buttercup
Shy Member
Posts: 46
May 8, 2022 19:09:24 GMT
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Post by buttercup on Feb 28, 2024 22:14:10 GMT
I hope I’m not being annoying by posting so much. I was just on TSM’s website (I went looking for the extra die used on their flower box card for their March 9th class). I notice they have a new item listed: Inspiration ebook Feb 24: $9 for “22 pages Jam-packed with innovative ideas and creative inspiration for cards, tags and gift giving. This ebook comes complete with full supply lists and color swatches for each project. Plus, add some pizazz to your craft room with a special printable.” thestampmarket.com/collections/new/products/inspiration-delivered-ebook-feb-24I know Altenew sells some inspiration guides. They don’t list how many pages or what’s included. I’ve never bought one so I can’t speak to their value. I see that they’re on sale now at 90% off. Could this mean they haven’t been a successful product for Altenew or do they go on sale like this often? Is this the way it is now, that I have to not only pay for the actual stamps and dies but also pay (a lot) for inspiration to use said products? Am I cheap or grumpy (or both) that this bugs me? Is this just the modern version of buying a hard copy catalogue and I need to get with the times? Would you or do you like having a reference like this for inspiration? If you’ve bought one of these e-guides, what did you think of it? Was it good value for your money? Was anything included that wasn’t already posted on their website / blog / other socials / by their design team? |
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Post by Shakti on Feb 28, 2024 22:21:33 GMT
Altenew's inspiration guides often go on sale this way. Sometimes they throw one into your order for free. I've never found them particularly inspiring. Altenew also has some sort of ebook/emagazine sort of thing that I'm pretty sure is free, if you remember to look at it, which I rarely do.
All that said, I have no idea what this similar-sounding offering from TSM is about.
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buttercup
Shy Member
Posts: 46
May 8, 2022 19:09:24 GMT
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Post by buttercup on Feb 28, 2024 23:15:23 GMT
Altenew's inspiration guides often go on sale this way. Sometimes they throw one into your order for free. I've never found them particularly inspiring. Altenew also has some sort of ebook/emagazine sort of thing that I'm pretty sure is free, if you remember to look at it, which I rarely do. All that said, I have no idea what this similar-sounding offering from TSM is about. Ok, so I’m reading too much into Altenew having their guides at 90% off. I could definitely get behind a guide as an order freebie- because, well, free. I’ve only ordered from Altenew directly twice and don’t recall having received one. I do wonder about what’s in the guides that’s extra special compared to what is freely available online. I would think if a card was particularly fabulous that rather than “hiding” it away in a guide, the company would want it widely seen so we would want to buy the stamps / dies / stencils. But then I’m no “marketing expert”, so what do I know?  |
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azcrafty
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,794
Jun 28, 2019 20:24:21 GMT
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Post by azcrafty on Feb 28, 2024 23:38:42 GMT
As much I like Amy and the TSM style she is losing me as a buyer. If I have to pay money to be inspired to shop at your store than I'm okay without your products. There is almost nothing out there as inspiration so if I unfollow her on IG I will never see what I'm missing. She might makes some extra money with this booklet , but I wonder how many people get upset about this. And I don't think you are alone buttercup. This bugs me too. |
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Post by amyl on Feb 29, 2024 11:35:04 GMT
I love TSM. I have the inks and many stamps, dies, etc. However, I will not be purchasing a guide. I wish she would do a design team as others have said. I don’t need to see more of “her style” as a lot of her examples are similar and have the same look/vibe. another reason not to buy the guide as I don’t think would be much I haven’t seen.
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Post by Shakti on Feb 29, 2024 12:49:17 GMT
I should add that when Altenew throws in a freebie inspiration guide, it's generally for products you didn't order...more an ad than an aid, IYKWIM.
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Post by craftmepink on Feb 29, 2024 13:38:18 GMT
Yeah, I wouldn't pay for an inspiration e-guide either. That should come free with purchase.
Yeah, I kind of laughed when Altenew had that 90% off their inspiration guides. Altenew occasionally sends those guides when you make a purchase. And if I remember correctly, some of those guides were free to download.
I don't think we should have to pay for inspiration, which sells the products. The products are already quite expensive enough.
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pinklady
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,521 
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Post by pinklady on Feb 29, 2024 14:19:35 GMT
I agree with everyone, I will not buy this ebook...not from Stamp Market or anyone else for that matter. Between Instagram and Pinterest, there's just too much free inspiration available. I totally understand that The Stamp Market is a really small company but so is The Greetery and they have a design team and decent website.  I get the feeling that Amy is sort of a control freak ( not that this is a bad thing) and really wants to control the esthetic of all aspects of her company including how her products are presented...hence the lack of design team. That being said, I do think she is trying to grow. She created a new Facebook group recently and she announced her weekend event plans. www.facebook.com/groups/1521756585273141I'm really interested in the event and hope she releases the details soon. My main concerns are costs and overall communication. |
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lokismom
Full Member
Posts: 177
Aug 22, 2023 13:00:18 GMT
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Post by lokismom on Feb 29, 2024 16:35:39 GMT
If I have to pay for inspiration, I am 100% positive your product isn't worthy of my budgeted crafty funds.
