Great Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Your Customers

The holiday season is almost upon us—a time for family, a time for friends, and a time for giving gifts. Ahh, the gift giving. Have your customers asked for suggestions for that someone who has everything? Looking for something with which to stuff your own Yuletide stockings?


Lo Scarabeo makes a number of pendulums, runes, bags, cloths, and notebooks/journals (in addition to their numerous tarot decks) that not only make great gifts, but great stocking stuffers! Look no further for the perfect, stocking-sized giftables.

Pendulums:

Pendulums are amazing tools for divination, dowsing, and answering questions relating to love, work, health, money, and much more. Not only abundantly useful, Lo Scarabeo pendulums are also eye-catchingly beautiful. Pictured at left is the Amethyst Chakra Pendulum; you can view all available pendulums here (note: you must log in to your account to view page).

















Runes:

Rune sets will bring new energy to divination, magic, and meditation practices. Sacred runic symbols have been carved into varying stones, making these exquisite runes magical as well as beautiful.  At left are the Amethyst Runes; you can view all available runes here (note: you must log in to your account to view page).








Bags:

Attractive and useful, tarot bags are an ideal way to safely store and protect valuable tarot decks. Pictured is the Ceccoli Satin Bag; you can view all available bags here (note: you must log in to your account to view page).









Cloths:

Explore the many uses of these beautiful velvet cloths from Lo Scarabeo! Featuring embroidered symbols from various traditions, these multi-purpose cloths are ideal for altars, divination practice, ritual, meditation, and home decoration. Pictured at left is the Pentacle Velvet Cloth; you can view all available cloths here (note: you must log in to your account to view page).






Note boxes:

These decorative note boxes from Lo Scarabeo bring a touch of elegance to any living space. Perfect for home or the office, it comes with blank paper for jotting down phone messages, reminders, to do lists, and anything else on your mind. Or try using this beautiful box to store a favorite tarot deck, jewelry, photos, souvenirs, runes, or any other mementos that deserve a special place.  Pictured is the Fairy Note Box; also available are the Cat Note Box and the Pagan Note Box.






Journals:

As a dream diary, sketchbook, or Book of Shadows, these gorgeous journals are the perfect place to record ruminations, insights, and experiences. Pictured is the Night Sun Journal; you can view all available journals here (note: you must log in to your account to view page).

Great Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Your Customers

The holiday season is upon us—a time for family, a time for friends, and a time for giving gifts. Ahh, the gift giving. Have your customers asked for suggestions for that someone who has everything? Looking for something with which to stuff your own Yuletide stockings?


Lo Scarabeo makes a number of pendulums, runes, bags, cloths, and notebooks/journals (in addition to their numerous tarot decks) that not only make great gifts, but great stocking stuffers! Look no further for the perfect, stocking-sized giftables.

Pendulums:

Pendulums are amazing tools for divination, dowsing, and answering questions relating to love, work, health, money, and much more. Not only abundantly useful, Lo Scarabeo pendulums are also eye-catchingly beautiful. Pictured at left is the Amethyst Chakra Pendulum; you can view all available pendulums here (note: you must log in to your account to view page).
















Runes:

Rune sets will bring new energy to divination, magic, and meditation practices. Sacred runic symbols have been carved into varying stones, making these exquisite runes magical as well as beautiful.  At left are the Amethyst Runes; you can view all available runes here (note: you must log in to your account to view page).








Bags:

Attractive and useful, tarot bags are an ideal way to safely store and protect valuable tarot decks. Pictured is the Universal Satin Bag; you can view all available bags here (note: you must log in to your account to view page).









Cloths:

Explore the many uses of these beautiful velvet cloths from Lo Scarabeo! Featuring embroidered symbols from various traditions, these multi-purpose cloths are ideal for altars, divination practice, ritual, meditation, and home decoration. Pictured at left is the Pentacle Velvet Cloth; you can view all available cloths here (note: you must log in to your account to view page).






Note boxes:

These decorative note boxes from Lo Scarabeo bring a touch of elegance to any living space. Perfect for home or the office, it comes with blank paper for jotting down phone messages, reminders, to do lists, and anything else on your mind. Or try using this beautiful box to store a favorite tarot deck, jewelry, photos, souvenirs, runes, or any other mementos that deserve a special place.  Pictured is the Fairy Note Box; also available are the Cat Note Box and the Pagan Note Box.






