Anyone else waiting impatiently for the new challenge system to be revealed?

[rach3975]

I'm still holding out hope for middle ground. I think it's doable... I think there's a way to make BOTH perspectives happy.

I've been around SSD for a long time, and I've seen a few major changes in the challenge format. Every time things have changed there have been positives and negatives, and people are very vocal about the negatives right after the roll out. But I can't remember changes ever being made mid-way through the year. The things people complain about early on have often been addressed the next January, when things are tweaked again.

 

[lovely1m]

Aww, I am sad I will lose my monthly 40% off coupon. Guess it'll help me save some money though. I get why it happened, the challenges were not be participated in as much any more. Just sad for those of us that did.

 

[nesser1981]

I wonder with the new 3 months = the 40% off coupon could we get a longer time frame to use it? I usually wait for the big store sales, but years ago I did the challenges all the time.

I'd love to see like a 2 week or a month or even longer experation date on the coupon. Just a 1 time use thing that can't be combined with any other offers kind if deal.

I think this does make the challenges much more do able for those of us that are crazy busy these days.

 

[Sherri Tierney]

I haven't read everything here. I will say that I am looking positively at the new system. I like having less challenges required to earn the discount. I also like that I can basically choose WHEN to get the discount. I can't tell you how many times I earned the 40% off and then only bought one kit with it because I just didn't have scrappy money in the budget that week. Now I can wait until I do have that money set aside in my budget and then shop! There were also several times that I earned and was so excited to get my SR's only to realize there was a sale going on either right before or right after that week. It made earning the coupon worthless, IMO, because I could shop before or after and get the same discount. Kinda discounted all of the work I put in to earn the coupon, you know?

Since there aren't as many challenges now, I think I am going to take this time to go back and tackle some of the challenges before that I missed. Things I wanted to scrap and just didn't get a chance to.

 

[pomi]

I understand that the change is not welcomed by everyone and I also understand that some are disappointed about not getting the 40% discount each month. My scrapping budget is very low so I actually did shop like every 3 months anyway, and I would get 2-3 kits, so I actually used rather other sale opportunities than the Sweet Rewards, but I do understand the disappointment.

I'd like to mention two things:

About giving money to another shop because I get the discount there and not here... I personally buy most of my kits here at SSD simply because I love them the most. It's not about the discount, it's about the quality of the kits and the style that resonates with my scrapping.

Second, the inspiration and limiting one's scrapping inspiration to challenges only. Yes, it is directly served "do this and this" which can be nice but there is gallery full of layouts that you can simply scraplift - you can find scrappers with different styles that you can be inspired by, then there are tutorials for new techniques to try, there are challenges on the designers' blogs, where you can also win some coupons and get inspiration. So many ways to learn, grow as a scrapper, get some photos scrapped and have fun...

 

[adrianka]

I understand that the change is not welcomed by everyone and I also understand that some are disappointed about not getting the 40% discount each month. My scrapping budget is very low so I actually did shop like every 3 months anyway, and I would get 2-3 kits, so I actually used rather other sale opportunities than the Sweet Rewards, but I do understand the disappointment.

I'd like to mention two things:

About giving money to another shop because I get the discount there and not here... I personally buy most of my kits here at SSD simply because I love them the most. It's not about the discount, it's about the quality of the kits and the style that resonates with my scrapping.

Second, the inspiration and limiting one's scrapping inspiration to challenges only. Yes, it is directly served "do this and this" which can be nice but there is gallery full of layouts that you can simply scraplift - you can find scrappers with different styles that you can be inspired by, then there are tutorials for new techniques to try, there are challenges on the designers' blogs, where you can also win some coupons and get inspiration. So many ways to learn, grow as a scrapper, get some photos scrapped and have fun...

Wonderfully put. I don't do challenges much anymore (not because I don't like them, it's more a question of having less time and my priorities having shifted), so I don't feel like I should be having a say, but I think Majda has a point. When it comes to inspiration I feel like there's so much of it here at SSD that I can never manage to scraplift everything and try every technique that intrigues me, because there's simply only one of me.

 

[zakirahzakaria]

I actually like the new challenge system because I can space out my shopping & scrapping time. I used to fall out on the old challenge system because of the 'overwhelming' amount of inspiration - not a bad thing actually, it's just that I'm the kind of person who'd get anxious when I see so many options in front of me. The new challenge system is much more focused and simpler for me.

 

[suladesign]

I've been following the discussion here these days, and I just want to give a word of encouragement to the SSD team and staff. It seems like some of you feel unhappy about some of the "negative" comments you're reading here, but all in all, I think the discussion is going pretty well. Yes, there are those who are a bit disappointed about the new system (and just the fact that the voices quiet down after a while doesn't mean their opinions have changed; it's just not worth it becoming known as a complainer around here), but so far I haven't seen any mean spirited comment. I don't think anyone here is trying to attack SSD or the staff, some people are just voicing their concerns and I think there should be room to allow this and hear them out, esp. since the criticism is done fairly without bashing anyone or anything! I believe the reason why all of us are here is because we've come to love SSD and appreciate all that's going on here (both in the shoppe and in the community). So, all the more, I think the SSD staff should appreciate people's honest feedback rather than feeling down because of it. As sad as I personally am about the changes, I'm glad to be part of a community that is respectful of each other and cares about one another!

 

[Jengerbread88]

Right on, Sula! I totally agree! I think it's very clear that we all really love SSD-- I think it's why we're all so passionate.

I agree-- designers, babes, Robyn, feel encouraged! We love you enough to talk about how we feel. This will sound cheesy, but good communication is important in any type of relationship. I think the fact that so many people are commenting, even with concerns, in such a positive, communicative light is showing that this community is a gem.

 

[alinalove]

wow, there is something going on here, i totally missed out on!
when i came here last january i was impressed with the challenge system. it was an outrageous lot of inspiration and i could see that there was a lot of work and love going into it.
i always asked myself if this pays out for the community because in the end there was a tiny amount of girls getting the discounts.

i think that ssd really had a big thing going compared to other shops and it was a deal breaker for me to stay here.
i want to say thank you robin and the ssd girls for raising this big effort EVERY month!

i did earn the 40% for some months and then i simply didn't manage to do all the stuff i had to do to earn the 40% and i didn't even care to look up what's in the portfolio. it made me sad.
as far as i am concerned the new system may spark a new beginning of challenge participation at ssd.
and yes, i would be happy too, to see more than one inspiration for the week. but i am happy to be able to concentrate on and hopefully can be consistent enough to earn the coupon after 3 months.