Starting a Scrapbook Business

Types of Scrapbook Businesses

Essentially, scrapbook career opportunities fall into one of two categories: selling supplies or scrapbooking for others.

Selling Scrapbook Supplies

Selling scrapbook supplies as a consultant for a direct sales company is often the easiest path to starting a scrapbook business. Start up costs are minimal and many companies don’t require you to purchase any inventory. However, you’ll typically only make a 10-30% profit on the merchandise you sell. If you’re interested in becoming a direct sales consultant, check out the following links for additional information:

• Close to My Heart
• Creative Memories
• I Remember When
• MemoryWorks
• Stampin’ Up

If you’re looking for more independence and a greater variety of products to sell, you may want to consider joining ScrapBiz. This unique program offers entrepreneurs a chance to purchase scrapbook supplies at wholesale prices and conduct sales as they see fit. The profit potential for this type of scrapbook business is usually 40-50%.

Scrapbooking for Others

Many people who want to preserve their photos find scrapbooking to be intimidating. By designing pre-made scrapbook pages, you'll offer an easy way for your customers to create a treasured family keepsake. All they’ll need to do is add their own photos and journaling to your layouts.

Creating custom scrapbooks for others can be a fun and enjoyable business opportunity, but you’ll need to engage in some aggressive marketing in order to build a customer base. Consider advertising in your local newspaper and building your own website with a portfolio of your work. If you’re interested in creating custom scrapbooks, it’s also a good idea to draw up a contact to protect your investment in case the buyer decides not to pay.

Selling Your Merchandise

Once you’ve decide what type of scrapbook business you want to start, you’ll need to come up with a plan for selling your merchandise.

Traditional Sales

Direct sales consultants often sell their merchandise through home parties. Giving informational presentations to women’s organizations and other local community groups is another great way to build a customer base. If you are selling pre-made scrapbook pages or taking orders for custom scrapbooks, you may also want to consider renting a booth at a local craft show.

E-commerce

If you live in a rural area or find yourself in need of a flexible business opportunity, selling your merchandise online is a great option. Consider the following ideas:

• Build your own website
• Purchase a pre-designed website from a direct sales company
• Sell on eBay
• List pre-made pages on Etsy

Making It Legal

When starting a scrapbook business, there are several legal requirements that you’ll need to consider.

Financial Records

Turning your love of scrapbooking into a profitable business will require keeping diligent records. When you run a home-based business, the IRS will expect you to report all income and expenses. To comply with these guidelines, it’s very important to develop an accurate and easy-to-use filing system. Consult an experienced accountant if you have questions about how your scrapbook business will affect your tax liability.

Insurance

As we all know, scrapbook supplies can be very expensive. Cardstock, patterned paper, and vellum are also very easily damaged. Since most homeowner’s insurance policies have limits on the amount of business equipment they will cover, it’s a good idea to speak to a qualified insurance agent to determine what additional coverage is best for your business needs.

Licenses and Permits

When starting a scrapbook business, it’s a good idea to see what business licenses and permits your area requires. Some areas have minimal regulations on home-based businesses, while others have much more stringent requirements. Contact your county courthouse and local zoning board to see what city, county, and state laws you must follow.

Additional Information

If you’re interested in learning more about starting a scrapbook business, check out the following helpful reference books:

• The Scrapbooker's Guide to Business by Kathy Steligo
• Scrapbooking for Profit: Cashing in on Retail, Home-Based and Internet Opportunities by Rebecca Pittman
• The Basic Guide to Selling Crafts on the Internet by James Dillehay
• How to Start a Home-Based Craft Business by Kenn Oberrecht
• The Crafts Business Answer Book: Starting, Managing, and Marketing a Home-Based Arts, Crafts, or Design Business by Barbara Brabec