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Buying Bead Tips, Citrine & Yellow Topaz
This month we cover different ways to buy beads - plus citrine and yellow topaz, the gemstones for
November. Scroll down, or click one of the links below on the html version to go to a
certain section. If you have any suggestions for the future, please e-mail me
at
suggestions@mrbead.com. To go to the
MrBead store click here
For our UK customers, see the NEW UK Bead shop in £ at MrBead.co.uk
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weren't mailed this newsletter enter your e-mail address
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Choosing
by Material
Choosing by Shape
Top Ten Tips buying Beads Online
Ten Reasons for Buying Beads at all!
What's a Fair Price for Beads?
Wholesale Bead
Buying Tips
Citrine
- Mellow Yellow
Yellow Topaz
Choosing by
Material
Semi-precious stone beads should be studied before buying. Search online or get
a good book on minerals and semi-precious stones - well worth the investment.
Beads can be compared as to treatment. Some treatments are perfectly acceptable
such as heating the stone to enhance its color. Turquoise can vary dramatically
in price depending on it's treatment. Advance study and a reputable dealer are
your best insurance. Dying of pearls, coral and jade is usual and considered
acceptable these days. The color shouldn’t come off.
Pearls are usually freshwater cultured, unless they cost US$50 to $100 or more a
strand. Except for plastic and faux pearls of course. Cultured means they are
100% natural, but are “farmed” with the help of man, rather than growing in the
sea. Expect to find irregular sizes, shapes, and grooving in these pearls.
Otherwise they won’t be genuine, unless very expensive. Size quoted by the
seller is the largest in the strand – this means that only a few in the strand
will be that size.
Metal beads come in all shapes and sizes - silver, gold, copper, round, square,
etc. Popular metal beads include the Balinese Beads, which are made in Bali and
are usually of sterling silver, gold or gold plated sterling. Also popular are
the "liquid silver" and "liquid gold" beads: tiny tubes made of metal, usually
strung together which drape beautifully.
Lampwork beads are most often used as jewelry centerpieces. Creatively made with
a torch or in a kiln, these are painstakingly developed and executed by
glassmaking professional. Judge the price of lampwork according to the
complexity of the finished bead. Comparing the cost of beads, these are among
the cheapest considering the production work.
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Order our bead by shape at
MrBead.com
Order our beads by shape at
MrBead.co.uk
top of page
Top Ten Tips when Buying Beads Online
1. Keep cool. Don't get caught up in the excitement - know your limits. It's
easy to get into a bidding war and end up paying more than an item is worth.
When an auction closes at five times the original asking price, dealers feel
embarrassed.
2. Make sure that the item you are bidding for is what you want. Always be sure
you know the size, especially if a picture is enlarged. Don’t assume it is a
certain size, then when it arrives in the mail the 'necklace' is suddenly a
bracelet for a cat! And don’t buy a strand of beads if you assume you would
receive a ready-made necklace.
3. Use your head. Don’t be naive reading descriptions - never take words at face
value. Like “This fabulous bead is so hard to describe, the picture speaks for
itself!”. “Exquisite” beads are everywhere, and every other item is “unique.”
Enter the word “unique” in the search box and its overuse reduces it to
meaninglessness. Misinformation is another problem. More sellers misrepresent
out of ignorance than by deceit, but it helps to know something yourself and not
just trust without question. "Antique" is identified as by U.S. customs laws as
being at least 100 years old. Beads from the 1960s are not antique.
Occasionally, a little research brings a bargain. You might spot a rare old
African tribal necklace being sold as a trinket from Thailand, though more
likely you would be fooled the other way round.
4. Search the Web. Look for similar items and determine what a fair price is.
Sometimes dealers will have the same items on their web sites for less than
you'd pay if you were competing with other bidders, or the other way round. Look
at the sellers other auctions. Keep track of many like items before placing your
bid, compare over different auction sites.
5. Check what other buyers have said about the seller and examine any negative
feedback. If there are unhappy customers, or if the seller presents a nasty
defense, be wary.
6. Bid just before the auction ends, if possible. Buyers like to outbid each
other in the final moments. This is referred to as “sniping,” although is
perfectly legitimate. It's very frustrating to have someone “steal” the item out
from under you in the last seconds. Unless you have the time to monitor the
close of every auction in which you have a bid, this will happen sometimes. A
sniper program like “esnipe” at http://wwwesnipe.com enable you to outbid
someone at the last minute. However, don’t feel guilty about sniping, it's not
really stealing, the item doesn’t being to your competing bidders.
7. Can you make a return? You should be able to receive a refund on items that
don't live up to their promise or match their description. However, don’t expect
to be refunded shipping or a handling fee to cover the seller’s expenses. Some
dealers don't accept returns, but they have to realize you're buying from a
small picture only. If you buy a computer or a car on the web, you probably have
a good idea of what you're looking at - not necessarily so with beads. Buying
online is like a catalog sale, and catalog vendors always offer a no questions
return policy. A good dealer knows that pleased customers will bring extra sales
that will more than cover the cost of returns.
