A handy guide for those who want to launch their jewelry business online.
Selling jewelry online is a great business venture for those who have a passion for the art of jewelry-making. A love for the craft is a great start to any endeavor and is a great fuel to take on this goal. If you find yourself no longer just content with just looking at your jewelry display at home and instead you want to earn from your hobby, then we think you are on the right track.
There’s also the fact that the demand exists for the products. At the same time, many buyers have shifted online to do their shopping in the past one to two years. That’s why we’ve put together this article to help any would-be online jewelry entrepreneurs out there with some helpful advice to start them off in the right direction. If you have the grit to achieve success in the field then you have come to the right place.
1. Figure out the niche you want to focus on.
Before we get to the more complex parts of this whole process, let us begin by simplifying things. That can be done when you zero in on the niche you would want your online jewelry business to focus on. We’ve always advised our readers to put themselves in their customers’ shoes; now here’s another opportunity to do just that.
The first thing you need to do is to figure out the type of customer you would like your jewelry shop to cater to ー that will help you narrow down the jewelry styles you will be selling. From there you will have a blueprint of where you will be taking your new business venture. Everything from your raw materials to your creative/sourcing process to store marketing will be based on the niche you’ve chosen to focus on.
2. Decide how you will be filling up your product line.
Your love for jewelry is what got you to start this exciting venture but have you already decided on the ‘hows’ of your shop’s product development? Once you’ve gotten into narrowing your market by picking your target niche, this part will come much easier to tackle.
At this point, you have to decide whether you will be making your own products or having a third party make the goods for you by striking out a consignment deal. Another option is to buy wholesale jewelry for reselling.
Go with the first choice if you’ve already started on the process of jewelry-making or if you have designs you really want to execute and sell. Go with the second choice if you would like to focus on the management of your business (running the website, marketing, handling customer relations) and have others be in charge of the creative process.
3. Choose the platform that will host your business.
Once you’ve narrowed down your niche and figured out how you will sustain your shop with your merchandise, the next step is to decide on the website that will serve as the host for your online jewelry store. Will you be joining a well-established online marketplace like Amazon or Etsy or would you like to strike out on your own by running your own website? Your choice when you go this route is to go with e-commerce platforms like Shopify or Squarespace. Another option is to sell your wares on social media apps such as Instagram or Facebook. Different platforms will have different features and it is up to you to decide which are the ones your online jewelry shop would benefit the most from. Likewise, many of these e-commerce host sites have different price plans for you to pick from.
Whether you choose to make a listing on a large marketplace or decide to have your own website, both would have their pros and cons but your choice should make sense to you in terms of your vision plus finances.
4. Make sure to create great images of your merchandise.
Whether you choose to use a free marketplace such as Facebook or if you decide to take your wares and sell it on your own website, product presentation will definitely determine whether you succeed in selling or not. You need to invest enough time and effort into making sure your products are presented in the best light possible ー and we mean this literally.
Good lighting is only the beginning. You also need to make sure you’re using props that enhance the beauty of your products. Your setup, the jewelry display tool use, as well as your backdrop will contribute to the success of your photograph. Everything must be in perfect condition and so you may need to do a little bit of shopping for items such as necklace stands and earring display devices, as well as art materials for your photography setups. In terms of camera equipment, you may begin with a good camera phone but eventually, you will need to invest in an actual camera and photography light fixtures so you can take photos in different conditions. If you’re not confident with your photography skills then it’s best to hand the task to someone more knowledgeable ー a bit of good advice to remember in different stages of this process, to be perfectly honest.
5. Provide sufficient information in the product descriptions.
There's no substitute to an in-person product demonstration, so you better make sure your online jewelry store's product descriptions would make for a good substitute for one
Here’s where a flair for words will come in handy. Your merchandise’s product descriptions should have a good mix of strong, descriptive language with a bit of creativity thrown in. Don’t forget to feed the buying public with the facts but also serve them with some lines that will appeal to their emotions. After all, a lot of jewelry purchases stem from buyers wanting to express their affections to their loved ones or to celebrate life’s milestones. Your best bet is to speak the language of your target niche.
Again, if you’re having trouble with this part, it’s best to let a writer you trust handle the task.
6. Price your products fairly.
We need to be clear that our advice here to price fairly goes for you, the entrepreneur, and also the jewelry buyer. Picking the right price may be a bit tricky for a beginner but you just need to remember to price your jewelry items to cover your costs. Take into account your expenses during the creative and sourcing processes when computing how to price your products. Likewise, if you are also the creator then you need to factor in labor costs. Remember also to research jewelry retail price standards to see if you’re within the range. Lastly, consistency is key here so you have to apply the same pricing standards and adjustments to all the products in your line.
7. Promote your website anywhere you go.
Take the opportunity to advertise your new jewelry shop website whenever you can. You can use several methods such as posting teasers and countdowns on your social media pages (it’s best to have several so you can cover different social media users). Free posts are nice to start things off but as your launch gets nearer, it’s best to go for paid ads to reach more folks. You can also encourage your family and friends to share the great news about your new business venture as a form of word-of-mouth marketing.
Good luck!
