Looking for tips on searching for craft products
 

Hell, I’m looking in to buying some distress oxide and regular distress reinkers to build up my collection. As I was searching via Google and Amazon, I started thinking about all the smaller craft supply companies like Marco’s paper, A Cherry on Top, Scrapbook.com, etc. of course, those rarely show up in search results and I can understand why. Also, all those little companies that come to stamp/ scrapbook shows would be good to know, but I never remember to jot down the names. I just wish there was an easier way to search for the best deals on these products instead of going to each separate website.
So, my question to you all is, do you have a list of companies that you usually check when searching for specific products you are looking for? Do you have any tips, suggestions for searching?
It seems like so many of you here know about the best places to get certain things, so I thought I would ask. Thanks in advance.

How I shop was an evolution.

Right now I would tell you just google what you want and you will see many options.

And guess what I just found? Michaels is doing a sale on oxides-it varies by color but this one says a dollar.

https://www.michaels.com/tim-holtz-d...8aAsVEEALw_wcB

It depends. Do you want to support your LSS and spend more? Or you want best price deals? I do a combo.

Small company in my area: https://onlyonelifecreations.com/

Thanks for the links.
 

I did see them on sale at Michael’s and Joann’s but they don’t have the colors I need. Of course I have the one that’s a dollar. That’s crazy cheap!!
Sadly, there are no LSS near me. Only the big craft stores. I would like to support the smaller businesses if the price is right.

i went thru all 54 colors and all of the ones marked down are out of stock :(

I often search with Google, switching between "All" and "Images" and "Shopping" views.

Google is good about locating stuff on the Internet--provided the businesses have done their part setting up their website with search engines in mind--keywords and whatever else is used with today's search engine software.

When shopping for basic craft supplies, I usually look at Scrapbook.com first since it has a large selection and the prices are usually cheaper than other online specialty stores. The next place I look is Amazon for the free shipping. I just watch out for third-party sellers who post items with outrageously high prices.

Google Shopping is likely to lead you always to Simon Says Stamp. At least, that is how my searches all seem to go. Google Image searches yield a bit more varied results. With Amazon, even with Prime free shipping, it depends on the item whether the higher price is worth it. Usually it is an item related to crafting but not handled by craft companies, like the generic tape cartridges for my label maker.

I end up having close to two dozen companies I check regularly; so at least I get familiar with what they are best suited for having. It depends on so many things: their specializing iin products(stamps, dies, paper, supplies and tools, art supplies), brands, scope of inventory, how fast new products become available to ship, whether sales tax applies, speed of shipping, if there is a free shipping dollar amount, proximity to your home (for faster delivery). I have companies bookmarked with a note on their shipping policy, such as having a $49 free shipping policy. I also have an extensive bookmarking of products I might want to order from each company. Then, when I actually need (!) a specific item, there may be a number of other products to order from the country, and I am up to the free shipping level or at least can make the shipping charges worthwhile.

As for the oxide inks, I did bundle orders from Joggles and Marco's. Good prices on the products and shipping. One vendor who has an extensive inventory supply and variety is Frantic Stamper.

Well that stinks about Michaels. Sorry. :(

I just wait till there are sales to get stuff. So kind of where ever I can get it cheapest....I just checked blick art, artist supply, and 1-2-3 stitch and none of them have it below 5.49

GypsyRoseStamper, would you be willing to list some of those go- to companies on your list?

Okay, here's a list of companies I have ordered from (some often, some not so much). My interests tend toward large stamps or dies and products out of Europe. Whenever there are sales or shipping specials, I like to order directly from the stamp company, such as Impression Obsession, Elizabeth Craft Designs, Scrapbook Outlet, Picket Fence Studios, Viva Las Vegas Artstamps, etc.

123Stitch
Bluemoon
Cherry on Top
Dick Blick
DiesRUs
Dutch Paper Crafts
Ecstasy (Canada, but ships from U.S. and has free shipping at $60)
Ellen Hutson
Frantic Stamper
Funkie Junkie
Hallmark Scrapbook
Jerry's Artarama
Joggles
Kat Scrappiness
Marker Pop
Only One Life Creations
Paper Wishes
Rubber Buggy
Scrapbook.com
Scrapbook Pal
Simon Says Stamp
Starlit Studio
Topflight

Thank you for sharing this!

