Purchasing resources for Beads

Your customers may need beads for everything from adding sparkle to paper or clothing projects to creating handmade jewelry. Ensure you stock a variety of styles to facilitate the projects of beginning, intermediate and advanced crafters.

Bead styles run the gamut from hole-free microbeads and plastic pony beads to high-end, authentic gemstones. Whether your clients want to make sophisticated bead bracelets to sell at boutiques or simply want jumbo beads on hand to keep their kids busy on a rainy day, ensure each request is met by:

1. Offering tiny seed beads to accessorize cards, scrapbook pages, clothing and other craft projects.

2. Selling shaped and specialty beads in diverse styles and materials for artistic jewelry-making endeavors.

3. Displaying colorful pony beads and larger wood beads for kids’ crafts like key chains, cards and simple necklaces.

Stock microbeads and seed beads to add glitz to customers' projects

Although they have no holes, crafters can adhere clear micro glass beads to card stock, fabric and home decor with adhesives for a shimmering, textured finish. They can also affix small seed beads as accents or string them as part of intricate jewelry projects. Have small scoops and baggies available if you'll be selling these styles by weight instead of in clear tubes.

Supply artistic and high-end glass, metal and gemstone beads for jewelry making

When creating bracelets, necklaces and earrings, customers will look for styles beyond basic seed beads. Find offerings in glass, metal, wood and clay to accommodate their artistic projects. Keep a small but diverse inventory on hand until you determine the most popular colors, materials and sizes.

Carry inexpensive plastic and wood beads for simple kids' crafts

When parents and teachers work on beading projects with their kids, they need a bead size and design that's easy for little fingers to handle. Assist these young crafters by stocking larger pony and wood beads that they can glue, string and count.

• Find a wholesale bead seller that will accept your orders and expedite the shipment so you can fill customers' special or last-minute requests. This way, you won't have a surplus of specialty beads to deal with but can still satisfy clients eager to begin their next project.