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Post by Embri on May 3, 2024 3:22:26 GMT
r.e. short lived popularity - is this not the craft manufacturer's own fault? They're the ones who have pushed FOMO and monthly subscriptions and tied buying, and well well well if it isn't the consequences of their own actions. There is no reason that cutting dies need to be a limited run product unless it's somehow tied to a real word event like "New Year's 2024" for example. But you could get around this by offering separate pieces for the year numbers, and make a more useful product for the end consumer in the process. Instead of relying on "buy it now or it's gone forever" which is a predatory business practice, make something that will sell consistently. One of my pet peeves is that craft videos are almost always pushing the "new flavour of the week" instead of being about using what you have. Oh, the craft manufacturers definitely drive this, but it couldn’t happen without our cooperation. A lot of us (including myself) have far more than we need or are likely to ever use. Whether due to impulse buying, FOMO, or whatever, no one made me buy all the pretty papers, card stock, ephemera, embellishments, etc., that make up the hoard in my craft room. I have no LSS near me, so I do rely heavily on my stash. In most cases, I no longer am as likely to impulse buy, but when I went to convention recently, my restraint flew out the window on the drive there. As long as we respond to the craft industry the way they want us to, nothing will change.
True, however I don't think it's fair to put equal blame on both parties here, when the manufacturers are employing every psychological dark pattern they can to influence consumer behaviour. Even if you want to buy from a company who doesn't do limited releases and always has their items in stock perpetually... there aren't any, at least not that I've heard of. Even the ones who don't retire their products regularly have significant "out of stock" shortages.
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Post by mom on May 3, 2024 13:34:27 GMT
Oh, the craft manufacturers definitely drive this, but it couldn’t happen without our cooperation. A lot of us (including myself) have far more than we need or are likely to ever use. Whether due to impulse buying, FOMO, or whatever, no one made me buy all the pretty papers, card stock, ephemera, embellishments, etc., that make up the hoard in my craft room. I have no LSS near me, so I do rely heavily on my stash. In most cases, I no longer am as likely to impulse buy, but when I went to convention recently, my restraint flew out the window on the drive there. As long as we respond to the craft industry the way they want us to, nothing will change.
True, however I don't think it's fair to put equal blame on both parties here, when the manufacturers are employing every psychological dark pattern they can to influence consumer behaviour. Even if you want to buy from a company who doesn't do limited releases and always has their items in stock perpetually... there aren't any, at least not that I've heard of. Even the ones who don't retire their products regularly have significant "out of stock" shortages.
Is it fair, though, to complain about the high prices and also complain that stores aren't keeping every item in stock year round? Having that much stock sitting on a shelf and cost in storing things for who knows how long cost money. And that cost is passed on to consumers in almost all places (if they want to stay in business).
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Post by Shakti on May 3, 2024 19:20:07 GMT
Fair point. And while it can't be said of an all-new open-stock release every.single.month, my understanding of the purpose of subscriptions and clubs is inventory forecasting. That's why Club Scrap, for instance, keeps you as a "subscriber" for two skipped months in a row, but considers you unsubscribed after a third. Or at least that's what they say. It certainly works better with prepaid, no skipping subscriptions like the ones TE and SCT do.
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Post by Embri on May 3, 2024 20:03:31 GMT
Is it fair, though, to complain about the high prices and also complain that stores aren't keeping every item in stock year round? Having that much stock sitting on a shelf and cost in storing things for who knows how long cost money. And that cost is passed on to consumers in almost all places (if they want to stay in business). I'd rather see less variety of products sold consistently, versus a constant revolving door of slight-variations-on-a-theme, which would reduce the number of products that needed to be stocked. The problem is for that type of model you need to be careful in picking the designs, ensuring they have evergreen appeal and quality, versus the current trend of throwing anything at the wall and seeing what sticks.
Products that are reliable sellers are better for retail business versus the hype-then-crash cycle that invites dead stock. Sadly this ends up being a plight of the commons problem where it isn't going to work unless the entire industry does a U-turn or some company manages to find a niche to fill.
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Post by Shakti on May 8, 2024 11:36:40 GMT
The stamp/die set I'm lusting after was available to order (as opposed to preorder) from SSS yesterday. It was available to ship from AE yesterday as well. It's on its way to me from China. It's not that Papalia store someone recommended; I couldn't find it there yet.
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Post by refugeepea on May 9, 2024 2:35:57 GMT
I've bought from Aliexpress. I've looked into Temu. The shipping is faster, but the crafting selection is more limited.
I've bought stamps and dies mostly. I've only had an issue with one set of alphabet dies that were very small.
Stamps are not the best quality, but I usually buy ones with simple images or words. You do need to check for spelling errors because that can happen. I have no issues with them using a stamp platform, and using an inkpad like Versafine is definitely a must. I usually press down a bit lighter on the stamping platform when I use cheap stamps; and not all of them come from AE.
My interests and subjects I like to scrap don't tend to be mainstream. Many independent companies have focused more on cardmaking, so I lost interest in most of them. Big scrapbook companies tend to do the same subjects and look across many lines.I typically search by interest rather than looking for a knockoff on AE. I've been scrapping for a long time. I have a lot of scrap supplies. I rarely have a use for an entire collection. I just need some fillers.
I've also found asethtics from other countries that are interesting. They aren't for scrapbooking, but they work. Things for bullet journaling, planners....
Mostly generic things that doesn't scream copyright infringement.
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Post by KikiPea on May 9, 2024 23:39:26 GMT
I won’t buy from either place for that very reason.
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