If you like to grow an online business, you might have thought about how to sell jewelry online.
This ecommerce market is a fast-growing, multi-billion dollar industry, and it can be intimidating. It doesn’t matter if you’re a master metalsmith or a vintage Victorian locket hunter. Maybe you just want to set up a low maintenance dropshipping business for trendy jewelry or you can build your own store and sell your self-made jewelry online.
There are no barriers to entry. The below details will give you more ideas on how to sell jewelry online in eight simple steps.
- Define Your Jewelry Niche
Men, women, old, young; everyone loves jewelry. However, the type of jewelry that various people appreciate differs tremendously. You will need to identify a niche of people who like the type of jewelry that you are going to sell. It helps to think about who your ideal, target customer might be.
Age factors in as well, as older customers are increasingly less likely to buy fashion jewelry for a one time occasion unless it’s as a gift. Some people are creeped out by the idea of secondhand jewelry, while other cherish vintage treasures.
Certain cultures have traditional jewelry styles, and understanding this can help you to better understand where the jewelry you are selling fits. Familiarize yourself with the goals and traditions related to the jewelry you sell to better narrate its story. This will also help you to understand your target customer.
- Determine Your Initial Overhead
If you make jewelry, you already know that the cost of materials adds up quickly. Once you invest in more high-end metals and stones, this cost increases. Take the time to figure out the total cost of the raw materials of each piece you create. Then, factor in the hours that it took you to create it.
While the cost of products will fluctuate, keeping track of this and other expenses is essential for figuring out your average total overhead, as well as the minimum retail prices for your products. Because you are going to be selling online rather than in person, there are some additional expenses you will need to factor into your overhead cost.
- Find the Right Ecommerce Website Builder for You
If diamonds are a girl’s best friend, then an ecommerce website is your jewelry store’s best friend!
Yes, you can sell your jewelry through marketplaces such as eBay, Etsy, or ArtFire – these are popular platforms, and maybe you’ve bought or sold through them before. They’re fine for starting, but the best way to sell online is by having an online store…
…and the best way to build an online store is with an ecommerce website builder!
An ecommerce website builder is an online platform that helps you build your very own online store. You’re in control of everything, from your design to your website address and the products you list. All you need is an internet connection – no coding or tech skills necessary.
- Why Should You Use an Ecommerce Website Builder?
- One of the main reasons for using an ecommerce builder is the amount of time it will save you. Once you have your online store set up, the builder you choose has the tools to run time-consuming tasks by itself. From inventory tracking to real-time shipping quotes, your ecommerce builder can free up your time for other important tasks.
- Choosing an Ecommerce Website Builder
- That all sounds pretty tempting, right? But how do you go about choosing an ecommerce website builder? What makes a good builder, and which should you avoid?
- Every business is different, so you must choose a builder that is right for you.
- Here are five things to think about when you’re searching for the one:
- Budget and value for money – take a look at the builder’s price plans and see how they fit with your budget. Don’t just look at the starter prices – make sure the higher plans are suitable too for when the time comes to upgrade.
- Ease of use – if you’re a total tech-phobe, make sure your builder is beginner-friendly! Our reviews always explore ease of use, and you can sign up for a free trial to test it for yourself too.
- Design – you need your store to look as good as the products it’s selling. How many templates are there to choose from? How much can you change the design? Don’t leave the design as an afterthought – make it count!
- Customer support – when things do go slightly wrong, you’ll need a helping hand. It’s worth checking you’re happy with the support options on offer.
- Select and Customize a Theme
In brick-and-mortar jewelry stores, products are laid out in the best possible way to show them off. An online store should be no different.
That’s why you need to pick the perfect theme. A theme is a website template that shows the layout and designs your pages will have if you choose it.
There are lots of things to think about when you’re picking your theme. Fortunately, ecommerce builders make the selection process easier by categorizing themes into industries, and even layouts – for example, if you want large images or a grid layout for your website.
On Builderfly store, you will all have specific sections for jewelry.
Customizing a Theme
Of course, you don’t just choose a theme and then leave it – the fun part is making it your own! Customizing your theme lets you build your business brand through colors, fonts, and more.
