Career change shop v internet?

[Francesca]

I am moving to Scotland in the very near future, most likley Glasgow or thereabouts. Currently the manager of a craft shop where my beading has attracted enough attention the boss is allowing me to sell my finished items. However, as I am in Yorkshire she has suggested that I look into beading as a career change either as a shop or home parties and a beading group. The beading group is currently quite successful however, thats here with people I know.

So really I wondered what people thought about both options. We have only two bead shops in Leeds and a one has recently opened in Skipton, I know there is even less in Scotland. However, is a shop preferable to an internet site as there certainly seems to be many of them.

However, how would I find wholesalers, I have a few contacts through the craft shop as we do sell a small selection of beads, delica's seed beads, crystals and e-beads, but wholesalers dont want to talk tome off the internet!! I would appreciate any advice.

[0103media]

Personally i'd do both...

A shop online takes just as much work and investment as a shop on the high street...

It the bigest mistake most people make... People always say " but I made my websites so its free but no one visits it.."

I takes alot of work to create a site that people will purchase from and it's hard work to find visitor that purchase and are not just looking...

But..

If you have a real shop then a website can advertise your shop and what you have on offer...
Many friends sells their craft items in people shops but have flyer made up for their websites... Shop people see thing in the day and decide not to go back to the shop but to visit the site and purchase from that...
A Good example that happen the other day was a person who visited my parents show whom was on holiday in Ludlow Shropshire but didn't want to buy the item in front of his sons and it was a present for the son... So the day after the guy order it off the net...


Hope that helps...

Any web stuff you need to know just give me an email..

[Seahorse]

The net is convenient but people will always want to get there hands on the products to see their quality before they buy so a shop is a great idea.

[beadsbydesign]

If you have the financial backing, i would suggest that you go for both.
Many of the more successful outlets do that. Mail order beads in Nottingham, jencel in sheffield and the bead store in Covent Garden to name three. They take an awful lot of work and time. If I had known one year ago what i know now about the time and dedication needed I may not have done it. Don't get me wrong, I am having fun. i love my job, but I regually see midnight, never sit down with my DH to watch the telly and feel stretched in a million directions. What ever you do, you must do your homework well. UKbeaders is a site with lots of information about the bead shops and resources in the uk. http://www.freewebs.com/ukbeaders
Another place that may be worth sounding out your ideas is the bead and button forum which has a very healthy supply of uk beaders on it.

[Bea]

Hi
A quick belated reply... I'll say too that if you can afford it, go for both!
I decided against the brick and mortar shop because of money so I am online only. However I get local customers visiting me because they can pick and choose and they also get better prices direct (I'd probably charge more at a brick and mortar shop because of the overheads, although I can't talk about what I don't know ''yet''!).
I've been asked many times if I have a shop in town!
However shops in town, especially London have higher prices than online.
Keep up posted!!
Bea

PS I got a phone call last week asking me if I knew of bead shops in Scotland - not kidding!! This week, it was London, someone asking for reasonably priced bead shops in London!

[tribob_creations]

this is sort of realted to the topic
i live in scotland and the best place ive found for beads ect other than online [ebay is my friend] is John lewis everytime i go they have a bigger collection, although its not exactly cheap, good in bead emergencys really

[Seahorse]

I dont think my local JL do beads, Ive never seen them, tho did go to a branch in Guildford I think it was, and they had so much more of everything!!

[Fran]

It's true to say that on the whole Scotland doesn't have much to offer in the way of beading stores so maybe you'll get the niche market if you go ahead. There's a couple of shops in Edinburgh but they don't cater for my needs so I can't comment on their stock etc.

[dollydimple]

bead shops

There's a relatively new bead shop in Perth called "Bead Crazy" in George St. Loads of pretty beads and the prices aren't too bad for retail

[jewelking]

I too would go through the shop route. For your beading supplies try firemountaingems in america they are the world leaders

[Tranquility80]

I sell online mainly but I have to say it really helps for the customer to actually see your products. I don't think photos can ever do your pieces justice, no matter how good you are.