GypsyRose, your list is great. Some I'm familiar with, some I'm not.
I hate to see the information get lost. Would you mind starting a separate thread with an appropriate title? I think a lot of us could use something we can refer back to.

Gone are the days when I knew al the vendors and where to get everything. So now I go up to where on my computer I usually put in an address to go to, instead I just type the product I am wanting. Last week it was brass stencils. This week it was tranlucent embossing paste. Now it's AltNew 3D stencils. I have the best luck with FranticStamper, these days, but their system is annoying in that once you mark an item to buy, you have to go back to the beginning of their offerings and pass by all you just saw to get to the stuff you haven't seen. I have found Amazon frequently claims to have what I am looking but makes me scroll through MANY craft pages only to find they don't have it after all. VERY maddening!

That's a lot Gypsy, thank you for the reference.

Not having an urgent need to buy, I watch Joann's. Often has 30-40% off stamping supplies, and I watch for free or low shipping. Things change almost daily with them, so if what you want is on sale today, buy today.
All the Oxides except brand new. Has Neenah cardstock. MANY brands of stamps. Shipping time is much better than the Pony Express it used to be.

Sometimes you have to watch Joanns though, for instance they have a Poppystamp Birdhouse Easel Die on their site right now for $48.99. Poppystamps sells it for 33.00. Every other craft site has it for 33.00. A lot of their dies are way over MSRP. I emailed and asked why and got a response that "they have a team that considers several factors for their pricing." That was the response, not why they were 15.00 higher. Even with a 20 percent discount they are higher. Just be sure of what the price of items are before you order from Joanns. I also like Rubber Buggy and Funkie Junkie. Great customer service

I bought some of my oxide pads and reinkers from Stampers Anonymous. They are famous, but still a small company. I began buying them on sale from other companies like Scrapbook Pal (one of my go-tos), but finally could not find the remaining colors in stock anywhere, so I paid full price at Stampers Anon, but my orders came packed well and no mistakes. I had to call them once with a question and it was great customer service. If you are searching for those few remaining colors, they have all of them. And free shipping on all orders currently. I recommend them if you really need something you cannot find elsewhere. https://stampersanonymous.com/

I learned a little computer tip that reaps benefits when shopping. When doing a Google search: type in the product, then add: ,best price. You'll be surprised at what pops up!

I would add
Art Impressions (Stamp & Die Company, Oregon)
Sunny Studios (Stamp & Die company Washington)
Craft Warehouse (Stores in Oregon, Washington)
Scrapbooking Made Simple (Store in California)*Stacey has a YouTube class every Saturday morning
Whimzees (or Wimzees) (Store in Oregon)
I believe all of these have Facebook pages

Craft Shopping
 

Try Etsy, I get a lot of crafty products there.

[QUOTE=ja
Scrapbooking Made Simple (Store in California)*Stacey has a YouTube class every Saturday morning. QUOTE

I ordered from Stacy and she right away charged my credit card. SIX weeks later, i still don't have my order. i complained at 4 weeks and was chastised. She claims to be only a 2 person army but certainly has time to have just launched a "world-wide sales campaign", plus reopened her brick and mortar store. Order from her and let her survive on YOUR credit card? No thanks!
Order from ellenhutson.com and get next day delivery! I am shocked anyone here is wiling to let their money be used by Stacy for 6 weeks and more, PLUS listen to her chatter on her videos and waste YOUR valuable time. MOST companies don't charge your credit card until items are shipped. There are dozens of tutorial sites for cardmakers that don't make you listen to chatter like Stacy's. Jennifermcguire.com is the best of them!

Are you sure you want to list Ecstasy? That doesn't appear to be about card-making!

Fall into some porn site? Try this for Ecstasy: https://ecstasycrafts.com/collections/new-products

That list is from 2017. Many shops have bit the dust since then, but EllenHutson is still the same and Simon Says Stamp has taken on the lines of many others who are struggling or about to give up. Those two seem to have the largest selection of ordinary needs.

I have good luck with getting classy envelopes and insert-paper from Papers and More. I tried Amazon for those and was not happy with the quality. Also i ordered 110 lb. Neenah card stock from Amazon and am SURE it is not 110, more like 85 lb.. Paper making that used to be with pulp from the USA forests has moved to China. I don't know what products China uses to make paper but it has a really hard finish now which makes die-cutting a very big challenge, even when the paper is quite thin. So treasure your OLD card stock and use it especially for die cuts. As for other products, I've found Ellen Hutson ships the fastest and has the largest selection, just like the "olden days". And she always includes a gift, just like the "olden days".

