PTI stands for Papertrey Ink. This is a collective smack blog and Papertrey Ink review page. Papertrey Ink's continuously poor customer service has lead to a page dedicated to discussion of this stamp company and recommendations for alternative stamp companies. Minimal censorship here- I prefer to leave it up to posters' discretion.
The opinions posted on this blog belong to our visitors and we are not paid for our honest reviews ;)
Smacker3, the post needs a title. Otherwise the only way to see comments in by going to the stupid "leave your comment" page and there will be no way to see any past 200!
I was able to click on the "here you go" in the right hand side bar instead of in the main pane and get to the "normal" view. A title would be nice, though.
Maybe Miss Sunshine Dawn caught wind that people were complaining of scorched retinas after viewing her super nova use of colors. Her project in the PTI newsletter was positively subtle. Pretty, even.
I was able to click on the "here you go" in the right hand side bar instead of in the main pane and get to the "normal" view. A title would be nice, though. ----------------------
Thanks for the tip, Chris! I didn't think to try that.
I call bullshit on Claire processing "thousands" of orders in a weekend. Even with an assistant, that's just ridiculous. Consider how long it would take to download, print, pull and stick an order in an envelope/box, and do the shipping label. Even if you estimate LOW at 3 minutes, that's 20 orders an hour. Assume one must sleep for around 8 hours. If one person worked 16 hours a day both days on the weekend without STOPPING, that's only 640 per weekend. Basic math, people.
Just more proof that people on here talk out of their asses more often than not. I've been employed in this industry for over 15 years and I know MANY MANY MANY of the players. MOST stamp companies do not even APPROACH the volume that PTI does.
I can't stand PTI and their entitlement issues and I find watching the comedy of errors that is their customer service department amusing. Makes me feel a lot better about my own customer service. I think they have a staffing problem that's difficult to fix because you can't afford to hire people to help with a crushing influx of orders a few days a month and then send them away for the rest of the time. You people won't be happy until every order ships within 15 minutes and it can't be accomplished within their business model.
Makes a lot of sense 8:05. Which is why the HUGE monthly releases will always wreak havoc in the warehouse. I doubt they'll ever change that though. Without all that hoopla created by sneak peeks leading up to the release, the products just wouldn't sell themselves.
Can someone tell me what the chocolate chip cookie in the bottom of the bowl represents on this card? I am totally flummoxed. http://aliceslittlewonderland.blogspot.com/2012/04/mermaid-in-bowl.html
Plenty of other companies do a monthly release and manage it just fine. If you cannot manage it then do something else, but don't scream at the customers as if it is there fault. If PTI is "too big" for their pants then they need to fix that. How can companies like Amazon manage tens of thousands of orders in a day? They figured it out so why can't PTI figure it out. I get it---they aren't up to the task so they are going to throw the whole company in the garbage and their customers along with it.
Donna, thank you for answering my question yesterday about people who pin their own work. I think it is fine to pin your own work, what bothers me are people who only repin their work that others pin! Like, "look, I was pinned again!" if someone pinned it, why are you repining to say, "look, that's me!"
8:32 you are right. The fact that their chosen system in unmanageable for a small business is NOT the customers' fault. Getting customers to be on your side takes a whole lot better handle on communication that they seem capable of. Amazon is a bad comparison though, because they have that volume ALL THE TIME. You can staff for that. It's paying to have people sit around three weeks a month that's the problem. PTI doesn't have that volume all month long. And the "system" of printing the shipping labels, thus generating notices to customers and then NOT actually shipping, has bitten them in the ass from the beginning. Don't tell people you're shipping if you are NOT actually shipping. Pretty simple really. They are arrogant and seem unable to see how that arrogance is what spawns all of this furor. It's sad. I'm a competitor but I know better than most how hard it is to run a successful small business. I feel for them sometimes but shake my head mostly. What a waste of talent.
So....PTI's volume is SO HUGE that there's no way they can handle orders in a timely fashion, but they still can't afford to hire at least one extra full time employee? Or a temporary employee that comes in during release time?
Or, again, do we go back to the issue of them just being to fucking cheap and unconcerned with customer service to pay to improve their operations?
I ordered on release night and my package arrived today. I am seeing improvements on how long boxes sit in wherehouse with shipping label. ################### Or we are seeing what a drastic drop in customers does for shipping. Whether the glass is half full or half empty depends on whether you are drinking or pouring.
If it were my company I would have my other employees - IT, CS, etc - pack boxes during the release. They have plenty to do the rest of the month to justify their employment. I am assuming they have never done this because Rick said yesterday that he had only been to the warehouse something like 3 times. I realize he is no longer in OH, or married to Julie, but at one time he was both of those (and an employee). I am not knocking Rick ... just using that example. If the person who works on your forums and zendesk (again, Rick, because I don't know enough about any other employees) has time to browse a smack blog every day ... surely they can find the time to pack a few boxes or anniversary sets?
