Anyone still shop with CM, CTMH and/or SU?

I'm a consultant for CTMH. They just announced they are changing a lot of the structure. Starting Oct 1. I think part of it is in recognition that home parties aren't really the majority of the business structure anymore.

I have a CM consultant that also sells for CTMH. She does day crops and two weekend retreats a year. When I first started with CM our consultant used to teach us how to make borders. We loved her!

No. Aren't they multi-level marketing? Or they used to be?

Well, there's a lot and there's still a lot of questions being answered because they just gave us this information earlier this week.  I'm not even sure I should be sharing this info yet, except I think it needs to be out there so customers are aware.  

Here are the highlights:  I don't think the typical customer will see much change.  If you were just placing an order online once in a while, not a whole lot will look different. Except if you were interested in the VIP program (see paragraph below). 

Consultants are being renamed "Makers".  And then there's another level underneath Maker with lower quarterly minimums, but also a lower discount percentage that would be an option for consultants that are more hobbyists.  The discount percentage for Makers *is* increasing, slightly.  But...well...see below(the **).  The structure of the titles, earnings, commissions, and having a team is changing for Makers.  They are also adding an annual fee to continue being a Maker (this is in addition to meeting quarterly minimums).

There's a new program called VIP customer that offers those customers (for a yearly fee) the chance at exclusive deals, special perks - for example Stamp of the Month is free each month with a $50 order - special sales only for VIP customers, and an award of points (sort of like Kohl's cash) for every order over a certain dollar level.  I think that dollar level is $50, but don't quote me.  The points are able to be acculated so customers could save points from several different orders and then basically place an order for free if they wanted to use all their points from several previous different orders.

Probably the biggest change for regular customers is what happens to what we formerly called parties.  A "party" used to be $150 to qualify (USD) and $25 in free product.  Now there's a new program called Rewards Your Way where the makers get to decide how to divy out the rewards and to qualify for rewards you need a minimum of $100 in orders and the first reward level is $10.  I still have a lot of questions about this.  But this is all I am willing to share in this space at this time.  PM me if you have other questions. 


**So while I'm seeing a higher percentage discount as a Maker, it doesn't equal a "raise" for my situation.  I typically just meet my minimums each quarter and then stop.  Before between my discount and two party orders of $150 each I would be "compensated" $116 in either commission or free product.  If I were to keep my ordering pattern in the new structure, my "compensation" would drop to $95 (combination commission and Rewards Your Way points).  Plus I need to add on an annual fee now.  I'm still deciding what I want to do.

A friend of mine does SU and hosts a monthly get-together that I attend so I have to buy something each month. Every year I think I'm going to stop going because I sometimes struggle with what to purchase, but it's fun to get together.

I only buy CM once a year. The one remaining crop I go to is hosted by a gal that sells CM (but mostly for personal/family use and because of this one crop). Some years I buy more than other years, but I don't feel obligated to buy anything just because she hosts the crop. CM has very little that is useful for me.

Their stance is the annual fee covers your website, the credit card processing charges, and our heavily subsidized shipping rates.  I get it.  Not happy about it, but I get it.  They haven't changed the compensation structure for more than 20 years (except for some scaling of override commissions for people who had teams).  From what I have been told (and who knows?) these changes are to maintain profitability of the company's future and also remain debt free.  Now, some of this has eerie similarities to what we've been seeing happening with other MLM companies who either went to direct sales or closed their doors entirely.  I honestly don't know if that's in the cards or not.  I hope not because I do, obviously, really like the products.  There's a lot of chatter right now from consultants who have customers who do not use the online side of the business and what are they supposed to do for those customers who want to be VIP customers?  I haven't seen great answers to those questions yet.  I do feel like aspects of this new program remove the need for consultants or, at a minimum, reduce the emphasis on the old vision statement that we were the company that would "Show you how".  

For full transparency - I was a consultant for about 7 years, took a break for approximately 5 years, and signed back up a little over a year ago basically to restock my supply of inks, markers, cardstock, and do it at a discount.  When I was a consultant the first time, I did get to the point where it was a side business for me (in addition to my day job).  I had a team and several monthly groups, etc.  That was also back during the time that I had to pay a fee for every credit card processed and at the very beginning of my first time around - they didn't even offer individual websites.  This time I am basically my only customer.  I had another customer, but she signed up under someone else (which was fine with me) and is also now thinking about her future with the company and if this new structure is worth it to her.

Thanks for clarifying. I wasn't sure if they still were and I'm vehemently opposed to financially supporting MLM's.

I just bought the cutest punch from Creative Memories. It is a camera. I cannot believe how expensive it was, probably due to MLM sales, but I got it for free using points on Amazon.

Is it CTMH ink that Heba has been raving about? I’ve wanted to try it, but figuring out how to purchase it slowed my roll.

My friend is w ctmh. I try to support her when i can.

If that's what it is, many consultants have a website.  You just order there and it ships right to you; I don't recall the last time I went to an actual "party."  I'm guessing tc can help you out; if not, I can give you the link to my demonstrator's website.

ETA: I do shop with both CTMH and SU.  I typically have done this through hostess clubs (spend so much each month, get a turn at being hostess and earning the rewards), though with the new rewards program for CTMH, it sounds like my demo is going to discontinue them.  

My CTMH demo is the one who's run all the crops I've been to in the last seven years or so.  We were supposed to have a four day one in a couple of weeks (boo, covid).  She's done a couple online, which were fun, just different fun.  I've stuck with her because she has never required that you purchase product to attend, never required that you only use CTMH products, and never once asked me to sign up as a consultant.  

And I really like SU cardstock.

I have never purchased anything from CM, CTMH, or SU either. I have attended crops hosted by reps, but never bought a thing... I'm thinking, maybe it was because I learned about scrapbooking through LSSs, rather than through one of these companies.

Why? I’m curious to know why you won’t support them. I do, so wonder if I missed something wrong with it.

I haven't purchased from any of these 3 companies in quite a while. Years ago I was a CM consultant, and still use their albums and pages. I do need to get some pages, but I haven't bought anything else from them.

I like CTMH's smooth white cardstock and have been out for some time - just haven't ordered anymore.