Avoiding Duplicate Purchases

bestcee

bestcee

New member
Alright, how do you avoid duplicate purchases here at Gingerscraps? I thought my spreadsheet of kits was the answer, but nope! Just bought a kit a second time. Ugh. Don't ask me how I didn't see it on there. I blame it on too many kits. :D

So, how do you keep from purchasing duplicates?
 
I keep kits in individual designers and then check that file to see if I already have it. I still get duplicates because of the number of kits but it does cut down on how many I would be buying a second time
 
I use the organizer in Photoshop Elements (even though I scrap in Photoshop) and my kit previews are tagged by designer. I also sometimes do a search on a kit name just to make sure I did not miss it.
 
When I purchase products, I create a folder for that designer (I'm on a PC using Windows 11), and then inside the designer's folder, I have a folder for each product I purchase from them. I rename all the products as follows: designersname_productname_producttype

For example: xyzdesigner_sunshinedayskit_preview

Then when I get ready to purchase from that designer again, I go to that designer's folder and in the search bar I type in "preview" so all the preview images load that are inside the designer's folder and I can quickly see if I've already purchased that product from that designer.

It has helped me tremendously to not double and yes, triple purchase the same product. :(

I also use Adobe Bridge (I design in Photoshop CC), so my 30,000+ files are all tagged in Adobe Bridge as well. I can select any number of files and they will automatically open in Photoshop, but Adobe Bridge tagging is adding "keywords" to each file, so I can also search "preview" for a particular designer in Adobe Bridge and see the preview files the same way. :) It is just a few less steps for me to do the process above.
 
I have that problem too. Especially if they are at other stores and I already purchased it. It would be great if when you purchase from your wishlist it would delete it from there but it doesn't. I always have to check again before doing a wishlist purchase. Good luck.
 
All of my kits are organized by kit name & designers' initials and all are stored in OneDrive and the folder is synced to my laptop so it is easy to scroll through and look for the kit name or designers' initials, or even use the search feature to find a kit I am looking for.
I started to put things in a spreadsheet, but realized that it is just far too much work for me to keep up with.
 
I organize all my kits by designer name - each has their own folder. Within that folder each kit/collection has its own folder with the kit name as the folder name. I always search the designer's folder before making any purchases. I've still made duplicate purchases in the past, but only because I misfiled something. :blush2
 
I organize my kits in folders by store and then designer.

I think it should be a universal law that prohibited designers from selling at more than one store. That messes up my system. LOL
 
I save all of my purchases with the same pattern: design name/kit name/website. So it's easy for me to do a quick inventory. But yes, I've purchased duplicates before... I just REALLY liked those kits! LOL!
 
LOL! Okay, so there's not a great way is what y'all are saying! I do store my kits by store - designer, so I guess I just need to check both the spreadsheet and the folder next time!

tanteva said:
I organize my kits in folders by store and then designer.

I think it should be a universal law that prohibited designers from selling at more than one store. That messes up my system. LOL
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What I do with designers who sell at more than one store is file their folder in the store I most often buy from. Most of them have duplicate stores, so I can still keep all their kits together. If it's a kit exclusive to one store, I just add the store initials to the end of the file name.
 
I use my existing method of designer name(s)/kit name/website. I will list the designers in order that they are listed on the collab. If it's a store collab, like all of the wonderful collabs from the GingerBread Ladies, then I list it by the collab name instead of the designer name. I hope that makes sense. Would love to hear what others do, too! :)

LilyAnn said:
How do you organize collabs from multiple designers, store collabs, etc. with multiple designers?
Click to expand...
 
LilyAnn said:
How do you organize collabs from multiple designers, store collabs, etc. with multiple designers?
Click to expand...

I file designer collabs under the first designer alphabetically. Stores have their own folders just like designers in my system. So, any shop collab from GingerScraps gets filed in a folder named GingerScraps.
 
tanteva said:
I think it should be a universal law that prohibited designers from selling at more than one store. That messes up my system. LOL
Click to expand...

I so agree.. I like add, when a designer changes there designer name, that that be included in tou or something.

Anyone have a list of anything like that. Catching up after away 4 years... and need new order.. who knows where 2009-2015 is, 2015-mid 2017 , have no idea why did it like I did and since 2017 all still sets in zips by purchase. Help
 
Ooh... I haven't considered when a designer changes name. Good point. Ha... I just have too many kits to keep straight. What a great problem to have, right? :D
 
Along the same lines, when I designer leaves a store... when doing challenges I pull a kit from the Gingerscraps folder and make a layout. Later to find out that the designer left. I have to remember to pull those designer files and put in a retired folder.
 