8. Good auction etiquette. There are some things you can do to make things
easier for the vendors and foster a good relationship. When you win an auction,
the dealer will e-mail you the item number(s), always ensure this is quoted with
your mailing address and payment. Sellers hate spending hours doing detective
work or guessing which beads goes to whom. Don’t just rely on Paypal to inform
this for you. Some dealers with many auctions take a few days to contact all
their buyers. Unreasonable e-mails demanding a total just slows down the
process. And some sellers offer a checkout like MarketWorks that automatically
adds all your wins including combined shipping - saving you a lot of time.
9. Pay well. Always pay as quickly as possible. If you have not dealt with the
seller before, you may have to wait for your check to clear. And if you are
using snail-mail to pay international purchases, allow at least 14-days just for
your payment to arrive. US sellers in many states have to collect sales tax for
their resale license. They don't get a commission on this and have to pay
penalties for mistakes in collecting these taxes – so don’t try to evade. Same
with VAT in Europe.
10. Watch Shipping Costs. Some sellers will try to rip you off with shipping,
especially from China, so check before you bid. However, be aware that
international airmail is expensive, so expect to pay reasonable shipping &
handling fee. Under US$10 for a small order is OK, over $20 is scandalous. If
you order a lot from abroad, airmail doesn’t come cheap - beads are heavy! Allow
a reasonable time for your item to arrive before you complain. Ten days from
within your own country, or twenty-days from
abroad.
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Ten Reasons for Buying Beads at all!
1. Beady eyes keep a happy mind – it’s a great hobby. Cheaper than
drugs and more fun than psychiatric care!
2. Buying beads is not immoral, illegal or fattening. It calms the nerves,
gratifies the soul and makes us feel good.
3. To make money or investment.
4. A bead keeps without refrigeration. You don't have to cook it to enjoy it,
and it never needs feeding, changing, or walking.
5. Buying beads keeps our economy going. It is our patriotic duty to support
bead stores.
6. Beads are a proven aphrodisiac.
7. Beads don't argue or get crabby. Like women and wine: beads get better with
age.
8. Bags and tubes of beads tightly packed make an excellent insulation for the
home.
9. At any moment the employees of a bead factory might go on strike and limit
the availability.
10. We are participating in a contest. The one with the most beads
wins. to top
What's a Fair
Price for Beads?
What are beads worth? On eBay, most buyers are looking for a bargain,
but what's a fair price? Machine-made bead are extremely cheap to manufacture.
Especially when most are made in low-income countries too. So why do beads cost
so much at retail? The answer is labor. The most expensive part of any product
is the labor that goes into it, not just the time of the factory workers but of
all the other people involved. Four or five middlemen may handle your beads
between the factory and you: the manufacturer, the exporter, the importer, the
wholesaler, the retailer, and two or three shippers. Each middleman has labor
costs. Transportation and storage don’t come cheap.
At MrBead your beads are brought in a large Chinese city from a wholesaler who
buys them from another wholesaler in the outskirts who gets them from the
factory. They then go by truck to Hong Kong where they are stored and packed,
and then travel by air to your country and by road to your door. Unless you buy
from our UK auctions, in which case they are shipped from Hong Kong to Britain
to be resorted and repacked before mailing to you. Sounds like a lot of work,
and it is!
Out of a bead merchants stock, only a few types of beads sell well, the rest
gather dust taking years to recover their costs. Other beads get lost, damaged,
or go out of style quickly. And often the merchant can’t restock his top sellers
because the wholesalers have run out too.
Then there’s the cost of retailing. Shop rents and taxes are crippling,
occurring throughout the off season and holidays. Online selling is cheaper, but
a web store with out visitors is useless. Hits cost money. Marketing and
advertising is a substantial cost of your beads. Auctions like eBay cost the
seller over 10% of the retail price, and that’s before the expense of getting
paid. Paypay, credit cards, and bounced checks are
expensive.
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Buying Beads
Wholesale
Many
people think wholesalers make most of their money from sales to big customers
who spend a lot of money. The fact is, most bead wholesalers have many customers
who spend small amounts of money. Most wholesalers are also retailers and will
charge high prices for small quantities, so walking into a wholesale shop
doesn't guarantee low prices. To get cheap, you have to buy a lot, and even then
you won't get the best prices unless you spend thousands of dollars.
There's also a negative side to dealing with wholesalers. Many wholesalers have
a general attitude that makes you feel a nuisance unless you’re spending
thousands. They'll get irritated if you haggle on the price for small orders,
despite haggling being part of the wholesale game. They can also get mad when
you make returns.
However, you can make substantial savings buying larger quantities of beads
wholesale. Think ahead and plan what beads you will need. Buy as much as you can
afford to keep the unit cost down. Pool with friends. And you can always auction
what you don’t use on eBay. Many wholesalers will even let you use their
pictures and copy to sell online.
