How to sell jewelry online: a complete ecommerce guide

Jewelry is a highly sought-after consumer product with universal appeal. It's popular among men and women of all ages and cultures, which means there's a vast potential market for you to tap into.

Selling jewelry online ensures that you have access to a broad customer base, and you're unlikely to run out of buyers anytime soon.

In addition, the online jewelry market is thriving. Many people enjoy browsing and purchasing jewelry online, making it an ideal place to sell your products.

Furthermore, it's a platform where individuals can share their past heirlooms and find their next favorite piece of jewelry, creating a sense of community among buyers and sellers.

So, if you're considering starting an online jewelry store, rest assured that you're entering a market with enormous potential for success. Keep reading to learn how to sell jewelry online.

Making your own jewelry to sell online vs. sourcing products

When it comes to sourcing your products, you have two options: you can either create your own jewelry or source products from other designers. Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages, so it's up to you to decide which option works best for your business. Consider your skills, resources, and budget when making this decision.

Also consider that fashions continually evolve. To keep your customers engaged and interested, you'll need to update your product range regularly and stay up-to-date with the latest trends and styles.

Fashion is a dynamic and ever-evolving niche, with new trends and fads emerging all the time. To be successful in this industry, you'll need to stay on top of these trends and incorporate them into your online store to keep up with the demands of your customers.

What you need to sell jewelry online

Now that you have decided whether to create your own jewelry to sell online or source it, here are a few more considerations for getting started.

Inventory vs. dropshipping

If you're learning to sell jewelry online, one of the first things you need to consider is where you'll obtain your jewelry. You have two options: inventory or dropshipping.

Buying inventory wholesale involves purchasing larger quantities of jewelry and storing them in a location of your choice. This is the traditional way of doing business and has both advantages and disadvantages to consider.

Pros:

• You have more control over the quality of the jewelry since you can touch and examine it.
• You can ship the jewelry faster and however you want.
• Storage costs are usually low since jewelry is small and can be stored in your garage or basement.

Cons:

• Purchasing wholesale can be more expensive due to storage, shipping, and packaging costs.
• Buying large quantities of inventory can result in unsold merchandise.
• More effort is required on your part, including shipping and packaging.

Dropshipping, on the other hand, involves partnering with a dropshipping supplier who handles all aspects of packaging, storing, and shipping your jewelry. Your primary responsibility is to manage your website, market it, and provide customer service.

Pros:

• Dropshipping is typically less expensive in the long run.
• The supplier handles the time-consuming shipping and packaging tasks.
• You don't have to worry about finding expensive warehouse space or overcrowding your garage.

Cons:

• You have less control over the shipping process, and your customers' items may take longer to arrive.
• You can't test the products before they are distributed.
• Customer service becomes more difficult since you are not the one accepting returns or shipping out the products.

Consider these factors carefully when deciding whether to buy inventory or use a dropshipping supplier for your online jewelry business.

An online store

If you're new to selling jewelry online, you may not be familiar with ecommerce website builders. These tools allow you to create and customize your own online store without needing any coding skills.

Having your own online store gives you complete control over everything. This means you can design your website to reflect your unique brand and style. Best of all, it's easy to get started and set up your online store quickly.

The simplest way to create your own online store is to use an ecommerce website builder, which eliminates hiring a costly developer. All you need to do is pick a template, customize it, add your products, customize your settings, choose a domain name, and publish.

If you’re not sure where to get started, consider managed WooCommerce hosting from Nexcess. WooCommerce is built on WordPress, so it’s quick and easy to get started. Fully managed WooCommerce hosting from Nexcess takes care of your site, so you can focus on your business.

Shipping materials

Shipping isn't as exciting as taking artistic product photos, but it's equally important.

Address of origin for shipping

First and foremost, you require a shipping location. Your shipping origin address informs your ecommerce builder about the tax that applies to orders and is required for calculating shipping rates and processing returns.

Shipping destinations

Shipping zones are simply the areas to which you ship – for example, you could have the United States as one shipping zone and the rest of the world as another. You have the option of going on a small or large scale.

Types of shipping

If you're planning to sell jewelry online, it's important to consider the different types of shipping options available to you. Depending on the ecommerce builder you choose and your plan, you may have access to different shipping methods. Here's a breakdown of some of the main types.

