GCU Forum - Promo/Discount Question

Penny_134243 Gold Member artist Posts: 1337	Promo/Discount Question Sep 30^th, 2010, 6:01pm Greetings! I had a sales notice today with the following Discount listed at the bottom: "Discounts Applied: 20% off any order by Bishop Ranch tenants" Just curious, what is this? Thanks! Penny
Back to top	PC Impressions: http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/pcimpressions IP Logged

Lj_135293 Gold Member artist Posts: 1178	Re: Promo/Discount Question Reply #1 - Sep 30^th, 2010, 6:14pm Just did a quick search and have no idea what this actually is and I don't feel like reading it all but the two names both GCU and that ranch show up together here> ################# I am curious once you find out though!
Back to top	« Last Edit: Oct 1^st, 2010, 6:06pm by Mindy » The Lj Maxx Greeting Card Store: http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/LjMaxx IP Logged

Lj_135293 Gold Member artist Posts: 1178	Re: Promo/Discount Question Reply #2 - Sep 30^th, 2010, 6:17pm Actually.. here it is Penny>>> ##################### I don't recall reading here about discounts such as this offered.. Where is that listed and who else is on the list. Gonna go look for that list now. ..
Back to top	« Last Edit: Oct 1^st, 2010, 6:06pm by Mindy » The Lj Maxx Greeting Card Store: http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/LjMaxx IP Logged

Penny_134243

Gold Member
artist

Posts: 1337

Re: Promo/Discount Question
Reply #3 - Sep 30^th, 2010, 9:02pm

Quote from Lj_135293 on Sep 30^th, 2010, 6:17pm:

Actually.. here it is Penny>>> http://www.bishopranch.com/amenities/business_services.shtml

I don't recall reading here about discounts such as this offered.. Where is that listed and who else is on the list. Gonna go look for that list now. ..

Wow! Lj, you're the ultimate detective! Thanks for the info.

Now, I have to ask Mindy, or whomever knows the answer to this: What other discounts are out there, and is there a reason that we, artist, haven't been told about them?

Thanks,

Penny

Back to top

PC Impressions:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/pcimpressions

IP Logged

Ernestine_131365

Gold Member
artist

Posts: 853

Re: Promo/Discount Question
Reply #4 - Oct 1^st, 2010, 2:13am

Quote:

Graphic & Printing Services

Greeting Card Universe
2694 Bishop Drive, #211
San Ramon, CA 94583
Contact: Mike Fake
xxx-xxx-xxxx
Greeting Card Universe is the world's largest paper greeting card store with approximately 400,000 paper greeting cards created by 4000 artists. Online buyers can order and personalize individual or an assortment of cards from one to 1000 of cards that will be shipped the following business day. The price per card including an envelope ranges from $.50 to $2.79, depending on the volume, plus postage and shipping.
Bishop Ranch Offer: 20 percent off the price of greeting cards for ANY card order by Bishop Ranch tenants use the promo code (XXXXX) Free delivery to tenants at Bishop Ranch when ordering 500 cards or more and use promo code (XXXXX)

Is this discount on cards the same as the regular volume discount? because if not, I think that we artists should be informed of any promo that that reduces the cost hence the commission we receive. I realize the shipping discount doesn't effect the artists so have no prob with that. But, i do think artists should at least be made aware of any discount offered to individual entities that effect OUR bottom line.

Mindy, (Please delete this post if i was inappropriate in relaying a promo not offered to the public)

'e'

Back to top

« Last Edit: Oct 1^st, 2010, 6:16pm by Mindy »

Ernestine's Easel:
http://artist.greetingcarduniverse.com/ErnestinesEasel

IP Logged

Penny_134243

Gold Member
artist

Posts: 1337

Re: Promo/Discount Question
Reply #5 - Oct 1^st, 2010, 5:57am

Greetings!

Just to clarify my post, if anyone is curious, the discount was for 20% off the card purchase, which means that my card sold for $2.23, which lowered my commission amount on this card to 43 cents, rather than the usual 56 cents.

I have seen free shipping promos/discounts listed at the bottom of my sales notices before, and, of course, whatever sale is running shows up as a discount applied, but, never a promo like this.

Just wanted to add, this info from the sales notice:

The card was ordered from Minnesota (which is not in California)
I sold one card as part of a 13-card order
My card (for Bosses Day) was found through an onsite search of the word, "hunting"

Penny

Back to top

PC Impressions:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/pcimpressions

IP Logged

martin_138364 Full Member artist Posts: 150	Re: Promo/Discount Question Reply #6 - Oct 1^st, 2010, 6:36am Hi Penny, Just to let you know that one of my cards was also part of that order, I did not look too closely at the discount but I was curious about selling a birthday card with a flower on it when the search was for “hunting”.
Back to top	martin's Card Store: http://artist.greetingcarduniverse.com/martinscardstore IP Logged

Doreen_137017

Gold Member
artist

Posts: 5274

Re: Promo/Discount Question
Reply #7 - Oct 1^st, 2010, 7:47am

Quote from martin_138364 on Oct 1^st, 2010, 6:36am:

Hi Penny,

Just to let you know that one of my cards was also part of that order, I did not look too closely at the discount but I was curious about selling a birthday card with a flower on it when the search was for “hunting”. Huh

I don't have a problem with the promo codes. It would be nice to know about them because we are curious people, but GCU is promoting our cards and getting them sold and I'm alright with that.

Martin...

