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MicheleQ
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| Posted: July 24 2006 at 8:15am | IP Logged
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Elizabeth wrote:
And perhaps we need to brainstorm ways to help the providers get out there as vendors. The ladies I went to IHM with were all disappointed in the lack of vendors. And I've heard that NACHE was sparse as well. From the vendors perspective, the tables were pricey, business was slow, and vendors had to pay to give talks  . Vendor talks weren't taped. Often, a vendor talk is just the talk you want to take home with you after you've purchsed the product. And they are usually some of the most passionate talks because the speaker is so intimate with her topic. How can we encourage vendors to let us see their stuff? And how can we make it worthwhile for everyone? |
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I do think this is a good idea. As a vendor AND a homeschooler I certainly would like to comment  but I am wondering if we could move it to a new thread?
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Michele Quigley
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guitarnan
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This is a great idea. The ONLY reason I went to NACHE was to touch and feel potential curriculum material, and it was fairly disappointing (except for meeting Margot at Hillside Education and buying Catholic Mosaic...Michele, I saw you but you were always so busy!). If the vendors aren't going to be there, I don't have as much of a reason to go in person.
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Angela F
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I actually emailed Theresa at CHC to volunteer to "man" a CHC booth at our little Iowa Homeschool Conference. She sweetly emailed back, thanking me for the offer, but that it was cost prohibitive at that point for them to do so. But maybe in the future? I wouldn't mind taking a turn just babysitting the materials so folks could get to look through them. Maybe postage to mail or UPS them is just too much to consider this as an option?
God bless,
Angela
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MicheleQ
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| Posted: July 24 2006 at 11:14am | IP Logged
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Elizabeth wrote:
| And perhaps we need to brainstorm ways to help the providers get out there as vendors. How can we encourage vendors to let us see their stuff? And how can we make it worthwhile for everyone? |
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Well it might help to see the picture more clearly. Attending a conference is expensive. Consider airfare or gas (I know some who always drive and since they are usually driving something large or pulling a trailer gas is definitely a factor). Hotel, food and car rental. The cost of shipping your wares to the conference and the cost of tables.
These are my usual expenses. If I have a nursing baby my husband or one of my older sons will come with me to help so that's double on the airfare. We try to eat as inexpensively as possible and when there are two of us we usually use our luggage as a way to bring the planners (but airlines limit bag weight to 50 lb. now so it's harder - books are heavy). Renting a car is just a necessity - I've tried to do without it, it doesn't work.
Occasionally I will be invited to stay with someone but unless I know the person well I am not always comfortable doing that and truthfully after a long day vending a conference it's really nice to just veg out in a hotel room - especially if you are nursing a baby.
For larger vendors while their profit may be greater so are their expenses (more tables, helpers, more product to ship etc.).
Additional cost is the time away from my other children. Dh is GREAT about making things fun when I'm gone but they still miss me (imagine that!). If both dh and I go it's more difficult as we have to be sure everyone is cared for while we are gone.
A big factor in which vendors are at which conferences are the conference organizers themselves. I will not name any names I am just going to speak generally. 
Some groups are WONDERFUL to work with and are incredibly kind and helpful to their vendors - others, unfortunately are not. The cost of table rental varies greatly and as Elizabeth mentioned some places will let you give a vendor talk but you have to pay to give it and they don't tape them. Other conferences are happy to have you speak and not only don't charge you but comp. you a table for doing it AND tape the talk. It varies.
Also, if a conference changes its focus from previous years (of success) and consequently vendors lose money many simply won't return the next year. Other conferences are VERY particular about who they let in and so even though you ask year after year you still can't get in.
Another factor to consider is that in the last several years the number of conferences around the country has been increasing. That's good in one sense certainly but it also means that vendors have to be choosy about which ones they attend and truth be told they generally go for the larger ones that are more worth it cost wise.
