Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Creative Memories Last Chance Extension
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Creative Memories last 7 days...
If you have Creative Memories albums, please make sure you have enough pages and page protectors to finish your project(s). I would order by this Friday to avoid the MAD rush. http://www.mycmsite.com/dwatson
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Saturday, July 13, 2013
is Creative Memories closing?
Customer FAQ's
Last updated July 10, 2013
In an effort to help answer some frequently asked questions from our customers, we've started a list of responses. Check back often for updates!
1. I placed an order in June, and haven’t received it yet. When will I get it?
Please be assured that we’re working on it, and you will receive your products. As you may imagine, the news that we’re transitioning out of this business in order to create a fresh start has generated an enormous amount of orders. Our manufacturing and distribution teams are working overtime to fulfill orders from June and the first week in July. For some products, we’re waiting to receive raw materials that are on their way. We’ll ship your order as soon as all of your products are manufactured.
Our Customer Service team is also working overtime, and is still overwhelmed by the current volume of calls and emails. They send their apologies; they just don’t have enough people to answer all of them. So we appreciate your patience, and respectfully ask that you refer to your order status for any updates. You will receive a ship confirmation when your order leaves our warehouse.
2. I have some albums I’d like imprinted using Persona. How long will that service be available?
Persona Imprinting is currently accepting* Covers, Spines and Coversets, and will do so through August 9, 2013.
Please allow sufficient shipping time with the carrier of your choice (such as UPS or FedEx) so your shipment is received at the Creative Memories Home Office on or before August 9. Product shipments that arrive on or after August 10 will not be processed and will be returned without personalization.
Once your items to imprint are received, we will begin processing them as soon as possible, keeping in mind each cover and/or spine is individually handled. Usually we ask that you allow up to two weeks of in-house processing time. However, lately we’ve been seeing extremely high order volumes, so it’s likely to be a longer-than-usual processing time.
If you’re placing an order through your Consultant (Persona Pre-Purchase), those orders will need to be placed no later than July 19, 2013.
*Important, please visit the Persona Imprinting web site http://persona.creativememories.com, Design an Album > Step 1 – Describe your album, to check if your Album/Coverset is accepted for Persona Imprinting.
3. I’m planning to place a Last Chance Order for Pages, Protectors and a few Coversets. When can I expect to get it?
It will help to understand the process. July 8-31 is the timeframe for the Last Chance order period. During this time we’ll take pre-orders, then in August we’ll place a final order for materials and begin manufacturing them so you have as many as you need. This may take a month or more, but this approach will guarantee you get the quantities of Last Chance products you order. So you may want to take a look at your needs for current and future projects and plan accordingly to take advantage of the Last Chance timeframe, understanding it could be September or later that they arrive to your home.
4. Why aren’t you offering scrapbooking products moving forward? Scrapbookers aren’t interested in quick and easy solutions.
We have done extensive strategic analysis and market research to determine how best Creative Memories can exist as a strong, stable direct selling business. The results of this work, combined with the financial requirements of our bankruptcy, have led us to not offer these products moving forward. We know that today’s time-starved moms want to enjoy their photos and connect with their families. And to do that, they need simple, easy and quick solutions. Our hope is that our scrapbooking customers can find products to fit their needs in the new company, though we understand we may not be able to meet all of them.
5. Why are you not including Side Loading Sleeves, PicFolio Pages and
replacement blades in the Last Chance Order period?
We wish we could, but those products have not been available from our suppliers.
In an effort to help answer some frequently asked questions from our customers, we've started a list of responses. Check back often for updates!
1. I placed an order in June, and haven’t received it yet. When will I get it?
Please be assured that we’re working on it, and you will receive your products. As you may imagine, the news that we’re transitioning out of this business in order to create a fresh start has generated an enormous amount of orders. Our manufacturing and distribution teams are working overtime to fulfill orders from June and the first week in July. For some products, we’re waiting to receive raw materials that are on their way. We’ll ship your order as soon as all of your products are manufactured.
Our Customer Service team is also working overtime, and is still overwhelmed by the current volume of calls and emails. They send their apologies; they just don’t have enough people to answer all of them. So we appreciate your patience, and respectfully ask that you refer to your order status for any updates. You will receive a ship confirmation when your order leaves our warehouse.
2. I have some albums I’d like imprinted using Persona. How long will that service be available?
Persona Imprinting is currently accepting* Covers, Spines and Coversets, and will do so through August 9, 2013.
Please allow sufficient shipping time with the carrier of your choice (such as UPS or FedEx) so your shipment is received at the Creative Memories Home Office on or before August 9. Product shipments that arrive on or after August 10 will not be processed and will be returned without personalization.
Once your items to imprint are received, we will begin processing them as soon as possible, keeping in mind each cover and/or spine is individually handled. Usually we ask that you allow up to two weeks of in-house processing time. However, lately we’ve been seeing extremely high order volumes, so it’s likely to be a longer-than-usual processing time.
If you’re placing an order through your Consultant (Persona Pre-Purchase), those orders will need to be placed no later than July 19, 2013.
