8 Tips for Selling Jewelry Online

You've decided to sell jewelry online. Great! Now what? Here are eight tips, with some helpful links on related resources to have you selling like a pro online in no time.

2. Stand Out

Do something fun, unique or entertaining. Think outside the box. One way Fire Mountain Gems has done this is by choosing to use our employees, or friends and family members, in our model shots. Customers love seeing everyday people wearing the gorgeous pieces our jewelry designers create. Offering a free gift is another way some businesses add a little something to the buying experience in order to keep their name in your mind. Offering gift boxes can make you a go-to seller, too. Any packaging twist you can add, like a decorative label, pretty tissue paper or even a bed of potpourri, can make a big impression on the buyer and gift recipients. Find something that makes you stand out, whether that's how you present your products, what's in your designs or even something as simple as offering custom orders.

3. Know Your Demographic

Who are you selling to? Women? Men? Baby boomers? Generation X or younger? Narrowing down the core group of individuals you think your handmade jewelry will appeal to helps direct your marketing efforts. If you want to appeal to a younger crowd, you may want to use up-to-the-minute or pop culture references including emojis and memes. Think about who is and will be buying your products, then tailor the way you present yourself to be as welcoming as possible for that crowd. It's okay if you're not universally appealing to everyone--no one can do that.

5. Make Sure the Price is Right

Pricing is the bane of existence for anyone who sells handmade goods. You don't want to sell yourself short, but you don't want to price yourself out of the market. Compare and research pricing of similar businesses or products to start gauging where your prices might land. Be sure to remember your time as an artist is valuable, and include that thought process when deciding on the final price. In the article ''Pricing Your Jewelry Designs'', you'll find some more specific factors to consider, as well as a downloadable PDF of a potential pricing structure.

6. The More Information the Better

You want concise and descriptive information. People want to know what they're getting ahead of time, and if anything is unclear, most won't take the time to ask. So provide the materials used in designs up front and even add why you love the piece. Does it have a story behind it? Were you struck by sudden inspiration? It's fun to read about the creative process--just keep it fairly brief, since we all know the Internet shortens attention spans considerably. More information also includes making sure your policies are easy to find so there's no confusion about returns, exchanges, etc. later.

8. It's a Business

And finally, acknowledge you're stepping out of the hobby world and into business. If you treat your online business like a hobby, that's how prospective purchasers will see it--as just a hobby. Decide the online venue you're going to sell through; whether that's your own site or an online store like Etsy.

You may have to hire some help, depending on how familiar you are with maintaining a website or how many social media platforms you want to manage. You'll want to make sure you still have time to create all your beautiful jewelry, too. So get out there, be creative and sell your handmade jewelry. We can't wait to see what you're making!