^^^ Jenn was the same way. She spent more time "passing along" questions about the anniversary sets to Julie than it would have taken to just.send.them.out.
Perhaps the whole every-employee-in-a-different-state thing isn't working out for the,.
Just more proof that people on here talk out of their asses more often than not. I've been employed in this industry for over 15 years and I know MANY MANY MANY of the players. MOST stamp companies do not even APPROACH the volume that PTI does
******
Seems like you are the one talking out of your ass. Plenty of companies have monthly product release. But monthly product release is not the only factor companies have that swells sales inordinately at certain times. Plenty of companies run sales, specials and promotions etc on a monthly basis that increase orders. That's the whole danm point of them.
Anoother thing, Studio Calico is a good example of a company that does do monthly product release and guarantees shipping turnaround of no more than three days and it works.
Do you want to compare apples to apples? Let's talk forums. SCS has about a gajilion more people on its forum than PTI does. The moderators don't spray canned sunshine over everyone's issues like a perfume spritzer at the mall. They are familiar with their own TOS and apply them fairly when dealing, efficiently, with the problems. They've been around longer than five years but do not bitch constantly about growing pains. They have switched systems with relative ease. There is not a hidden forum with separate login for "unpleasant", yet legit issues.
IN any apples to apples comparison PTI SUCKS ... except for the card stock. They had better keep that vendor as closely guarded a secret as when their mail goes out.
SCS and PTI are not an apples to apples comparison. SCS does not sell a product other than their membership. It is a board created for crafters and many stamp companies. PTI's forum would not exist if not for their company and the products they sell. They have a vested interest in making sure positive stuff appears on the forum. They just choose to do it improperly by banning, deleting threads, etc, instead of earning praise and positive feedback on their forum through good cs.
agree, SCS and Amazon are not apples-apples vis a vis PTI. Whoever brought those up is stretching. There are plenty of apples out there without going to extremes and picking oranges.
eh, I've been on SCS for years and don't see that much bitching. Yeah, you get CS bitching threads but they are kind of sporadic and minutely focused on a specific issue. And not the same company over and over again from lots of different people. Notable exceptions would be Farm Fresh?? stamps from several years ago and MAYBE Simon Says, which tends to have a lot less complaints these days.
Anonymous said... And there are just as many unhappy customers on SC forums bitching about bad buisness every month!
20 April 2012 12:47
Don't even know what you are trying to say. Again, apples/oranges. SCS is not a retail business and there is no valid comparison to PTI here. People there share good and bad CS stores and believe me, I don't see many "good" PTI CS threads. I see a lot of good CS threads for their competitors though.
Has anyone used Hero Arts inks? Kristina Werner uses the Hero Hues all the time and the colors look fabulous. How do they work with clear stamps? Do they look good with PTI colors?
I posted the original analogy and I was comparing forum only to forum only. Splitcoast and paper trey. Just as we might compare one item of one brand to one item of another brand. Yes, I realize SCS does not sell products. That is why I was specifically comparing forums.
12:47 sorry messed up because thought you were talking SCS. I agree with you that SC has had troubles in the past and I follow them on the other smack blog. But here's the thing...they respond and change and HAVE improved over time. Certainly do not agree that they have had as many complainers for such a protracted time as PTI and that itself is testament to the fact that they do make changes when things have gone awry in the past. And as pointed out earlier, during their release April (who I honestly think has some of the same personality traits as Nichole, but that's a whole other thread) guarantees a three day turnaround on their shipping. And that is usually achieved according to their customer feedback ON their board. In fact, Nichole might learn a few things if she takes a look at the history of SC and how they have had their crises and gotten through them.
I posted the original analogy and I was comparing forum only to forum only. Splitcoast and paper trey. Just as we might compare one item of one brand to one item of another brand. Yes, I realize SCS does not sell products. That is why I was specifically comparing forums. ----------------------- And as a side note - it was brought up in the specific context of volume of customers / users. The excuse of "PTI does wayyyy more volume on the 15th of each month" is lame. My main point was being busy doesn't justify being a bitch.
Speaking of PTI's cardstock vendor being kept a secret, do you think they get their colors manufactured specifically for them? I wonder because there are a lot of small stamp/scrap co.'s that purchase Neenah for example, and just repack them under their own brand. I would love to find out where PTI gets its white and cream cardstock, so I could bypass buying from them all together.
14:28 I think that is their biggest asset. Can you imagine how many customers would buy that card stock elsewhere. Especially if given an option of having a pleasant experience. A girl can dream!!
You never know what results google will give you. SO I googled who makes papertrey cardstock and one result was an Etsy shop - Lilly Belle's Paperie and it says it's "color couture" cardstock. Do they just resell Papertrey cs under different color names?
they have a regular store but it doesn't say anything about the CS, its weight or anything. They must have somehow put papertrey in as search criteria for google.
It says 100lb if you click on the individual color. I found that on the dot-com store, not etsy. It doesn't say where they are located and their "contact us" is em only.