*Important, please visit the Persona Imprinting web site http://persona.creativememories.com, Design an Album > Step 1 – Describe your album, to check if your Album/Coverset is accepted for Persona Imprinting.
3. I’m planning to place a Last Chance Order for Pages, Protectors and a few Coversets. When can I expect to get it?
It will help to understand the process. July 8-31 is the timeframe for the Last Chance order period. During this time we’ll take pre-orders, then in August we’ll place a final order for materials and begin manufacturing them so you have as many as you need. This may take a month or more, but this approach will guarantee you get the quantities of Last Chance products you order. So you may want to take a look at your needs for current and future projects and plan accordingly to take advantage of the Last Chance timeframe, understanding it could be September or later that they arrive to your home.
4. Why aren’t you offering scrapbooking products moving forward? Scrapbookers aren’t interested in quick and easy solutions.
We have done extensive strategic analysis and market research to determine how best Creative Memories can exist as a strong, stable direct selling business. The results of this work, combined with the financial requirements of our bankruptcy, have led us to not offer these products moving forward. We know that today’s time-starved moms want to enjoy their photos and connect with their families. And to do that, they need simple, easy and quick solutions. Our hope is that our scrapbooking customers can find products to fit their needs in the new company, though we understand we may not be able to meet all of them.
5. Why are you not including Side Loading Sleeves, PicFolio Pages and
replacement blades in the Last Chance Order period?
We wish we could, but those products have not been available from our suppliers.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
scrapbook progress update: washington d.c. album
Got my credenza organized; got my new paper tower organized;
no more excuses...Time To Scrap!
I did decide to split the trip up into 2 separate albums:
1 for Washington, D.C.
1 for New York
I've been blogging about our Spring Break trip over on my musings blog
Under the label "dashing here and there"
Since I'm blogging about the trip, I can use the blog postings as I'm scrapbooking
That will cut down on the journaling time as I can just copy what I've already typed on my blog. At this stage I'm using:
Creative Memories Blank Spargo Refill Pages
(why, oh why, are my blank pages being discontinued? sniff...)
Creative Memories Photo Mounting Paper
Ali Edwards Story Cards (for journaling boxes)
Creative Memories Tape Runner
Creative Memories 12-inch Trimmer and Personal Trimmer and Scissors
I kind of like to get all the photos and paper mounted in first,
then go back to embellish and journal.
And my favorite part, slipping the Page Protectors on!
What are you currently working on?
Creative Memories Plan for Digital
The following was posted on Creative Memories Go Digital Fan Page on Facebook:
Plan for digital.
What is the future of StoryBook Creator and Memory Manager
Software? And what is the overall plan for digital?
All along, Creative Memories has contracted with a company called Panstoria, who developed and owns the rights to StoryBook Creator and Memory Manager. So even though Creative Memories is transitioning out of the software, and the new company will not sell the software in the future, that doesn’t mean that StoryBook Creator and Memory Manager will not exist or be supported. We’re currently working with Panstoria and other digital vendors to define what the future looks like for the digital business.
We’re working hard to find an answer that supports digital customers, enables a great consumer experience, and is more pleasing than shutting it down. We’re taking a strong stand to find a way for the digital business to continue, so current and future digital customers can be supported. The best case scenario is that we can find a backer for the digital business so existing software customers can order products uninterrupted through a different interface. Those conversations are in process, and we expect to have more to share with you in a month or so.
The new company simply can’t bring digital forward in its current condition. The new company will include digital; it will just be starting with a new foundation.
(see Letter from Creative Memories if this is the first you've heard of the bankruptcy)
Friday, July 5, 2013
Creative Memories LAST CHANCE
This is it. Believe it or not. July 8-31, Creative Memories promises to fill orders on the above products. They will take orders and then order enough supplies to fulfill the orders. They say it could take up to 90 days to fill the orders depending on the volume of orders they receive.
It is hard for me to believe that this is the same company that was started 26 years ago by a Montana homemaker who called Webway and let the phone ring and ring and ring because she was so distraught they were discontinuing her favorite pages. She, of all people, should know how we feel about no more blank refills. I can't imagine her not keeping a traditional core product that thousands of customers use and love. But that is what seems to be happening.
It is hard for me to tell you what to order when I don't know what is coming. They suggest purchasing what you need to complete your current projects. I think that is good advice. Then if/when they do launch a new product we can see how that will work with our upcoming projects. Personally, I stocked up on blank refill pages, page protectors and adhesive just because I would rather have what I need. But I certainly didn't stock up for decades of scrapbooking...just a few years worth.
Some Consultants are very excited about the change and optimistically looking forward with great anticipation. I hope they are right. I've just seen too much behind the scenes (behind the curtain?) to feel very optimistic right now. I guess in a perfect world where I was CEO of CM, I would offer:
3 sizes of Album Covers in classic colors
blank refill pages
page protectors
personal trimmer and 12-inch trimmer
adhesive - photo tape, photo splits, tape runner
fade-proof, smudge-proof pens
title stickers
colorful card stock in a variety of colors
But I'm not the CEO...just the Consultant who is celebrating her 20th Anniversary with CM and looking at the end of scrapbooking as she knew it for so long.
Forgive me while I grieve just a bit...
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