Ann The Gran Community

This new website is terrible.  It is not a customer friendly website, as far as easy to use like your old website.  What happened to the free designs, for I could not get any?  If I am having this much trouble downloading free designs, it makes me to scared to buy designs-afraid they won't download right.  Need to go back to the old website for AnnTheGran. 

Specify what exactly is the problem.

Once you click on free designs and then "I Agree", go to the bottom of the page and select search category and scroll down the list and choose what you want to download.

Click GO.

You have to keep scrolling down to the bottom of the page.

Follow the steps for downloading.

Simple and easier than before.

I set my husband down in front of the home page and told him to download a Free Design.  He did it, first time he tried.

i agree i can't get anything to download

I agree, this new format is horrible, terrible and not free anymore.  I have sent you numerous followers, but now cannot recommend.  I'm sure it was easy for your husband to do it because he probably didn't get the annoying red message that "you have to be a member to get this free design". Guessing that he is a member.

I was logged in, but I am not a member. I have gotten free downloads before, but tried four different 'so called free' and I get the red notice on all.

Sorry, I did not realize that he was added to my account, I guess the mailing address was the flag.

What has not changed in the world?  Ann still has to support her family just as her staff has to support theirs.

I cannot get any free designs as before, After you click go than it says to download and as you click on it, than it comes up

not downloadable for nonmembers.          thank you

I have to agree that the new site is not as easy to navigate as the older site. Also, I do not understand how you can say the designs are free when each one I have tried to download has come up with a message that it is only free to club members. As you have to pay to become a club member, that means it is not really free, Also, putting the truly free designs along with those that you can only download if a club member is very confusing and time wasting. So far, I have been on the site for about 30 minutes and haven't been able to download one design. I am now about to give up as I don't have this amount of time to waste.

There is more to Ann's Club than free designs.

Machine Embroidery is an expensive hobby.

I have to pay to watch sewing and quilting shows, either via cable or the Internet.

Everyday on TV or in the newspaper there are more reports of companies tightening their belts and cutting back.

I would rather pay my way than to do without.

I've spent an hour trying to find a design that I'd gotten a couple of years ago. Not only can I not find the old categories but it appears that the donated designs have disappeared. Very disappointing to lose a file and want to replace it. This site lacks logic and is extremely hard to navigate. Instead of running around the bush, just say up front that you don't give free designs now. I joined the "club" years ago and got disks that were disorganized and unsearchable. The designs I want to find are probably on those cd's but it takes hours to find them. 

You will have to let me know what site you now visit.  The free designs have only been recycled and people who cannot afford to take out membership are not priviledged to any new designs.  It's a sign of the times - greed.

I just wanted to drop you a little note, I know times are hard and many folks are doing anything they can to make ends meet.  With that said, I wish to also add I know you have to do what you have to do.  I have a very small group of folks that do machine embroidery, for the past year or so I have sent them to your site. I know many of them have bought designs from your site.  I have even took advantage of some of the free designs just to go and buy a set from the designer.  But I am very sad to see, that the sample designs I have been able to use these years I will no longer be able to use since I do not have a paid membership. 
Since I too have a hard time as many others, there is no way I can afford to pay for a monthly membership and will no longer be able to promote your site. 

 I DO belong to some embroidery sites where they have a monthly membership but it's no where as high as yours. I have no problem paying for a membership that has something more than a "discount" for items I can buy local much cheaper.  And the ones who DO have new designs added weekly.  Not FREE designs from other folks trying to dumn up business for themself just for the site master to make money.

  I also belong to some embroidery boards where I buy just the designs I want.   That is what I DID here, but not any more.

I know we have talked it over about your change and the members that did buy some designs from you board will no longer do so.  They feel you are taking advantage of the artist that have shared their designs with you to promate them. 

I do hope you reconsider what you have done by limiting hundreds that used and supported your site through your sales.  Of all the times to do this, when everything is going to "he!! in a handbasket"  Many folks have lost their jobs, many folks are in fear of losing their jobs, many have lost every bit of savings they had.  Me, I lost my husband over 3 years ago and have learned to tighten my belt.  I do not get a free ride and I have never ever got one with your site since I bought designs at a much higher rate and felt that was me paying to try out the designers free ones.  I know I am not that bad off since my home is paid for, I just worry if I will be able to pay my heat bill and still buy my food and meds.  It so saddens me that you have felt the need to be one of the money hungrey people out there that takes advantage of others.