I have bought duplicates a few times... Hard to keep track of it all. Thanks for all the ideas. I am bad about keeping it all straight... LOL
 
bestcee said:
What I do with designers who sell at more than one store is file their folder in the store I most often buy from. Most of them have duplicate stores, so I can still keep all their kits together. If it's a kit exclusive to one store, I just add the store initials to the end of the file name.
Click to expand...

Great idea on putting the store initial for exclusive kits!!
 
LilyAnn said:
Along the same lines, when I designer leaves a store... when doing challenges I pull a kit from the Gingerscraps folder and make a layout. Later to find out that the designer left. I have to remember to pull those designer files and put in a retired folder.
Click to expand...

YES!! I've caught myself too many times making layouts and then realize I couldn't use it - ugh! I usually pull the link to the kit before using it! Pulling them into their own "retired folder" may be a great answer for me!
Thanks for sharing!
 
LilyAnn said:
Along the same lines, when I designer leaves a store... when doing challenges I pull a kit from the Gingerscraps folder and make a layout. Later to find out that the designer left. I have to remember to pull those designer files and put in a retired folder.
Click to expand...
That happens to me as well, I spend ages creating a LO, go to get the credits prior to uploading only to discover that designer is no longer here. Sometimes the designers announce they are leaving and have a sale but often they just disappear. I dont do Facebook, or subscribe to many newsletters so Im likely to miss announcements through those channels.
 
LilyAnn said:
How do you organize collabs from multiple designers, store collabs, etc. with multiple designers?
Click to expand...


Store collabs are different than designer collabs for me. Store collabs are filed under the store name. So, the monthly reward kits, free with purchase, etc are all filed under "Gingerbread Ladies" or Store initials: GS collabname 0522 (0522 refers to when it was free with purchase for my info).


Designer collabs - I put it in the kit of the designer I buy from most. I'm on Windows, so I will also add a shortcut to the other designers folders if I have to think too hard about which designer I'll look for it at, or it's a designer at a different store (So I don't buy it at the other store too!). Like the Digifriends Mega Bundle. The actual bundle is in Neia Scraps folder. But I also have a shortcut inside PrelestnayaP.
 
LilyAnn said:
Along the same lines, when I designer leaves a store... when doing challenges I pull a kit from the Gingerscraps folder and make a layout. Later to find out that the designer left. I have to remember to pull those designer files and put in a retired folder.
Click to expand...

I have a small Gingerscraps stash, so I have my excel sheet with a link to the kit. I click the link to make sure it's still active before I scrap with it. Because I started it immediately at GS, it's manageable. I've started it with other stores, but they are not complete since I haven't gone backwards, only forwards.
 
bestcee said:
Designer collabs - I put it in the kit of the designer I buy from most. I'm on Windows, so I will also add a shortcut to the other designers folders if I have to think too hard about which designer I'll look for it at, or it's a designer at a different store (So I don't buy it at the other store too!). Like the Digifriends Mega Bundle. The actual bundle is in Neia Scraps folder. But I also have a shortcut inside PrelestnayaP.
Click to expand...

I love this idea of making a shortcut to another designer for collab kits. Thanks for sharing this!
 
I love it when stores tells you at the checkout that you've bought that kit before :) but I totally agree that it can be hard to keep track!
 
Just did it - repurchased several that were Buffet kits then repurchased as fresh baked! Grrrr! Got the Buffet before we went on a 2 day trip then came home today went to fresh baked and purchased some of the same things! My fault but wish Buffet items wouldn't be put in fresh baked.
 
When a designer leaves, if you know about it, then add (Retired) to the end of the designer name. I agree with Jill, though, sometimes we just don't realize. I try to use a kit from the designer who is doing the challenge, which helps, or check the store to see if the designer is still here before I scrap. I haven't been doing challenges lately, though, so I don't have to worry about that.
 
I like when stores mark kits that you have already purchased I know of two stores that do that and it is a BIG help. I wish GS would so that in their store
 
The Gingerscraps software can’t mark items as purchased. It is an older software that is no longer supported, I think. I asked about that one time and it just isn’t possible.

I have a massive spreadsheet that has all the pretty links, but I have given up keeping it. I just check my stash now. I keep it by store, designer. I keep all of one designer under her main store and add the name of the store I purchased from in parentheses in the folder name.
 
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