Cheap Beading Supplies

For cheap beading supplies, my favorite resource is the Internet. If you haven't really searched for beading supplies online, you're missing out on some wonderful suppliers who can provide a fantastic selection and great prices that often match or come very close to prices you'd pay if you bought your beading supplies from one of the major wholesalers.

If you buy craft beads at your local bead store (LBS), your costs will be higher than necessary, and it can become very difficult to price your crafts in a way that is in line with your customers' expectations and also allows you to make a profit.

I'll visit my local bead store very occasionally if I'm in a pinch (i.e. if I need something immediately and can't wait for supplies to come in the mail) but, because your LBS has overhead that an online business does not have, their prices are typically much higher, and things can get pricey quickly.

In addition to finding cheap beading supplies online, here are a few other sources where you might be able to buy craft beads that are inexpensive:

• Flea markets and antique markets can provide great vintage finds.
  
• Forum swaps. At many of the active craft forums you'll find opportunities to swap supplies with others.
  
• Organize a group purchase with other professional crafter artists. Some wholesalers have minimum purchase requirements that are quite high, particularly for someone who is just launching a home craft business. If you are not prepared to buy enough to meet wholesalers' minimums you might network with others at craft shows or on forums to organize a group purchase from a wholesaler so your entire combined order will meet the wholesaler's requirements.
  
• Attend major craft shows in your area so you can comparison shop. The prices will not typically be as good as you could find online, but you will be able to comparison shop, and you'll have the advantage of being able to see the items in person.

A couple of places you might try for buying cheap beading supplies online are:

Artbeads.com
You'll find a wide selection of products here, including some lovely Thai Hill Tribe silver beads, bulk sterling chain and stringing materials. Their Swarovski crystals are very competitively priced, and their shipping is free in the US and only $1.00 to Canada.

Ebay, in general, can also be a great place to buy craft beads and beading supplies. It can take a while to sort through all of the suppliers there to find ones who meet your needs, but it is well worth the effort.

One seller I have used quite often for buying beading supplies on EBay is Beadaholique. They are a large online beading supply store, they offer prices that are competitive with (and sometimes better than) the major jewelry supply wholesalers I have used, and they have always provided me with fast shipping and excellent customer service.

Additional Related Resources

Find Great Beads for Jewelry Making
The Beader's Guide to Color - Book Review
Bead on a Wire - Book Review