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The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find basic wholesale art supplies and innovative tools to generate additional sales

Although art supply necessities might be the bread and butter of your business, making the most of arts and crafts supplies means increased profits. For example, generate new sales with specialty tools and embellishments. Creative customers are always in the market for tools to achieve cutting-edge techniques or simplify the creative process. If you sell scrapbooking supplies, for example, stock new styles of paper trimmers, die cut machines and rubber stamps. Your customers will buy the tools, along with additional supplies like cardstock and ink pads to accompany them.

I recommend: Get wholesale craft supplies online like adhesives, jewelry findings and painting materials, as well as time-saving tools for a variety of crafts, through J&R Industries. Fill out the new account application with your valid sales tax certificate or tax exempt certificate to receive a catalog. Craft Hobby Wholesale offers art & craft supplies and seasonal items perfect for teachers, parents and creators of home crafts. Check out its selection of stickers, beads, adhesives, paints and helpful tools for child crafters at wholesale prices.

Master product features and techniques to offer new arts and craft services for your customers

Offer helpful arts and crafts services by learning how to use the supplies and tools in your inventory. Take online craft classes, watch video tutorials for new tools or ask company representatives for product demonstrations. When customers ask about new products, you'll be able to explain them with ease.

I recommend: Find tutorials and project ideas lead by experienced crafters through eCraftClasses.com. The Trading Ideas section of the Oriental Trading Company website features resources, articles and project ideas that you can tailor to your classes and demonstrations. If your art supply stores feature jewelry making materials and tools, discover ideas through the videos and how-to articles at WigJig.

Get new merchandising ideas and product sources through arts and crafts supply trade shows

By attending craft industry trade shows, you'll be able to discover hot new products and participate in 'make and takes' to learn how to use these products. You can also study innovative display and marketing ideas and network to share merchandising strategies with other owners of art supply stores, so making the most of arts and crafts supplies in your business becomes easier.

I recommend: The Harvest Festival Original Art and Craft Show is the ideal convention for meeting distributors, arts and crafts supply companies, independent designers and other retailers. The event features exhibits on crafts from sewing to woodworking to glass etching, along with classes and seminars on growing your business. Discover new project ideas for your arts and crafts store, along with new wholesale sources, at the American Craft Retailer Expo, produced by Wholesalecrafts.com, a wholesale arts and crafts supply store for retailers and artists.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Increase sales of key products by keeping an attractive sample project, along with the targeted craft tool or supply, near the cash register. Prepare a short demonstration that you can show customers to reveal the versatility and value of the highlighted art supply.

Guide to Arts and Crafts Supplies

How to find arts and craft supplies to strengthen your business or organization

By Elizabeth Inserra

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Buy quality brands of arts and crafts supplies on sale

Take advantage of promotions to buy craft supplies on sale. While you may have a personal preference for a particular brand, don't pass up the opportunity to buy high quality arts and crafts supplies at bargain prices.

I recommend: Check the discount bins or closeout sections of top craft supplies sites like those of Pearl Paints, Dick Blick Art Materials, and Jerry's Artarama. Sale items are often prominently displayed on the homepage as well.

Take advantage of discounts on arts and crafts supplies for special buyers

Most arts and crafts suppliers offer special discounts for schools and teachers. Contact the supplier to find out about fidelity programs that might save your business money.

I recommend: Let suppliers know that a fidelity program is important to you as a repeat customer. If the store has no policy, suggest that they start one. Independent art supply stores can find out more about starting a loyalty program from Duracard and Arthur Blank & Company.

Use art supply services in addition to buying supplies

Your art supply store may offer a number of arts and crafts services in addition to simply selling paper, paints, and other materials. When selecting a supplier, look at the other services available to find ones useful to your organization or business.

I recommend: Use Dick Blick to access complete lesson plans for educators. The Trading Ideas page of the Oriental Trading site offers information on art projects for artists and teachers. Many arts and crafts stores and online suppliers offer promotional items that you can use to advertise your business.

Buy non-toxic arts and crafts supplies

Buying non-toxic and environmentally-friendly arts & crafts supplies is not only good public relations for your organization or business, it makes good sense -- non-toxic products are healthier for you, your customers or students, and the world around you.

I recommend: Use the Arts and Creative Materials Institute (ACMI) certified products list to find out which art supplies have the AP seal. Additional tips on identifying non-toxic products are available from the National Geographic Society.

Partner with arts supplies dealers to promote your business or organization

If you have a crafts business or provide arts and crafts or other arts-related courses and programs, link your website to the site of your favorite supplier(s).

