Etsy Invites

Re: Etsy Invites

• clg1213 member

  

  April 2013

  I think it is ttally fair to send another emai.  Because I get nevous and shy about such things, I often go with a "Just wanted to make sure we are on the same page, I though what you set previosly was the sample and I was hoping to have the invitations in hand by _____."   
  
  If issues continue, you need to get tougher and demand either repayment in full or the invitations in had in a timely manner.
  
  

  

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• ohmrs2014 mod

  

  April 2013

  I am also getting my invitations from Etsy.  Did you read the feedback left by other buyers?  After I found a few designs I liked, I read the feedback to make sure I wouldn't have any issues.  I also emailed them a few questions and the seller emailed me back right away.  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  

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• meg2marryshane member

  

  April 2013

  Even though you have almost 6 months until your wedding, I don't think it's being pushy to expect a timely response.
  
  I would definitely email her stating you just want an answer - please.

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• Ella and Pedro member

  

  April 2013 edited April 2013

  I would like to throw a suggestion your way.  I have no idea what type of invitations you were excited by on Etsy, but  I can explain what we're doing (I should say probably doing - not 100% sure until we too touch and see sample/s)....
  
  I just spent the past month researching with all my spare moments vendors who offer letterpress stationery at a discounted price point.  I found a few who are much more affordable than the typical.  One is Thistleberry Press, based in TN.  Another is Mercurio Brothers Printing based in California. Thistleberry did not respond to an e-mail inquiry I sent, or my follow-up phone call.  Could be because it's a small business and the owner/printer is super busy with wedding season on the horizon...but I didn't care for that and it made me anxious, envisioning similar once an order was placed, so I moved on.
  
  Mercurio seems to be all that I wanted - affordable, professional, prompt, flexible, friendly.  If you visit yelp! you'll see only 5 and 4.5 star reviews from at least a dozen people, many of whom are graphic designers.  Just to give you an idea, when I priced them out (admittedly not letterpressing an RSVP postcard but using the same font, ink, and paper) and also not letterpressing double sided directions/map/guest information sheet, but again, same paper, ink color, design, font - it was only about $100 more than the David's Bridal invitations we had been considering.  We also ordered samples of these, so we'll see. I should add, I did incorporate some really high-end features to the Mercurio Brothers quote - ink edging on the paper, two colors of ink and due to edging, thicker paper than their basic. I'm also having them upgrade the envelopes to dark blue, and do our return address on the envelopes in gold metallic foil. So, really, again, considering it's only about $100 more than DBI which would be thermapress printed - I am super excited. 
  
  One tip, always do a follow-up phone call to printshops doing letterpress, because this is the kind of business where people are not sitting at a desk all day, and it might be they will respond faster if you go old-skool. I know when I do sculpture and fine art stuff, I'm messy and not at a desk, but a phone call is much more 'in your face.'

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• shaylagirl member

  

  April 2013

  I did check reviews; there aren't but about 30 reviews with only 1 negative who complained that after 2 weeks, they were told they'd been shipped, and they still hadn't received them.
  
  I'm grateful this is only the sample invitation!  If these were my real invites, I'd be livid.  But it's making me wary to want to buy my invites from her if she can't even respond to me in a timely fashion.
  
  These are the ones I ordered.  I'm sure I can find something similar, but I was jazzed to find some I could DIY the printing aspect and potentially save some money by printing locally.
  
  I guess that if this is the worst fiasco I've had to face yet, that my sample hasn't been mailed, then I'll survive.  I'm just annoyed because I find the invitations to be the most frustrating aspect for me.  I have this vision in my head, and the FI okayed a $400-500 budget, but I'll be jiggered if I'm blowing that much money on paper!!
  
  And thank you so much EllaAndPedro!!  I'll check in to Mercurio Bros to see what they have to offer.  I know I still have plenty of time to find invites and get the order placed, I just find it a PITA having to start from square one again. 
  
  I'm just glad it was less than $5 I spent, and not a few hundred!! 
  
  Back to the drawing board!!
  
  Thanks again everyone!

  
  
  

  
  

  
  

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• ohmrs2014 mod

  

  April 2013

  Shaylagirl, If you want, PM me and I'll send you a link to the shop that FI and I are considering using.  They have tons of reviews and 100% positive feedback.   Their stuff is a little more modern, but they also have a print at home option, as well as matching smaller items if you need it.  They also don't mail the samples.  They email it you and you get two times to approve the design, anything after that I believe its a small fee.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  

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• shaylagirl member

  

  April 2013

  So, after leaving a message yesterday after my post here about how I was concerned she wasn't responding to my messages, and I was theorizing if she couldn't reply to questions regarding a sample, I didn't know if I could trust her to handle my invitation order, MIRACULOUSLY I got a reply today letting me know that my sample was dropped in the mail today, and she hadn't seen my previous messages.
  
  How do you NOT get the message I sent with the ORIGINAL order?  And how do you miss my second message, yet see my third one?!
  
  I'll also point out; she STILL didn't answer my questions (What is the cost of 75 invites, and what would she charge to print them for me if I didn't want to DIY).
  
  I'm ALMOST hoping I hate this sample so that it makes my decision SUPER easy.

  
  
  

  
  

  
  

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• Ella and Pedro member

  

  April 2013

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_invites-paper_etsy-invites-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:cd062f89-8272-496a-b0ab-225e1f87acecDiscussion:db2ea8c8-d4f3-49e4-b180-ca225c70b3a1Post:86be528c-7b99-464b-92f4-f8a3b1144f41">Re: Etsy Invites</a>:
  [QUOTE]So, after leaving a message yesterday after my post here about how I was concerned she wasn't responding to my messages, and I was theorizing if she couldn't reply to questions regarding a sample, I didn't know if I could trust her to handle my invitation order, MIRACULOUSLY I got a reply today letting me know that my sample was dropped in the mail today, and she hadn't seen my previous messages. How do you NOT get the message I sent with the ORIGINAL order?  And how do you miss my second message, yet see my third one?! I'll also point out; she STILL didn't answer my questions (What is the cost of 75 invites, and what would she charge to print them for me if I didn't want to DIY). I'm ALMOST hoping I hate this sample so that it makes my decision SUPER easy.
  Posted by shaylagirl[/QUOTE]
  
  Your decision should be super easy anyway.  If a vendor causes stress and behaves unprofessionally  (such as not being proactive regarding communication) that's a major red flag.  I mean, unless she had a response like "sorry, my Dad was in the hospital" or "my daughter got the mumps."  We're all human.

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