I thought some of you might like some tips on how to sell your jewellery.
I have been making and selling jewellery since 1989 and this year (2013) alone I have set up 3 online shops with an inventory of over 100 items of jewellery & made several sales.
Through the years I have learned how to take good photos and how to use other sites to promote my jewellery and how to find outlets and craft fairs to sell to the public. I even have people calling me to ask me to sell at their fairs. I have also learned how to get organised for shows and display my jewellery, plus the all important pricing.
I have had a few disasters along the way, like my first craft fair, that was cancelled with just 1 week to go! I had been planning it for 4 months and driving my family crazy. It was going to be my big launch and that cancellation took the wind out of my sales. I moped for 3 days. A week later I had booked 3 more fairs, determined that I would not give up.
I will be going into more detail with future posts but here are a few quick tips;
1. Always make sure that your jewellery is well made. That sound obvious but this is a biggy. Make sure that you have tucked all your wire in neatly, trimmed your threads, firmly secured crimps and jump rings. I like to wrap all of my wired connections because unwrapped loops can open if pulled. I also file my wire ends if I am using 0.6mm or above and I make sure that the ends are neatly tucked in. Check for any scratchy bits. Make sure that the thread you used is up for the job, strong and not previously used on something else. I am all for recycling but never for wire or thread. If you are using chain, check that it will stand up to gentle tugging, some chains are weak and sometimes links are not closed properly. Close all jumprings so that they are flushly lined up. Do not used damaged beads. Nothing is unbreakable but if you do all that you can to make sure your product is good then it won't come back to bite you.
2. Daylight is best for photography. I never use a flash when taking photos, I like to take my photos in daylight, with a fold up light box (which I use more to hide my surroundings than anything else). I will either go outside if it is a nice day or use my conservatory (a greenhouse is also good). I have tried using bits of driftwood, shells and pottery but my favourite props are ordinary necklace busts or earring stands and a plain white background. It is easier to brighten up a picture with a white background if you have software with a white balance button. I use a basic Microsoft program that came with my laptop.
3. Don't rely on Etsy or Folksy as your main outlet. I love that these sites are so cheap and easy to use but the big problem with them is that everyone else loves that too. There is just too much competition and you will find that its hard to make sales on there unless you have some sort of following or status. I have seen some jewellery makers who sell 5 or more items a day at $30+ per item, a very good living, but they have created their own brand and this takes time and a lot of work that doesn't include making the jewellery. I have sold on Etsy and have an Etsy shop but I also have a separate online store with my own URL www.abigailfranklyn.com
4. Decide on your style. This is hard for me, I hate being constrained, so I ignore this rule from time to time and make what I want. However, I decided that my online shop and my tables at craft fairs would only have gemstone jewellery on them. I have a spare Etsy shop for my glass jewellery. I also decided that I would give free gift boxes and free UK postage with every purchase of gemstone jewellery. You can have multiple jewellery making personalities but you may want to keep them separate.
5. Keep up to date on prices. We jewellery makers tend to have stashes of beads and findings. When pricing your jewellery (which I will go into more detail on later) don't forget inflation. Beads don't have a sell by date so if you decide to use that lovely gold lined venetian bead that you have had since 1992, remember to allow for the cost of replacing it today, not what it cost you back then. Other wise your business will not be sustainable (without a time machine) and you won't be able to buy more beads. Oh, the horror!
No comments:
Post a Comment