Wholesale
Bead Buying Tips
1. If possible, buy at least $100 a time. The more money you spend, the more you
save and the they'll take you seriously.
2. In America, get a tax ID number to save paying taxes on your purchases. Makes
you look like a serious customer too.
3. Look at the beads under bright light – many defects are not noticeable in dim
light. Except for seed beads, don't buy beads that are sealed in plastic without
opening to examine the beads inside. Many defects can’t be seen through the bag.
5. Check the prices they put down on the invoice very carefully. If they
over-charge you (which is common), it’s much better to say now than later. Also,
if you are buying beads on your lunch hour, don't leave the order with them to
total up later – there could be problems.
6. Every time you buy beads, note the size, style, price and wholesaler, and
bring this list with you when you shop. If they charged you $30 for a bag of
beads two months ago, and this month it costs $36 for the same beads, your
questioning could save you a lot of money.
7. Be friendly but otherwise unemotional. Don't get angry or defensive if they
don't give you the price you want or a refund. You can’t expect the same level
of service buying wholesale as you can retail. It helps to have a sense of
humor.
8. In conclusion: do your homework before buying wholesale to get the best deal.
Know what you want and for what price.
See how to get up to 40% for wholesale beads in our
store click either MrBead.com
or MrBead.co.uk
To see our wholesale packing click
here
Citrine: Mellow Yellow
”Citrine” comes from the French word for lemon, and is any quartz crystal or
cluster that’s yellow to orange. It is the gemstone for November. The darker, orange colors were traditionally
the best, but today people prefer bright lemony shades to mix with pastel
colors. Citrine with man-made color tends to have more of an orange or reddish
caste. Most natural citrine starts life as amethyst until heated in a molten
state to change.
Sunny and affordable, citrine brightens all jewelry, blending especially well
with the yellow gleam of polished gold. The yellow color is a natural reviver,
and citrine focuses the mind bringing a feeling of self-esteem. In medication it
helps re-establish the link between your conscious and subconscious minds. If
you are feeling down, try holding citrine to lift your spirit. It’s also very
good at healing the body and helping people communicate. Citrine has warm
energy, promotes optimism, and attracts abundance.
Citrine is one of the few stones that removes negative energy and never requires
cleansing. In ancient times it was carried as a protection against snake venom
and evil thoughts. Known as a "merchants' stone”, placed in the cash register to
not only acquire wealth but to maintain it as well. Citrine is the birthstone
for November, and its corresponding signs are Gemini, Aries, Libra, and Leo.
Although the darker, orange colors of citrine, sometimes called Madeira citrine
after the color of the wine, has generally been the most valued color, in modern
times, many people prefer the bright lemony shades which mix better with pastel
colors. Most citrine comes from Brazil.
Sometimes you will hear citrine referred to as topaz quartz, which is incorrect.
This name was used in the past in reference to the color, which is sometimes
similar to the color of topaz. Since topaz is a separate mineral, this type of
name can be confusing. However, citrine is considered an alternative to topaz as
the birthstone for November. As long as citrine is protected from prolonged
exposure to light or heat, it will last for years.
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Yellow Topaz
Yellow topaz looks very similar to citrine.
The Egyptians thought topaz was colored with the golden glow of the sun god
Ra. This made topaz a very powerful amulet that protected the faithful against
harm. The Romans associated topaz with Jupiter, who also is the god of the sun.
Topaz sometimes has the amber gold of fine cognac or the blush of a peach and
all the beautiful warm browns and oranges. Some rare and exceptional topaz can
be pink to sherry red.
Wear topaz only if you wish to be clear-sighted: legend has it that it dispels
all enchantment and helps to improve eyesight as well! The ancient Greeks
believed that it had the power to increase strength and make its wearer
invisible in times of emergency. Topaz was also said to change color in the
presence of poisoned food or drink. Its mystical curative powers waxed and waned
with the phases of the moon: it was said to cure insomnia, asthma, and
hemorrhages.
Brown, yellow, orange, sherry, red and pink topaz is found in Brazil and Sri
Lanka. Pink topaz is found in Pakistan and Russia. Today we also have blue
topaz, which has a pale to medium blue color created by irradiation. Pale topaz
which is enhanced to become blue is found in Brazil, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, and
China. In early 1998, a new type of enhanced topaz made its appearance, the
surface-enhanced topaz, with colors described as blue to greenish-blue or
emerald green. Topaz is a very hard gemstone but it can be split with a single
blow, a trait it shares with diamond. As a result it should be protected from
hard knocks. to top of page
To see all our citrine beads click
here
Special $10 Offer !
Sample our beads with $10 (or £5 on our
UK shop) off any order from our MrBead bead store, just key in "shape" at the checkout (without the
inverted commas) and click "Redeem Coupon".
Offer valid until Friday 2nd November 2007 only - so act now! Only for use in our store at the checkout and not valid with any other offers.
To go to our MrBead store click http://www.mrbead.com
For our UK
customers, see the NEW UK Bead shop in
£ at
MrBead.co.uk
To return to the top of this page click here