The Cook Book - Your Opinion Counts

Good afternoon all,

I know the vast majority of you are aware of the Cook Book, so I was hoping to start an open debate today on the forum in a bid to capture some much valued views and opinions from you guys, the people who use it! We plan on using any suggestions/recommendations made to help shape the redesign of the NEW up and coming Cook Book.

I'd be very interested in finding out how you feel about the Cook Book in general??? Do you like the Cook Book? Is it useful to you personally? Is it easy to use or poorly layed out? How and why do you use it, if at all? What do you like about it and how would YOU CHANGE it??? In addition comments regarding information, pricing, photography, product descriptions, the format, shape, size, it's integration with the website and anything else you would like to raise. This is the time to bring it to our attention! All suggestions welcome....

Please note this discussion has already commenced on our facebook fan page so please feel free the comment there instead and check out how it is going.

All feedback will be much appreciated and used as an important tool in the redesign of the NEW Cook Book.

Thanks in advance :)

http://www.cooksongold.com/images/cookbook_2010.jpg

I have to admit that I tend to use the website for finding everthing now and only use the Cook Book if I go into the trade counter

I couldn't manage without it - it's my bible and have a copy near at hand all the time! And because the website is so difficult to negotiate, unless you know exactly what you want, I always refer to the Cook Book first

I love it, I often mark the pages with the things I buy regularly, such as various chains, as I can never remember exactly which one I particularly like when I need them again. Also there are so many findings, that I struggle to search for them, if I don't know the exact title of what I want, and the cookbook is great to browse through when you know there was something else you really NEED to add to the order but can't for the life of me remember what it was... just flicking through usually jogs the memory enough.
It makes ordering on line so much easier.

I find it very useful - the website is so distracting with so many offers, windows & so on. While its interesting to know what other people buy in relation to something you are selecting it does take you off course, so I use the Cook Book to clarify what I want first, then try to stay on track online. If only there was a way to make it less weighty- maybe split it into metals & findings, with a separate volume for everything else.

The search engine you use for the site is very good, but you haven't got a concept of sections and hierarchy like you get in the Cookbook and other sites (like Rio).

Even at Rio, their catalog seems to show hundred of products that are hard to find on the site.

Specifically... you must gather data on online orders as distinct from telephone or counter sales...

How would it be if you could identify from your online sales, products that are normally bought over the counter or by telephone rather than online and make sure you highlight those to your online buyers - we might be missing something?

You already tell us about new lines in booklets that you pop into our deliveries... how about reminding us about lines that are, for some reason, performing less well - even perhaps that you're thinking of dropping? It may be that the newer arrivals in the profession haven't seem those things or that the move to online has hidden them somehow.

Oh yes... and if your buyers identify an improvement in the quality of things being bought in... mention it to us! Even just as a list. Price is king, but if we've decided not to buy something on a quality issue, a couple of pages of the cookbook might change minds...

The Cook Book is a valuable resource for jewellers, as much so as any text book. Many questions can be answered just by browsing it and new unfamiliar products discovered for the first time.

I should like to see more technical data such as optimal temperatures for fluxes , nickel content of alloys, advice on annealing and soldering and other hints and tips.

There should also be a more rigorous vetting of products (unsatisfactory disc cutters come to mind) and a keen pricing policy. Dennis.

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Originally Posted by Joe

...you haven't got a concept of sections and hierarchy like you get in the Cookbook and other sites (like Rio).

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That's certainly one thing that keeps me reaching for the Cookbook in preference to searching - on both findings (when I use them) and tools, I find it easier to pick over the dead tree version than the website. Wire, sheet and other bullion I'm less bothered by - the technical data is useful and as with Dennis, I'd love to see it expanded.

I had wondered about tips on using tools, but given the wide range of customers, some of them could seem somewhat trivial - or even patronising.

I have one after purchasing a large order, and it is pretty weighty to be sure, however I still like the feel of flicking through pages. Also as a student it allows me to look for items that may be required for material boards and also allows me to consider costings. I recently located an old cook book that one of the tutors had, due to retirement he cleared his office and I grabbed it for reference due to all the technical data and line drawings of findings. (When I need to draw first and design second these will be extremely useful)

As has been previously mentioned I think it may be useful for sections of the cook book to be made available for those who do not need everything in one volume or even a student version with notable facts and figures for anyone just starting out be it with bullion or plated/enamelled wire, clays, beads or anyone wishing to know about gemstones.

There's very little wrong with the Cook Book but it used to have a wire bound spine that made it easy to keep the pages open when placing orders by phone. It would be nice to have it back!

I predominately order online, but still find the cookbook useful for reference, product info and identification of a wishlist (turned pages) and comparison of products. I really like the reference info, but I am finding an increasing need for info on using tools, which generally have a "purpose" stated,e.g. ring stretcher, But, NOT a how to, particularly on some of the overseas products which come in a box and that's it.........

Separate sections for areas such as silversmithing, wire work, pmc and fimo, etc., would be good.

AND, of course, keen pricing please!!

