By Sue DiFranco
Copyright © 2007 Sue DiFranco/Fun Facts Publishing  

It's no surprise that scrapbook enthusiasts can be a bit obsessive when it comes to their favorite pasttime. And part of the fun of scrapbooking is, of course, the shopping. Naturally, many customers remain loyal to their LSS, but what happens when they hit the road to visit relatives, go on vacation, etc.? They schedule in shopping time at scrapbook stores in the area they're visiting.

"The Montana Great Falls Tribune" recently profiled several women who include "Visit Scrapbook Stores" in their Traveling To-Do List. These women, who represent only a fraction of the potential Traveling Scrapbook Shoppers out there, admit to taking time to research what stores will be located around their destination. They sometimes take that research one step further, figuring out how best to maximize their time at the store by studying the store's events and classes schedule, and planning their visit around that.

The paper also quoted Charmaine Barker, owner of The Memory Trail, who said several out-of-town scrappers sign up for classes, especially during the summer and fall when the weather is good for traveling. She offers three to four classes a month, and out-of-towners keep an eye on her schedule via her Web site.

It's a smart idea to remember the Traveling Scrappers when retailers are planning their marketing/advertising campaigns. Sure, your main source of income is from local residents, but attracting out-of-town visitors can help boost sales for two main reasons. One, those who are on vacation tend to spend more money (on everything) than local shoppers with a budget; and two, scrapbookers talk! If someone has a positive experience at your store, she/he will probably mention it on one of the scrapbooking message boards and forums. And when someone posts the question, "I'm traveling to [fill in the blank]. Are there any good scrapbook stores around there?", your satisfied out-of-town visitors will probably chime in with a positive response.

There are several guides to scrapbook stores available today, both in print form and online. It's a good idea to check in with them and get your own store listed. Some are paid listings, but depending on your budget, you might find it's worth it to attract not only out-of-town visitors, but even those who live nearby who might not know you're around. Here's a quick list:


"Scrapbooking Roads, A Travel Guide for Scrapbookers"
Available in print and online
http://www.scrapbookingroads.com

Scrapbook Store Finder
http://www.scrapbookstorefinder.com

Scrapbook Shops - MapMuse.com
http://find.mapmuse.com/re1/interest.php?brandID=SCRAPSHOPS

Scrapbooking.com Magazine
http://www.scrapbooking.com

Most of the consumer scrapbook magazines also include listings
in the back of their publications, as well as online.

If there are any others not listed here, just send me an email and let me
know about them! Good luck!