Journals:

As a dream diary, sketchbook, or Book of Shadows, these gorgeous journals are the perfect place to record ruminations, insights, and experiences. Pictured is the Draconis Journal; you can view all available journals here (note: you must log in to your account to view page).

New Releases from Lo Scarabeo

We have a TON of new, gorgeous decks now available from Italian publisher Lo Scarabeo! Check out what's available!

Alchemy 1977 England Tarot Deck: Alchemy 1977 is famous around the globe for their stunning gothic artwork and steampunk accessories. Fans of this iconic brand will recognize and appreciate the powerful and seductive images in this extraordinary tarot deck. This captivating mix of art from world famous gothic illustrators ranges from traditional horror to lush supernatural scenes to medieval fantasy. The boxed deck includes 78 full-color cards and an instruction booklet.

Anne Stokes Gothic Tarot Deck: Renowned worldwide for her breathtakingly beautiful fantasy artwork, Anne Stokes delights fans yet again with this gorgeous tarot deck. This exquisitely crafted deck offers a compelling gothic twist on the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith suits. The wands are themed to mighty dragons. Cunning vampires have replaced the cups. Skeletons stand in for pentacles, and the swords have become angels. Use this inspiring tarot to explore strange magical worlds, call upon inner strength, understand dark urges, and test the limits of your imagination. The boxed deck includes 78 full-color cards and instruction booklet.




Michelangelo Tarot Deck: Revered as a divine genius even in his own lifetime, Michelangelo is unquestionably one of thegreatest artists of all time. Honoring the master of the Italian Renaissance, the Michelangelo Tarot Deck cleverly enshrines his signature work into a tarot paradigm. David, the Madonna, and other familiar faces from Michelangelo’s iconic masterpieces come to life in unique and compelling ways. This inspiring tarot, lightly tied to Rider-Waite-Smith structure, can be used to deepen your faith, solve spiritual conflicts, make moral decisions, and embark on your own personal renaissance. The boxed deck includes 78 full-color cards and instruction booklet.

Royo Dark Tarot Deck: Luis Royo, one of the most popular fantasy artists of our time, invites us into a vivid world of haunting beauty, where justice is swift and transformation is inevitable. Shimmering nightscapes are dominated by deadly female warriors, noble armored knights, and luminescent nature creatures, both wild and wise. Loosely based on the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition, Royo’s sensual and empowering tarot deck urges you to confront your darkest fears, embrace your primal passions, and unleash the beast within. The boxed deck includes 78 full-color cards and instruction booklet







Tarot Bags: We also have two new breathtaking tarot bags from Lo Scarabeo, the Moon Fairy Satin Tarot Bag and the Magic Star Satin Tarot Bag.

Runes: There are also three new rune sets available, the Blue Onyx Runes (pictured at left), Golden Quartz Runes, and Hematite Runes. Each set comes with 25 rune stones, a black velvet bag, and an instruction booklet.

Tips for Hand Selling Tarot: Part 3

Tarot author and consultant Barbara Moore concludes her insightful series on hand selling tarot. (Be sure to check out part 1 and part 2.) In this last installment, she explores deck characteristics that are important to experienced tarot readers and offers guidance in selecting decks for beginners.

Tips for Hand Selling Tarot: What Experienced Readers and Newbies Are Looking For
By Barbara Moore

There are a few things that more seasoned readers will ask about. If you make a quick survey or jot down notes about these issues, you can easily answer their questions. Here are a few things I suggest you know about each deck you carry:

1. Strength and Justice.
In the RWS tradition, these are numbered 8 and 11 respectively. In other traditions, they are reversed. For many readers, especially those who incorporate numerology, this is very important to know before buying a deck.

2. Wands and Swords.
In tarot the four suits are associated with elements. Cups are water and pentacles are earth. Wands and swords, however, can vary. The most popular pairing is wands with fire and swords with air. However, there are a few readers who prefer it reversed and will ask.

3. Court Cards.
The traditional courts are page, knight, queen, and king. However, in many modern decks, even those in the RWS tradition, it's not uncommon for the court cards to change. Most readers have no trouble adjusting to new names (such as son, daughter, mother, father or seeker, explorer, protector, teacher), but most will want to know if the court names have been changed.

Once prepared with this information, it’ll be much easier for you to put the perfect deck in the hands of any customer, whether a newbie or seasoned professional. Simply ask a few key questions and you’ll easily narrow down the options.

