Poll: TPampered Chef Authorized Vendors

[reba515]

this may be a little OT but I am in need of new biz cards so i will order from Merrill but my question/delimma is, I am a FD but would rather just put Ind. Cons. on my cards. to me it just seems like it sounds silly especially on a biz card. Now don't get me wrong,I know i worked for it and i am proud of of my status but to those who might pick up/read my card it have no idea what it really means.It sounds like "hopefully someday i'll be a director" Its the word "future" that just keeps sticking in my head.

you know like those t-shirts babies wear that say "FUTURE FOOTBALL STAR" or "FUTURE BALLERINA"!
Any opinions on this? am i just being a jerk??!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

I know directors who just have "Independent Consultant" on their cards. It makes them feel less intimidating. I'm not sure what I would do if I were in your spot.Anyone else?

 

[BethCooks4U]

I did have IFD on mine and I felt the same way that you do. In retrospect I wish I had left it IC until I made director and then made the change.

Do what you are comfortable with.

As far as having director on my cards now. It is a much bigger deal and harder to attain so I definitley encourage that! It also tells others that I am there to help them as they start out if they are nervous about it for one thing.

 

[reba515]

thanks...wasn't sure what kind of response i was gonna get! yes when i become director i will definitley put Director on them.
i've been putting off ordering since July! now i really need them

 

[MamaChef]

I LOVE Nancy's, have ordered from her since I started 5 years ago! Have not ordered from Merrill's.....to expensive....I agree with all of the other comments...it's insane!

VIP- again, I agree!!!! Personally, they are worse than Merrill on the prices! I've purchased from them, and have usually been OK with what I have purchased, but I've only bought things on sale. Recently when I've purchased shirts, I've purchased them on ebay....yeah! I'm horrible! But seriously! I can't just go out and have someone make me a shirt for cheaper, or I'll be infringing on the copyrights...and I want to advertise, but I just don't have the money to buy directly from them! By the time I can afford something, they are out of my size on clearance...it's frustrating!

Aaaaand I digress....

 

[PCJen]

Well I tried to use my regular banking debit/atm/check card whatever you want to call it, and it didn't go through but I wasn't in town after I had placed the order for a while so I just said forget it. So then when I wanted to order again I emailed and asked them about it and they said they didn't take debit cards. HMMM. Maybe I will have to email again and ask Again.

Here is what I have learned on the bank Debit Card thing. No need to say it is a debit card as long as it is a Visa or MasterCard. It will run through as a credit card, even though it's a debit card, and post to your account in 3 days. If you run it as a debit card it goes through the same day. So...If you go to a store and hand the cashier your card she/he will run it as a credit card and you sign your receipt (post in 3 days). As a debit you swipe it through the card machine yourself at the check stand (posts in the same day).

I order from Nancy's and never have had a problem using my bank debit card.

I hope this helps.

 

[PCGINA]

ImoNancy's: I agree with most - she is reasonable, friendly and helpful, BUT - most cardstock items are WAY outdated. They need to be more contempory and lighter in colors. The dark postcards have ot go. I do love her stamps and the new stationary though

Merrill: I purchased my stamp and biz cards from the. I againg agree, too small of font. At NC the "workers" behond their conuter must have been from hire-me-I'm-stupid-and-don't-give-a-sh_ _ -about-you, Inc. because they were rude, pushy and really didn't seen to have time for my questions. I was there to BUY some items!!! They must have assumed that I was listening to the previous cutomers convertation with them and/or I should have been paying atteniton BECAUSE I happen to ask the same questions as the preson that just left!! And why is it that god old American greenbacks are worthless to them!! OK - I'll stop...

VIP: The name suggests the price for me... TOO MUCH for everything...

Sticking to biz: I buy most of my stickers from them.

I agree with Anne, give us something we can afford and in turn use frequently and purchase more of it!! What a concept!!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Bumptiy bump bump, bump bump!You have a few more days to post your comments here and answer the poll.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

this may be a little OT but I am in need of new biz cards so i will order from Merrill but my question/delimma is, I am a FD but would rather just put Ind. Cons. on my cards. to me it just seems like it sounds silly especially on a biz card. Now don't get me wrong,I know i worked for it and i am proud of of my status but to those who might pick up/read my card it have no idea what it really means.It sounds like "hopefully someday i'll be a director" Its the word "future" that just keeps sticking in my head.

you know like those t-shirts babies wear that say "FUTURE FOOTBALL STAR" or "FUTURE BALLERINA"!
Any opinions on this? am i just being a jerk??!