Heskamp printing would still have to get their cardstock from an outside manufacturer. They don't make it themselves. I wonder if a paper expert could identify it...
Has anyone tried Raisin Boat cardstock? Their color range looks very close to PTI's and it's 110lb. Bit more expensive though. http://www.raisinboat.com/boathouse-collection-cardstock.asp
When I had my little mishap with the gift card and rewards points, I was going to order Beautiful Butterflies (only for the butterflies - well, half of them - and I'd probably only use the birthday sentiment) and Rosie Posie... Even if I was planning on ordering again after my adventure with pti customer service (I'm not going to)...the butterflies are out of stock.
Sooo does anyone know of any sets from any other companies that have solid butterflies in different sizes, and bold, "modern" flowers like Rosie Posie? I've been doing some browsing and haven't seen anything yet - maybe I'm just a bad finder :)
Christie, are you on the forum? I can't email you through your blogger profile...but I'd love to paypal gift you for that set rather than buy it through PTI.
Has anyone tried Raisin Boat cardstock? Their color range looks very close to PTI's and it's 110lb. Bit more expensive though. ------------------------- Thanks for the link, on raisin boats site, how do figure out what the weight of the cardstock is? I am willing to pay extra if they treat me with a bit of respect. --------------------- Description: Raisin Boat’s BoatHouse Collection™ premium cardstock offers a smooth surface, matte finish that's perfect for achieving superior stamping results! Our 80 to 110 lb cardstock was chosen for its ideal weight solution for card-making and scrapbooking.
Tropical Sunset is a rich terracotta orange color. 8-1/2" X 11" size. Acid-free and lignin-free. 12 sheets.
Weight does not always tell you how thick or stiff the cardstock is. You can take 110 lb. cardstock from one brand and it can be very different in thickness from another source.
I believe you all might be running out of things to complain about. But then you are very good about repeating the same crap over and over --------------------------------- Believe me, that is one area where PTI has never let me down!
I like the Rosie Posie flowers and I like the octagons that came in the set, but does anyone else feel like it was 2 sets randomly combined? I just don't think the octagons go with the flowers.,
Why do people have a hard time with that one? Lauren Meader did a whole release a while ago calling it the wrong shape. And every one of her design team that I checked did as well. Why, for the love of kindergarten shape class, WHY?!??
Lol!! Lead me to a spelling, vocabulary and grammar smack blog!! So many stampers are sticklers for that and it makes me happy.
I use those honeycomb shapes with Honey Bees. I think it was a stretch too. Maybe they didn't think it could make it as a basic backgrounds set, or ran out of that clip art people say they used for the flowers so smashed the two together.
I was the one who made the mistake calling it an octagon. Further, you can just shoot me now because I teach fifth grade math and had to go actually look at the difference. For some reason they look the same to me unless I actually count the sides.
Amy Butler is a fabric designer. I have used the term "midwest modern" applied to her style. She has a line of paper and shtuff with K & Co. I love it! Lots of bold, stylized florals paired with simple geometrics. Stripes, dots, and-- wait for it-- hexagons!
The Fresh Ink is a very close match to many of the PTI inks and in a few cases I would say an exact match. But, all of them coordinate well with PTI cardstock and if anything are even prettier than PTI colors in that they are so rich and opaque.
Pool and Island both are close to Aqua Mist. Pool is a little greener and Island a little bluer, but I really love both the colors. Merlot is almost an exact match to Autumn Rose (and I did compare those inks themselves). Capri is very close to Blueberry and Sky is a little brighter than Spring Rain. Harvest is close to Harvest cardstock and Chamomile ink is very close to Lemon Tart. Red Currant is closest to Poppy Red, but a slight bit darker, Fushia is almost a perfect match for Raspberry. Silver Lavender is close to PTI Lavender and I am thinking that French Lilac will be close to the new Wisteria (but I don't have any cardstock to compare. Mango is a teensy bit oranger than Summer Sun. Pear is very close to Spring Moss. Tuscan Olive is a nice match for Avocado. PTI Melon and Fresh Ink Melon are close. Sky is kind of a match for Hawaiian Shores. They look nice together but not really close. Steel and Ocean Tides work together but not a close match. Gypsy and Enchanted Evening are good together but I would not say a close match.
I'm a big fan of Amy Butler's fabrics, so I just looked at the paper line that one of you mentioned. I didn't like it. What I think is so pretty with her fabric is the way in which she uses color, and I thought the papers were drab. I never would have guessed it was her stuff.
I had actually seen an Any butler fabric on pinterest that I could tell immediately inspired Rosie poise...exact flowers and hexagons....even the leaves...
I have a few of the latest V3.0 inks from PTI, but I decided awhile back not to buy any more of them. They're nice, but I don't care for the paisley shape, and the ink (to me) isn't any better than others in my collection. I also have a huge collection of the first two failed formulas of PTI ink.
I have several of the Fresh ink and quite a few of the Amuse inks (which are exactly the same kind of ink, just different colors). They're gorgeous ink, and I plan to get a bunch more of both Fresh and Amuse.