First, find out if they are a beginner. If so, steer them toward the RWS decks and then focus on themes and the art. If they are more experienced readers, ask what tradition they like and if they have other preferences. Helping them weed out decks that are unsuitable to their uses and/or tastes will be a great service to them . . . and is something Amazon cannot do! Become a resource for sample decks and information and your customers will come to rely on you, coming back for all their tarot needs.

Bonus Tip for Selling to Newbies
Sometimes they get nervous just before a purchase, thinking that it will be too hard to learn to read the cards. Take the sample deck that they are considering, have them shuffle and lay out three cards. Then encourage them to tell a story based on the images. That will help them see how easy it can be to get started as well as help them determine if the art resonates with them.

New Deck Party
Once a season, offer a tarot open house. Have your in-house tarot expert give a short talk about tarot. Then introduce the new decks as well as old favorites. Get people excited about the decks and give them an opportunity to handle them and work with them with other tarot enthusiasts.



Barbara Moore is the author of the guides to Mystic Faerie Tarot, The Gilded Tarot, the Mystic Dreamer Tarot, and Shadowscapes Tarot. She also wrote Tarot for Beginners. Her new book Tarot Spreads will be available in April 2012 and her latest deck, The Steampunk Tarot, will be available in Spring 2012.

In addition to teaching tarot classes and providing personal readings, she works as a consultant for tarot publishers Llewellyn Worldwide and Lo Scarabeo. She also contributes to Llewellyn’s Tarot Pathways blog, keeps a personal tarot blog, and a blog documenting the creative process of The Steampunk Tarot.

Barbara's favorite metaphysical bookstore:
"I love the Eye of Horus, with its hip, urban, art gallery vibe—a great space for the mysterious content and magical items offered there."


Free Tarot Sample Cards
Make tarot deck selection an easy process for your customers. Take advantage of our free tarot sample card offer — exclusive to stores that have a Llewellyn account.

This offer includes all divination decks and kits available from Llewellyn and Lo Scarabeo. Card samples are absolutely free and consist of four to six cards. For more information, please call 1-800-843-6666 and ask to speak to a sales representative.

Tips for Hand Selling Tarot: Part 2

Barbara Moore — tarot expert, author, and consultant to publishers — continues her insightful series on hand selling tarot. This week, she discusses the all-popular Rider Waite Smith tradition and its significance in the tarot community.

Tips for Hand Selling Tarot: Know the Various Traditions
By Barbara Moore

Being familiar with the various traditions in tarot deck design will help you put the right deck in the hands of your customers. There are three main styles. The Marseilles style is the oldest but also the least popular, at least in the United States (it remains popular in Europe where the cards still used for game playing). This style has the familiar 22 Major Arcana cards and the four suits. However, the numbered cards, also known as the pips, are not illustrated. They simply have the requisite number of swords or cups, etc., on them. These are not popular because they don’t match our current method of reading, which includes psychological and intuitive responses to the art.

The Thoth tradition is based, of course, on Crowley’s Thoth Tarot. Again, this one is not as popular. Most of its fans use the Thoth Tarot, although US Games has recently published the Sun and Moon Tarot, which is a nice alternative.



The most popular tradition is the Rider Waite Smith (RWS) tradition. Most of the decks published in the U.S. follow this tradition. You have to be careful, though, when reading descriptions of decks. Many publishers will say that a deck is in the RWS tradition if they have 22 Majors and 4 suits, which, as you have seen here, describes ANY tarot deck. When a customer asks for a RWS deck, they mean something quite specific. A true RWS style deck is one that can be read “out of the box” by anyone familiar with the RWS cards. This means the images evoke the RWS images in terms of theme and/or composition. If a customer asks for such a deck and you hand them, for example, Lo Scarabeo’s Elemental Tarot, they will be disappointed. A better option would be Tarot of Pagan Cats. Some decks that fall into the RWS category take more freedom with the images. This is fine as long as it is mostly recognizable. The Wheel of the Year Tarot (again, from Lo Scarabeo) fits this category.

It is best to steer newbies toward RWS decks. First, most beginner books are based on this tradition. Second, if they are working in classes, meet ups, or online forums, these decks will allow them to participate more easily. These are good considerations to point out to new customers when advising them about deck purchases.

Then there are tarot decks that are completely unique and break new ground. These are for more adventurous readers. These decks include the aforementioned Elemental Tarot as well as other popular decks, like the Tarot of the Sweet Twilight. There is nothing wrong with these decks . . . just know that they are not RWS decks.

