Studio Calico Refugees

HI dawnnikol!!

The mood boards never look like the actual kits, IMO. I don't get how they come up with some of that stuff, it seems random. And in some where I was excited because there wasn't much pink, there ended up being a ton of pink in the kits! I always feel like I'm "reading" the mood board wrong or something

Hello, everyone!

While we await the delights SC has in store for us this month, why don’t you pull up your easy chairs, break out the popcorn, and I will regale you with the story of why I began participating in this thread.

I’ve been purchasing from SC for about three years now. I remember having to wait 3 months for my first card kit. Neverland, I think it was. I just loved it, and I became the biggest SC fangirl around. As soon as they announced the PL kit, I was right on top of it and subscribed to it sight unseen the day it was announced (that’s how good the kits were back then). There ended up being a 3-month waiting list for that sub as well.

Oh, those were the glory days, were they not?

Until…

The shipping debacle. And the nasty revenge-seeking trolls wreaking havoc on the message boards. I finally ended up cancelling my kits and taking a hit with the cancellation fees when I just couldn’t stand it any more. I did continue to order the odd item every once in awhile. I cannot resist an SC alpha stamp set.

Some time later when it seemed to me that things had settled down, I was tempted to subscribe to the new Planner kit. I subscribed sight unseen because I remembered the quality of the kits I had previously subscribed to. Boy, that was a mistake—what a disappointment that kit has been.

Then…

ANOTHER shipping brouhaha! MORE angry customers trying to get heard on the message boards! Insert hysterical laughter here.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Check out my avatar. I really do feel like a fool for thinking things would be any different.

Here below is just one example of what I’ve experienced. I dread having to open a convo in case a twinkie is assigned to my query (twinkie - someone who addresses me in a breezy overfamiliar manner and/or mishandles my transaction due to her own lack of life experience, i.e. she’s young and she’s green).

Me to SC:

Promo Code YAYWEEKEND. According to the email you sent out regarding this code, I was supposed to receive “20% off everything" (plus free shipping if I am domestic, which I am not). When I entered in the code, this is the message I got: "You can't use promo code YAYWEEKEND. Only applicable for orders shipping to the USA”. So I did not receive "20% off everything" for this order as indicated by the email I received. I had a larger order in mind, but I reduced it as I did not qualify for the "20% off everything”. Why did you send me this promo code if I could not use it?

SC to me:

“I’m sorry for the confusion with using the YAYWEEKEND promo code. We realized that this code did not work for your international customers and sent out communication via email, message board post and blog giving our international customers a different promo code. This code was YAYINTL. As you have already placed your order without this code, I have made an exception for you and processed the 20% discount. Please allow 3-5 days for your refund to be processed. If we can assist you with anything else, please let us know.”


Me to SC:

“Thanks for the refund. Regarding the fact that you sent out communication via email, message board post, and blog, I am not sure how I was supposed to know that. I just wanted to place my order and move on--I am not going to check my email, the message boards, or the blog to check for a code that should be working in the first place. This is the second time in a row your promo codes have not worked for me as the code from last month did not work either, so I had to open a conversation at that time as well. Recently I have found trying to order anything from SC difficult and tiresome, thereby totally draining out any enjoyment of the experience.”


Surprisingly, I never received a reply to that. I’ve never not gotten a reply before.

First of all, as we’ve been told time and time again, the correct protocol is to open a convo with SC, which I had done. I was unaware that we were expected to check email, the message boards, and the blog. Anyway doesn’t posting anything of a transactional nature conflict with the T.O.U.? Secondly, there’s no way I’m going on a treasure hunt to look for an elusive promo code. As the lady so famously said, “ain’t nobody got time for that!”

Here’s the the type of thing a crusty old curmudgeon such as myself would like to have seen:

“We are so sorry the promo code did not work for you and apologize for the inconvenience. Unfortunately the code was not working at the time you tried to use it due to a system error on our part. We have now reactivated the code for your use if you would like to place another order.”

The inconvenience being that everything that I had my eye on has probably sold out while I’m waiting for a reply to my convo.

Anyway, after reading a couple of interesting threads on the SC message board, I was especially galled by that self-serving load of twaddle written by the Customer Bad Experience Manager in response to one of them. Her somewhat delusional enthusiasm was more than I could bear. As SC pays attention to this thread, I decided to join in the fun here.

Well, SC is probably onto me now. Must dash and check my email to see whether or not I’ve qualified for a place at Banned Camp. Keep you posted!

Oh my gosh! Maybe they are saving something good for next month... :-\

Or maybe they're going to add those products to make a main and add-on that looks like the SC kits we all remember.  I'm not holding my breath, but it's a thought.    The kits started to get thinner as the number of options increased.  Fatten up the main and one good add-on and wallets will open.

I'm glad you said you weren't holding your breath because I'd be worried about your health at this point.  

I think they're trying to get away from add ons, honestly.  Then no worrying about points, sending additional product, etc.  Everything has been sized down and I wouldn't be surprised to see the SB main go away too. 

Well, duh. We're too busy tracking down duplicate orders and quadrupled e-mails and inactive promo codes to scrapbook.

aggiebonfire00 yep...I'm still seeing plenty of negative/snarky posts since we were notified of our banning. But, also, so many head in the sand/rose-colored glasses posts and threads. It's sickening, really. That's why I've only gone over once a day (basically to see if they officially deactivated my access)

merry I'm right there with you on that word. Seriously hilarious. I'm going to guess that warehouse is in a meltdown and straight up hope they have it figured out before DD starts shipping out.

dawnnikol keep posting here and you may be part of banned camp. Aggiebonfire00 and I are convinced we were banned because of our posts here.

abr79 - Yikes, I kinda forgot about DD. I'm sure AE must be a bit nervous about the warehouse issues. I'm sure the product will be awesome as ever, but getting it to
us is the big challenge. Guess we can't get our panties in a wad yet, but it's in the back of my head to be a concern.

I think you're right about it being because of your posts here.  Maybe that's why they are so back logged with conversations!  Rather than reading here, banning members, posting giveaways, and composing long-drawn out love letters on the message boards, they ought to be fixing their customers' issues.

I feel like that's every month. Unlike Ali's kits where she usually has a very distinct pallet--no 2 months feel the same.

anniefb based on their avoidance of the queries regarding rewards since changes were initially rolled out, I full expect rewards to drastically change if not disappear completely. Same with Calico Points. They were always vague on their responses and never directly answered question. Just talked out both sides of their mouth. Which is the MO.

i got that idea when the new pricing structure came out and rewards were told they'd have to recommit come January. I'll bet the point system is all but gone.

I would cancel immediately too! I'm still debating on when exactly I will but that would push me right over the edge!