What should I check about slow-moving specialty paints and papers in an art supply store?

Art supplies do not all age the same way. Oil and acrylic paints can thicken, watercolour pans can crack, and papers can yellow, curl or pick up humidity marks. Walk the shelves and drawers with the seller and pull out older stock. Look at tubes for splits, labels for fading and boxes for dust or damp.

Then use the records. Ask for an item-level stock listing with receiving dates and last-sold dates. Lines with no recent sales are slow movers. Ask the seller why they were bought: a special request, a bulk discount, a supplier minimum? Check whether suppliers accept returns or exchanges and whether that option still applies to older goods.

Compare the stock total in the books with what you see. If slow items are carried at full cost, earnings may look better than they are, so ask your accountant to test it. Also ask how the owner plans markdowns, because a buyer may need to clear the shelves before ordering anew. Ask also whether the store keeps special items only for a few loyal artists, because those buyers may leave with the owner.

Key takeaways

• Inspect paints and papers for drying, splitting, yellowing and damp marks.
• Use last-sold dates, not just stock counts, to identify slow movers.
• Ask whether suppliers will take any of the old stock back.
• Have your accountant check how old stock is carried in the books.