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Here are some tips & techniques from veteran bead show attendees.
If you think of some new ones, send us an email!
Wear comfortable shoes. Comfort is more important than fashion when attending these
shows. You may need to walk some distance from where you park too.
In the summer, it will probably be hot & sticky. No matter how good the air conditioner, when all of those
beaders get in that space it will be stuffy. And, sometimes, the space may not have air conditioning. Dress accordingly. In the winter, wear layers in case you get too hot with that heavy coat! Have a handy
place to tick gloves and scarves, so you don't lay them down and forget them. Rarely are people too cold in the winter at the shows. So many people attend, lots of "bead fever" gets generated!
Don't bring your whole satchel of a purse into the show. Just bring what you'll need to have in a small tote
bag that can also hold your purchases. Your shoulders will thank you. And the bead companies will appreciate you NOT setting your purse on their merchandise tables!
A work about shoplifting. Unfortunately, it happens at the shows -- to the vendors
and to the customers. Please don't set your packages down on the table to go through your purse or look at some items. Too many times, customers have done this and found that someone picked up the package
while they weren't looking. Shoplifting ultimately ends up raising your prices. If you see someone, please let one of the show staff or the vendors know so we can try to stop it.
If your credit card says, "check id," please remember to bring it with you!
Food and Beverages. Often there is a vendor with great stuff to eat, such as grilled burgers, pork loin
burgers, veggie burgers, and sodas. There are usually other restaurants within driving distance. You can imagine the on-site vendor is in high demand.
You may want to stop somewhere and powder your nose before you attend the show. Restroom facilities are
available, but in high demand too.
Bring a list of items you really want to or need to find. There are so many glorious things to see when you're
there that you may forget a list in your head!
Many of the vendors will ONLY take CASH and Credit Cards. Don't count on being able to write a check. And
not all vendors do take credit cards. Plan accordingly.
Most vendors will only take Master Card or VISA. Plan accordingly. (We also accept American Express and Discover, but not all vendors do.) And remember, the vendors pay a percentage of their sale to the credit card companies.
They typically get charged a higher amount if the charge is less than $20.00. Be considerate and don't charge little stuff or it could affect the price of the merchandise over time or cause the vendors to only take
cash.
Concerned you might see too many lovely things and overspend your budget? Figure out what you want to spend
and bring that amount in CASH. You'll stick to your budget because when the cash is gone, you're done shopping!
If you want to purchase products using your resale license, by all means, bring copies of your Department of Revenue letter or material from your state stating you are authorized to resell. Plan to leave a copy of it with vendors you buy from. The amount of wholesale discount you receive will vary from vendor to vendor. Be sure to ask ahead of time, and remind the vendor before they write up your order. Keep in mind that you may have to spend a large dollar value with a vendor to receive a discount.
Bring return address stickers, business cards, or labels with your name, address and especially, your email
address on it. You may want to sign up for newsletters, and it will save you time having them all ready to hand out or stick on!
Walk around and see what there is to see and then go around again to make your purchases. (No one will fault you if you don't do this, there are so many incredible items, you may not be able to hold yourself in check!)
Be patient with other customers and with the vendors. There's lots going on.
In a show lasting multiple days, there are a lot fewer people on Sunday mornings. You can walk around a bit
more leisurely and even get a chance to chat with some of the vendors.
But, if you're not there at the start, the vendors may sell out of some popular items! It's a toss-up.
Some of you tell us you're 'whelmed by our great selection when you first come to our store. WELL, be prepared
to be REALLY 'whelmed by all the neat stuff at the Bead Shows -- from us and others!
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