I do hope that these designers will make it where we can get the designs straight from them and boycott your site all the way.  For I really won't be back till you change things back the way they were.

What has not changed in the world? 

Ann and her staff still have to support their families, pay taxes, and other living expenses, plus put up with a whole lot more than those who do not operate a business.

I have heard it said "Be careful what you wish for".  I am only guessing that designers may be donating their designs in exchange for advertisement, but may not be that keen on sending out their work, free of charge to every Tom, and Harriett that contacts them. 

What in the world do you folks do with all those designs you have been downloading over the years?

  I DO NOT LIKE THIS NEW SITE LOOK OR ANYTHING ABOUT IT .ALL I CAN GET IS THE RUN AROUND.I'VE BEEN GOING TO annthegran FOR YEARS BUT THIS IS JUST MESSED UP!

I have to agree this new website is bad.

before christmas I could get what ever designs I wanted, now you have to be a member to get a free design.

I can't even get on to be a member and when you register, you still can't all the designs that you want.

I can't seem to figure this out, I want to be a member to get what design I want.

I am not a member and I cannot afford to be a member.  You have penalised these people and all you have done in the free designs is recycled what was previously there and reduced the number of designs in each section.  By not allowing non-members to have access to all the free designs is just pure money grabbing greed on your part.

I  have  to agree  with  alot of  old  customers  I have  beec coming here for years  and  i do not like this set up at all its  unfreindly and   the old  way  was  much easier  to navigate.  It  seems  like nothings  free  like it was either? ive  recommended  this site to many  many people   but have my doubts anymore.   Dissappointed   susie

I agree with you 100%! As a group leader of an embroiery site, I have told many of Annthe Gran, they have came here and bought designs and took advantage of the many free ones who the DESIGNERS DONATED!  I know many can not afford to pay such a high memember ship fee and in this day and time I think it's terrable for the greed to show through.  Goes to let me know who NOT to buy my designs from anymore.  For now on I will find the designers myself!

Pattiann:

What has not changed in the world? 

Ann and her staff still have to support their families, pay taxes, and other living expenses, plus put up with a whole lot more than those who do not operate a business.

I have heard it said "Be careful what you wish for".  I am only guessing that designers may be donating their designs in exchange for advertisement, but may not be that keen on sending out their work, free of charge to every Tom, and Harriett that contacts them. 

What in the world do you folks do with all those designs you have been downloading over the years?

:)  What did we do with them you ask???? hmmmm could it be we downloaded them on our cards or sewing machines and had them removed when we downloaded new ones???? I know that is what I did, I never once thought about saving them, for the ones I liked I went and bought the whole set of. some of them wouldn't even sew out right [outlines were off]

As for Ann and her staff, please, I know they have not been losing anymoney in the the past, for if they had they wouldn't still be here, but I rager to say they will find out very fast that this move was not a good move in the long run.  Bussiness that really care don't kick the folks in the rump when they are down, they do not try to drain the last oz of blood out of them.  And that is just what is going on here now.  Had she done this in the very beginning that would have been way different.

Business are losing customers, for customers are going to go where they can get the most for their money, and this of having to pay such a high price just for the joy of shopping with a person han't going to cut it!  We can get discount coupions for almost any B&M business for cheaper than the discount offered with membership.  Mainly due to the membership cost is outrages.

I belong to 3 on line sites where I DO pay a membership for each month.  It gives me free range to ALL their designs, not just the ones donated by other members.  and the fee is $6 and $5 a month.  I have supportted these sites for a few years now and they only grow with more members. 

As I've said in another thread about this same subject, being registered on the site is not the same as being an Ann's Club member. If you are having difficulty ordering a membership or in seeing designs come up in search, please contact support@annthegran.com and they will be happy to assist you.

I am joining this thread to the other thread, as it contains all the same questions, issues, and responses. The idea of the forums is not only to provide a place where users can share their views but also to answer common questions (and complaints) so that those who are genuinely looking for help can find the answers they need.

BB

If you would like to know what I think of your new system IT STINKS.  It is fine if the designs are not free but do not say go to free designs and then it won't let you down load any but one or two.  You say that there are over 500 designs that you can choose from but the one or two that I needed for boy scout stuff is not available. 

I am not good with computers and the old way worked just fine for me as I half way knew what I was doing and as for serching  a catagory for what I want I have typed it in several times and get no results and don't intend to pay for them.  Thank you for the designs in the past.

KC