I would never buy PTI ink again, purely because they won't stand behind them if they all turn to mold or something in a few months. But, I absolutely love the Fresh Ink better than any other ink I have tried and yes, they are the same as A Muse but slightly different colors. I am actually thinking of buying some A Muse ones to add to my collection.
Chris, which A Muse inks are most different from the Fresh Ink ones?
"...I have used the term "midwest modern" applied to her style..."
I know this is really late, but I MEANT to say, "I have SEEN the term". I am just anal enough that I couldn't leave that alone without fixing it, LOL!!
I do not understand this trend of taking 5-8 photos of the very same card, all at about the same distance and almost all from the same angle and then posting on a blog. I understand a far away and a close up for details, or an angle on something folded in an unusual way. But otherwise, I don't get it. What am I missing that I am supposed to see in view #7?
For those of you who check/"like" PTI's facebook page. I just checked it out for the very first time. I see that some cust svc questions are posted there (and ignored, but perhaps that is because it's the weekend). Does PTI normally address cust svc questions there?
To answer the Facebook CS question: I have asked there, and I've been directed to the forum. I said the forum is the question I had; I couldn't access it... They ignored me after that, so I wrote that my money is always accepted but my wish for actual customer CARE is not. That's when some rabid fan came on and told me they didn't need customers like me. I asked why, was my $3000 dollars spent not needed? I got banned after that, and Jennifer posted a message saying that we need to play nice or leave... I have since been "unbanned" on FB, but by now I don't care anymore. I left them a bad rating on Yelp and posted that to my FB page with PTI linked.
yay, new space!
ReplyDeleteShit second.
ReplyDeleteSmacker3, the post needs a title. Otherwise the only way to see comments in by going to the stupid "leave your comment" page and there will be no way to see any past 200!
ReplyDeleteI was able to click on the "here you go" in the right hand side bar instead of in the main pane and get to the "normal" view. A title would be nice, though.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Miss Sunshine Dawn caught wind that people were complaining of scorched retinas after viewing her super nova use of colors. Her project in the PTI newsletter was positively subtle. Pretty, even.
ReplyDeleteI was able to click on the "here you go" in the right hand side bar instead of in the main pane and get to the "normal" view. A title would be nice, though.
ReplyDelete----------------------
Thanks for the tip, Chris! I didn't think to try that.
I think Dawn just ran out of certain colors from overusing them. She is down to the bottom of her barrel.
ReplyDeleteWe need a title on this post for it to function correctly, please.
ReplyDeleteFrom the last thread...
ReplyDeleteI call bullshit on Claire processing "thousands" of orders in a weekend. Even with an assistant, that's just ridiculous. Consider how long it would take to download, print, pull and stick an order in an envelope/box, and do the shipping label. Even if you estimate LOW at 3 minutes, that's 20 orders an hour. Assume one must sleep for around 8 hours. If one person worked 16 hours a day both days on the weekend without STOPPING, that's only 640 per weekend. Basic math, people.
Just more proof that people on here talk out of their asses more often than not. I've been employed in this industry for over 15 years and I know MANY MANY MANY of the players. MOST stamp companies do not even APPROACH the volume that PTI does.
I can't stand PTI and their entitlement issues and I find watching the comedy of errors that is their customer service department amusing. Makes me feel a lot better about my own customer service. I think they have a staffing problem that's difficult to fix because you can't afford to hire people to help with a crushing influx of orders a few days a month and then send them away for the rest of the time. You people won't be happy until every order ships within 15 minutes and it can't be accomplished within their business model.
Happy 420!!!
ReplyDelete8:20, don't you have to be at your middle school pretty soon?
ReplyDeleteMakes a lot of sense 8:05. Which is why the HUGE monthly releases will always wreak havoc in the warehouse. I doubt they'll ever change that though. Without all that hoopla created by sneak peeks leading up to the release, the
ReplyDeleteproducts just wouldn't sell themselves.
Can someone tell me what the chocolate chip cookie in the bottom of the bowl represents on this card? I am totally flummoxed.
ReplyDeletehttp://aliceslittlewonderland.blogspot.com/2012/04/mermaid-in-bowl.html
Plenty of other companies do a monthly release and manage it just fine. If you cannot manage it then do something else, but don't scream at the customers as if it is there fault. If PTI is "too big" for their pants then they need to fix that. How can companies like Amazon manage tens of thousands of orders in a day? They figured it out so why can't PTI figure it out. I get it---they aren't up to the task so they are going to throw the whole company in the garbage and their customers along with it.
ReplyDelete"their"
ReplyDeletelol @ 8:30...I'm not sure, but it just made me hungry!
ReplyDelete8:30 (totally flummoxed).. are you really asking or are you just joking about it?
ReplyDelete(it's sand/dirt/pebbles)
What a horribly sad image of that mermaid in the bowl. Why would someone want to use that? Creeps me out.