Now, getting someone to man a table for you is a good option but unless it's someone I know well (or someone who comes highly recommended) I won't do it. Let me explain why. This is my product and my name and how it gets represented reflects back on me. I accept credit cards and when that information is entrusted to me I take that responsibility very seriously. I need to be sure the person who runs my table is trustworthy and reliable. While we would all like to think that everyone in the Catholic homeschool community IS trustworthy the reality is that that isn't always the case. By reliable I mean someone who will be timely in sending the receipts (they have the credit card info. on them), the personal checks, cash and orders (on on anything I didn't have with me or sold out of) AND will carefully pack the remaining goods for shipment and then actually ship it back to you. If you don't get the receipts, orders, and checks until a month or two later (it's happened) and the remaining goods come back to you damaged you have lost some of your reputation (people expect their orders to be processed in a timely manner of course) and you have lost money through product damage. And it is a sad fact that customers who complain do not care that it wasn't specifically your fault, they simply know that your company wasn't diligent and you have lost your good reputation with them. Working to repair that is costly and time consuming.
Now, I am a very small vendor but I do see the value in attending a conference so that my products can be seen first hand and purchased without having to pay shipping. As a homeschooler this is what I also appreciate about shopping a curriculum fair. Personally I would be very interested to hear ideas on helping vendors to get to more conferences.
I am wondering - this is just an idea that popped into my head - if someone might be willing to setup some sort of list of people who would be willing to man tables for vendors in return for something (product or cash usually) but who are also willing to agree to abide by certain conditions (like the ones I mentioned above - timely sending of receipts etc.) I have no idea if this is feasible but it may be a way to get more products at conferences.
God bless!
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Michele Quigley
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Angela F
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Michele,
I'm not a vendor , so just wondering...is it feasible to have a few samples to look at at the table and then have customers place orders online (with or without free shipping??) Or would maybe fewer people actually buy if they couldn't get it there?? And would that save some paperwork hassle for both the volunteer and the vendor?
Or what about filling out an order at the table and leaving payment info. Hmmm, I guess someone might not mail the orders back in a timely manner there.... Just thinking out loud. I do enjoy conferences, vendors, seeing product and people. So I'd really like to find a way to help. And I know I would be reliable  I think CHC has done this the past few years at the MN Conference anyway.
God bless,
Angela
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Oh, I have an idea! What if vendors had samples for people to look at (as Angela F mentioned), and had a laptop computer w/ Internet connection set up for people to place orders online? That way the volunteer wouldn't have to deal w/ paperwork at all (as long as people were only paying w/ credit or debit cards), vendors would have all the ordering/payment info you needed in a timely manner, and the customers could see the product. Vendors would also have less costs in shipping product to the conference, since they would only be shipping samples.
But how to accommodate the people who wanted to pay w/ cash or checks? Hmmmmmm...
Dawn
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Maybe some of the smaller vendors could band together and split costs and travel. For instance if Michelle, Cay, and Elizabeth or an Usborne consultant, Hillside, etc shared a table and each would only have to man a fraction of the booths through the year? They could also travel to the conferences closest to them, cutting travel time to conferences. The ones not attending would just ship their products and the one manning the booth could ship unsold items and orders back? I think it would help the trustworthiness factor because they are all professionals helping each other's businesses.
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Martha
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I have made it a policy to not buy shrink-wrapped items from CHC unless it's an item I've used in the past. I can't afford to buy something, find it won't work for us, and still be stuck with it. Resale is still at a loss.
Plus I don't understand their reasoning for this policy. If it is being returned damaged or otherwise unsaleable (is that a real word? ), then it would seem more reasonable to have a policy that items will not be refunded until inspection of the returned item with a strict notice of what constitutes "saleable" condition? This is what Seton and some other book providers do and I've returned to them w/o a problem.
As for worry about it being copied. I don't see how shrink-wrapping is going to affect that. If they are going to copy it. They will.  If CHC doesn't give them their money back, they'll just sell it elsewhere for slightly less. I do NOT agree with this and agree it's illegal, but I don't see how assuming all their customers are doing it will help them make money off that item or prevent copyright issues. If anything that policy may hurt it's sales because people like me are not going to buy something they've never held in their hands unless they can return it.
