How to Buy Wholesale Sterling Silver Beads

Sterling silver beads make beautiful jewelry, yet buying them retail can be expensive. There are places to buy sterling silver beads where you can get great discounts, however. Read on to find out how to buy wholesale sterling silver beads.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Educate yourself about the variety of sterling silver beads before you make your selection. Because of various silverworking traditions that are regionally linked, you'll find that you prefer some bead makers over others.

2. Decide on the function of the beads in your jewelry making, since that will determine the types of beads you get. Some sterling silver beads can be focal points; others provide visual contrast; still others are tiny round, rectangular or ornate spacer beads.

3. Look for the ornate handcrafted sterling silver beads made in Bali, Indonesia - they're well-crafted and popular. The silver beads made by the (Karen) Thai Hill Tribe use a more pure silver (with less of the copper alloy) and have a more rustic look, and are also extraordinarily well made. There are also Turkish sterling silver beads of excellent quality and Rajasthani silver beads (Indian silver). Each place has its own handcrafted silver bead crafting traditions.

4. Add sterling silver spacer beads to flesh out your order if it needs to reach a certain minimum to get you wholesale prices. These can be Bali beads or simple, no-name silver round beads, flat saucer beads, or oval beads. You can even find sterling silver cube beads and rectangle beads.

5. Once you know what you want to shop for, go online to wholesale sterling silver bead distributors. These can be jewelry supply companies or dealers in sterling silver beads. Don't neglect other countries - try places like Zeelver or ArtBeads for wholesale sterling silver Bali beads.

6. Get your business license. Not all wholesale sterling silver bead suppliers require it, but to buy silver beads wholesale, it's a good idea to have a business license.

7. Buy a large quantity of beads. Generally, the more you buy, the lower the price. For wholesale silver beads, you may need to place an order with a $100 minimum. Smaller orders may incur extra charges, and some wholesale sterling silver bead suppliers don't accept small orders.

Resources

• More jewelry making and jewelry selling tips
• Buy Thai Hill Tribe Sterling Silver Beads
• ArtBeads, a source of wholesale sterling silver beads

[scentbygod]

on 3/31/2009 GREAT ARTICLE!!!