Craft Business

Manufacturers, both here and in the USA, have certainly recognised that unmounted stamps are increasingly the preferred choice of the end user. They offer value for money, a great storage solution and several related and complimentary stamps for the price of one wood-mounted,” she says. This makes economic sense, from a production point of view, thus bringing the price point down considerably.

As unmounted stamps are a great addition to the growing trend for kits, this system has value, convenience and versatility across a range of selling opportunities. “For retailers, unmounted stamps continue to add value to their inventory. They are easy to display, less of a theft risk and, for a lower level of investment, it is possible for a store to carry a higher level of stock and choice for the consumer,” Leandra comments. Retailers will benefit from offering a range of the latest designs to attract scrappers and the traditional card stamper. This will result in a higher turnover of stock by appealing to a higher percentage of customers,” she says.

Looking ahead
As the crafting sector matures worldwide, experienced scrappers and stampers are becoming more adventurous, versatile and technique focused. “They still prefer a simple look, but tend to accent it with arty elements. They opt for techniques which look stunning but are simple to achieve,” she adds. “The sort of items that appeal to stampers and scrappers are 'grunged' up bold, eroded fonts, large paisley patterns and surfie-style florals, which can be used in any colour in a similar way as rub-ons.” On the horizon for 2007 Leandra believes there will be more rich patterns and textures emerging. “Inky shades of royal blues, aubergine purples, maroon reds and deep chocolate browns will be reflected in patterns from damask, flock and accented perfectly with intricate gold filigree,” she says. This trend towards opulence is what needs to be kept in mind when product sourcing for 2007.

However, no collection is complete without alphabets – from huge over sized, to the very small, these end up being mixed and matched to create styled titles, to add information onto photos, or to incorporate quotes and phrases. Border strips can be used to define a section of a layout or a card, or to frame an image. Patterns featuring large, detailed florals can be used as backgrounds, inked in white to imitate rub-ons, or tone-on-tone to alter background papers. “Try to choose some designs that have versatility for Christmas and other times of the year! Many nonspecific stamps can incorporate seasonal colours to infer relevance, and still have the option to be used at other times of the year,” Leandra says. She advises retailers to discuss the options with suppliers to ensure they are getting the best possible range. “As we prepare for the busiest time of the year, ask your suppliers for statistics on their top selling seasonal items. Rather than be left with a surplus of seasonal items at the end of December, you should plan to have most of it sold over the next two months and have a strategy up your sleeve for moving excess stock mid-December, and leftovers possibly via classes and kits in January,” she suggests.

Final thoughts
The main point impressed upon retailers through educational seminars at summer CHA at Chicago in July was about how to stock shops effectively. “The advice was to offer a range of items from fewer companies, rather than small selection from lots of suppliers. In the latter situation you end up looking more like an emporium, rather than a specialist shop. What is your focus? If you have a particular style, then reflect that in the companies you stock. Become a destination store by choosing a vast range from a particular brands,“ Leandra adds. This is a great way to add a point of difference, and attract regular customers from far and wide. “If you don’t know what to stock, run a questionnaire with your customers and find out what they want!”