How to Shop at a Local Bead Store
Ever been to a Local Bead Store (LBS)? Every bead store I’ve been in has a similar method for merchandising and purchasing product, and it’s easy to shop in an LBS when you know how! Here are a few tips and how to’s:
Pick up a tray at the entry area of the store. There may be a supply of small, zippered plastic bags and a Sharpie marker in the tray, or they may be laying loose to pick up. Make sure you get a few bags and a marker — you’ll need them once you’ve picked out beads!
Strands are easy to buy. Way too easy, in my opinion. Just pick them up off the table or take them off the hook and drop them in your tray. It’s amazing how many of them just sort of jump off the displays into my tray! Strands are usually marked individually — if you don’t see a tag, ask store personnel how they are priced.
Loose beads are usually in divided compartment trays, small bowls/cups, or drawers. They can be sold at a “per bead” price, or by weight.
If the beads are sold by the single bead, note how much a single bead costs and count out the number of beads you want. Write the number of beads and individual price on the outside of a plastic bag (using the Sharpie) — I usually write as “5 @ .25″ signifying that I am buying 5 beads that are 25 cents each. Drop the corresponding beads in the bag and zip it shut.
If the beads are sold by weight (usually metal — silver, gold-filled, vermeil, copper), the store owner probably has a small scale set up that will measure by gram. The scale should be adjusted so that it won’t count the weight of the small container to put beads in to weigh them. Write the weight of the beads on the outside of a plastic bag, along with the price per gram, put the beads in the bag, and zip it shut.
Place the plastic bags in the tray you are carrying around until you are done shopping.
Some LBSs will offer bead boards so you can plan out jewelry — it’s a great tool to use if you want to have only the “right” number of beads. Don’t forget crimps, stringing material and tools while you are shopping!
Finally, most LBSs that I have been to have pretty strict return policies. Many beads cannot be returned, or can only be returned for exchange or store credit. Be sure you examine all strands and beads carefully — just because they are in the store doesn’t mean they are perfect quality!
Shopping at an LBS is a step up from hobby stores, and while online shopping is wonderful, there’s no feeling like holding a strand of beads in your hands, feeling the textures, shapes and seeing the vibrant colors.