ReplyDeleteDonna, thank you for answering my question yesterday about people who pin their own work. I think it is fine to pin your own work, what bothers me are people who only repin their work that others pin! Like, "look, I was pinned again!" if someone pinned it, why are you repining to say, "look, that's me!"
ReplyDelete8:32 you are right. The fact that their chosen system in unmanageable for a small business is NOT the customers' fault. Getting customers to be on your side takes a whole lot better handle on communication that they seem capable of. Amazon is a bad comparison though, because they have that volume ALL THE TIME. You can staff for that. It's paying to have people sit around three weeks a month that's the problem. PTI doesn't have that volume all month long. And the "system" of printing the shipping labels, thus generating notices to customers and then NOT actually shipping, has bitten them in the ass from the beginning. Don't tell people you're shipping if you are NOT actually shipping. Pretty simple really. They are arrogant and seem unable to see how that arrogance is what spawns all of this furor. It's sad. I'm a competitor but I know better than most how hard it is to run a successful small business. I feel for them sometimes but shake my head mostly. What a waste of talent.
ReplyDeleteI ordered on release night and my package arrived today. I am seeing improvements on how long boxes sit in wherehouse with shipping label.
ReplyDeleteSo....PTI's volume is SO HUGE that there's no way they can handle orders in a timely fashion, but they still can't afford to hire at least one extra full time employee? Or a temporary employee that comes in during release time?
ReplyDeleteOr, again, do we go back to the issue of them just being to fucking cheap and unconcerned with customer service to pay to improve their operations?
We keep circling back to the same answer, folks.
^^^^agreed.
ReplyDeleteThere is not a problem that PTI has that could not be solved with competent help (IT, CS, and warehouse). But that would cut into the profit margin.
I ordered on release night and my package arrived today. I am seeing improvements on how long boxes sit in wherehouse with shipping label.
ReplyDelete###################
Or we are seeing what a drastic drop in customers does for shipping. Whether the glass is half full or half empty depends on whether you are drinking or pouring.
If it were my company I would have my other employees - IT, CS, etc - pack boxes during the release. They have plenty to do the rest of the month to justify their employment. I am assuming they have never done this because Rick said yesterday that he had only been to the warehouse something like 3 times. I realize he is no longer in OH, or married to Julie, but at one time he was both of those (and an employee). I am not knocking Rick ... just using that example. If the person who works on your forums and zendesk (again, Rick, because I don't know enough about any other employees) has time to browse a smack blog every day ... surely they can find the time to pack a few boxes or anniversary sets?
ReplyDelete^^^ Jenn was the same way. She spent more time "passing along" questions about the anniversary sets to Julie than it would have taken to just.send.them.out.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the whole every-employee-in-a-different-state thing isn't working out for the,.
^^^ Bingo.
ReplyDeleteYou need employees on site.
Just more proof that people on here talk out of their asses more often than not. I've been employed in this industry for over 15 years and I know MANY MANY MANY of the players. MOST stamp companies do not even APPROACH the volume that PTI does
ReplyDelete******
Seems like you are the one talking out of your ass. Plenty of companies have monthly product release. But monthly product release is not the only factor companies have that swells sales inordinately at certain times. Plenty of companies run sales, specials and promotions etc on a monthly basis that increase orders. That's the whole danm point of them.
Anoother thing, Studio Calico is a good example of a company that does do monthly product release and guarantees shipping turnaround of no more than three days and it works.
I'm an expert and here is why. I learned to be polite when I was three. I am old - so that's a LOT of experience. Lol.
ReplyDeleteI don't care who you are and how much volume you do each month - you act like a bitch to your customers for five years straight? Not cool.
Do you want to compare apples to apples? Let's talk forums. SCS has about a gajilion more people on its forum than PTI does. The moderators don't spray canned sunshine over everyone's issues like a perfume spritzer at the mall. They are familiar with their own TOS and apply them fairly when dealing, efficiently, with the problems. They've been around longer than five years but do not bitch constantly about growing pains. They have switched systems with relative ease. There is not a hidden forum with separate login for "unpleasant", yet legit issues.
ReplyDeleteIN any apples to apples comparison PTI SUCKS ... except for the card stock. They had better keep that vendor as closely guarded a secret as when their mail goes out.
ReplyDeleteSince we are using legal cliches today. Sometimes a duck is just a duck.
ReplyDeleteIf it walks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck.....
ReplyDeleteAnd this one's a lame duck.
Aflac
ReplyDeleteShut the duck up, already.
ReplyDeleteSCS and PTI are not an apples to apples comparison. SCS does not sell a product other than their membership. It is a board created for crafters and many stamp companies. PTI's forum would not exist if not for their company and the products they sell. They have a vested interest in making sure positive stuff appears on the forum. They just choose to do it improperly by banning, deleting threads, etc, instead of earning praise and positive feedback on their forum through good cs.
ReplyDeleteagree, SCS and Amazon are not apples-apples vis a vis PTI. Whoever brought those up is stretching. There are plenty of apples out there without going to extremes and picking oranges.