My opinion on this - I don't use the title "future director", because for me - it's a temporary thing..... I don't plan on being a FD for long - I'm working my way to director! It's not that I'm not proud of it - I just know I won't be here at this place for long - so why invest in supplies with that title when it will be obsolete soon?! I also agree that when others who aren't PC consultants read it, they won't know what it means.....just might think I'm a director "wannabe", and I really don't want to cheapen my position as a FD that way either!

 

[yummy4tummy]

Hey KG...you should have put something along the lines of...I might consider buying from...

I personally have never bought from any of the companies on the poll. Too rich for my blood! I have gotten some freebie postcards from my director (from Nancy's) but found they were too plain and boring (sorry Nancy). Now I do all of my own designs, personalized and colorful. I also design my own shirts, jackets, hats etc. Costs me a fraction of a fraction of the cost....Always the right fit and FREE SHIPPING!

Valky

 

[chefann]

Gina, I must have had the same rep at NC that you did. When I tried to place my order he tried to tell me that the picture-taking was free only for people who were going to order photo biz cards. (And it said on their website that they were going to have the photog there for photos for marketing cards, too.) Then he tried to give me a hard time about being from Michigan, when he went to Ohio State. I tod hime several times that I didn't attend UofM, but he continued being a jerk about it. I almost left the booth right then. You'd think they would have had friendly people there - they would have made more or larger sales.

And to everyone who has a problem with sizing from VIP, it's not their fault. All they do is put the logo onto blanks (unpersonalized items) that they purchase from various manufacturers. So the sizing issues are inpart because they deal with several manufacturers who each have their own sizing charts. Same thing with the shrinkage - maker A consideres an item to have "minimal shrinkage," while maker B would consider the same amount "no shrinkage." So there are inconsistencies. Check out the sizing charts they have for each item, and when in doubt, order a size larger.

That said, I find that I also use a lot of stickers from The Booster. They've improved the quality of their artwork in the past couple of years, so if you had checked them out previously and thought things looked cheap, it's better now. Their stickers are very reasonable (typically a sheet of 70 for $2). One of my favorites is a printable label that has a pre-printed section; "Bring a friend and get a free gift." I use these for show info on my invitations. (BTW, if anyone orders from them, please indicate that I, Ann Szwarc from Southfield, Michigan, referred you. They have a referral program for free products.)

 

[jdavis]

Ann, I think that is part of the problem with VIP is that they deal with too many different companies to get their clothing. I feel that if they only dealt with 1 or 2 they could get us much better prices and more consistency. I personally have a job where we can get clothing at a discounted price that have our product on them where as the dealers and customers have a different price, but they deal with all the same company and don't have that much of a sizing problem.

 

[chefann]

Jennifer,
I agree with you 100%, I just wanted to point out why there are so many sizing discrepancies with VIP.

 

[AJPratt]

Ann, I think that is part of the problem with VIP is that they deal with too many different companies to get their clothing. I feel that if they only dealt with 1 or 2 they could get us much better prices and more consistency. I personally have a job where we can get clothing at a discounted price that have our product on them where as the dealers and customers have a different price, but they deal with all the same company and don't have that much of a sizing problem.

Well put!!!!!!!!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Hey KG...you should have put something along the lines of...I might consider buying from...

Yup - I agree and my hindsight is 20-20. The poll was inspired by folks who were so upset about our vendors that these choices seemed the best at the time.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Bump - you have a few days left to vote and post before I forward this thread to the vendors.

 

[lkspeir]

I too agree with the above - however, I don't like Nancy's new stationery. I've been using the old business cards with a picture of the stoneware on them. The new ones are too boring for my taste.

 

[jennifer34691]

I bought my name tag from Merril and was promised to have it in time for an expo I did. I MADE SURE OF THIS WHEN I ORDERED. It did not arrive until the day AFTER the expo. I was told that it wqas beacuse there was a quality issue in the first run so it had to be remade. The should have sent me the "bad" one and sent me the new one when it was remade!
THEY SUCK AND I WILL NOT BUY FROM THEM AGAINA AFTER THIS!

 

[jennifer34691]

I have never ordered from VIP as they are too expensive.

 

[yummy4tummy]

Hey KG...I was just wondering if you ever got any feedback from HO on the poll you tooK? Let us know. Thanks

Valky

 

[yummy4tummy]

Poll results?Hey KG...I was just wondering if you ever got any feedback from HO on the poll you tooK? Let us know. Thanks

Valky

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

I haven't sent this to anyone yet because of some other brush fires I've been fighting. I will be sending this along this week and I'll keep you posted.