Have you considered taking the leap from jewelry-making hobby to business but you just don’t know where to sell your jewelry? I have a list of the five best places you can sell your jewelry and make money while doing it.
Your workplace can be a really good source of customers for a budding jewelry business. Make a new piece for yourself and wear it to work. Show it off to your coworkers. Let them know that you made it yourself and, if they are interested, they can purchase that style too. If your coworkers like your handmade jewelry, you will have people begging to get the latest style in no time.
I have had coworkers purchase my jewelry for themselves and as gifts for their spouses, family and friends. Many friends of mine have also sold their handmade pieces in this way.
Craft fairs are great options for selling handmade jewelry. The shows usually cater to a niche market which means visitors are interested in the products on display. This increases your chances of getting sales.
Find out whether there are any upcoming local craft shows or fairs and sign up for one that is a few months away. This will give you time to make several pieces of jewelry in various price ranges and colours for the show and to prepare your display.
Ask the organizers of the craft fair about the visitors that usually attend the show to determine the age range, gender etc. This will help you to determine the best kind of jewelry to make and your price point.
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Craft shows are great for testing new products. You have access to hundreds or thousands of potential customers. You can get face-to-face feedback about new products or ideas. This way you can either avoid wasting time and energy on products that customers do not respond to or go full-steam ahead if the reaction is positive.
Read the related post Theft: How To Prevent It While Selling Jewelry.
Shopping plazas or malls have kiosks where you can sell handmade jewelry if you really are serious about starting a business. The rent may be pricey so make sure to have your accounting in order. Kiosks are usually in the centre of all the action and are highly visible which will aid your chances of getting sales.
One way to start your handmade jewelry business is to supply gift shops or boutiques. Stores are always looking for inventory and sometimes are great supporters of locally-made products. Make an appointment with the store owner or manager and showcase your products and wholesale prices.
While you may not profit as much as if you were selling at retail prices, you can make up for this by selling to multiple locations.
You may consider creating your own online store. This route can prove to be difficult if you are new to the technicalities of running an eCommerce website. Also, you are the sole person responsible for driving traffic to the store.
Listing your products on online marketplaces instead, or in addition to your own website, can have several benefits. The first is you do not need to set up your own payment system or deal with payment processing. eCommerce platforms already provide this service.
Another advantage is there is no need for you to worry about website maintenance. Making sure your website is functional and secure can be quite a hassle.
The third and most important benefit to you is eCommerce platforms bring customers to you. The only way these websites will survive is if their clients, the sellers, are happy. You will only be happy if there are lots of customers purchasing your goods. The owners of these websites know this and invest a lot of time and money into advertising to ensure they drive people there. When you create your online store, thousands of customers who already shop on the websites, can potentially see your products and purchase from you.
A major downside of using an online marketplace is that you are at the mercy of the owners of the website. If they make any changes to the way the platform operates or worst yet, shut down, you can be out of business very fast.
Another drawback is that you have lots of competition in the same place. It will be easy for customers to compare products and prices and you may lose sales because of it.
There are several websites that bring together buyers and sellers of handmade items. Some include Etsy, Handmade by Amazon, eBay, ArtFire and Zibbet. You may have to pay a listing fee per item or a monthly fee. Weigh the pros and cons of each website before you make your final choice or sign up for several and expand your customer base. If you do choose to have more than one online store, just ensure that each one is kept up-to-date and all of the product information is consistent.
There is no single way to sell your jewelry. Maybe several of these suggestions can work for you. A physical shop along with an online store can be advantageous. Think carefully about how you want to run your business and then decide what works best for you.
You may also be interested in this post: Helpful Insider Advice For Selling Handmade Jewelry.