ReplyDeleteAnd there are just as many unhappy customers on SC forums bitching about bad buisness every month!
ReplyDeleteeh, I've been on SCS for years and don't see that much bitching. Yeah, you get CS bitching threads but they are kind of sporadic and minutely focused on a specific issue. And not the same company over and over again from lots of different people. Notable exceptions would be Farm Fresh?? stamps from several years ago and MAYBE Simon Says, which tends to have a lot less complaints these days.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteAnd there are just as many unhappy customers on SC forums bitching about bad buisness every month!
20 April 2012 12:47
Don't even know what you are trying to say. Again, apples/oranges. SCS is not a retail business and there is no valid comparison to PTI here. People there share good and bad CS stores and believe me, I don't see many "good" PTI CS threads. I see a lot of good CS threads for their competitors though.
SC = Studio Calico
ReplyDeleteSCS = Split Coast Stampers
Just a guess since I"m not the Anon who posted...but I think SC = Studio Calico and that's where people are bitching. *Not* Splitcoast Stampers (SCS)
ReplyDelete^^didn't see 13:24's post before I posted. Refresh before posting! (reminder to self)
ReplyDeleteHas anyone used Hero Arts inks? Kristina Werner uses the Hero Hues all the time and the colors look fabulous. How do they work with clear stamps? Do they look good with PTI colors?
ReplyDeleteThings haven't changed. I ordered on release and got my tracking # on the 17th and it's still sitting there 3 days later.
ReplyDeleteI posted the original analogy and I was comparing forum only to forum only. Splitcoast and paper trey. Just as we might compare one item of one brand to one item of another brand. Yes, I realize SCS does not sell products. That is why I was specifically comparing forums.
ReplyDelete12:47 sorry messed up because thought you were talking SCS. I agree with you that SC has had troubles in the past and I follow them on the other smack blog. But here's the thing...they respond and change and HAVE improved over time. Certainly do not agree that they have had as many complainers for such a protracted time as PTI and that itself is testament to the fact that they do make changes when things have gone awry in the past. And as pointed out earlier, during their release April (who I honestly think has some of the same personality traits as Nichole, but that's a whole other thread) guarantees a three day turnaround on their shipping. And that is usually achieved according to their customer feedback ON their board. In fact, Nichole might learn a few things if she takes a look at the history of SC and how they have had their crises and gotten through them.
ReplyDeleteI posted the original analogy and I was comparing forum only to forum only. Splitcoast and paper trey. Just as we might compare one item of one brand to one item of another brand. Yes, I realize SCS does not sell products. That is why I was specifically comparing forums.
ReplyDelete-----------------------
And as a side note - it was brought up in the specific context of volume of customers / users. The excuse of "PTI does wayyyy more volume on the 15th of each month" is lame. My main point was being busy doesn't justify being a bitch.
Speaking of PTI's cardstock vendor being kept a secret, do you think they get their colors manufactured specifically for them? I wonder because there are a lot of small stamp/scrap co.'s that purchase Neenah for example, and just repack them under their own brand.
ReplyDeleteI would love to find out where PTI gets its white and cream cardstock, so I could bypass buying from them all together.
Unless you are the DMV or the PO. I don't patronize either of those more than necessary.
ReplyDelete14:28 I think that is their biggest asset. Can you imagine how many customers would buy that card stock elsewhere. Especially if given an option of having a pleasant experience. A girl can dream!!
ReplyDeleteYou never know what results google will give you. SO I googled who makes papertrey cardstock and one result was an Etsy shop - Lilly Belle's Paperie and it says it's "color couture" cardstock. Do they just resell Papertrey cs under different color names?
ReplyDeletethey have a regular store but it doesn't say anything about the CS, its weight or anything. They must have somehow put papertrey in as search criteria for google.
ReplyDeleteIt says 100lb if you click on the individual color. I found that on the dot-com store, not etsy. It doesn't say where they are located and their "contact us" is em only.
ReplyDeleteI thought Heskamp printing was the supplier for the card stock?
ReplyDeleteHeskamp printing would still have to get their cardstock from an outside manufacturer. They don't make it themselves. I wonder if a paper expert could identify it...
ReplyDeleteHas anyone tried Raisin Boat cardstock? Their color range looks very close to PTI's and it's 110lb. Bit more expensive though.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.raisinboat.com/boathouse-collection-cardstock.asp
I received my missing line in the YOU set today. I ordered it twice, per mistake, and I received two envelopes, separately with stamps :-)
ReplyDeleteWhen I had my little mishap with the gift card and rewards points, I was going to order Beautiful Butterflies (only for the butterflies - well, half of them - and I'd probably only use the birthday sentiment) and Rosie Posie... Even if I was planning on ordering again after my adventure with pti customer service (I'm not going to)...the butterflies are out of stock.