I recommend: Send a request to Dick Blick's Art Materials or Jerry's Artarama by filling out an online form. Contact the customer service department of your crafts supplier to get more information on how to partner with them online.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Keep arts & crafts supplies in a central location and take a regular inventory to ensure that you have enough stock on hand.
• •  Create a simple database of your arts and crafts supply inventory that staff can access. Instructors may decide to use beads, instead of ordering feathers, if they know the beads are already on hand.
• •  Highlight the use of particular kinds of high-end or unusual craft supplies in the marketing for your home crafts business. Let the customer know that the color of glaze used on your pottery was specially commissioned for your pieces and is unavailable elsewhere.

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Check published sources for new art supplies and cutting edge techniques

Keep in tune with the arts and craft supply industry in general with trade journals or consumer craft publications that feature ideas for a variety of supplies and hobbies. You may also want to subscribe to magazines that focus on your store's area of expertise like knitting, jewelry making or sewing for project ideas, hot techniques, company news and advertisements featuring new product releases.

I recommend: Craft Magazine from O’Reilly Media features articles discussing hot products and projects using arts and crafts supplies for everything from jewelry making to rubber stamping and weaving. The publication also offers an online magazine, podcasts and forum where you can get product reviews and project ideas from crafters or other retailers. Check the books and magazines offered by F+W Media to find publications for specific crafts like scrapbooking, painting and woodworking.

Visit industry shows to find new ideas for and sources of wholesale arts and crafts supplies

Find numerous opportunities to network with other retailers, check out product trends and order cutting-edge craft supplies at industry trade shows and conventions. Inquire about keynote and educational speeches where you may hear industry news and business-related rumors. Also, consider visiting arts and crafts fairs during the holidays to discover ways that customers might be using different arts and crafts supplies for decorating or gift giving.

I recommend: Attend a Craft & Hobby Association trade show to discover new wholesalers, product lines and craft project ideas. Not only can you buy arts and crafts supplies for your inventory, but also sign up for marketing seminars and technique classes to learn how to use them. You’ll find educational resources on its website along with news on trends and research in the arts and crafts industry. Meet retailers and product suppliers for scrapbooking and card making materials at the annual MemoryTrends Conference & Expo show.

Read websites for reviews and trends for art supplies, home crafts and project ideas

Check the websites of every arts and crafts supply store, manufacturers, industry organizations and home crafters to find new products, hot craft trends or innovative techniques for basic items. Participate in online forums and post comments on craft-related blogs to share industry news, feedback and ideas with other retailers.

I recommend: Craft Solutions offers news articles, project ideas, book reviews and a directory of additional craft websites that feature discussions and ideas for art & craft supplies. Find craft message boards, art supply demonstrations and databases of craft resources through Craft Business Home.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Be willing to share resources for news and trends with other owners of art supply stores when you attend trade shows, seminars and marketing conferences. In turn, you may hear new product rumors, discover new customer requests and find additional wholesale sources for crafts supplies online.

Guide to Arts and Crafts Supplies Key Terms

Show your creative side with arts and crafts supplies key terms

By Andrea Townsley, Owner, Keystone Writing Services

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Archival quality

This usually refers to paper but can refer to other items like ink or stickers. A product is given this designation when it will stand up to the test of time. The two most common categories in which to find archival quality products are scrapbooking and fine art (drawing, painting, etc.).

I recommend: Rex Art Supplies provides a glossary of art terms for you to browse through.

Découpage

This term refers to a process of gluing paper to an item in layers to form a collage. Most types of paper can be used, from tissue paper to construction paper. Découpage glue or paste is made especially for this type of project as it dries clear and provides a seal. The term can also be used as a verb ('I'm going to découpage this picture frame').

I recommend: Learn more about this technique at Home & Garden Television.

Color wheel

Ranging from basic to complex, color wheels aid artists and crafters in choosing colors for their projects. Colors are arranged on the wheel in the proper order, and certain color combinations on it universally appeal to the eye.

I recommend: Find out more about the color wheel and color combinations at Color Matters.

Mixed media

A medium is the type of material used in a piece of art. With mixed media, however, the artist uses more than just one medium to convey his message within the same piece. It usually refers to using some type of paint along with other media on the same canvas. Mixed media works usually have more of a three-dimensional appearance than typical paintings.

I recommend: Check out some examples of mixed media supplies at Artplace.

Embellishments

An embellishment is often used in scrapbooking and cardmaking to dress up a page or card. It can be anything ranging from ribbon to eyelets and buttons to beads. Embellishments also give an element of depth.

I recommend: Get the skinny on embellishments and find out what the latest trends are at Scrapbook.com.

Die cut

A die cut (or die-cut) machine is used to cut pieces of paper into shapes using a form, called a die. There are thousands of dies available in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. These supplies are most often used for scrapbooking but can be used in any project requiring a shape cut out of paper or another thin material. Some machines are manual while others are electronic.

I recommend: Browse through the different types of die cutting machines at ScrapbookScrapbook.com.