A Guide To Wholesale Beads

A Guide To Wholesale Beads

by Jillian Roberts

November 10, 2016

The internet is not a small place. It's big and it can be murky, but if you know how to search for something you're likely to find at least half of what you're looking for. However, when it comes to wholesaling beads the internet will most likely fail. Why? Because where else would you wholesale from than a bead store in your own town? Seriously though, the answer is that life just doesn't work out like that. The best way for me to tell you about wholesaling beads is by telling you about my experience with them so far! Read on! 

....My first encounter with wholesaling beads was when I was 14. I had just started working at the bead store and I took my mom there to buy some supplies to make her Christmas ornaments. As we walked in we were greeted by two girls who were avidly showing us pendants they had made from bracelets they had made from designs purchased from us the year before. The idea of this was so awesome but I didn't really appreciate it until a year later when I started working at that same bead store. 

I bought jewelry for myself and in come the "designers". Anytime a customer would make a similar bracelet or necklace to what they had just purchased they were able to come back in and give the store credit for it. In fact, sometimes they would come back in just to buy beads that had been used in their designs. 

....So how do you go about locating wholesalers? I started off by simply looking at other bead stores around me, calling them up and asking if they needed help (because it's always good to have people working for you than having to do everything yourself). It is also worth noting that since I live in New England most of my wholesalers have been within driving distance. Most of my wholesalers have been other bead stores who don't really want to deal with the intricacies of working with customers. They just want to sell beads and make a profit. In fact, it is often helpful for you to have a shop cat for these reasons and also because they are cute. 

....When you're trying to locate a wholesaler the one thing you'll want to be careful of is the distance they are from you. If they are too far away then you'll have a hard time planning out your business and budgeting effectively. Since beads are very seasonal it can become very difficult to plan out your inventory so that it remains profitable and steady. Trying to get a bead store in your town to sell wholesale beads is often more trouble than its worth.

....In my experience most bead stores are not willing to work with you. They want to sell their beads, make a profit and then shut off their shop. For example, if they have been selling beads for thirty years they will still resent the fact that people are coming in who are just trying to make money on the bead scene. I understand that part of it is jealousy but I don't think it's a very effective form of business planning!

....My friend Michelle started out on Etsy as a wholesaler and was able to earn money doing so. You might ask yourself "How did she do this?" She got her friends and family together and had them make her little trinkets for her shop in exchange for free beads. It was a win win situation for everyone involved. The customers were happy because they were getting free trinkets and the people who were making them were happy because they got to make stuff and get beads. Michelle, who started out as a wholesaler was able to start her own bead shop thanks to these wonderful people! 

....I myself have had some pretty good success with wholesalers. However, I have found that the best way to do it is by being really honest with what you're doing. Yes, you are trying to make a profit off of this but you are also paying for materials and time. You need to find a balance that works for you and the wholesaler. Before I started working with a new wholesaler I made sure that they knew what they were doing and how their pieces should be made. 

....That's it for this week! If you have any questions about wholesale beads or want to tell me about your experience please feel free to do so in the comment section below! Till next time, happy beading!

....Jillian Roberts is a writer who loves sharing her knowledge with others. She has written many different articles on crafty things including how she makes jewelry, what inspires her as well as tips and tricks on dealing with creative blocks. She can't wait to get back to her studio and continue working on her next crafty project! Let her know what you think by leaving a comment below or following her on twitter at @craftyjillian !

....Beadaholique has also brought together all of their best resources in one easy, convenient place so you can access them anytime. You can read additional articles written by Jillian Roberts as well as view the most popular tutorials and segments. You can also download the latest copy of their free newsletter in order to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and news. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions feel free to contact Beadaholique using the form at the bottom of this page. It's all free so there's no reason not to contact them!

....Find out how you can earn money selling your handmade items on Etsy.com! You can make a little extra money each day by selling your handmade creations to others. By having a shop on Etsy.com you can sell "virtual" goods and services and get paid through the site's payment system. You don't have to have any special skills or artistic ability to start making sales and it is an incredibly fun way to make some quick cash! On top of that, Etsy will deliver payments through PayPal, Amazon Payments or check via USPS so there are no surprises when it comes time to get paid.

Conclusion

Thanks for reading this article. I hope that it was a great help to you. I will be posting more articles here very soon, so please come back again. If you have any questions about starting your own bead business or have any questions about the information found in this article, please feel free to comment below and ask me anything.

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I just love working with beads, making jewelry and designing new pieces for my shop on Etsy.com .