Yarn. Yass plz! The purpose of buying yarn at a discounted or wholesale rate is to increase your margin and keep the overall product price down for your customer. There's no wrong way to buy it, but in this section I'll detail a few options and tips to help you figure out what is best for your business. Switching between all 4 options, is also an option, as each procurement method has its own pros and cons. Note that some options will require that you have a state tax ID number for your business. In layman's terms, a tax ID number indicates that you are purchasing products for resale and that your customer will pay tax, thus making your purchase tax exempt. The process required to obtain a tax ID will vary by state. Find your state instructions here. For sellers not based in the US, vendors will be able to instruct you on international Tax ID equivalents. It’s been a hot minute since I spammed you guys with a #shelfie 🖤✔️ Here are the only colors I’m working with these days + I’m not mad about it 🙌🏻 #lessismore A post shared by DeBrosse™ (@debrosse_nyc) on Apr 19, 2018 at 10:49am PDT 01Buying In-Store Overview Right, right, you're familiar, but let me just start here to set the bar and make sure we're all on the same page. Never pay full price for yarn by shopping ahead of time, stocking up during holiday sales, and taking advantage of coupons. Often there will be 2 coupon options: a lesser percentage off sale-priced items, and a higher percentage off regular-priced items. Don't be scared to check out, make a lap, and then check out again in order to redeem both coupons. Additionally, Michael's and Joann's take competitor coupons, so even if you only have access to one of those chains, do your coupon research of both. Michaels' Coupons Joann's Coupons Pros Immediate access to materials. Great for custom order requests, when you're a skein short, when you need to review colors or feel before making a larger purchase, etc. 50% off coupons can usually get you close to the same price as wholesale purchasing methods. Cons Stores often only carry a certain number of each color, and sell out more regularly. While a 50% off coupon is great, it's often limited to a single product and cannot be applied across the whole order. Requires you to shop during the store's sale schedule rather than when you need your materials. (This becomes an insurmountable con as your shop grows). 02Lion Brand Direct Lion Brand is a staple yarn in the maker community. Below are all the details for purchasing directly from them at a wholesale rate. If you want to pursue this route, simply email the contact listed to get your account setup. For context, this is how I purchase all of my yarn (with the exception of one-off needs purchased in store). Contact LoriLori.Naidich@lionbrandyarn.com Tax ID Number Required Pricing $500 for first order $250 for all subsequent ordersMention my name (Teresa Carter) when setting up your account, and your first order minimum will be reduced to $400. Expect around 50% off. Often slightly cheaper than Joann Plus (detailed below). Products Lion Brand products only Ordering Submit a spreadsheet via email Shipping International shipping available.Price based on weight of order, and location of shipment. This total is not provided until after order is shipped.6-10 business days (US only) Pros Usually the best price on yarn. Can order high volumes. Order on your schedule, no waiting on coupons. You'll learn of discontinued yarns/colors during the process, and still have time to go scoop up remaining skeins from your local store. Cons Naturally, only Lion Brand products. (Not a one-stop-shop if you regularly work with a variety of brands.) High first order minimum can be a barrier to entry. Shipping is calculated after it is shipped, meaning you have no insight as to what it will cost until you are charged. Ordering process is a bit dated/cumbersome. 03Joann Plus Below are all the details for creating a Joann Plus account. Basically, you can shop Joann at wholesale prices. I shop here for most of my non-yarn supplies (like pom poms for example). If you want to pursue this route, simply email the contact listed to get your account setup, and then you'll be able to shop listings that will look like this! Contact Sarah Smith sarah.smith@joann.com Tax ID Number Required Pricing No minimum. However, discounts only apply when purchasing in bulk (quantities vary by product). Prices decrease as order size increases. Expect around 30-50% off. Products Wide variety of brands + product Ordering Via plus.joann.com Shipping International shipping NOT currently available.Shipping total provided at checkout. 6-10 business days Pros Not brand specific, so you have access to a variety of yarn and supplies in a single checkout. Shipping cost provided at checkout. No minimum threshold. Order on your schedule, no waiting on coupons. Easy ordering, simply go online. Cons Best discounts occur at higher purchase points. Lion Brand yarn is a bit more expensive here. Not all Joann's items are available via the Plus account. *If you've found something on Joann.com but can't find it on plus.Joann.com, email Sarah and she may be able to create a workaround for you. 04Notions Marketing Notions Marketing is who Joann’s buys from. Yeah, boo. The real deal. They offer wholesale prices on nearly everything you could ever want. I’ve been slow to recommend them though because their annual minimum is $1200. While you can purchase yarn through them towards your minimum, it won’t be quite as marked down as going directly through the yarn brand itself. To dive in and see if Notions is a good fit for you, click here and scroll all the way down to fill out your details. The representatives are wildly helpful and can answer all your specific questions. (Applying for an account will not commit you to spending the $1200, it just provides you access to a representative who will go over all the details with you.) Contact Specific sales reps change with time. contact@notionsmarketing.com Tax ID Number Required Pricing $100 minimum, or $50 minimum with $10 service charge Products Wide variety of brands + product Ordering Via notionsmarketing.com Shipping International shipping available.Shipping total not provided at checkout. 2-4 business days Pros Vast selection of tools + supplies not regularly available. Prices drastically reduced without middle man (ie. Joanns). Not brand specific, so you have access to a variety of yarn and supplies in a single checkout. Order on your schedule, no waiting on coupons. Great for those offering DIY kits. Easy online ordering. Cons Catalogue only available after speaking with a representative. Commitment to $1200 annual minimum. Not the lowest cost option for yarn.