Is Scrapbooking A Trend????

[sanilacjack]

I would really like everyone’s opinion on this. I, myself, am a scrapbooker. I have a wonderful opportunity to purchase a store in my hometown. I have a degree in business. The books and profit and loss statements are in order. What I’m concerned about is long term. Is scrapbooking a trend?? I’m afraid that I’m looking at this business through rose colored glasses, per say. My sister tells me that I’m a creative person and will be able to be diversified if it comes to that. She also says that I’m trying to talk myself out of it before I start.
All input is appreciated!
-Kim

 

[Disneyland_emily]

Well my family has been scrapbooking since the early 80s long before it was popular. I think it will stay around in some form through the years so I would say its a safe bet


I know I'll be scrappin for years to come

-em

 

[Spinning]

Is it a trend? Of course! But one that will stay forever! I think the style will change and level out but it will always be here. People love to save their memories!
WE have a scrap store that opened about 1` year ago she is now moving again! To a bigger store. I think if you are in the right location and have the right personality a store can be a huge hit and can move into other areas.
I travel about an hour to get to my favorite scrap store. I choose it all the time over Mike's or AC Moore, strickly because of the owner! She knows her costumer and what they like.
I would check the area out make sure there isn't another scrap store with in an hours drive.

 

[Mom2Em]

Besides 2 "generic" craft stores and numerous CM consultants, we have 2 LSS that both have had to upsize their business... I do think it is a trend but one that will stick around for a long while... All the supplies can be used for other paper crafts...

 

[janette]

I think there are trends in scrapbooking but the craft will probably be around for a long time.

 

[Rebecca12345]

I think there is a big difference between a FAD and a TREND

Scrapbooking is a trend - (that's a good thing)

often we may see some scrapbook supplies that seem FADdish
& not everlasting...they are outdated quickly - they don't last long.


Scrapbooking is a 'long term trend' & will be a round forever.
It is the high quality scrapbook supplies that make the stores successful.

 

[Alice28]

I think it's a trendy thing right now, but people will ALWAYS have pictures, and I think once you decide it's an important thing to perserve your memories, you will never stop doing it. Good luck!

 

[sanilacjack]

for you helpful replies....

The store has been open for 3 years and doing well for its self.

We are an hours drive from the closest sb store.


many thanks,
Kim

 

[Mamu]

Yes it is a trend thats grown and grown. My Mother scrapbooked. Pictures on black paper with corner post.

A trend thats gone new distances and there's no turning back. Were not our Mother's scrapbookers. We have designer papers, stickers to enhance our photo's, sizzix to cut our paper, punches, personal trimmers, cutters for shapes, brads, eyelets and fiber the list goes on and on.

Once you've created a masterpiece there's no returning back to plain old photo scraping.

 

[FantasticDisFamily]

Sanilacjack -

I'm not sure where you are in Michigan, but that may have some impact on how successful you can be. Expenditures on any hobby will decline when the economy is tight.

Since you have a business degree you have probably already asked the "why is the current owner selling" question.

On the plus side, a quick glance at the psycographic reports would indicate that the 30-55 female cohort is presently into a stage of life where their income levels allow for leisure expenditures and their attitudes are directed towards family. That would seem to indicate a positive for the trend to continue.

Just an observation but it seems to me that scrapbooking is the current "quilting bee". Women have a natural tendency to get together in some sort of shared activity. My bigger concern would be how the trend will play out. As digital photography continues to gain in popularity will it lead to a transition away from the hand crafted scrapbooks to digital scrapbooking where all of the backgrounds, etc are computer generated.

My thoughts,
Deb

 

[#1 Pocahontas]

I think it will be around for a while. I have been scrapbooking for a long time. When our LSS opened I couldn't have been more happy. LSS stores carry so much more variety than you can ever find at Micheals or Hobby Lobby...or other craft stores.

I now have at least 5 LSS in my city. I have seen some open and then go out of business. I would say their problems were the parking. They were in strange places, with no parking. I personally don't care to shop somewhere that requirers me to drive around in circles searching for a parking lot. Especially when I can go to a similar store with an actual parking lot.

