Selling Jewelry Retail

When you are selling jewelry retail, also called direct selling, means selling your products directly to the consumer on a person-to-person basis in small quantities.

Wholesalers typically sell for about half the price of retailers (and have better selections.) Purchasing your jewelry making supplies wholesale will allow you to price your work more competitively.

Laws regarding business registration requirements vary from place to place. Contact your local business development office, chamber of commerce or town or city clerk’s office to determine the registration requirements in your own location.

In Canada if you sell jewelry retail you must apply for a Vendor Permit. There is no charge for this permit and you can register through your area Revenue Canada Taxation Retail Sales Tax Office.

Your responsibilities to selling jewelry retail is to charge the correct retail sales tax on the total value of all taxable goods and services. You must collect and send the tax and completed tax returns to the Minister of Finance.

Your local retail sales tax district office will provide you with more information and also issue you a vendor's permit which is a certificate of authority to collect the tax, send you reporting forms and all the necessary instructions, and advise you of dates (usually monthly) for remitting tax collected.

Advantages

Another advantage to selling jewelry retail is that you know your product intimately and can probably sell it more effectively than anyone else. Also, if you can keep your selling costs low, you can charge double your wholesale price and all the profits are yours.

Direct retail selling also gives you the chance to see what the competition is doing, especially in craft shows. When dealing directly to the public you can also build a mailing list by getting names and addresses of customers for future sales.

Disadvantages

When calculating time spent attending shows you must also consider the time spent in preparing for it, travelling there and back, setting up and dismantling your display, packing and unpacking your products then repacking the unsold merchandise, and of course the hours spent sitting in your booth.

Another disadvantage is that the selling costs of retailing your work can be high: entry fees into craft shows, travelling and accommodation expenses, display costs, bags and other packaging materials, etc.

Unless you are able to keep your selling costs low, you will have to price your products high enough to cover these expenses and yet still make a profit.

If you plan to sell your work strictly through craft shows, the most popular being at Christmas and in the Spring, you may find yourself living on a financial roller coaster.

Establish a Merchant Account

Methods to Selling Jewelry Retail

Craft Shows & Fairs

Craft shows have been the launching pad for many successful jewelry designers, and is the best way to get your business off the ground. Selling jewelry retail through craft shows give beginning craftspeople their first sales experience, allowing them to gain confidence in dealing with the public. Testing prices, the saleability of products plus generating first profits are other advantages.

All kinds of shows and fairs are run varying in size from a Sunday-afternoon event (with a few tables set up in a church hall) to a two week or longer event (with hundreds of booths) at a major craft show. Craft shows are held indoors and out, at street fairs, in exhibition halls, in school gyms, community centers and shopping malls.

There are two types of craft shows:

• Juried - where hopeful exhibitors have to submit slides or photos of their work to prove it is of a type and quality desired for a particular event
• Non-juried - which are open to all comers on a first-come-first-served basis, and are usually the starting point for many crafters.

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Niche Markets

Just about every niche industry has their own speciality store or show that sell products and services to their own niche target customers.

Selling jewelry retail through niche markets with specialty shows in a related industry can be a good option beyond the traditional jewelry or craft show and an excellent opportunity to expand your market

By brainstorming through the different niches, you could design and create a whole new line or modify some of your present jewelry designs to meet the needs of a particular niche.

Click here for more detailed information on how selling jewelry retail through Nich Markets. (This new page coming soon)

Studio Sales

Many artisans hold "open houses" in their studios two or three times a year and/or participate in organized studio tours. These events are where you open your studio to the public and people come, not only buy your jewelry, but also to watch the techniques you use in creating your work.

Vendor Carts & Kiosks

Many malls and outdoor markets have ready made kiosks and carts that they rent to vendors. If you have found an area or mall where you would like to rent or set up a kiosk, ask to speak to the marketing or public relations director. Ask about fees and kiosk sizes, explaining the type of product you would like to sell. If you have your own kiosk enquire about the cost of setting it up in their location.

Rented Shelf Space

The arrangement is simple: The store owner agrees to provide a specific amount of shelf, wall, or floor space for a set period of time and the jewelry designer agrees to pay a certain rent (plus sometimes, depending on the store, a commission of about 5 to 10 percent). Renting shelf space insures the shop owner a definite income each month, and he or she continues to handle all aspects of selling the goods. The jewelry designer sets up, decorates and displays their items in any fashion they choose as long as they stay within their own space. They also may remove or change the items on their shelf during the month. Its up to the jewelry designer to re-stock their shelf space after items have been sold.

The success of this arrangement for both the jewelry designer and the shop owner is based upon a mutual appreciation of each other's efforts to sell the work. The complete agreement, including all the specifics, should be written down and signed by both parties. At the end of the first rental period, a meeting should be held to discuss any complaints and to offer suggestions for improving the relationship.

Your Own Web Site

Selling jewelry retail through your own web site is an alternative way of reaching customers both nationally and internationally —without ever leaving your workshop or studio. This is the fastest growing method of marketing in the country, because it offers convenient and easy shopping for the buyer and for the seller. North Americans accept and appreciate the convenience of web purchasing, and the jewelry designer can do everything from their studio or workshop.

Selling jewelry retail through the web simply means conducting a business without personal contact. In such a way orders are solicited on their web site. The merchandise is shipped by any means of suitable transportation, and the money is generally sent by mail.

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Home Party Plans

Today an almost limitless variety of products are marketed through party plans—everything from well known staples such as Tupperware to such nontraditional items as crystal, makeup, clothing, toys, artwork, jewelry, intimate lingerie—and now handcrafts.

Selling jewelry retail through a party plan can be a very economical way of marketing your jewelry because you don't need money for booth or table rental and you can choose the dates when you would like to sell or demonstrate at a party. If you feel that you cannot produce enough products for a party plan then you could consider acting as a sales agent for other jewelry designers to add to your own line.

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Holiday Boutiques

These exciting events are usually organized by one or two individuals who take on the responsibility of selling the craft items to the buying public. All the work is done by the organizers such as promoting the boutique, finding suppliers (other artisans willing to participate in the show), setting up displays, selling, replacing inventory, advertising, and so on.

Click here for more detailed information on selling jewelry retail through Holiday Boutiques. (This new page coming soon)

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