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buttercup
Shy Member
Posts: 46
May 8, 2022 19:09:24 GMT
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Post by buttercup on Mar 2, 2024 4:07:33 GMT
Thanks so much for the discussion, everyone. TSM’s create and chat group sounds good. I don’t do facebook- so boo to that for me. I vaguely remember Amy announcing a design team member, so went looking- it was back in October, a scrapbooker named Kerstin. I don’t know who else is actually on the design team, though, as there’s no obvious list on their website or blog or even an insta hashtag for the team. I don’t recall seeing anyone else’s projects posted on TSM’s insta either. I think Yazmin (cardsandcraftsbyyaz) was on the team, but see now that she hasn’t posted in months. So if we don’t know who’s on it and we don’t see their projects, does the design team actually exist???  That’s a good point about comparing to The Greetery. Betsy has done an excellent job with the lookbooks, links to the team’s blog posts, featuring team projects on TG’s insta, and the way new products are linked from the blog to the shop before release- I add stuff to my wish list and then easily move things to my cart on release day. TG’s website is easy to navigate, too. TSM’s website is comparatively hard to use for anything other than the current release. There are some category filters, but it sure would be nice to be able to sort by new / old or even by price. And yes, if I were to stop looking at their insta feed I doubt I’d ever come across any of their products / projects again. It’s too bad. I love so many of TSM’s products, but it seems harder than it should be. It would be nice to receive the guides for the specific products in your order, but Altenew using their guides as ads with orders makes more sense. I definitely don’t want to pay for them- not even at 90% off!  |
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Post by marg on Mar 10, 2024 2:03:35 GMT
I totally agree with your TG and TSM comparison, buttercup.Those companies are probably similar in size. Both have a very elegant and sophisticated aesthetic. I love TG's look books - I can see all of the inspiration for a certain stamp or die in one place. They're fantastic. Betsy has a decent sized design team, too. Her design team members send out blog posts leading up to and on release day - they do a great job of building interest, I placed quite a large order last fall because I was hooked by the blog posts I received in my inbox. TSM just sucks at marketing, despite her beautiful products. There is not enough inspiration out there. Like pinklady said, Amy seems to be a control freak about her aesthetic, but I'd like to see her products used in a variety of ways instead of just hers - always the same colours, for one thing. Jennifer McGuire says that she always tries to think of 5 ways to use a product before she purchases it. TSM just does not help its customers with envisioning multiple ways to use a product. I don't get multiple blog posts from a variety of design team members with gorgeous inspiration sent to my inbox for new releases, building up excitement and creating FOMO. I won't pay for an inspiration book for products that are already expensive enough. That said, I'm still interested in her upcoming event, so I will be saving my pennies to sign up as long as the FX and shipping is reasonable. |
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Post by Ryann on Mar 10, 2024 7:34:52 GMT
I totally agree with your TG and TSM comparison, buttercup.Those companies are probably similar in size. Both have a very elegant and sophisticated aesthetic. I love TG's look books - I can see all of the inspiration for a certain stamp or die in one place. They're fantastic. Betsy has a decent sized design team, too. Her design team members send out blog posts leading up to and on release day - they do a great job of building interest, I placed quite a large order last fall because I was hooked by the blog posts I received in my inbox. TSM just sucks at marketing, despite her beautiful products. There is not enough inspiration out there. Like pinklady said, Amy seems to be a control freak about her aesthetic, but I'd like to see her products used in a variety of ways instead of just hers - always the same colours, for one thing. Jennifer McGuire says that she always tries to think of 5 ways to use a product before she purchases it. TSM just does not help its customers with envisioning multiple ways to use a product. I don't get multiple blog posts from a variety of design team members with gorgeous inspiration sent to my inbox for new releases, building up excitement and creating FOMO. I won't pay for an inspiration book for products that are already expensive enough. That said, I'm still interested in her upcoming event, so I will be saving my pennies to sign up as long as the FX and shipping is reasonable. It sounds like Amy is heading for a burnout. That won’t be good for anyone, least of all, Amy. |
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Post by twillerbee on Mar 10, 2024 12:45:19 GMT
I have always loved the stamp market products but I get put off by less inspiration and same old rainbow style cards. She needs to venture out now and get more designers on board. She is an amazing cardmaker and very talented but also limited at the same time.
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Post by marg on Mar 10, 2024 13:24:26 GMT
I have always loved the stamp market products but I get put off by less inspiration and same old rainbow style cards. She needs to venture out now and get more designers on board. She is an amazing cardmaker and very talented but also limited at the same time. Succinctly put, you've put into 3 sentences what I tried to put into a few majorly wordy paragraphs. This is exactly what I was trying to say lol |
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I get the feeling that Amy is sort of a control freak (not that this is a bad thing) and really wants to control the esthetic of all aspects of her company including how her products are presented...hence the lack of design team. That being said, I do think she is trying to grow. She created a new Facebook group recently and she announced her weekend event plans.
