How to Apply for a Listing in the Source Directory

Thank you for your interest in our “Source Directory of American Indian and Alaska Native Owned and Operated Arts and Crafts Businesses”. If you would like to apply for a business listing in our Source Directory and meet the requirements you can download a copy of the application Source Directory Application and return to us via email, fax, or mail. Please remember that you must submit a copy of the business owner’s Tribal enrollment card or for a cooperative or Tribal enterprise, include a copy of the documents showing that the organization is formally organized under Tribal, State, or federal law. If you have an existing business listing and would like to update your business information, please fill out the Source Directory Renewal/Update Form and return it to us.

If you have problems downloading or opening the application, please email or call us and we will mail or fax you an application.

No business can be listed in the Source Directory without this information.

Please send all information to:

Market Development
U.S. Department of the Interior
Indian Arts and Crafts Board
1849 C Street, NW
MS 2528-MIB
Washington, DC 20240

You may also e-mail this information to iacb@ios.doi.gov or fax it to (202) 208-5196.

Source Directory Format

Information in the "Source Directory of American Indian and Alaska Native Owned and Operated Arts and Crafts Businesses" is arranged alphabetically by state. Each listing contains the following information in this order:

Each listing contains the following information in this order:

Name of business Mailing address, city, zip code (highway location, Indian reservation, etc.); hours/season of operation; telephone (type of organization); e-mail address; web site address; owner (tribe) or manager (tribe).

Products: Main categories of products; retail or wholesale; mail order, catalog, and price list information if applicable.

Examples of Business Listings

Hatathli Gallery
Navajo Community College Development Foundation, Tsaile, AZ 86556 (intersection of Navajo Rt. 12 and Rt. 64, Navajo Reservation); 9am-4pm, Mon-Fri; tel (602) 724-3311 (nonprofit organization); M: Janice C. Hillis
Products: Jewelry, paintings, rugs, sandpaintings, beadwork, art. Special orders accepted; no mail order. Write or call for more information.

Ralph W. Sturges
97 Raymond Street, New London, CT 06320; craftsman (Mohegan)
Products: Marble carvings and relief sculpture, such as whales, seals, birds, elephants, ships, and horses; relief seascapes and landscapes. Retail only. Special commissions accepted; no mail order. Call or write for more information.

Advice for Successful Listings

Here's what customers will expect when you use certain words in your listing:

If you say that the business will be open during certain hours and days, you need to stick to them because some customers will travel long distances and expect you to be there. If you are not sure that you can keep regular hours, use the words "telephone first to confirm hours" in your listing.

You have very specific responsibilities if you say you accept mail orders. Customers will expect to be able to get information about your handcrafts and to order them by mail. They will also expect to receive the actual handcrafts soon after you receive their order. By law, if you do not ship a regular mail order to the customer within 30 days of receiving the order, you must notify the customer in writing that the order has been delayed. You must tell the customer the approximate date you expect to ship the order or give the customer the opportunity to cancel the order without cost. This rule does not apply to special orders if you have made different arrangements with the customer when you accept the order.

If you use these words, customers will expect you to consider making a particular item especially for them--perhaps an item that requires more expensive materials, that takes much more time to make, or that includes colors or designs of the customer's choosing. A customer expects a special order to receive special treatment and is often willing to pay a bit more for it, so it's very important that you both understand what you are agreeing to deliver. When you accept a special order, it's a good idea to send the customer a letter that describes the item and any special features you have agreed upon, how and when the customer will pay for it, and when you will send the finished item.

Customers will expect a printed catalog or brochure describing the various items you sell. If your catalog or brochure has pictures of items in it, you can offer an "illustrated catalog." Many businesses charge a small fee to cover the cost of a catalog. If you do this, you should give the amount of the fee in your listing.

This is usually a simple list of the various items you offer for sale, your price for each item, what you charge to pack and ship mail orders, and the methods of payment you accept (checks, money orders, credit cards).

If you accept credit cards for payment, indicate in your listing which ones you accept (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, etc.). Many customers like the convenience of paying by credit card.

You are asking the customer to provide a 4-1/8" x 9-1/2" envelope with postage on it. The customers are making it easier for you to reply and are paying for most of the cost, so they expect you to respond to the request without fail and to do so as soon as possible.

Hint

If you are a member of a business organization (Chamber of Commerce, Indian Arts and Crafts Association, etc.), mention it in your listing. It gives many customers confidence in your business reliability.

Hint

Many people prefer to buy directly from Indian artists, craftspeople, and businesses. If you sell from a store or from your home, you can encourage people to come to your location by including road directions from the nearest major highway.

Return to Top