My favorite store is about an hour away from me but I will shop there the most. I make special trips there because I like their layout. For the most part they have things grouped by theme not just by the maker. It makes things really easy to coordinate and find. They also have costumer appreciation "parties" and such from time to time. GREAT costumer service, and actually they just opened a sister store that is closer to me

Anyway good luck with your venture!

 

[disneysnowflake]

I also think scrapbooking will be sticking around for a long, long time.

It's a wonderful hobby.

 

[Threehearts]

We live in the Washington DC area and I don't know anyone who scrapbooks but I sometimes read these threads because I find the topic interesting. My neighbors are docents at the Smithsonian or down at Kerry headquarters, volunteering. My life consists of parenting and heavy school volunteering(I'm an advocate for the disabled) which doesn't leave me a lot of time for leisure activities. Many of our public school mothers are working full-time as lobbyists, lawyers or PR people and really don't want to devote spare time to crafts. Now a book club, rally at the White House or the like, well there's always time for that. I just thought I'd respond as there definitely seems to be geographic differences in the use of leisure time. Good luck with your business. It sounds as though it's a roaring success. Threehearts

 

[pattyT]

Personally -
I think NO
In highschool I started 'scrapbooking' in magnetic albums with magazine cut outs for 'art wprk' and phrases!
Then when DD was born I used any stickers I could find in those magnetic albums!
Needless to say I was INSTANTLY an addict when I got a local Michaels and I went in with a 40% coupon EVERY DAY (I worked for the newspaper at the time and my ofice was down the street!)
I honestly believe that for SOME it may be a trend - and there will always be trends within scrapping-
but for MOST it is here to stay!
I would say to offer kids classes to keep future generations into it (I was thrilled to see a friends daughter-17 scrapping!)

as for Debs comment (no offense meant here Deb)
I think digital layouts are a preference - previously working as an advertising executive with a degree in graphic design I prefer traditional scrapping because it offers a depth, textures unobtainable by digital layouts! I WOULD however jump on that trend in a store by offering a computer station for journalling - or maybe if the business can afford it invest in a 12X12 format printer! Basically keep up with the trends within scrapping (I know my only lss does not and I only drop in 2x a year - usually not finding much new) Also the crops there are 'clickie' and they don't have a lot of space so it makes for feeling 'left out' when you don't know the group!

 

[wtpclc]

I've been pondering that question myself lately. People have been doing some sort of SB'ing for a long time. Now, we're just finding out how to do it in a photo safe manner. Computers change so quickly. 10 years ago, you had floppies, now you have predominately cd's, in the not too distant future, there'll be more on DVD. So, IMHO, if you want it to be something that future generations can enjoy, go with teh hard copy. WHo knows what the mdedia will be in 30 to 40 years. WIll they still be able to read cds?

Yes, it is a trend, but just think of the young people who are watching their moms (an dads) scrap now, and even scrapping with them. I think it's going to last.

WHile it will go down with the economy, I'm hopefule that it will be a while before we go down again.

Good luck!

 

[cobbler]

OOOH, good point on having the hard copy thing. Look at how hard it is to get records, record players or the like now.

Besides it can be kind of a history lesson, to see what types of products and things we as this generation have that our kids can look back on and say, wow look at this type of photo, coloring, style or whatever.

 

[grlpwrd]

I've been a scrapper since I was little and now I have a blossoming scrapbooking design business. I think scrapbooking is growing in leaps and bounds, but as a potential business owner I think you need to cover your bases and do research if you haven't done it already. A wonderful site is www.funfactspublishing.com .

Have you been looking at what's online, too, like at various scrapbooking sites and boards? I think there's lots of articles in scrapping magazines, too, which discuss the future of scrapbooking.

As a LSS one of your competitions will be online stores. Does the store have ways to attract customers and keep them coming back? I have known a lot of LSS folding, unfortunately. Customer service is the biggest draw. Most definitely I think it's vital to set up a good business plan first.

The industry is continually evolving and I think it's a good thing. Yes, digital scrapbooking is blossoming, but tangible scrapping is never going to go out of style. It's like the newspaper.... yes, many editions are available online, but people want to see and touch it. It's good to get things on hardcopy, certainly, but people still love arts and crafts, too.

GL on your endeavor!