Where Is The Best Place To Buy Balloons?

If you’re starting a new business doing balloon decorations, you already know how important it is to get balloons in your hands fast and that don’t pop, and come in the right colors.  So often, customers call at the last minute.  Do they think you have a huge inventory in a giant warehouse?  I don’t blame them for thinking that, since Amazon has conditioned the world into thinking we can buy anything with one click and it arrives the next day or two.  Sometimes on the same day.  And if you don’t like it, or it comes broken, you simply return it for a new one or for a full refund. Easy peasy.

So what is a balloon artist to do?  Let’s talk it through.

Amazon is an option, of course. I will start here since many people buy just about everything from Amazon, it’s only logical that they would buy their balloons and supplies there too.  The pros of buying on Amazon is of course selection.  Balloons from all over the world are at your fingertips. Price is another reason to shop Amazon, as they are known for their very competitive prices.  And with Prime, who can beat free delivery?

So let’s look at the downsides.  First is quality.  If you have installed balloons only to have them start popping immediately, you know how important good balloons are.  You’ve learned that they are not all created equal.  You have learned how your reputation can be destroyed if balloons are popping. 

So why do balloons pop?  One reason is the quality of the balloon itself.  To be clear, I am talking only about latex balloons, not foil (mylar), plastic or other types, only latex here.  Some people think balloons are made of plastic, stretchy plastic, but they are not.  Latex is actually a natural substance.  It’s the sap from rubber trees grown in tropical climates.  Like maple syrup from maple trees. 

Think of balloons in two grades - DIY grade and Decorator grade.  The common stuff and the good stuff.  A DIY grade balloon is one you can buy at a big box store like Walmart or Target, or even the Dollar Store.  They look the same, inflate mostly the same, but will feel thinner, may have a funny smell to them, and break more easily.  They are often made with plastic fillers to bring the cost down. 

A Decorator grade balloon, on the other hand, is primarily made of latex.  There aren’t fillers added to bring the cost down and causing the balloons to be weaker.  I say primarily because there are pigments and chemicals added to get the beautiful colors, as well as mica for certain sheens, and other chemicals in trace amounts to ensure elasticity and shelf life (more on that later). But for the most part, Decorator balloons are made of latex. 

Balloon professionals spend extra (sometimes double or triple what Amazon sells them for) for their latex balloons for important reasons.  One is performance.  When you have a balloon job requiring thousands of balloons, and the balloons have to stay inflated for many hours or even several days, you can’t afford to have balloons popping or leaking out slowly.  The balloon manufacturers that specialize in Decorator grade balloons have strict quality control measures in place, testing balloons for consistent inflation, color, and other performance measures.  We think the extra we pay is definitely worth it.  It is our reputation after all.

Never thought about colors being consistent? If you have ever bought several skeins of yarn to make a blanket, you know how important it is to buy them from the same dye lot.  Sunshine yellow can vary from dye lot to dye lot.  Imagine if you had to ensure all your yellow balloons came from the same run to ensure consistent color throughout your party.  Unless you are buying by the case, it’s unlikely that will happen.  Especially if you’re having to buy bags from several sources to get enough for your party.    An no, Amazon is not “one source”.

When balloons are manufactured and bagged, there is a label with a barcode and numbers as well as the color and size of the balloon on that label.  The major Decorator balloon manufacturers include a date code or date of manufacture on that label, so when you buy balloons, you know if they were made a month ago or 10 years ago.  Balloons actually have a shelf life. Remember when I said they are made from latex?  Over time, latex breaks down.  It actually matters how you store them and that you are intentional about always using up your old stock first to ensure your inventory is being rotated and kept fresh.

When you buy balloons off Amazon, do they arrive in a clear plastic bag with nothing printed on the bag?  That’s a problem.  You could be buying balloons that were made years and years ago.

Have you noticed a gassy smell coming from balloons you’ve ordered from Amazon?  Yeah, that isn’t good.  Balloons are not supposed to smell like that.  Who knows how or where they were made, or what chemicals are in them to make them smell so badly.  I personally would not want to touch them with bare hands, let alone inflate them with my mouth.  Ew.

I had a friend who bought a balloon kit from Amazon.  When it arrived, it didn’t come with a hand pump to inflate them.  She called me up, embarrassed that she didn’t order from me to begin with, and begged me to help her out.  Because she was my friend, I said yes.  When I opened up the unmarked, clear plastic bag of balloons, I was immediately hit with a strong, gassy smell.  It filled my balloon studio.  It lingered for a few days. Whatever was on those balloons made my cuticles bleed.  The only times my cuticles would bleed from doing balloons was when I had to tie thousands of individual balloons.  There was less than 200 balloons in her kit. 

I shared my experience with my balloon decorator colleagues so they could decide for themselves if they wanted to help a customer out with an Amazon balloon kit like I did.

That is the question.  Like any other industry, the Balloon Industry has manufacturers and distributors. Distributors buy the balloons in huge quantities from the manufacturers.  The distributors know how to properly store and ship the balloons to keep the quality at its best.  Did you know balloons don’t like to be stored in hot, humid places?  That speeds up the latex breaking down.  Sure, you may have to pay for shipping.  Sure, the choices won’t be as broad as Amazon.  But, more important than selection and free shipping is quality of product. You know the balloons being sold at the distributor came directly from the manufacturers.  You know they are will have the date codes on them so you know how fresh they are.  You know they are being stored properly to maintain freshness. 

Sure, you pay extra for that, but what is your reputation worth?

I don’t recommend googling. I do recommend visiting top balloon manufacturer’s websites and looking there for distributors.  Here are some links to get you started.  The distributors may need proof that you are in business, so be prepared for that.  I recommend you develop good relationships with 3 or 4 distributors in case one is out of stock of what you need, another can help you out.  Always treat them with kindly and with respect; they can be your biggest ally when you need balloons and supplies expedited, or immediate help if there is anything wrong with your order.

https://anagramballoons.com/find-anagram/

https://ballooniausa.com/blogs/news/find-a-distributor

https://gemarusa.com/united-states/

https://kalisanballoon.com/our-distributors/

https://us.qualatex.com/en-us/purchase-qualatex-balloons/qualatex-balloon-network-distributors/

https://en.sempertex.com/pages/global-distributors

https://tuftexballoons.com/distributors

I hope this expands your thinking on where you get your balloons, and how sourcing them can make you break your business, and your reputation.  As a Balloon Professional, using professional grade balloons as well as professional supplies and decorator equipment is an important part of being in business for yourself.  The distributors can supply you with almost everything you need to improve the quality of what you sell to your customers.

Rachel Porter is a business coach and very experienced balloon decor business owner. She offers her services through MyBizBrain.

Growing balloon decor sales is an important way to keep you engaged as an owner in your business. Rachel Porter of Biz Brain provides one on one business coaching if you are looking for a trusted advisor. She founded and operated a very successful decor business for over 20 years.

If you need a one-stop-shop for all your marketing and sales process needs, have a look at Balloon Suite plans and choose one that will help you grow your sales.