SMS
 

I’ve stopped watching Stacy’s channel. I can’t take two hours to watch a twenty minute video. I don’t order from her either. It takes too long to get anything. Once it was six months. Promise. I tried to cancel but they said they didn’t have the employees to do those type transactions. Said it was a mom and pop operation. Seems like everything has been done then here comes another tool to put in my closet. I’ve put a dollar cost for the year and it’s not high. Let’s make some sense out of our passion. [
QUOTE=janesprando;22065896]I would add
Art Impressions (Stamp & Die Company, Oregon)
Sunny Studios (Stamp & Die company Washington)
Craft Warehouse (Stores in Oregon, Washington)
Scrapbooking Made Simple (Store in California)*Stacey has a YouTube class every Saturday morning
Whimzees (or Wimzees) (Store in Oregon)
I believe all of these have Facebook pages[/QUOTE]

I can't stand her nonsensical giggling and I, too, was involved in a longer than necessary wait for the items I ordered which arrived many, many, weeks after the transaction was posted to my credit card.

You're lucky it was only six weeks! I waited nearly three months for her to fulfill an order and got the same "I'm pedaling as fast as I can" garbage -- never again. As you say, Ellen Hutson, Frantic Stamper, MarkerPOP, and even Scrapbook.com ship practically instantaneously and have good prices.

Use bing.com for your searches; they often do not have the same order as their more famous cousin, google.

I've ordered from them a couple times. Fast shipping and very communicative!

I love this company - great prices, quick delivery, and very nice to deal with.

I also like Scrapbookpal.com for their fast shipping. Recently I forgot to use the discount code and contacted them. They were willing to add it to my order. Free shipping at $50 is nice too.

In addition to many listed here, I have also ordered from Trinity Stamps (WA state) and Jaded Blossom (Idaho). Cool dies from each…

Shout out for Gina Marie's company. The bare minimum to ship to Canada was $20.00, but she refunded me $4.65 off the shipping, on a recent order. Her prices are awesome too! Love Gina Marie!

Shirl

In all fairness to Stacy, they have been in Covid crisis a whole lot longer then some other state, throw in the forest fires all over, etc., etc. a d you are going to have problems,getting products. (I’ve been waiting for my new furniture since April)
I know it takes her awhile to get me my “stuff”, but I feel,she has good prices, and spend $50 and shipping is free I think is fantastic. I have more then enough stamps and dies to keep me busy until my order comes.
additionally, I fast forward through some of her video as I already know how to use the big shot machine (as an example). She is taking that time to,show others that.may not be as “advanced” as I am.
she a.so has exclusives sometimes with vendors that I like. Ultimately I guess if you’re not willing to wait and don’t care if you pay shipping, that’s your choice.

Here is a list I have bookmarked:
https://eclectivity.wordpress.com/ge...amp-companies/

I watch Stacey every week to learn new techniques and see new products. A bonus is the live chat on the premiere episode to “talk” to people all over the world. She is always encouraging viewers to shop local and with “mom and pop’ stores. The YouTubes are longer than most, but when her store opens (it is still closed), they will be short again. I like the variety of products from different manufacturers and I learn new ways for stamps, dies, inks and stencils and more. Her prices are also a bonus for me, as is the $50 free shipping. I always use the Pay Later, so am not charged right away. As for waiting for orders, for almost a year, it was just Stacey and her sons working at the store. Waiting for shipments also slowed down fulfillment. The Warehouse Sale (spend $1 on a $25-30 die or stamp set) is still being filled. However, today I just received my order from the end of May. They are catching up! The quality of merchandise, sale prices and Pay Later work for me.

The problems with Scrapbooking Made Simple have nothing to do with Covid. I stopped buying from her years ago because of the excessive delays, even on non-sale items, and the churlish customer service. Everybody else is also a small operation and can get orders out on time. Why not her?

AWESOME ! I now have it bookmarked as well....Thank you so much !

Jennifer Maguire has a sale email you can sign up for on her blog. She sends it out often and links to many small companies and any deals they are offering. I have found almost all my favorites from watching her videos and her list.