Are scrapbook retailers expanding their inventory to include more paper crafts, stamping, and other categories?
Should they? CARLSON: Some scrapbook retailers are becoming paper craft retailers. In order to be successful in retail, you have to provide merchandise that end users will buy. If a merchant is carrying strictly scrapbooking, and their customer base is maturing so that they have emptied their shoe boxes of old photos, what will bring that customer into the store on a consistent basis? In other words, we have shown a generation of young women (primarily) what fun it is to be creative. What does her favorite scrapbook store have for her to do next? Retailers have to listen to their customers. Have they learned other paper crafts? Are they moving on to jewelry making? What are the interests of their particular customer base? CLN: The variety of scrapbook products at the HIA show was overwhelming. How on earth can a retailer make the right choices? CARLSON: I can remember when we added scrapbooking to our rubber stamp store about 10 years ago. The choices were easy because there were just
