( 
)
Should you buy Hair Bow Instructions on Ebay?
There has been a steady emergence of hair bow instructions coming to Ebay auctions. With all the new sellers in the hair bow instruction business - maybe that should make you wonder.
WHICH instructions should I buy from WHOM and HOW much should I pay?
I'm a So. Cal. Beach Mommy to a fashionista 2 yr old - yes, it is possible! "I'M A PRINCESS", she announces atop her tippee toes at sporadic, but reliably moments of each day! She is a product of my compulsive shopping and lifestyle, I KNOW! We take it seriously - I use my resources and very, VERY rarely pay full retail for anything! It's my profession!
NOW, how does this relate to Hair Bow Instructions, you ask?
Well, I am the voice of experience. After paying absurd prices (despite wholesale pricing) for basic bows to match each and every outfit for Macey - I decided to channel my creativity into making the bows myself. Honestly, the KORKER BOWS stumped me - after all, grosgrain is not curling ribbon, right? So I reviewed and selected KORKER BOW INSTRUCTIONS from a median priced Ebay Seller that impressed me and stood out from the others. The ebook instructions were acceptable and informative to me at the time with supply resources listed, step-by-step directions with color photos, and secret "tricks". I was satisfied and began making korker ribbons until my hands would cramp up. Then I HAD TO learn how to make the oversized boutique bows that were suddenly everywhere! I ordered these instructions from a more expensive Seller who claimed to include Instructions to make 130 different bow varieties! Not until I entered the outrageous GROSGRAIN RIBBON, FRENCH and ALLIGATOR CLIP bidding wars and spending exorbitant amounts of money on supplies did I realize I had neglected to do my usual research, including searching the World Wide Web before rushing to Ebay pages for the instructions. From that experience I can pass a useful bit on to you:
DO NOT BUY ANY HAIR BOW INSTRUCTIONS!
WHY? Here's a list of reasons:
1. Free Korker Instructions on Ebay - Here's the Seller who has offered them FREE since 2003: ribbon.queen (Ebay ID)Click on this link: Ribbon Queen to go to the Sellers eBay pages and click on the logo to take you to her ME pages which include the gratis instructions. Click on the link KORKER TIPS! This Seller doesn't stop there - she also offers FREE LIST OF COLORS & PALETTES for all NEW and quite a few past GYMBOREE lines! Other sellers try to SELL the same information! YOU WILL NOT FIND MORE CONCISE, THOROUGH, OR USER FRIENDLY KORKER INSTRUCTIONS ANYWHERE - I've tried! ( I have no affiliation with this seller - I just appreciate her). She is also a reasonable resource for high quality grosgrain ribbon at a fair price - but in small quantities only.
2. Free Online Instructions for Various Boutique Bows - There are thousands of instructions for bow making on the web - I can't list them specifically, but use your search engines and remember a bow is a bow and they are not just used for hair! Interior decorating, gift wrapping, holiday crafts, wedding decorations - you will be surprised what you find!
3. Worthless Resources! - My quest for wholesale pricing of ribbon is what prompted me to order the multiple ebooks that advertised "insider tips and resources". Yes, there are resources given, many are repetitive from seller to seller. The largest retailer in the world is no "hidden wholesale resource" to me! Every city has one of Mr. Wal-ton's super Mart's! And, yes, the ribbon is inexpensive and much less than other retail stores - and much less than MANY Ebay sellers. Wal-Mart ribbon is like all the items they offer - acceptable quality at a great value. The ribbon is not poor quality but definitely not high- end quality like I prefer and the selection is diverse enough to start, but lacks a wide range in prints, etc. For wholesale pricing, the resources referred repeatedly included "Wholesale with yearly paid membership" - which amounts to RETAIL prices! The largest retailer is also one of the few places where you can buy all supplies necessary under one roof. I ended my boycott of Wal-Mart just to satisfy my bow making supply needs.
4. Product Overload - Common sense tells me that the reason for the sudden rise in hair bow instructions for sale on Ebay is because it is 100% profit! On top of that, it is free marketing for related products that the instruction sellers also have available! MOST THAT YOU DON"T NEED! Once buyers receive the instructions they realize the instructions are simply How To Tie A Bow! Buyers bought the instructions, personalized the pages, and turned around to list them at a higher price! Hence, the flooded Instruction market and prices as high as $75 FOR INSTRUCTIONS!
Since I have so much more info to offer on why you should SAY NO to PURCHASING HAIR BOW INSTRUCTIONS . . .I will follow up with additional Reviews on:
1. EXACTLY what supplies and tools you do not need and SHOULD NOT BUY and WHY! Also, what you DO need and where to get it!
2. RIBBON SELLERS on Ebay - A compiled list of tried and true reasonably priced ribbon and supply item sellers!
In closing I leave you with insight into what the Instruction Seller's consider their boutique bow SECRET: Layering! Layer upon layer upon layer - that is how the oversized bows are created to look like they do! More to come...
I will share my experience on what the average GROSGRAIN RIBBON should cost for each width at standard RETAIL and acceptable WHOLESALE prices.
If you have any questions about technique, etc. in the mean time - send me a Message!
AND NOW...My long-awaited follow-up Guides are available:
Top Ebay Ribbon Resource - Hairbow Instruction F/U #1
HAIRBOWS to M2M Gymboree - FREE Resource Listed HERE
Thank you for voting. If your vote meets our 
