The Stationers Guild

I am thrilled to report that Sweet Pea Designs is back on its feet and was proudly represented at the 2011 National Stationery.   For those who didn’t have an opportunity to look through their exciting new Baby album, several of their new yet familiar and comforting designs are featured on a Facebook Fan Page.

As reported last year,  Sweet Pea Designs and its long-time printing partner, Printswell, parted ways in the early part of 2010.  Sweet Pea owners Anne Johnson and Kim Kreis had hoped to relaunch a “new and improved” Sweet Pea Designs in time for the 2010 holiday season, but technology hurdles got the best of them and Sweet Pea wisely decided to hold off until they could get things right.  While this was no doubt a painful decision for both Anne and Kim and their many fans and dealers in the industry, the new album vindicates their decision.

Anne and Kim are far too shy to get in front of a camera – must be that southern upbringing – and, as such, my wife Sheila delivered this heartfelt promotional pitch video:

While I apologize for the sound reproduction and background noise, I think you get the idea that this new Baby Album is rich in design and careful thought has gone into creating a visually attractive and functional experience for your clients. As Sheila mentioned, a totally revamped and new social stationery and invitations album will be released in about eight weeks followed by their holiday album in the Fall.

I join Sheila in welcoming back Sweet Pea Designs and we wish Kris and Anne well in their new venture. If you wish to become a dealer or require additional information, please visit the Sweet Pea Designs website.

Richard W. May
Therese Saint Clair

Two additional album

We are sad to report that Sweet Pea Designs has “run into several issues” that prevents them from completing their website within the desired time frame. In a note to their loyal dealers, owners Anne Johnson and Kim Kreis are sad that they “will be missing out on Christmas sales after 22 years in business.”

Technology is a double-edged sword. Unfortunately, technology and the internet have become such an all-intrusive component of our business that we simply can’t “love it or leave it!” We are quite sure that both Anne and Kim are terribly frustrated that the transition to automation did not work as well as its purveyors promised.

As dealers, we too share their disappointment and frustration and are hopeful that Sweet Pea Designs will emerge next year with the beautiful designs our clients treasure. Our thoughts are with you.

Sheila and I had a most welcome opportunity to sit down with Kim Kreis of Sweet Pea Designs to discuss the launch of their new stationery and invitations album.  Her partner, Anne Johnson, was corralling clients who also wanted to take a peak at the new album that will be released toward the end of June.

As readers of the Stationers Guild News are aware, Sweet Pea Designs and Printswell decided to go their separate ways earlier this year.  The rather unsettling turn of events left some 2,000 dealers in the dark as to the plans of either company.  Fortunately, both companies resurfaced at the National Stationery Show and the world is a better place for it.  We wish them both well as they pursue their vision.

We had a chance to look at some of the preliminary pages of the new Sweet Pea Designs album that will begin to be distributed toward the end of June to dealers who have signed the new application form.   Instead of several albums, Sweet Pea has had the good sense to create a substantial album incorporating many new designs and their traditional “best sellers.”  Based on the sample pages we saw, the colors are far richer and the paper (#110) more substantial and bright than Sweet Pea’s old papers.  Rather than showing many samples in the old albums, the new album provides many more customization options and is laid out more rationally to assist in the visualization and customization process. 

Printing will now occur on the west coast, but we understand that deliveries will occur within 3 days anywhere in the United States.  Kim mentioned that Sweet Pea intends to be more selective with their dealers to insure that stationers who promote their brand will not be selling against other stores in the immediate vicinity.  This is a welcome relief to the proliferation of stationery products and greeting cards that seems to crop up on every street corner.   The Sweet Pea website is expected to be fully operational by the end of September for those who wish to promote Sweet Pea online.

It was good to see Kris and Anne in good spirits and on behalf of dealers everywhere, we are looking forward to seeing their great looking designs once again. 