***

Next week, Barbara discusses significant factors that advanced tarot enthusiasts want to know about a deck before buying it.

Barbara Moore is the author of the guides to Mystic Faerie Tarot, The Gilded Tarot, the Mystic Dreamer Tarot, and Shadowscapes Tarot. She also wrote Tarot for Beginners. Her new book Tarot Spreads will be available in April 2012 and her latest deck, The Steampunk Tarot, will be available in Spring 2012.

In addition to teaching tarot classes and providing personal readings, she works as a consultant for tarot publishers Llewellyn Worldwide and Lo Scarabeo. She also contributes to Llewellyn’s Tarot Pathways blog, keeps a personal tarot blog, and a blog documenting the creative process of The Steampunk Tarot.


Don’t forget to check out our new Tarot Catalog, featuring a complete list of Llewellyn and Lo Scarabeo decks. Also featured are divination tools, such as pendulums, runes, and more.

Tips for Hand Selling Tarot, part 1

Tarot has been a part of Barbara Moore’s personal and professional life for over twenty years. As a tarot expert, author, and consultant to publishers, she brings a unique and interesting perspective on the subject of selling tarot and what customers – from tarot enthusiasts to newbies – are looking for when shopping around for a new deck. Here’s part one of Barbara’s insightful three-part series on selling tarot.



Tips for Hand Selling Tarot, Part One
By Barbara Moore

A few decades ago, there were only a handful of tarot decks on the market. Now there are thousands available, from mass-market decks from large publishers to some print runs of handcrafted collectible art decks. Such variety and selection can be a mixed blessing, particularly to a beginner. For someone trying to pick out their first deck, the number of choices can be overwhelming. How can we help customers select the best deck for them?

Show Off the Art!
At Llewellyn, we know that the art is the main selling point of the deck. We carefully select the image that appears on the kit box cover. We design the packaging to show off as much of the art as possible. Tarot is a visual medium and if the art does not resonate with the customer, then that deck is not the right choice. Tarot speaks to us on several levels. One is the symbolic level. Here tarot works the same way as dreams. The images and the symbols create a bridge between the conscious and subconscious selves. This is how we access the wisdom of the Divine and our Higher Selves. Shelve your kits and decks so that the covers are face out. Shelf space is valuable, but this is one way to put it to good use.

Sample Decks

Buying a deck or kit is an investment for the customer, both of money and magical or spiritual energy. No one likes to buy a wand or a crystal or other magical tool without touching it. The same goes for tarot decks. Tarot, indeed any form of divination, is a magical and spiritual act and tarot cards are magical tools. Like shelf space, having sample decks, and I mean full decks not just a few cards, is an investment for your store, but it is one that will pay for itself in increased sales.

Being able to look at all the cards helps newcomers to tarot as well as more seasoned readers. Newbies can get a good sense of the images and how they relate to them and therefore feel more confident about their purchase. Seasoned readers usually have cards that are “make or break” ones in a deck. These are the cards they always go to first. If they click with them, they are more likely to buy that deck. If not, they probably won’t. If they cannot see those images, they are more likely to pass.

It may be argued that customers can look up images online and thereby save you, the store, such an investment. However, if they are online anyhow, they are more likely to purchase from Amazon, where they can get the product at a lower cost. Moreover, tarot is a tactile experience. There is something about holding the cards that is important. The weight of the card stock, the way they shuffle, how the size of the cards fits in your hands. Again, think of other magical tools. Touching them, connecting on a physical level is important.

***

Next week, Barbara discusses the all-popular Rider Waite Smith tradition and its significance in the tarot community


Barbara Moore is the author of the guides to Mystic Faerie Tarot, The Gilded Tarot, The Mystic Dreamer Tarot, and Shadowscapes Tarot. She also wrote Tarot for Beginners. Her new book Tarot Spreads will be available in April 2012 and her latest deck, The Steampunk Tarot, will be available in Spring 2012.

In addition to teaching tarot classes and providing personal readings, she works as a consultant for tarot publishers Llewellyn Worldwide and Lo Scarabeo. She also contributes to Llewellyn’s Tarot Pathways blog, keeps a personal tarot blog, and a blog documenting the creative process of The Steampunk Tarot.






Here’s one easy way to show off your tarot decks. Check out this Lo Scarabeo tarot counter display (ISBN-13: 978-0-7387-0857-7) that holds twenty decks -- FREE to stores that have a business account with Llewellyn. For more info, call us at 1-800-843-6666.