then again, maybe they just don't care. All of this. Remember, they've banned people in the past - Skellinton, me, and maybe a couple of others. However - things have never been this out of control for the PTB over there before. They're making things up as they go along; things are erratic and disjointed; they have no control over this board, which was not around with the last huge debacle! I don't think we can underestimate how out of control AF feels. This recent banning of you two ladies (and a lot of other poor decisions) has completely backfired.ETA: I feel concern for the wellbeing of the staff there, as others have alluded to. As one physician colleague of mine told me about an employer I worked for briefly: "Mary - you can't fix crazy. Run. Don't walk. Just get out of the situation."
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Post by maryboys on Sept 23, 2015 13:22:28 GMT
I'm writing this on a serious note, and not because I think it's funny nor do I want to be hurtful! I have worked in medicine for over 20 years and this includes extensive experience in mental health with all ages - children, adolescents, and adults. I certainly understand the gravity of labeling or diagnosing someone whom I have never met. However, when you have observed a pattern of behaviors over this many years, some things can be inferred.
I'm sharing this because I believe many of us are truly bewildered by what we've experienced at SC. For the most part, SC has had a population of customers that are loyal, intelligent, and forgiving over the years. This thread is proof that we are all feeling the craziness and trying to make sense of it. We want SC to survive and thrive - because we have loved their products and kits over the years.
So I'm posting this quote from a respected psychology journal to shed some light on this situation. I'm leaving out the diagnosis, and including the portion that describes the behaviors.
"...when their position has been exposed as false, arbitrary, or untenable, they will suddenly become evasive, articulate half-truths, lie (actually, as much to themselves as others), flat-out contradict themselves (and to a degree that can leave the other person gaping!), and freely rewrite history (literally--and audaciously--making things up as they go along). This is why at such times they don't seem adults so much as six-year-olds. And in fact, when others inadvertently trigger mini emotional crises in them, there's little doubt that, both cognitively and emotionally, they can regress to a maturity level of that age (or less)."
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Post by maryboys on Sept 23, 2015 0:30:46 GMT
looking at the "SC" stamp set..it seems pretty clear there will soon be no rewards, calico points, wouldn't you say? quite certain those words, phrases would have been included in the set...
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Post by maryboys on Sept 17, 2015 3:09:11 GMT
So what do you guys think about Savannahs reply in the "positive-thread"? She is listening, all day, and they care and they appreciate their customers bla bla bla. They are having growing pains cause they are just growing and growing and growing..... I really don´t get it. Are they really growing that much? They may be growing in other "branches", but do you really believe the kit-business is growing? I´m having a hard time believing that. I just think that they don´t care too much about the kit side of the business any more... there is absolutely no way that SC's kit club is growing. period. this is a lot of narcissistic grandstanding from yours truly, AF. if she says it, it's true (in her mind) - no matter what the facts show. ugh - this really does seem hopeless unless she will let someone who is healthy take over. completely....which is very, very unlikely.
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Post by maryboys on Sept 16, 2015 0:50:43 GMT
yes lizacreates. i remember what you're referring to...kristina contes and meghan dymock...never were my type, but they were kind of a big deal for some people back then.
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Post by maryboys on Sept 15, 2015 14:38:17 GMT
I'm posting this here simply because Ali is under the SC umbrella, business wise. I just looked at the Black & White kit for this month and purchased it. I posted this on the class message board on her site.
"i've had to temporarily stop my subscription for a few months; but i've purchased this one individually. i simply love it - thanks for consistently providing high quality classes and products, ali! i don't think i can adequately express how wonderful it is to just KNOW that your offerings (physical and information wise) are always dependable. no hoopla. no hype. no manufactured FOMO. just a low-key, high quality experience from start to finish. it really means a lot. thank you."
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Post by maryboys on Sept 12, 2015 12:47:23 GMT
I'm as appalled as everyone else here to see, hear just how far down things have gone at SC. Even though poor business practices, poor ethics, and multiple SNAFUs have been commonplace for years now - this really has reached sadly epic proportions. Knowing what we do about April Foster's past behaviors, it makes sense to me that things are now snowballing out of control. Always in the past, she could reach out to 2peas and and have a MB topic deleted - but she is powerless over this MB. I'm sure she is desperate and I'm sorry that she couldn't have learned lessons from the past so that SC could have continued to be the excellent kit club it was in years past. People have spoken out because they wanted/want things to be better.I appreciate lizacreates logical, sensible advice about being unemotional and non-inflammatory in posts here, too. I think it's excellent advice. We are all aware that this board is being watched by lots of eyes. Be honest, be straightforward, but not a troll. ETA: I was removed from SC boards a couple of years ago for speaking truths, and I've always striven to be professional yet direct and honest in my communications. Just noting this, so that it doesn't seem that I am scolding anyone - anyone can be banned from their boards! Professional or unprofessional, the truth is not well received at SC. I just want to encourage us to all be adult, and not juvenile, in our attempts to make a positive difference!
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Post by maryboys on Sept 5, 2015 17:48:47 GMT
I hope nobody feels ashamed for purchasing items from SC that they love and will use...I don't think any of us has ever wanted SC to go out of business. We have loved their kits and products for years and that is why we care that this is going so badly especially as of the past couple of years. 'Hope springs eternal in the human breast', after all. We've given feedback for years in hopes that things would change for the better...but it seems that is very unlikely to happen at this point. And that's why it is finally truly showing up in real numbers now - nobody can convince me that they have nearly the kit business that they used to have. April believed that the customer base was endless, and that this cycle of newbies -> disappointment, dishonesty by SC -> lost subscribers -> newbies-> could go on forever. Right now, it seems obvious that it's the other businesses keeping them afloat. Sad but true.