Richard W. May
Therese Saint Clair

As readers of the Stationers Guild News are aware, the stationery world was rocked earlier this year when Sweet Pea Designs and Printswell decided to part ways after many years of collaboration.  I am pleased to report that both companies were exhibiting at the National Stationery Show and geared up for what we all hope will be an exciting year. 

I had a long chat with Ralph Dewberry, the CEO of Printswell, regarding the “new” configuration of the company.  Printswell debuted at the Stationery Show with three active lines and an additional four that will be coming on line by September:

• Stacy Claire Boyd
• KimPrints Paper & Gifts
• Rosanne Beck Collections (formerly Cross-My-Heart)
• Starfish Art
• Putnam House
• Prints Charming Papers
• PicMe Prints

Printswell provides the printing and fulfillment services for these seven product lines.  Using a state-of-the-art Indigo printer, Mr. Dewberry seemed confident that he would be able to meet the expected demand of a vibrant holiday season.   With a network of over 2,000 dealers, Printswell is now in a position to begin fulfilling orders (both Internet and through the Albums) that had been disrupted when Printswell was no longer authorized to use Sweet Pea’s designs.  Dealers were encouraged to order albums at the Printswell booth and, in fact, this offer has been extended until June 30th for those who were not able to take advantage of this offer in May.

Many stationers have used the Printswell affiliate program website to leverage their online sales.  Certainly, the revamped website looks poised to help reanimate sales.  Those with questions on Printswell’s affiliate program should contact Rick Peyton, the Fullfillment Coordinator.

The following message was received from Kim Kreis of Sweet Pea Designs:

“Please go to www.sweetpeadesigns.com to download a dealer application form.  Email  to info@sweetpeadesigns.com or fax to 1.205.991.9246.  Applications must be filled out completely and all requested information received to be considered as a future dealer.”

Richard May
Founding Member Stationers Guild

Following the dissolution of the long-standing relationship between Sweet Pea Designs and PrintsWell reported upon earlier this month, Stacy Claire Boyd reports that PrintsWell will provide “all customer service, production and fulfillment services beginning April 15, 2010.”

According to an eMail distributed by Stacy Claire Boyd (“SCB”), they claim that they will be offering their “designs at a new lower price point” to provide their dealers with more “competitive pricing.”    It also appears that through PrintsWell, SCB clients will be able to have their “own online stationery store, offering all of the SCB catalog products to its customers 24/7.”   Clients who wish to avail themselves of this online service will be able to “brand” the SCB online store with their own logo and collect commisions based on orders processed through the store-branded website.    According to the release, this service is free for the first 4 months and $15 a month thereafter.  Call 866-481-4414 to take advantage of this offer.

Editor’s Note:  With the many changes, consolidations and growing impact of the internet on the stationery industry, it is difficult for independent dealers to know which way to turn.   As readers on the Stationers Guild Blog are aware, I have found no compelling economic argument that would lead me to believe that “lower” or “more competitive” prices make for a stronger industry.  Quite the contrary.  Lower prices necessarily lead to lower quality stationery products for the consumer and profit margins that are not sustainable to support the manufacturers and the craftspeople and designers  who produce quality papers.

While I do not doubt the genuineness of Stacy Claire Boyd and Printwell’s intention to provide its dealers with a competitive product 24/7, the numbers simply don’t add up.    For instance, let us assume that in the past you were able to sell a SCB baby announcement from the album for $200.  If you are like most dealers and earn a 50% margin you would receive $100 for the sale.  Now, under the new PrintsWell agreement this same invitation may sell for $160 (20% less).  Your margin is now $80 for the same amount of work and same level of fixed costs.    Does this make business sense?  I think not!

Well, how about the online store where I make money 24/7?  Glad you asked and, again, sorry to disappoint.  Imagine if all 1,000 or more SCB dealers and existing PrintsWell dealers launch their own private-labeled SCB online stores:  All that adds up to is another 1,000 pages of the 37 million pages now indexed by Google when you search for “baby announcements.”  Unless you are a real pro at internet search marketing and website optimization, your SCB online store will simply be confined to the outer-reaches of internet oblivion.    Even if it can be found, do you think you have much of a chance to compete with Costco and eInvite, who are driving prices and quality standards to levels that even the Chinese would envy.