As for reviews...
I think people should be bluntly honest. It's the only way customers have a chance at educated buying and the only way providers can get a clear picture of what they need change to better meet customer needs. I'm not talking about hatefullness. But honesty. If I get bad service or don't like a product - that's just as important (maybe even more so) for a provider/customer to know as a glowing report. If you can discuss these things honestly, then is there really any purpose to discussing it at all?
Just my .02 
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Martha wrote:
I have made it a policy to not buy shrink-wrapped items from CHC unless it's an item I've used in the past. I can't afford to buy something, find it won't work for us, and still be stuck with it. Resale is still at a loss.
Plus I don't understand their reasoning for this policy. If it is being returned damaged or otherwise unsaleable (is that a real word? ), then it would seem more reasonable to have a policy that items will not be refunded until inspection of the returned item with a strict notice of what constitutes "saleable" condition? This is what Seton and some other book providers do and I've returned to them w/o a problem.....Just my .02 |
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I love your .02, Martha! I completely agree! Amen!
If conferences are so prohibitive in cost for the vendors and they aren't appearing at many of the conferences, why are they presuming this is where their items will be seen and handled and evaluated? The equation doesn't add up. And just as conferences are expensive for the vendor, it isn't always convenient, affordable or possible for everyone to go to them to view the materials.
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MicheleQ
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| Posted: July 24 2006 at 3:15pm | IP Logged
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Sorry to make this so long but I tried to combine as much as I could.
Angela F wrote:
I'm not a vendor , so just wondering...is it feasible to have a few samples to look at at the table and then have customers place orders online (with or without free shipping??) Or would maybe fewer people actually buy if they couldn't get it there?? And would that save some paperwork hassle for both the volunteer and the vendor?
Or what about filling out an order at the table and leaving payment info. Hmmm, I guess someone might not mail the orders back in a timely manner there.... Just thinking out loud. I do enjoy conferences, vendors, seeing product and people. So I'd really like to find a way to help. And I know I would be reliable I think CHC has done this the past few years at the MN Conference anyway.
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I wonder too Angela if it's not just a matter of seeing the products but buying them as well - because of the shipping savings. Yes we could offer free shipping but imagine how that adds up. . .with a lot of orders in the end what you have to put out in shipping you could have used to pay for airfare. And yes I DO think you would be reliable - so don't be surprised if I ask you to run my table in MN sometime.
Dawnie wrote:
Oh, I have an idea! What if vendors had samples for people to look at (as Angela F mentioned), and had a laptop computer w/ Internet connection set up for people to place orders online? That way the volunteer wouldn't have to deal w/ paperwork at all (as long as people were only paying w/ credit or debit cards), vendors would have all the ordering/payment info you needed in a timely manner, and the customers could see the product. Vendors would also have less costs in shipping product to the conference, since they would only be shipping samples.
But how to accommodate the people who wanted to pay w/ cash or checks? Hmmmmmm... |
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I really think most vendors aren't set up for doing that with credit cards, in fact a lot of vendors don't even take credit cards. My credit cards have to be processed through a terminal on my home computer so I couldn't do it that way. Also, most conferences do not offer internet access. . .and who would supply the laptop? The volunteer? Shipping a laptop would be risky and something I doubt most people would be willing to do. And uh I don't even have a laptop.
Honestly it's not a bad idea and for a while I tried to figure out a way to make something similar work but in the end it was much more cost effective to do it the way I do it now.
lapazfarm wrote:
| Maybe some of the smaller vendors could band together and split costs and travel. For instance if Michelle, Cay, and Elizabeth or an Usborne consultant, Hillside, etc shared a table and each would only have to man a fraction of the booths through the year? They could also travel to the conferences closest to them, cutting travel time to conferences. The ones not attending would just ship their products and the one manning the booth could ship unsold items and orders back? I think it would help the trustworthiness factor because they are all professionals helping each other's businesses. |
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Well I can't speak for Margot or Cay but I will tell you that sharing one table is not feasible for me and running more than your own can get pretty crazy without several helpers. I'm small but not that small - in fact we have so many planner options now that dh and I both agreed that we will need two tables from now on.