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Post by maryboys on Sept 5, 2015 15:41:38 GMT
I agree that the prices at 50% off are about what the kits are really worth. It really struck me how much the kits have changed in value - less product for significantly higher price - when I looked at the sale kits last night. I know many people have already noted that!
I think that there has been excess inventory at SC for quite a while, even before changes were announced. Thinking back, it seems like it's been about a year and a half or so since kits sold out; and there have been major 'sales' on kits that they NEVER had prior to that time.
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Post by maryboys on Sept 3, 2015 23:26:57 GMT
Being able to get people to drop $60 a head, and still show that you don't know squat about the legalities behind marketing? Clearly someone knows how to spin and sell snake oil. However, an ethical business owner who fears the government may want to have a little sit down with her to ensure this doesn't happen again. You have to wonder what would've happened if someone just reported them vs warning them on IG or FB that they were breaking the law. I 100% agree with you. The bolded part, however, may be where there are problems and why this keeps happening. I don't remember all of the details...but I do know that a few years ago SC was finally called out by someone on 2Peas for using "copyrighted" names for kits (such as famous songs, etc). Someone reported this to a legal entity; either way - SC stopped doing that ASAP.
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Post by maryboys on Sept 3, 2015 17:32:51 GMT
There's no doubt in my mind that this thread is being monitored continuously by SC, and many other industry people. That is why the potentially illegal contest was halted.
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Post by maryboys on Sept 3, 2015 15:37:09 GMT
i've been noticing how closely ali is monitoring the the AE board over there; she is obviously aware of the SC problems and doesn't want her name besmirched (ugh - where did that OLD word come from?). i have confidence in ali and i feel for her, walking a tightrope right now. hopefully, she will be able to remove herself from the SC umbrella at some point.
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Post by maryboys on Aug 28, 2015 23:53:48 GMT
"...corporate narcissism occurs when a narcissist becomes the chief executive officer (CEO) or other leadership role within the senior management team and gathers an adequate mix of codependents around him (or her) to support the narcissistic
behavior. Narcissists profess company loyalty but are only really committed to their own agendas, thus organizational decisions are founded on the narcissist's own interests rather than the interests of the organization as a whole, the various stakeholders, or the society in which
the organization operates. As a result, "a certain kind of charismatic leader can run a financially successful company on thoroughly unhealthy principles for a time. But... the chickens always come home to roost"."
ETA: It seems that any employee who joins SC and "gets the picture there"? Always leaves. This is not just random. So it seems the SC solution has become acquiring contracts with known, trusted people in the industry (Ali E, Becky H); and also establishing contact with other women on social media who have large followings, whether due to a business (Elsie of ABM, Emily Ley) or because of personal tragedy (Baby Boy Bakery). I have to tell you that when I saw this bereaved mother being capitalized on - I truly felt ill. It violates everything I have ever believed in as far as human decency.
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Post by maryboys on Aug 28, 2015 16:12:55 GMT
I agree with so many others here - this is a fascinating study in psychology, pathology...
Here's my current thought, FWIW. While SC is indeed alienating their kit club members and decimating their kit club business; I don't believe it was part of the master plan. Simply because, if it was - April would have just shut it down without batting an eye - and moved on to her other business schemes. She is all about the profit and not given to the people side of things, obviously. So why would she even attempt to "ease out of" the kit club?
I've watched for so many years now, and I really believe this is coming as a huge surprise (again!) that customers are simply done. She has shown time and again that she believes the customer base is endless. That she can do absolutely anything and people will accept it and come back for more. Part of this is because it WAS that way in the beginning and for quite a few years. However, in the past 2 years, it has not been the case. I don't think it ever will be, again, unless there is new ownership.
So much more that could be discussed, but just this for now - life has definitely gone on for me since I quit subbing quite some time ago!
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Post by maryboys on Jul 20, 2015 2:56:42 GMT
hello! i'm maryboys here, there, and everywhere:)
i'm not subbing to any kits at present, but i'm eager to see what others have to share here - thnks!
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Post by maryboys on Jul 1, 2015 20:43:35 GMT
i believe that SC saw that this business model works well for Ali Edwards and decided to change to the same structure. unfortunately, i believe there have been too many negative experiences and games played by SC for this to work for them. with Ali - her kit club has been rock solid from day one - because of her past integrity. there are no games played. she has consistent, quality products. there are no sneak peeks, there is no hype. she simply provides what people like without all the unnecessary confusion and miscommunication. it's really unfortunate - SC had a good thing going until several years ago. i still like their kits, products but have lost faith in them and rarely buy anything now.
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Post by maryboys on Mar 15, 2015 0:23:51 GMT
concerned about this...please keep us posted. such a frightening experience - i am thinking of you ever since reading this yesterday.
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Post by maryboys on Dec 17, 2014 14:01:52 GMT
i love ali's content and her style; any classes i've taken from her have been excellent. however - i definitely believe the kits are overpriced.
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Post by maryboys on Dec 15, 2014 12:30:31 GMT
i adore the classic way george is dressed. the only thing i would have done differently would be ankle high socks rather than knee high...
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