Hi!
 
Maybe this has been suggested on here before..........I don't know
 
But....Will GCU ever consider, NOT INCLUDING the   "custom card requests"  in their monthly promos?????
 
                                           
 
 It's GREAT that customers can request an artist to go back and change, add, delete...or make a whole new game plan on any given card to their liking, with all original artwork, photography and designs and at absolutely no additional charge ever!!  
 
THAT is a beautiful bargain in itself!.....and PLEASE, I am not complaining!  I feel very honored when I receive a request or someone purchases one of my cards!  
 
I guess what I am trying to say is......a customer gets all of this at no additional charge, It would also seem just as fair to say that customized cards should not be DISCOUNTED EITHER!  My gosh they are only paying 2.79 for a CUSTOMIZED CARD to begin with....
 
This month being "Order 10 and only pay 2.09!   We went from .56 cents a card  to .31 cents a card every time a customer took the deal!  Well.....GCU s gotta do what they gotta do to stay up and on it.....I can deal with that.....it's business.......But PLEASE.....customized /personalized requests fulfilled for only 2.79 (with exception of bulk orders)  SHOULD BE UNTOUCHED AND NON NEGOTIABLE!!!!  
 
I am sorry in advance if I upset anyone with this idea....but really, it's only right and it's only fair......GCU does not charge extra for offering this to their customers, but customers should not get DISCOUNTS on the extra at an artists expense and time either!!! That too is business!  GCU will not lose business over it either!

A lot of people are like me, I don't offer to customize cards because I am away from home for large chunks of time most weeks, and I cannot promise to do them in a timely manner. Also, I don't work for a few cents, I look to sell lots of copies of every card I produce as I don't have a lot of spare time to work in.
The site is advertising customization, but we cannot always deliver it.

I agree with Cynthia on this one too, especially since so far only 3 out of 8 requests I've received have ever returned to purchase the card or even returned my email inquiry to determine what I can do for them.  If GCU wants to offer customization, they NEED to put more thought into developing both a cost incentive benefit for the artist AND a process that will present itself in a more professional manner both to the customer and the artist.
 
It's a great idea to offer customization, I do offer it, but the process remains a bit of a mess for everyone involved, it certainly SHOULD NOT be included in promotion/sales offers.

I agree with everything that's been said in this thread. I also have been thinking that the going back and forth from free shipping to a discounted price on cards, without a break, is kinda excessive. One sale a month seems more reasonable. I myself have been waiting to buy cards with the free shipping because I know I won't have to wait long for the sale to come back around.  
 
Also, hearing about people using the codes but not buying the required number of cards is very discouraging. I thought when Penny mentioned it a while back that it must have been a temporary glitch in the system, but now it seems that isn't the case.

OH....WOW!!!!
 
I am so glad I am NOT the only one who feels this way!  ( I thought I would be SLAMMED AND DUNKED when I suggested this yesterday!)   But....I WAS SO IRRITATED to see .31 cents on EVERY CARD REQUEST I DID!!   I was even up thru the night getting one of them done ( to meet the customers satisfaction) and I just believe those requests should NOT BE DISCOUNTED!  
 
I too am happy to do them.....But not for LESS money.....and lets face it......no one's getting rich here!  You HAVE TO LOVE TO DO THIS or you would not be here!
Still......it's business....and I for one do not think it's fair for GCU to continue cutting artists commissions like this as part of their sales promotions!
I do hope THEY see that as well....
 
Thank You to those of you who also agree and kindly replied here too!

Throw in my 'for what it's worth'.  I totally agree that custom designed cards shouldn't be included in with the promotional cards for the discounts.  However, I'm not sure what difference it makes for an hours work whether you earn 33 cents or 56 cents, either is not compensation for your work.  We're only doing this as a  convenience for our customers.  I haven't done any custom cards yet, but plan on working with some of the racers I shoot at the racetrack to do holiday cards for them.  I'm hoping that translates into orders of 10, 20 or more cards each.  Still not big money, but it at least isn't demeaning.  
Randy