Plus there's the bookeeping issues. Sales would have to be written up separately (honestly you couldn't combine orders and figure it out later, that would be a nightmare besides the legality of it with them all being separate businesses) so if someone wanted something from say all 3 vendors you would have to write up 3 sales slips. . .and what if one vendor takes credit cards but the others don't? Honestly again not a bad idea in general but not really easily workable either.
Martha wrote:
| I don't understand their reasoning for this policy. If it is being returned damaged or otherwise unsaleable (is that a real word? ), then it would seem more reasonable to have a policy that items will not be refunded until inspection of the returned item with a strict notice of what constitutes "saleable" condition? This is what Seton and some other book providers do and I've returned to them w/o a problem.....Just my .02 |
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I must confess that I don't get the issue with this either. Our return policy is very clear - to recieve a refund you must return the item in new and saleable condition. That's the norm isn't it? I don't expect K-Mart to take back an item if I have obviously used it and it can't be resold (unless it is defective mind you that's another issue). We do charge a small restocking fee but we really have to because with a planner once a certain time frame has passed it can't be sold at all - it's not like a book that can sit on a shelf and sell for years.
JennGM wrote:
| If conferences are so prohibitive in cost for the vendors and they aren't appearing at many of the conferences, why are they presuming this is where their items will be seen and handled and evaluated? The equation doesn't add up. And just as conferences are expensive for the vendor, it isn't always convenient, affordable or possible for everyone to go to them to view the materials. |
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I agree Jenn and again I don't know. The only thing I can think of is companies whose items are carried by other vendors - maybe they are assuming you'll see them there? But mine are only carried by me as are all the exclusive items from OFH and CHC so they would only be available from them directly and therefore doesn't answer the question. 
I do however think a good website with samples is invaluable and a catalog with sample pages as well (if you are big enough to have a catalog). It would seem to me if you can't get to conferences you should have a good many sample pages available for viewing on your website. Wouldn't that help? In fact I'm reworking my own site now and I plan to include several more sample pages as well as ideas for using the planner.
BUT I have been thinking about the idea I mentioned eariler and honestly if someone is looking for a home business idea (Yoo Hoo Donna Marie!) think about the idea of running an internet based temp service for vendors - it could work!
God bless!
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Michele Quigley
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Christine
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I have heard the copying excuse used as a reason for not allowing returns often. However, I do not know any homeschoolers who copy lesson plans, text books, or otherwise. Sometimes you just have to trust the consumers, especially when they are Catholic. I am noticing that Seton is starting to do this by having their lesson plans available online (the mailed lesson plans need to be returned which I believe is right). Ultimately, in the end we will have to answer to God if we knowingly infringe on copyright. If this is not enough to deter someone, then I find it hard to believe that anything else will be. I also believe that CHCs policy does hurt it's sales ~ once bitten, twice shy. I don't know how CHC and others can assume copying. If it's based on return customers, I do not believe that this is an accurate way to judge. I have purchased, several items that I have never used and wish I hadn't bought. I am finally realizing that in order to make more room for products that I will use, I should give these items away or sell them.
I don't usually ask online anymore if someone likes a product because I have noticed that the responses all seem to be positive and have subsequently been disappointed in purchases. I am finding that it is more effective to ask friends and acquaintances about products and ask if I can see them. I did not purchase the Science that Elizabeth refers to because of what a friend said and my perusal of my friend's copy. If people felt comfortable and weren't chastised for giving their honest opinion, then I would probably still ask online.
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Bookswithtea
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I like a lot of what CHC offers and I have recommended them publicly and privately, many times. Initially, I didn't have a problem with the idea of CHC encouraging folks to buy a new LP for each child. The company was small, their offerings were tiny, and what they had available was pretty inexpensive.