It would be SO good to have something like that here in Canada. We don't have anything to compare that I know about.

I'd need to check, but I thought the Rio catalogue had more than just products?

Web site for ordering, the cook book while looking for ideas.

quicker to look at a wider range of findings etc, also helps with remembering what the thing is call so you can put it in the search engine.
now if the search engine could search on things like" it looks a bit like this but a bit more bent and a loop at the back" the book can do this just by flicking through the pages.

I need both.

you're right! there are two, one for product, and one for tools. (there might be a third for I'm not sure what.... )

but it's American.

I had been getting all my supplies from Lacey, in Toronto, but they closed that location this year, after DECADES, and now ship from Vancouver.
I really prefer to shop in person, and am hunting for a more local supplier.
might have to try Robert Hall, in St. George.

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Originally Posted by more534

you're right! there are two, one for product, and one for tools. (there might be a third for I'm not sure what.... )

but it's American.

I had been getting all my supplies from Lacey, in Toronto, but they closed that location this year, after DECADES, and now ship from Vancouver.
I really prefer to shop in person, and am hunting for a more local supplier.
might have to try Robert Hall, in St. George.

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Does it make a difference in shipping costs now that the supplier has moved to the USA? Vancouver is still extremely close to the Canadian border, however being on the west coast could add thousands of extra miles of shipping to the UK I suppose. I've never had a Cook Book, I would like one! I'm not sure I've seen them offered online, do I need to go to Cookson's shop to get one?

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Originally Posted by Sandra

Does it make a difference in shipping costs now that the supplier has moved to the USA?

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Erm... Vancouver's in British Colombia. It's fairly close to the border, but I don't believe it's been annexed yet. It's not Hawaii, after all...

I

Quote:

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Originally Posted by more534

you're right! there are two, one for product, and one for tools. (there might be a third for I'm not sure what.... )

but it's American.

I had been getting all my supplies from Lacey, in Toronto, but they closed that location this year, after DECADES, and now ship from Vancouver.
I really prefer to shop in person, and am hunting for a more local supplier.
might have to try Robert Hall, in St. George.

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You'd be amazed how many of us buy equipment from Rio Grande, even with shipping costs it's sometimes cheaper than buying in the UK or they have goods still not available here

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Originally Posted by Sandra

Does it make a difference in shipping costs now that the supplier has moved to the USA? Vancouver is still extremely close to the Canadian border, however being on the west coast could add thousands of extra miles of shipping to the UK I suppose. I've never had a Cook Book, I would like one! I'm not sure I've seen them offered online, do I need to go to Cookson's shop to get one?

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You can order the Cookbook on line Sandra, if I remember it's free with an order over a certain amount

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Originally Posted by ps_bond

Erm... Vancouver's in British Colombia. It's fairly close to the border, but I don't believe it's been annexed yet. It's not Hawaii, after all...

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I thought More534 must have been referring to Vancouver, Washington since he/she commented the company had moved and it was American.

I have the Cookbook, but rarely use it. No room on my work top. I prefer online, but the search function is awful and I hate the way it's set up for mobile with no option to look at products side by side (like ebay function for gallery view.) So basically, I take a stab in the dark and hope what I want shows up. I'd prefer the Cookbook and would use it more if it was split into two or three volumes. One volume for the beady stuff and polymer clay and related findings and tools. One book for bullion (including findings, chain, etc.). One book for tools. Or combine the last two.

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Originally Posted by CJ57

You can order the Cookbook on line Sandra, if I remember it's free with an order over a certain amount

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I have never had one either, but as a hobbyist my orders are a bit few and far between.

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Originally Posted by Stacey

I have the Cookbook, but rarely use it. No room on my work top. I prefer online, but the search function is awful and I hate the way it's set up for mobile with no option to look at products side by side (like ebay function for gallery view.) So basically, I take a stab in the dark and hope what I want shows up. I'd prefer the Cookbook and would use it more if it was split into two or three volumes. One volume for the beady stuff and polymer clay and related findings and tools. One book for bullion (including findings, chain, etc.). One book for tools. Or combine the last two.

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That's an idea that's been brought up a few times recently Stacey and I agree. It would be great to have the original Cookson catalogue of just tools, metal and findings and another of all the rest. Curteis have recently done just that as I was sent their finished jewellery catalogue yesterday ( wasted on me) and their chains a while back. They say they have split their products into 3. There's no endless searching then. Wish Cooksons website was more specific, a search for something can come up with so many unrelated items, usually crafty!

lol.

Rio Grande is American, Lacey is Canadian.
Lacey is now only in Vancouver BC. (British Columbia Canada.)

the shipping costs and $$ conversion are crazy. and I don't really order all that much. Will make a jaunt to Robert Hall sometime soon.

I've also got a local bead shop convinced to at least carry some PMC3 silver, and even some silver wire, although in a very fine gauge. Progress!

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Originally Posted by Sandra

I thought More534 must have been referring to Vancouver, Washington since he/she commented the company had moved and it was American.

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Ah... Fair enough. I looked up Lacey first and carefully forgot about Vancouver, Wa. :)