Why Buy A Bead Kit

There is no doubt that the price of beads is going up.  I have never felt it more than when pricing the kits for The Regency Collection.  Some of this is due to the price of gas.  We all know that it has more than doubled since the last time I released new kits.  Also, we are paying the price for the devalued US dollar.  Most beads are made overseas and between higher transportation costs and the lower value of the dollar, the buck just doesn't go as far as it did.  That said...

Accent Bead Design bead kits are a great value! Let me give you an example. The Queens Garden is one of our new bead kits. When I priced the beads at a local bead store, they totaled $90.00 Of course, this total assumes that your bead store has everything in stock.  It doesn't cover your time or gas to get to the bead store. On the other hand, if you love beads, a trip to the bead store is a vacation, not a hassle.  But you always end up buying more than you anticipated.  To make it fair, let's add 2 gallons of gas each way at $3.50 gallon and that's another $14.00.  Total $104.00

Then I priced the same beads on some of the largest bead stores over the Internet - $98.00.   Now I know where to look, but I still had to use two different sites to get these prices, chances are you would too. Each place you shop is going to charge you shipping and handling. Two shops = Two shipping fees.  Now we don't have the price of gas, but we do have 2 shipping fees, again conservatively $5.00 each for $10 total.  Total price $108.00

Queens Garden online at Accent Bead Design - $79.00

When I package a bead kit, you only get the beads you need, not a lot of extras. Now an avid beader won''t mind the extras, but it still means you're paying for something you're not using. I also package my beads in labeled containers that match the instructions. No one ever wonders which is the main color and which is the accent color bead. It''s all in the package. And my containers are great and VERY reusable.

So yes, bead kits are a GREAT value!

I'm not saying they are cheap,  but the quality of my beads are first rate.  In almost all cases I use Japanese beads because they have bigger holes which make them easier to bead with.  I try to put the bling where it really shows.  I also try to show an "expensive" version and a "more reasonable" version.  This lets you decide where to put your money.  And finally, I try to use beads that can be found in most bead stores.  And if they're not a common item, I try to sell them separately under "Hard to Find" beads.  Many times it is these unique beads that really make the ornament special.