Unlike many art supplies, washi truly benefits from "hand selling". There is a need for staff to know the qualities and characteristics of the papers and the fibres used to make them.

But, before you get to that wonderful conversation, how do you attract your customers to washi, how can you entice them to try something new?

There are some basic in-store strategies that have been tried and tested by The JPP (back in the days when we were a small retail store) and by our resellers over the years. With the advent of social media, opportunities to spread the word about washi has grown in new ways. Social media can help get people in the door, but nothing sells washi better than an in-person experience with knowledgeable staff.

In Store

Display & Signage

Image from The Paint Spot

Using a ladder, either wall mounted, or A-frame style, can provide a visually and tactilely attractive focal point for your collection of washi. Combining patterned with solid coloured papers can work to great advantage. The paper does look inviting, and people want to touch it. Try displaying only one sheet of each and storing the remainder in flat files. 

Offering binders with 8.5 x 11" or A-4 samples to leaf through will help customers decide which paper they would like. Seeing what pages the customer hesitates on is helpful for the staff and provides opening for conversation. “Is that paper one of your choices? May I ask what characteristics appeal to you? I may be able to show you some other options.”

Shelf talkers

Image from Inglewood Art Supplies  

We are all familiar with those flashy cards used to highlight a product on the shelf. Why not use the “shelf talker” principle to display samples of different media on the paper. Or, vice versa, samples of a single media (sumi ink for example) on washi of different weights or fibres. The same can be done with other art supplies, like watercolour, gouache, or acrylic paint. Similarly, if you sell printmaking supplies. Compare simple linocuts printed on kozo, mitsumata, or gampi fibre papers to one another, or even to a western paper.

Swatch labels

Image from Inglewood Art Supplies  

Did you know we offer swatches of the papers you purchase? One reseller we know uses the swatches to label the shelves and also keeps corresponding samples in a binder. It is a useful system for staff and for customers. You could also imagine a garland of chiyogami swatches used as a point of colour at the check-out counter, or in a window display. It is so inviting and exciting to see all the choices. Likewise, a garland of natural papers gives customers something to touch when they are considering washi for their next project, saving the corners of your full sheets from wear and tear of many fingers!

Samples and Examples

Whether included as part of a shelf talker, or presented separately, giving people the opportunity to see how the paper has been used speaks volumes. Do you have space in your shop to hang artwork or include finished work as part of a feature display? Hanging artwork with the media and paper used definitely helps when answering the persistent queston, "Can I use this paper for ... ? 

Ceiling Flags

Image from Au Papier Japonais

Trying to direct traffic in your larger store to the Japanese paper section? Try hanging your newest Chiyogami or natural/art paper from the ceiling. A pennant-like banner of natural papers across the store offers a new vantage point for shoppers. They will see, in a new way – maybe for the first time, the translucency, lustre, and inclusions that define different Japanese papers.

Workshops

Education is key. If you are not in a position to host your own workshops, consider partnering with an artist-customer, or local a workshop space, to offer a sponsored workshop.

Social Media

Social media is the modern equivalent of door-to-door sales. You are presenting your product to an individual and you haven’t got much time to make an impression before they shut the door.

The popularity of reels gives you the opportunity to educate potential buyers in entertaining and engaging ways; short how-to videos, before and afters, or 'what’s in the kit' are approaches that can capture the shopper’s attention. Done well, social media can bridge the gap between curiosity and purchase, or participation in the case of workshops.

We can help

To aid you in your efforts, we have created a set of printable information sheets and posters for your use. Download the files from the link below:

What would help you sell washi and other The Japanese Paper Place products? Contact your rep. We can put our heads together to help you bring more washi to your community.

Great ideas

Do you have a display or promotional idea that worked for your store? Willing to share? We’d love to hear from you! Our combined success helps to keep the papermakers in business.

We would like to thank Au Papier Japonais, Inglewood Art Supplies, and The Paint Spot for sharing their images and ideas. 

Header image: from Au Papier Japonais