For those that find the handmade movement more of a way of life than just a conscience consumer choice, keeping purchases contained to small businesses, artists, and crafters can prove challenging in a down economy. There are ways to keep buying handmade despite the gloomy financial forecast. Here are some ideas and tips to help you stay in the green while still supporting indie sellers.

Sales, Discounts, and Promotions: “Cyber Monday”, the online counterpart to retail’s “Black Friday” for holiday seasonal spending, isn’t the only time to score indie merch on the cheap. Summer is notoriously slow for online retailers, including our favorite Etsy stores, and you can often find fabulous “BOGO” promotions, free shipping offers, and other incentives between the months of May and August. A quick scan of the forums will often yield endless possibilities for gifts for you or a friend.

For offline retailers, such as your downtown coffee shop or local family-owned baby boutique, getting on their e-mail newsletter list will often send coupons and special event information right to your inbox. Even 10% off your morning scone will add up to more moolah later.

Barter and Trade: This is one of those “doesn’t hurt to ask” type scenarios if you have your eye on a particularly stunning handmade ensemble or the like that is just out of your coin purse’s reach. Some indie businesses offer a little wiggle room when it comes to their stated price for a number of reasons: They need to move stock, the item is going out of season soon, or they don’t want to lug it home at the end of a craft show. The key is to ask respectfully so that the merchant knows that you value their work but can’t swing the price tag, and aren’t just trying to smooth talk them into dropping a few dollars off of their creation’s asking price for the sake of haggling.

If you also sell online or are selling at the same show, inquire about a possible trade. Be sure to either provide a link to your e-store if asking by e-mail, or have your business card and info on your booth location while approaching another merchant for a trade. If there is a significant labor or price difference, offer to pay a percentage of the original price tag in addition to trading. It doesn’t hurt to ask about trading or a price break as long as it is handled appropriately (i.e., not by dropping $5 down on their table and announcing, “Let’s haggle!”).

Buy in Larger Quantities: Sure, small businesses aren’t exactly a wholesale warehouse club, but for certain types of items, buying in bulk may make sense. If you can anticipate that you’ll be sending a minimum of 40 holiday cards out to your nearest and dearest, why not approach a handmade card seller about a percentage discount for buying in a larger increment before the season hits? Even basic blank greeting cards monogrammed with your initials will come in handy as thank-you cards, and can easily be stocked up on.

More ideas to consider…

- Buying a jewelry set with earrings and a necklace; Give one part as a gift and keep the other for yourself. Dependent on the type of pieces, you may rack up the savings by buying multiple parts of the set instead of a piece here, a piece there.

– Buying handmade soaps by the 3 pack. Use one in the bath, one for hand soap by the sink, and one to scent a sock drawer until you’re ready to use it in the shower. Soap makers often have deals on buying soaps in larger quantities over just taking a single bar.

– Art prints, lip balms, silkscreened shirts, and the like may also be available for bulk purchase dependent on the seller, which is great if you are frequently buying birthday gifts or are a self-confessed lip care junkie.

A “bulk” purchase can mean 3 pieces up to 300, so be sure to specify how many items you had in mind to buy when contacting an artist or crafter. If the merchant agrees to work with you on a larger quantity, be prepared to pay in full before the items are finished. If a quantity discount is not available, do take into consideration that the merchant may not have the time or resources to put together a larger order or the items are too labor or cost intensive to discount.

Remember, people have been buying and selling their independent goods long before there were brightly-lit mega discount stores. Even in a recession, we can find creative ways to keep the handmade movement going strong by supporting local establishments and e-tailers, including the tips mentioned above. Happy shopping!

 

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