$20 was what I paid for my first copy of the 1st grade lesson plans. I paid almost $50 for the 4th grade lesson plans. That's a substantial hit to repurchase when one has a large family to consider. I've since paid $50 for several CHC items, and I haven't always found the items as user friendly as I would have liked.
I've also been frustrated with my inability to really "see" what I'm buying ahead of time. I've thought several times about buying a few of the stories they offer, but without seeing the text to figure out if its a moralistic tale or a living book, I'm not purchasing.
I think CHC's copyright/refund policy is one of the strictest ones around. I do know people who abuse copyright laws by copying workbooks, but they are NOT the majority. I don't know *anyone* who copies an entire manual.
SL used to encourage people to reuse their manuals by showing parents how to mark them with different marks for each child. They also encourage repurchasing by offering 50% off any manual you have already purchased once. Before SL went "corporate," I used to sometimes purchase from them simply because they had such a family friendly return policy and a generosity of spirit.
I normally only place big orders with companies that have good return policies. In the last 2 yrs, my purchases from CHC have been smaller and smaller...mostly contained to things I have seen or used in the past. I don't violate their rules. Instead I sometimes just choose not to use some of their offerings.
I like CHC a lot. I don't want to discourage others from using their products. But *absolutely* I have purchased less after my own "once bitten twice shy" experiences with their copyright/return policies. And somehow, it just seems wrong to me to assume the very worst of your clientele.
Just .02
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Martha
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Bookswithtea wrote:
| I like a lot of what CHC offers and I have recommended them publicly and privately, many times. |
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Ditto here.
I think that's the sad part. Many do indeed like some of the offerings of CHC and other providers.
Being honestly critical of materials or services is not a bad thing unless the company just doesn't want to listen to it. If the company doesn't listen, it will be bad for business.
But if customers don't even feel they can express these critiques, then everyone looses out. Customers stop buying because they have a hard time getting reliable, non-biased information or they can't afford to take a risk and try something new. The business doesn't even know why they are losing customers, they just quietly disappear.
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andibc
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Several years ago people were copying CHC LOG, speller, and other material and selling them. That's right, they were selling the photocopies online and elsewhere. I have first hand experience with another woman who told a homeschool group that her husband would make copies of any of the CHC workbooks that they wanted, free of charge.
Andrea
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Jen L.
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andibc wrote:
Several years ago people were copying CHC LOG, speller, and other material and selling them. That's right, they were selling the photocopies online and elsewhere. I have first hand experience with another woman who told a homeschool group that her husband would make copies of any of the CHC workbooks that they wanted, free of charge.
Andrea |
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It is sickening to me that people would do this, but shrink-wrap doesn't stop someone from doing it, right?
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Martha
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Jen L. wrote:
| It is sickening to me that people would do this, but shrink-wrap doesn't stop someone from doing it, right? |
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I agree. That's horrible, but shrink-wrapping doesn't make it stop. I bet a letter from an attorney would though! I hope someone in that hs group said something loud and clear.
Martha
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ALmom
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May I offer something that has worked here in our small area of very few Catholic homeschoolers. We almost never have a conference close by and we do not have the number of people to host a big conference, therefore it is truely cost prohibitive for vendors (even larger ones) to send us samples to display even with no charge for tables and a promise from us to pay shipping - we just don't have the volume of people going through to make it worth their time and effort. Elizabeth Foss sent some samples in our early days out of the kindness of her heart - the samples were all purchased, I think, and she donated one beautiful Mass kit to the school rather than ship it back. Many of us ordered from her after that - but that is less than 15 families at the time. It was a huge risk for her and may never have paid off financially. I remember it with gratitude and I'm sure our struggling little homeschool trying to get started does as well. We have not asked again as it does seem a bit unfair with our small group - and now we can usually gather some samples of things from each vendor from our own local families.