Here’s a quick look at just some of the things you can customize and add:
- Colors
- Fonts
- Images
- Backgrounds
- Videos
- Galleries
- Extra pages
- Contact forms
The best part is, you don’t need a degree in web design or natural instincts for color gradients to customize your storefront – ecommerce website builders make it all really easy.
- Set Up Payments
You’re so close to getting your store live, but don’t forget to set up the most important part – payments!
There are tons of different payment options out there. The one you choose will depend on your location and currency, your banking preferences, and even your customer demographic.
With that in mind, here’s a quick list of the main payment options available:
- PayPal
- Stripe
- Square
- Amazon Pay
- Apple Pay
The most important thing to check when it comes to accepting payments through your store is SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) security. This encrypts the data that is entered into your site, protecting information like credit card details from being hacked.
- Sort Out Your Shipping
Shipping isn’t quite as fun as taking arty product photos, but it’s just as important.
- Shipping Origin Address
- First of all, you need somewhere to ship Your shipping origin address will tell your ecommerce builder what tax applies to orders and is essential for calculating shipping rates and processing returns.
- Shipping Destinations
- You might be worried about how much it’ll cost to ship to certain areas. What if someone puts in order from halfway across the world? Well, that’s where shipping zones come in. You can choose how local or large-scale you want to go. So if you only want to ship to your state, you can!
- Types of Shipping
- There are multiple ways you can handle your shipping rates. These will depend on the builder you choose, and often which plan you’re on, but here’s a quick overview of the main shipping types available.
- Flat rate shipping – charge a fixed price on certain products and/or orders. For example, it would cost $3 to ship orders anywhere in the US.
- Free shipping – the best kind for customers, and a great option for businesses looking for a win with their shoppers. You can offer free shipping for all orders if you’re feeling generous; you can also restrict it to certain products, or use it to reward orders over a certain amount.
- Price-based and weight-based rates – it speaks for itself, but you can charge shipping based on the price or weight of the product, through regular postage services.
- There are multiple ways you can handle your shipping rates. These will depend on the builder you choose, and often which plan you’re on, but here’s a quick overview of the main shipping types available.
- Preview, Test, and Launch Your Online Jewelry Store
It’s almost the right time to hit that publish button and push your online jewelry store out into the world. But just as your beautiful jewelry won’t have any scratches or broken links, your online store needs to pass inspection.
Veer away from the publish button, and instead head for the ‘Preview’ button. This will let you see your store as it would appear live on the internet.
Here’s a shortlist of the things you should check before launching your site:
- Links – Does the new page load properly? Is it the right page for the link?
- Images – you want your carefully taken photos to be appreciated, so make sure they load properly, aren’t fuzzy or blurred, and don’t turn into an empty grey box – it’s every shopper’s nightmare!
- Checkout – possibly the most important thing, go through your own checkout process to make sure it’s a smooth and seamless journey.
- Settings – make sure your store’s language, currency, and contact details are all consistent and up to date.
These are little things that can easily be missed when you’ve been working on something for a while.
- Promote Your Jewelry Online
After allowing yourself some time for a happy dance to celebrate publishing your very own online jewelry store, return to your screen for the penultimate step of our journey:
It’s time to promote your heart out!
This is where you can do your store a massive favor by getting on top of the following two things: SEO, and multichannel selling.
- SEO
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is what makes your website get found by search engines like Google. Ecommerce website builders have built-in SEO tools that automatically make search engines sit up and pay attention.
- Multichannel Selling
- Imagine you’re on your phone, going through Instagram posts, and you see the most beautiful bracelet staring back at you. In a few taps and swipes, you’ve bought it and discovered a new favorite jewelry store – all without leaving your social feed.
- That’s the power of multichannel marketing, which gives you the option to easily sell across different platforms such as Facebook, Flipkart, Amazon, and Instagram.
If you make jewelry yourself, be open to collaborating with your customers and accepting custom orders. This requires excellent communication and creative flexibility, but the payoff is that you are more likely to receive a great review.
There you have it. You now have the tools you need to shine, rather than being just another diamond in the rough. Ready to get started? Sell jewelry online with Builderfly with a free 14-days trial.
