Whether you’ve found some pretty trinkets in your attic, or you make your own accessories, now is a rewarding time to be selling jewelry online. More people are discovering the benefits of buying from small businesses recently – not only does it help support independent sellers, but it’s also more sustainable than fast fashion.
We’ll walk you through easy steps to successfully sell jewelry online, so you can start dazzling your customers!
Setting up an online jewelry business is undoubtedly an exciting prospect, but one that comes with questions like ‘where do I start?’ and ‘do I have enough know-how to make this work?’ These questions are completely reasonable – every jewelry business owner has them at first. But while you may have questions about how to start a jewelry business online, there are some basic steps you can take to ensure that you’re working towards setting up an online jewelry business that’s geared for growth.
Think About Your Niche
One of the first things to consider when selling anything online is your niche – and selling jewelry is no different. This is still important even if you’re selling used items, and is vital if you’re actually launching a jewelry business.
Look at your jewelry pieces and ask yourself:
Who is most likely to buy this?
Where will that customer shop?
How can I connect with my audience?
It’s important to understand not just what you’re selling, but who you’re selling to. Knowing this will help you in the next steps – for example, it’ll give you a better idea of which platform to sell on, and what branding choices are most suitable to catch your customers’ attention.
If you’re hand-making jewelry for young people, for example, you may want to sell on social media and use a fun, light tone for your branding. If you’re selling engagement rings, you might want a more professional website to showcase your jewelry.
It’s clear that your niche has a big impact on your selling journey!
Creating a niche takes a bit more work if you’re setting up a business from scratch. If you need help with that, check out our full guide on How to Find Your Niche, then come back for the next steps in selling your jewelry online. Otherwise, skip straight on to step number two!
Deal with legal
There are some fundamental legal considerations that will need to be made when you’re about to set up your online jewelry business. If you haven’t already done so at this stage, you should select a trading name and do some research into your tax obligations as a business. More specifically, as a jeweler who works with precious metals, you will need to ensure your precious metal pieces are hallmarked correctly.
Get Your Own Website
You must be wondering how to start a jewelry business online for free. This is possible if you can put your jewelry images in a free classified online portal. People around the world can view them and order online. This will give your profit. It is preferable to get your own website in which you can operate independently. Contact a domain hosting site and book your domain name. You will get several packages with bandwidth limits. Initially, go for the startup pack.
Contact a Graphics Designer
How to start a fashion jewelry business is the question of many individual entrepreneurs. Knowing a few important facts is vital. Contacting a graphics designer is a must when you are developing your website along with the pictures of your jewelry and models wearing the same. Ask him to upload the designs.
Online Marketplaces
The best thing about online marketplaces is that you don’t need to work hard to get your products in front of customers – platforms such as Amazon, eBay, and Etsy are hugely popular and get tons of traffic every day.
The downside is that you have no control over your branding, and you also face a lot of competition from other brands selling on the same marketplace. This means you probably won’t get many loyal or repeat customers, as you’re not creating a memorable brand.
While you usually don’t have to pay an expensive subscription to sell through online marketplaces, you might have to pay listing fees or transaction fees depending on which marketplace you choose. Always check the rules and fees before signing up, as it could eat into your profits if the fees are too high.
It’s worth noting that Etsy only allows handmade or vintage items, while Amazon only permits new jewelry to be sold through its marketplace. eBay is best if you just have one or two jewelry pieces to sell.
Get sociable
The use of social media platforms to share images and updates on your designs is a powerful and straightforward way of gaining more traction online. Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook are rife with amateur designers trying to push their designs, so make sure your social messaging stands out from the rest with professional images of your products, competitions to encourage people to engage with your jewelry brand, and also consider using deals and discounts on certain pieces to spark interest. Social media sharing is invaluable to not only setting up a jewelry business online but if done regularly, will play a vital role in your business’s growth.
