I just got an upsetting email from Bluprint which used to be called Craftsy, an à la carte online Denver Colorado-based eLearning company for craft and hobby-related classes. Bluprint is shutting down.
When is Bluprint Closing?
They are no longer honoring the subscription service classes (as of May 31, 2020) and are working towards trying to make the forever classes downloadable before shutting down the website in the next few months.
Bluprint will begin closing its physical offices and laying off 137 employees by July 22, 2020. After purchasing Craftsy for $230 million in 2017 and rebranding to Bluprint’s new subscription-style service in 2018, it appears that NBC Universal could not sustain the once successful eLearning platform.
Craftsy’s Change-Over to Bluprint
Shortly before the rebranding, many popular arts instructors decided not to renew their teaching contracts under the new platform. This instructor loss, in addition to many customer service failings with regards to student questions, was the beginning of freefall at Bluprint.
Craftsy, which began in 2010, was an inexpensive alternative for artistic classroom training while still getting quality instruction with printable guides in a more professional manner versus visiting a free YouTube channel for quick tutorials or fighting traffic to a physical classroom location. These online classes were also a great opportunity for the disabled, elderly and more introverted people to experience a detailed one-on-one style setting where they could participate at their own speed. The fact you could pause a lesson and go back to the material at-will was also a great plus for those with hectic schedules. As a full-time employee and part-time college student not so long ago, many of the classes that I purchased were a special treat when I had free time. This platform didn’t stress me out with deadlines or missed techniques because I could always replay or revisit at my convenience.
I’m saddened that this service will be going away. Rather than NBC Universal’s investment taking a nosedive after only 2 years’ time, I’m wondering if this may be a sign of the creation of yet another competitor for CreativeLive, YouTube, Amazon, Vimeo, Twitch, Facebook and Instagram platforms? This closure may be a proprietary separation required for them to pursue a new avenue, however, my suggestion is that they do not reveal that they used to be Craftsy or Bluprint upon their possible return, if that is the case. There are many angry customers who are currently freaking out over losing classes that they thought would always be there in the wee hours of the morning or late nights. I own 27 of them myself and am irritated, to say the least, that I’ve got to figure out what I can download before they pull the plug to the site- on their timetable.
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Digital Media Use & My Advice
Nothing is forever. Except for maybe weight gain, for some of us- taxes for most of us. Lol.
Digital media is super convenient on the go, doesn’t clutter up our home’s storage spaces, and is available for instant gratification. As smartphone apps, tablets, Kindles, Audible and digital music services keep gaining popularity, the idea of hard copy information is becoming obsolete. Part of the problem with converting to online-only content is that you are at the mercy of it remaining digital, having licensing issues, upgrading your devices, and content is easily removed, even those marketed as forever owned. That said, I do love my Kindle storytime, y’all! lol.
The uncertainty of owning digital content is why I’ve not thrown out or sold my favorite music CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray movie collections while still purchasing some of them digitally on Amazon or iTunes. By having my favorite content in digital and physical form, I’m confident that I’ll always have access. Sort of like when the satellite internet and DirectTV services go out during a storm here in rural Kentucky and we revert back to watching our DVD set of Aliens for the millionth viewing. Good times. lol.
I’ve had something similar happen to me with a fantastic video making template service that had a lifetime membership fee and then abruptly disappeared after only a few years. And dare I mention, my sadness at the Windows Movie Maker video editing software becoming obsolete on my desktop computer? But I digress. lol.
My advice for the impending removal of Bluprint’s online classes would be to keep an eye on your emails and all of their social platforms, as well as their web announcements. This way you can be fairly certain of whenever they activate the downloading capabilities for the video segments of the own-forever classes. Until then, you can apparently already download using their app on your phone (which I’ve never tried) and you can go ahead and download all source materials and supply lists now within each class via your desktop. I’ll be doing that process now so at least I’ll have the remaining materials for classes that I’ve still not taken.
Sparkle on, y’all!
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