Exact shipping costs: You can charge customers the exact amount it costs to ship the item through regular postage or a courier like USPS.

Flat rate shipping: This option allows you to charge a fixed price for shipping on certain products and/or orders. For instance, you can charge $3 to ship orders anywhere in the U.S.

Free shipping: This is an attractive option for customers and can be a great way to incentivize purchases. You can offer free shipping for all orders or limit it to certain products, or use it as a reward for orders over a certain amount.

Calculated shipping rates: With this option, you can offer customers the lowest shipping rates by using real-time shipping quotes from couriers like USPS, Canada Post, FedEx, and others.

Price-based and weight-based rates: You can charge shipping based on the price or weight of the product using regular postage services.

Payment options

When selling jewelry online, pricing is crucial to attracting customers. Precious stones or handcrafted items should be priced accordingly to reflect their value and the time and skill invested in making them.

Accepting payment from customers is a simple process that involves linking your online store to your bank account. Various payment options are available, including PayPal, Stripe, Square, Amazon Pay, and Apple Pay, depending on your location and currency, banking preferences, and customer demographic.

It is essential to have a clear ecommerce return policy in place in case a customer needs to cancel or return their purchase. A well-defined policy protects both the customer's right to redressal and the company's interests.

How to sell jewelry online

Selling jewelry online has become more accessible with the rise of ecommerce technology. However, to build a successful online jewelry business, you need to create a brand strategy that encompasses your products, values, and target audience.

Finding your specialty is more than just identifying your specialized market segment, though this is an important first step. It also addresses who you intend to sell to and how you intend to obtain the goods in the first place. Finding your niche is similar to developing an ecommerce business plan.

Building a customer base is crucial, and loyalty programs can keep customers coming back to your store again and again.

Marketing your jewelry online

You can also utilize video content, such as product videos or customer testimonials to market your products and brand. Social media is a powerful tool for reaching your target audience.

To market your jewelry, you may want to focus your efforts on paid Facebook and Instagram ads. Take high-quality product photos, and consider modeling your products on friends and family. Email marketing can also be effective when tied to coupons and rewards.

Developing a content marketing strategy that includes blog posts, product images, buyers guides, and videos is essential to attracting new customers. Use scheduling software like Buffer to streamline the process.

Remember that when it comes to marketing your products, creativity and consistency are key to building a successful online jewelry business.

Additional sales and marketing techniques

If you're learning to sell jewelry online, it's important to know how and where to promote your products. Here are some key strategies to consider:

Paid promotion

One effective way to promote your store is through paid advertising. The following five strategies can help you maximize your marketing efforts.

• SEO: Search Engine Optimization is crucial to help your store rank higher in search engines like Google. Ecommerce website builders have SEO tools and guides to help you optimize your website.
• Multichannel selling: Selling on multiple platforms, such as Facebook, eBay, Amazon, and Instagram, can increase your reach and sales.
• Email marketing: Email is a powerful tool for promoting your products, announcing sales and discounts, and engaging with your customers.
• Social media: Use social media to promote your brand and products, and engage with your customers.
• Customer reviews: Encourage your customers to leave reviews, as they can help build trust and increase sales.

Competitor analysis

It's important to research your competitors to see what they offer and how they promote their products. This can help you identify areas where you can differentiate yourself and stand out in the market.

Pricing

Pricing your jewelry is a crucial decision. A good rule of thumb is to start with four times your material cost and packaging. This can help ensure you're not working for free or losing money. Consider whether you will charge for shipping, and have a clear return policy in case of any issues with your products.

Start selling jewelry online with managed WooCommerce

Selling jewelry online offers a world of opportunities for small businesses to reach a wider customer base and expand their brand. However, consumers need to know that they can trust your website with their personal and financial information.

A safe and secure website is not only necessary for building trust with customers but is also essential for the long-term success of your online jewelry business.

Managed WooCommerce hosting from Nexcess has 24/7/365 monitoring so if an issue ever arises, you’ll know before your customers do. It’s built specifically for WooCommerce, so your online store will always be fast, secure, and highly performant.

Check out managed WooCommerce plans from Nexcess to get started today.