ReplyDeleteSooo does anyone know of any sets from any other companies that have solid butterflies in different sizes, and bold, "modern" flowers like Rosie Posie? I've been doing some browsing and haven't seen anything yet - maybe I'm just a bad finder :)
If anybody wants the extra YOU set I bought, with the added sentiment, let me know. I'll send it to you.
ReplyDeleteChristie, are you on the forum? I can't email you through your blogger profile...but I'd love to paypal gift you for that set rather than buy it through PTI.
ReplyDeleteTo Zendesk Dana
ReplyDeleteWPlus9 have what looks like a similar flower to Rosie Posie (it a $6 set) and that has a solid butterfly in it as well.
Thank you :)
ReplyDeleteThanks 17:15 for the suggestion about Raisin Boat. I just checked out their website and like what I see!
ReplyDeleteHas blogger changed? My blog ate one post and has strange looking pages for new posts.
ReplyDeleteI am christiecolla on the forum. Strange that you cannot PM me here!
ReplyDeleteHas anyone tried Raisin Boat cardstock? Their color range looks very close to PTI's and it's 110lb. Bit more expensive though.
ReplyDelete-------------------------
Thanks for the link, on raisin boats site, how do figure out what the weight of the cardstock is?
I am willing to pay extra if they treat me with a bit of respect.
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Description:
Raisin Boat’s BoatHouse Collection™ premium cardstock offers a smooth surface, matte finish that's perfect for achieving superior stamping results! Our 80 to 110 lb cardstock was chosen for its ideal weight solution for card-making and scrapbooking.
Tropical Sunset is a rich terracotta orange color. 8-1/2" X 11" size. Acid-free and lignin-free. 12 sheets.
Item number: 90028
Weight: 7 oz.
I believe you all might be running out of things to complain about. But then you are very good about repeating the same crap over and over
ReplyDeleteWeight does not always tell you how thick or stiff the cardstock is. You can take 110 lb. cardstock from one brand and it can be very different in thickness from another source.
ReplyDeleteI believe you all might be running out of things to complain about. But then you are very good about repeating the same crap over and over
ReplyDelete---------------------------------
Believe me, that is one area where PTI has never let me down!
I like the Rosie Posie flowers and I like the octagons that came in the set, but does anyone else feel like it was 2 sets randomly combined? I just don't think the octagons go with the flowers.,
ReplyDeleteHexagons. Not octagons.
ReplyDeleteWhy do people have a hard time with that one? Lauren Meader did a whole release a while ago calling it the wrong shape. And every one of her design team that I checked did as well. Why, for the love of kindergarten shape class, WHY?!??
OK, hexagons. But you still did not answer the question.
ReplyDeleteThe Rosie Posie set was in the spirit of designer Amy Butler and she mixes florals and other shapes all the time.
ReplyDeleteLol!! Lead me to a spelling, vocabulary and grammar smack blog!! So many stampers are sticklers for that and it makes me happy.
ReplyDeleteI use those honeycomb shapes with Honey Bees. I think it was a stretch too. Maybe they didn't think it could make it as a basic backgrounds set, or ran out of that clip art people say they used for the flowers so smashed the two together.
anyway - I agree about it.
Who is Amy Butler?
ReplyDeleteI was the one who made the mistake calling it an octagon. Further, you can just shoot me now because I teach fifth grade math and had to go actually look at the difference. For some reason they look the same to me unless I actually count the sides.
ReplyDeleteThe hexagons don't really go with the Rosie Posie set but it does make the set way more versatile.
ReplyDeleteAny luck getting the online version of the Impress coupon code? I'm itching to buy some Fresh inks.
The Impress code will be posted on Facebook on Monday. Be sure to "like" them and you get all the codes regularly.
ReplyDeleteI don't think they really seem to 'go' together as a set, but on the other hand I like the way they combine when stamping. Weird, huh?
ReplyDeleteImpress online code: annual sale
ReplyDeleteI am, too, wanting their ink. Anyone has a comparison chart? And not the one from Jennifer K? Hers does not have that much Impress ink.
Amy Butler is a fabric designer. I have used the term "midwest modern" applied to her style. She has a line of paper and shtuff with K & Co. I love it! Lots of bold, stylized florals paired with simple geometrics. Stripes, dots, and-- wait for it-- hexagons!
ReplyDeleteMath teacher. 20 lashes with a wet noodle, now go sit in a corner and think about what you've done! LOL Maybe you're shape-dyslexic. hee hee
ReplyDeleteThe Fresh Ink is a very close match to many of the PTI inks and in a few cases I would say an exact match. But, all of them coordinate well with PTI cardstock and if anything are even prettier than PTI colors in that they are so rich and opaque.
ReplyDeleteI only have one PTI ink so I cannot compare the inks to each other, but I can compare to the cardstock that I have an many are a nice, close match.