Anyways, our solution has been for families to bring together whatever we are using or have bought by mistake and display this for people to look through. This is how I saw many CHC items. When they first started business, there were no returns on anything, so I was very leary to purchase much and some things were a disappointment at first. We might be interested in 5 items, but only purchase 1 (other families would purchase different ones so we could spread the risk). Some sat on my shelf for many years only to be brought out at these displays or for individual families to come look at - but now I have found myself using many of them. If I saw something that someone else had ordered and was using, I would look at it at these gatherings. We would let a coordinator know which curriculum items we would like to see, and she put out a request of the members of our cover school for the items people wanted to see. Usually, someone in the group had the items and then we would bring our materials for display at a used book sale along with catelogues of the different vendors represented (most everyone will send extra copies of catelogues). It mostly works.
I will say that I have re-used workbooks for multiple children (Behold and See, in particular) because the cost is not a single use cost, imo. However, I will not copy the exercises in the book (I did (in Behold and See for about 4 of the review exercises) not knowing that this was against copyright and once I knew, I stopped), even for my own use. My dc have to answer the questions on a seperate piece of paper or orally with me. This is more difficult for my littles with vision problems but I cannot afford to re-buy the book 6 times. I called and spoke with CHC so I knew exactly how they saw the law. Saxon is now doing the same thing with their new math books - nothing is allowed to be copied and must be re-purchased for each child. I had to swallow and have my son write in it as he was being bogged down with visual memory problems and yet was a whip at math itself. When my next child uses that year, I will be out about $60 plus. Now, imo, that is not a single use fee and it is annoying - but that doesn't give me permission to ignore copyright laws. I do reuse lesson plans ($25) and inexpensive workbooks ($12 and less). I think the $25 is on the high side for consumable but I do see it as supporting new Catholic vendors. I don't mind consuming the others at all. In some books, I have some children answer with light pencil - and then erase at the end of the year. I guess I could use white out - a lot of work for me and very time consuming - so we hobble through trying to plan and budget.
At first I resented some of this. Now I look at it a bit more philosophically - my dc are getting a superb education and I'm paying less for it than going to the private schools around here.
I have wondered why Protestant materials are freer with copying priviledges. I think there is something about volume. There just are a lot more Protestant homeschoolers and a company can spread the excess cost of the illegal use a bit more and giving family copy priviledges just doesn't kill the bottom line as there are still plenty of new buyers. Catholic companies would tend to run themselves out of business as most of the customers are subsequent children in the same few families. Protestant companies offering family copy priviledges just aren't giving away as high a percentage of books in doing this. I may be way off here - and I am sure this is only part of the story.
There may also be a culture of the expectation to pay. In Protestant circles, they seem like they expect to pay. None of the Protestant churches here - even the very small and poor ones, asks for volunteer musicians. They pay a going rate for their organist/pianist and choir director(s). In the Catholic churches, a lot of the musicians are volunteer and only a few churches even have a budget to pay any musicians. CCD is all volunteer (any warm body will do). The Protestants wouldn't even dream of it - they willingly pay professionals on a regular basis and on special occassions will even hire additional musicians for a single Easter or Christmas service. They use volunteer Sunday school workers but have highly paid professionals in overall charge of every aspect. I see co-ops charging very high prices for activities and no one seems to bat an eye, though we would not or could not participate due to cost. I also know that they hire teachers for their co-op, purchase buildings for their own use, pay a coordinator and often offer/invite families with less means to participate at a reduced fee (there are wealthy members of the coop that will sponsor someone else). They have quite a few families, many who are really able to offer their services and are not carting around or neglecting a houseful of littles in the process. Our group has less than 30 families, the vast majority of them having at least 4 dc (some older,some infant and toddler). Our coordinator is a volunteer, homeschooling mom with 5 dc of her own and very limited time (which she has been quite generous with). We have to hunt for a place to meet as a group, etc. Most of the teachers are parent volunteer. The logistics can become overwhelming. Paying a fee is OK - but even a bargain fee is hard to pay when you are multiplying it times 6 and having to drive 1 hour or more for it too with a carful of littles. We have to adjust and plan to be able to provide some co-op type things. It will never look as flashy or seem as professional as the Protestant covers around here for a lot of these reasons (and we lose members to these other coops too). But we are trying to provide - and struggling to try not to price anyone out of participating. To do this, we all make varying sacrifices. Perhaps this is where CHC is at.