Haven't you ever gone to the grocery store for milk and come back with six other items that weren't on the list? That's what happens when the customer searches for hunting and buys a card with a flower on it. Only the initial search parameter is recorded, the wandering around after they are at GCU is not.

Hope that explains it Grin

Back to top

Salon of Art:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/SalonOfArt

IP Logged

Penny_134243

Gold Member
artist

Posts: 1337

Re: Promo/Discount Question
Reply #8 - Oct 1^st, 2010, 8:41am

Quote from martin_138364 on Oct 1^st, 2010, 6:36am:

Hi Penny,

Just to let you know that one of my cards was also part of that order, I did not look too closely at the discount but I was curious about selling a birthday card with a flower on it when the search was for “hunting”. Huh

Hi, Martin,

Thanks for your reply. You never know when someone does an onsite search, where they will actually end up! It's a big GCUniverse!

Penny

Back to top

PC Impressions:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/pcimpressions

IP Logged

Penny_134243

Gold Member
artist

Posts: 1337

Re: Promo/Discount Question
Reply #9 - Oct 1^st, 2010, 8:51am

Quote from Doreen_137017 on Oct 1^st, 2010, 7:47am:

Quote from martin_138364 on Oct 1^st, 2010, 6:36am:

Hi Penny,

Just to let you know that one of my cards was also part of that order, I did not look too closely at the discount but I was curious about selling a birthday card with a flower on it when the search was for “hunting”. Huh

I don't have a problem with the promo codes. It would be nice to know about them because we are curious people, but GCU is promoting our cards and getting them sold and I'm alright with that.

Martin...

Haven't you ever gone to the grocery store for milk and come back with six other items that weren't on the list? That's what happens when the customer searches for hunting and buys a card with a flower on it. Only the initial search parameter is recorded, the wandering around after they are at GCU is not.

Hope that explains it Grin

Hi, Doreen,

I agree with you that promoting GCU is important and greatly appreciated. But I really think that GCU should let us know when they are offering special discounts to businesses, organizations, etc., if for no other reason, just to keep us in the loop because the discounts decrease our commissions.

I know that GCU is not MY company, but, I do have a stake in this, as do all of the other artist who work really hard to make fun, beautiful, heart-felt greeting cards. Being secretive about discounts makes me feel like I'm not considered to be part of the GCU team, so to speak.

My 2 or 3 cents, again...

Penny

Back to top

PC Impressions:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/pcimpressions

IP Logged

Doreen_137017

Gold Member
artist

Posts: 5274

Re: Promo/Discount Question
Reply #10 - Oct 1^st, 2010, 9:09am

Hi Penny,

I agree with you to a large degree. I guess I'm used to the large sites like Cafepress (yuck) and Zazzle where you really aren't informed about anything and don't get answers to most questions from the 'staff'.

In effect, we artists are providing GCU a 'licensing' agreement to sell our cards with our payment listed as a percentage per card based on promos and bulk pricing. Because of that, we really don't have much of a say in 'how' they sell our cards. That isn't unusual.

I certainly understand your thoughts, perhaps Mindy can give you a better answer.

Back to top

Salon of Art:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/SalonOfArt

IP Logged

Mindy

GCU Administrator
Community Manager

Posts: 6567
Gender: female

Re: Promo/Discount Question
Reply #11 - Oct 1^st, 2010, 6:15pm

No secrets being kept. With all of the work we do with special promotions and much on the fly it is not feasible for us to report each and every promotion to the artist community. We have accommodate promotion notifications in the Notes of your order emails as you've seen so you will know what promotion is being redeemed.

In this case this is a special promotion for our business park, Bishop Ranch. We've recently become an approved vendor for tenants and have been bragging about all of our great artists at a few networking events in the hopes that our "neighbors" will consider GCU for their greeting card business.

Back to top

IP Logged

Penny_134243

Gold Member
artist

Posts: 1337

Re: Promo/Discount Question
Reply #12 - Oct 1^st, 2010, 9:34pm

Quote from Mindy on Oct 1^st, 2010, 6:15pm:

No secrets being kept. With all of the work we do with special promotions and much on the fly it is not feasible for us to report each and every promotion to the artist community. We have accommodate promotion notifications in the Notes of your order emails as you've seen so you will know what promotion is being redeemed.

In this case this is a special promotion for our business park, Bishop Ranch. We've recently become an approved vendor for tenants and have been bragging about all of our great artists at a few networking events in the hopes that our "neighbors" will consider GCU for their greeting card business.

Thanks, Mindy!

Penny

Back to top

PC Impressions:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/pcimpressions

IP Logged

Doreen_137017

Gold Member
artist

Posts: 5274

Re: Promo/Discount Question
Reply #13 - Oct 2^nd, 2010, 8:04am

Quote from Mindy on Oct 1^st, 2010, 6:15pm:

No secrets being kept. With all of the work we do with special promotions and much on the fly it is not feasible for us to report each and every promotion to the artist community. We have accommodate promotion notifications in the Notes of your order emails as you've seen so you will know what promotion is being redeemed.

In this case this is a special promotion for our business park, Bishop Ranch. We've recently become an approved vendor for tenants and have been bragging about all of our great artists at a few networking events in the hopes that our "neighbors" will consider GCU for their greeting card business.

Great promotion Mindy! Glad to be part of it and all the promoting GCU does!

Back to top

Salon of Art:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/SalonOfArt

IP Logged