ReplyDeletePool and Island both are close to Aqua Mist. Pool is a little greener and Island a little bluer, but I really love both the colors. Merlot is almost an exact match to Autumn Rose (and I did compare those inks themselves). Capri is very close to Blueberry and Sky is a little brighter than Spring Rain. Harvest is close to Harvest cardstock and Chamomile ink is very close to Lemon Tart. Red Currant is closest to Poppy Red, but a slight bit darker, Fushia is almost a perfect match for Raspberry. Silver Lavender is close to PTI Lavender and I am thinking that French Lilac will be close to the new Wisteria (but I don't have any cardstock to compare. Mango is a teensy bit oranger than Summer Sun. Pear is very close to Spring Moss. Tuscan Olive is a nice match for Avocado. PTI Melon and Fresh Ink Melon are close. Sky is kind of a match for Hawaiian Shores. They look nice together but not really close. Steel and Ocean Tides work together but not a close match. Gypsy and Enchanted Evening are good together but I would not say a close match.
ReplyDeleteAfter looking again at French Lilac, it is probably a little bit more lavender than the Wisteria.
ReplyDeleteI think it's sweet of the math teacher to 'fess up!
ReplyDeleteAnd
thanks for explaining Amy Butler. I thought the name sounded familiar.
I think it's sweet of the math teacher to 'fess up!
ReplyDeleteAnd
thanks for explaining Amy Butler. I thought the name sounded familiar.
sorry about the dupe.
ReplyDeleteI love Amy Butler fabric.
ReplyDeleteI'm a big fan of Amy Butler's fabrics, so I just looked at the paper line that one of you mentioned. I didn't like it. What I think is so pretty with her fabric is the way in which she uses color, and I thought the papers were drab. I never would have guessed it was her stuff.
ReplyDeletethat K&Company paper by Amy Butler is several years old. I love her fabrics though!
ReplyDeleteI had actually seen an Any butler fabric on pinterest that I could tell immediately inspired Rosie poise...exact flowers and hexagons....even the leaves...
ReplyDeleteThanks, Donna, for the references! I can't wait to place my order with Impress comes the 23rd.
ReplyDeleteSo, if you have the PTI inks would you buy the Impress ones too?
ReplyDeleteI have a few of the latest V3.0 inks from PTI, but I decided awhile back not to buy any more of them. They're nice, but I don't care for the paisley shape, and the ink (to me) isn't any better than others in my collection. I also have a huge collection of the first two failed formulas of PTI ink.
ReplyDeleteI have several of the Fresh ink and quite a few of the Amuse inks (which are exactly the same kind of ink, just different colors). They're gorgeous ink, and I plan to get a bunch more of both Fresh and Amuse.
I would never buy PTI ink again, purely because they won't stand behind them if they all turn to mold or something in a few months. But, I absolutely love the Fresh Ink better than any other ink I have tried and yes, they are the same as A Muse but slightly different colors. I am actually thinking of buying some A Muse ones to add to my collection.
ReplyDeleteChris, which A Muse inks are most different from the Fresh Ink ones?
I don't have enough of either Fresh or Amuse to give you a total picture, but here's what I do have.
ReplyDeleteRed shades - Fresh Tomato Red, Fresh Red Currant, Amuse Currant - all totally different
Pink - Amuse Watermelon is all I have
Orange - Amuse Pumpkin is all I have
Yellow - Amuse Papaya is all I have
Green - Amuse Grass, Fresh Pear, Fresh Celery - the Grass and Celery are the same basic color, but Celery is a bit brighter
Blue - Fresh Pool, Fresh Capri Blue, Amuse Bermuda, Amuse Blueberry, Amuse Eucalyptus - completely different from each other
Purple - Amuse Heather, Amuse Blackberry - two different shades that look very good together
Neutrals - Amuse Slate, Amuse Pebble, Amuse Chocolate - all different
"...I have used the term "midwest modern" applied to her style..."
ReplyDeleteI know this is really late, but I MEANT to say, "I have SEEN the term". I am just anal enough that I couldn't leave that alone without fixing it, LOL!!
I do not understand this trend of taking 5-8 photos of the very same card, all at about the same distance and almost all from the same angle and then posting on a blog. I understand a far away and a close up for details, or an angle on something folded in an unusual way. But otherwise, I don't get it. What am I missing that I am supposed to see in view #7?
ReplyDeleteFor those of you who check/"like" PTI's facebook page. I just checked it out for the very first time. I see that some cust svc questions are posted there (and ignored, but perhaps that is because it's the weekend). Does PTI normally address cust svc questions there?
ReplyDeleteI'd be shocked if they don't get deleted.
ReplyDeleteTo answer the Facebook CS question:
ReplyDeleteI have asked there, and I've been directed to the forum. I said the forum is the question I had; I couldn't access it... They ignored me after that, so I wrote that my money is always accepted but my wish for actual customer CARE is not. That's when some rabid fan came on and told me they didn't need customers like me. I asked why, was my $3000 dollars spent not needed? I got banned after that, and Jennifer posted a message saying that we need to play nice or leave...
I have since been "unbanned" on FB, but by now I don't care anymore. I left them a bad rating on Yelp and posted that to my FB page with PTI linked.