I know this sounds like a bummer, but trust me it is time to wake up.  Brand integrity is worth talking about!  As dealers we should insist on quality papers and designs that do the industry proud and are sold at  prices where the consumer receives “fair value” and at “price levels” where the dealer, manufacturer and designer are fairly compensated.  To do so, dealers should simply quit carrying lines where that value proposition no longer exists.    Let’s talk vigorously about the many great papers and designers we respect and not spend time apologizing for companies with boring designs, cheap papers and service quality to match!    Fine paper companies who compete on price will go the way of dinosaurs.  Don’t let them take the rest of us down.

Richard W. May
Editor Stationers Guild

Like other stationery dealers, Sheila and I have been somewhat perplexed and not a little put-out that Printswell will no longer distribute the Sweet Pea line of stationery, invitations and announcements.  Shortly after we received this information, we contacted Printswell and were informed that Sweet Pea Designs had ended their contractual arrangements with Printswell and that Sweet Pea Designs (album and online designs) could no longer be sold after March 19, 2010.  We sought additional clarification from Printswell owners, but received no further information other than the email announcement.

Today, we received an email from Anne Johnson and Kim Kreis, the founders and designers of Sweet Pea Designs, indicating that they intend to relaunch the company under their own name within the next “month or so” and that they were putting the “finishing touches” on their new website and that “new” catalogs were being designed.   Sheila and I took the opportunity to call Sweet Pea and had a most pleasant conversation with Anne Johnson, one of the founders.  Found below are brief highlights of the conversation that we feel may be relevant to fellow dealers and clients who admire Sweet Peas designs:

• Sweet Pea Designs (“SPD”), a 22-year old company, and Printswell have always been separate legal companies even though Printswell changed its name to Sweet Pea name for a short period of time for convenience in distributing the Sweet Pea line.
• Under the terms of their contractual arrangement, SPD gave 60 days notice in January that they planned to terminate the distributions and printing arrangement with Printswell.  According to Anne, the co-founders decided that they wished to assume greater control of the design process and the marketing and production of their stationery line.
• The existing Sweet Pea albums are “obsolete.”  SPD will shortly be issuing two new “somewhat larger” albums for Baby & Children and another for “Adult Themes.”    A third album for Christmas and holiday themes will be issued later in the year.
• These new albums will be shipped within the next few weeks (probably within 60 days) to dealers who complete a Sweet Pea Designs Application form.  Email SPD at info@sweet-peadesigns.net to obtain your Application Form.   SPD does not have a list of authorized Sweet Pea dealers and is trying to piece together a list from third-party sources.
• According to Anne, the new albums will be shipped free-of-charge to dealers who have met some pre-determined volume of sales.  Pricing for the new albums is still under consideration, but should not be more than $100 per album with coupons offered to help offset the cost of the albums.
• The new designs will be printed on heavier paper stock (110 lb paper).
• The new Sweet Pea website will also incorporate an “affiliate program” similar to programs offered by Printswell and others in the industry.   The nature of the affiliate commission structure was not discussed.
• Anne suggested that they would be more selective on how their product was represented geographically, but admitted that some home-dealers would be “grandfathered.”   She anticipated that SPD would have firm policies to avoid discounting.
• SPD will be represented at the National Stationery Show in booths 3306-3308 and Anne and Kim encouraged Guild members to drop by.

Clearly, Sweet Pea is a very popular line for many dealers.  It is unfortunate that this rough transition has left many dealers in the dark and unable to fulfill customer requests.  Nevertheless, it is good to see Sweet Pea upgrading their line when many other companies are tracking in the opposite direction.

I would like to thank Anne for sharing this information with readers of the Stationers Guild News and we wish Anne and Kim much success in flying solo.
Sheila and Richard May
Therese Saint Clair