Creative Leisure News - Memory, Paper & Stamps

The trends, the issues, and productive business strategies.

Characteristics of a Hardcore Scrapper

And how to keep her coming back for more.

by Mike Hartnett (March, 2004)

Is your business ok? Sales AND profits? I hope so, but I also hope you realize you're not over the hump. You put an enormous amount of time, money, and emotional energy into opening your shop and making it go. But this is no time to take a breather.

As I described in the previous issue, you are going to be fighting more and tougher competition, and there will be a more bewildering array of products from which to choose your inventory. In that column we also talked about the need for attracting new customers and gave you strategies to achieve that goal. Now we'll discuss keeping your current customers returning to your store.

This requires as much work as attracting new customers. It appears that many of them rush in and scoop up every new product you offer, but it's not that simple. In fact, it's dangerous. As wonderful as they are, those hard-core customers of yours do not buy ALL of the new products. If you're lucky, they buy 50%, then pressure you to buy more new lines while you're stuck struggling to sell the remnants of the old lines.

To keep your best customers coming back, you need to understand some of their qualities.

1. They get old, bored, and/or more away.

That's why it's critical to continue to attract new customers, whether it's luring them away from your competition or getting novices hooked on scrapbooking. If you haven't read it yet, click on the title in the right-hand column to learn strategies for attracting new customers.

2. Eventually, they will run out of photos to scrap.

When someone gets hooked on scrapbooking, they probably have a lifetime of photos to put in scrapbooks. So they scrap like crazy until ... they're caught up. Then they have no need to scrap until the next birthday party, vacation, graduation, etc. They're probably taking more photos than they did in their pre-scrapbook days, but still, they don't have any many to scrap as they did when they took up the hobby.

But by now they've learned to craft with paper and realized they can produce lovely, creative projects.

So it's time to entice them to try new projects. What about quilling? Stamping? Cardmaking? Altered Art? Framing? The possibilities for paper-related projects are obvious: your customers are using products with which they're familiar, so the self-confidence issue is resolved, and the inventory for can also be sold for scrapbooking.

Most consumers, hardcore scrappers or not, have some photos they want to display, not hide in an album (no matter how lovely the album may be). Sell frames � and/or add products that help the consumer use her scrapbook skills to embellish a frame. (See www.magtimeframes.com).

Another lovely paper category is quilling, which would cost very little to put in your store. (See www.lakecitycrafts.com.)

How about decorative painting? Don't laugh; if you think scrapbookers are fanatics, you should see decorative painters. And there's a new program. Scrapbooking Plus ... the painted touch that combines decorative painting and scrapbooking and will even provide a teacher for you. (Email sbkplus@aol.com.)

3. They're switching to digital.

The Photo Marketing Association projected that by the end of last year, more than 33 million U.S. households will own digital cameras, and there is already a 64% increase in the number of digital photos printed. As far as where and how consumers are having their digital photos printed, there was a 639% increase in the use of digital self-service kiosks, and only a 33% increase in home printers.

PMA says digital photographers aren't using home printers more often because of print quality, ease of use, and cost. Although companies such as Epson and Hewlit Packard are developing better quality, lower-priced photo printers for the home, most of your customers would find it cheaper and more fun to print their photos in your store � and get better quality prints, too.

In other words, look to invest in one or two high quality printers for your store. (See www.hp.com and www.epson.com/scanprintprofit.)

Some retailers may even start selling photo printers or work with a local computer retailer to co-sponsor classes.

4. Scrapbookers are very social.

A recent article in the Washington Post described scrap parties as the quilting bee of the 21st century � but you already know that. Scrappers love to get together. For new ideas on various scrapbook events you can hold in your store, read Sandra and Laryssa Joseph's new book, The Crop Corner: Event Ideas for Scrapbook Businesses. It's a portfolio of event themes for retailers featuring articles from Sandra's column in Scrapbook Premier magazine. These articles provide information about event ideas for crops, classes, retreats, parties, and more.

Sandra says the portfolio provides themes, each with ideas for appropriate decorations, food, music, games, gifts and more). Also included is reprintable store money that can be given to attendees and used at a later date to promote future sales in the store. The cost is $19.95. It will be on the website (www.remindersoffaith.com) soon, but can be purchased now by emailing Kathy Brundage, Kathyb@remindersoffaith.com or Sandra, sandraj@remindersoffaith.com.

Another way to keep your more talented, outgoing customers interested is to ask them to teach classes, conduct demos, and help you with your scrap parties. They can make great sales clerks, too, because they're so knowledgeable and enthusiastic.

5. Scrapbookers love your store, but they're price conscious.

Carry products not offered elsewhere; that way your customers can't make apples-to-apples price comparisons.

You can't eliminate every product carried by a competitor, however, so you must watch your prices. Your customers will shop at Wal-Mart, Target, and drug stores for everyday items, but they'll walk the scrapbook aisles and check out any new scrapbook stores in town. They like your store or they wouldn't be your best customers; they'll pay more at your store, but not much more.

Consider joining a scrapbook retailers group such as Crafters Home (www.craftershome.biz) to get better prices from selected vendors.

But don't be tempted to always buy larger quantities direct from manufacturers in order to qualify for better discounts. You can end up buying too much and having your back room stuffed with merchandise your "what's new?" customers no longer want.

Better to use distributors. Order less but more often. Higher margins are great � if you sell the products, all the products. In the end, turnover is more important.

Note: To read previous articles regarding Memory, Paper & Stamps, click on the titles in the right-hand column.

xxx