It is hard for me sometimes not to be angry at the local parishes for not supporting us more (the Protestant churches around here open their facilities and often areas of expertise to their homeschoolers) - but our local parishes are supporting local Catholic schools and doing all these type things through this avenue (not to say that all have been equally orthodox over time) and the Protestants are just now getting into the private school idea (often through these homeschoolers). It is a lot of waste of time and energy to wish for what isn't there. Everyone has limited time and has to set priorities. I just need to do the best I can with what is there and go from that point. If a vendor cannot allow for returns - then I certainly have to take it into account when I order. I ordered the High School of Your Dreams after looking at the reviews here, sample pages on-line, etc. I was disappointed as there were not nearly as many useful suggestions in different areas (for me) as I had expected. Does that mean it is a deficient product - of course not. It was an expensive mistake on my part - but I'll hold on to it and share it with local homeschoolers here so they can look at the whole product first - and there are bound to be a few things I'll use from it from time to time - just not worth what I paid for it. We probably could afford this more than most of the other families so I'll share what I have and use it when it is helpful.
If anyone was open to suggestions, I'd love for these vendors to offer a family copy priviledges for a fee.
I would be happy to pay a reasonable fee for permission to copy the review pages of these more costly books. I know I ordered all the different Art Pacs planning to do this with the whole family, but then found out that I could not copy for my own personal use. Basically, those art pacs are just sitting there. I wish that I could pay a fee for permission to copy the pages as I need them - also so I have an extra in case someone gets upset at a mistake and wants to perfect it. I was told a certain number of copies were allowed for goof ups, then no more. It just doesn't work for me that way. I know some places will sell a product like this at one set fee - then ask for some additional fee for family copy priviledges and another for co - op copy priviledges. Obviously co-op copy privildges are more expensive than family ones, etc. If I could order a product, see it and then have the option of paying another fee for the rights to copy exercise pages or something in a worktext for my own immediate family, that would really help me. Even if the priviledge only extended for a year for some of the things like art pacs, it would make a huge difference for me.
Janet
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ALmom
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| Posted: July 24 2006 at 6:00pm | IP Logged
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Sorry to repost - but I had a typo above. I do re-purchase (not re-use) the lesson plans and workbooks. However, the lesson plans are becoming more and more expensive and $40 is not a consumable fee for a large homeschooling family). Could CHC and others, perhaps allow for the re-use of plans in the family (I would pay an additional fee for this priviledge) but resell the consumable portions for a smaller fee (the First Communion book plans, etc.)
Janet
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MaryM
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| Posted: July 24 2006 at 7:02pm | IP Logged
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Elizabeth wrote:
| Sonlight is rarely represented at conferences either (I've never seen them at a Cahtolic conference). |
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They are located right here in Colorado and we can't get them to come to our Catholic homeschool conference which would be no travel for them at all.
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Our Domestic Church
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: July 24 2006 at 7:18pm | IP Logged
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MaryM wrote:
Elizabeth wrote:
| Sonlight is rarely represented at conferences either (I've never seen them at a Cahtolic conference). |
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They are located right here in Colorado and we can't get them to come to our Catholic homeschool conference which would be no travel for them at all. |
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No kidding??? That surprises me, especially with their strong corporate push these days. They have even made their bible programs optional (which I believe was not only to cater to AWANAs folks but also to secular hsers...but I digress...) Did anyone email John directly about it? He's fairly accessible... Another way to get his attention is to holler about it either on the SL Catholic loop or on the Lifelonglearners forum, where there are several vocal Catholic participators who make sure that Catholic users of SL are not easily shrugged off.
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~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Curriculum Returning and Refunding
