How to start selling jewelry online

The online share of jewelry sales is steadily growing, and trading in it is becoming more and more attractive. It all starts with finding an online marketplace like Amazon, Etsy, or similar. You also need original ideas and a clear target group, and you need to be good at maintaining your personal brand.

What are the pros of selling jewelry online?

The jewelry business is a fiercely competitive sector in e-commerce. Statistics on online sales of jewelry show it’s one of the most purchased products, along with electronics and household goods. If you’re toying with the idea of selling products online, they you should consider selling jewelry.

There are many pros to selling jewelry online and make having your own jewelry business attractive despite the competition. These include:

• Large profit margins from 25 to 75 percent
• Many niche areas for specialized jewelry
• Many low-cost, free, and scalable online sales platforms
• Easy entry to online jewelry business with own online shop
• Easy to store and ship thanks to light weight and compact size
• Many possibilities due to many jewelry categories
• Personalization through engravings or jewelry on request/order
• Higher prices for luxury items
• Sale of handmade jewelry or by dropshipping
• Subjective aesthetic perception can be guided by online marketing

How do you sell jewelry online?

There are many options when it comes to selling jewelry online. To find out the best method for you, start by asking yourself these questions:

• What kind of jewelry do I want to sell?
• Who is my target group?
• Which categories (necklaces, rings, watches, bracelets, etc.) do I want to sell?
• How much do I want to invest?
• Do I want to sell handmade items or purchase them from jewelry designers?
• Will I cover storage and transport?
• Do I want to start my own brand or act as an intermediary seller?

Answer these questions as early on as possible because the platform and tools you’ll need will depend on this.

Sell via online store or online marketplace?

If you’re selling jewelry online, then you need a shop or a selling platform. Having your “own store” doesn’t have to be your own website, because you can sell jewelry both through your own online store and through a seller account on Amazon, Alibaba, or Etsy and other alternatives.

Online store on your own website

Online store on a sales platform or online marketplace

Selling jewelry online in your own online store

If you’ve opted for own online store, you’ll need to create and set up a website. Both free and paid software tools are available. For example, you can create a free online store with WordPress and combine it with WordPress plugins like the e-commerce plugin WooCommerce. Many WooCommerce plugins to optimize orders and payments promise to make your WordPress CMS (content management system) not only a solid professional website, but also a powerful sales platform.

There are many WordPress alternatives and WooCommerce alternatives that can help you create a website with an online store complete with inventory management. You can add products and offers to your store with social commerce and social selling and market it via social media by for example activating the “sell on Instagram” feature. As an aesthetic product, jewelry is especially well suited for an appealing Instagram online store. Here, the most important thing is excellent product photography.

But let’s not forget about all-in-one online store solutions like Shopify and other alternatives including Shopware and BigCommerce. These aren’t very expensive but offer everything you’ll need and a connection to an online marketplace. From easy setup to tailored designs, product presentations, and managing orders, contracts, and shipping: e-commerce platforms and store builders bundle all the important tools and can be scaled flexibly depending on your budget.

Tools to create an online store

Selling jewelry on online marketplaces

There are many online marketplaces on which you can sell jewelry, but the biggest platforms are undoubtedly Amazon, eBay, Alibaba, and Etsy. With Amazon leading online sales by a wide margin, you shouldn’t miss the chance to sell your products on Amazon. With a professional Amazon seller account, you don’t even need your own website. Simply add your products to your store and start. With the Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) program, you also use Amazon’s logistics (for a fee) to not have to deal with storage, transport, shipping, returns and customer service.

There are also many Amazon alternatives that let you sell jewelry on online marketplaces without a big budget, logistics, or a website. Especially if you’re working independently, selling on Etsy, is a great solution once you’ve opened an Etsy store. Many customers browse for original, handmade products here specifically. But Etsy alternatives like Storenvy, Amazon Handmade, and Bonanza are also great picks for selling jewelry. If you don’t create your own products, then you can resell items via dropshipping.

Online marketplaces to get started selling online

Step-by-step guide to selling jewelry online

Follow these steps to get your online jewelry business up and running, generate as much revenue as possible, and build your customer base:

Step 1: Preliminary considerations and preparations

Develop product idea and sales strategy

If you’re just starting out, the first step is developing ideas for products and sales strategies. This includes jewelry lines, individual pieces, and realistic pricing. Also, decide whether you want to sell your own products or third-party goods (e.g., via dropshipping). Do you want to focus on a few unique pieces or do you rather want to sell bigger collections to generate large sales?

Define your target audience and categories

Create a framework based on factors like demographics and buying behavior to define your target audience and the jewelry you want to sell e.g., rings, necklaces, bracelets, and watches.

Develop the look and feel of your store

Not only what and to whom you sell is crucial. The style, design, and communication should also be well thought out to make your brand or store distinctive. The goal is to create recognition value.

Explore competition and trend analysis

You should neither ignore your competitors nor go in the complete opposite direction of the competition. Analyze similar business models and jewelry lines, create an overview of price ranges in jewelry categories, and get inspired by how successful stores’ design and marketing.

Create a business plan

The basis and guide of a larger-scale jewelry business is to create a business plan. This includes a fully formed business idea, clear marketing strategies, growth targets, sales channels, and information on how your jewelry is made or bought from manufacturers. A realistic financial plan that breaks down your budget, investment plans, and potential investors is especially important, and should also include financial risks.

Develop a marketing strategy

Now it’s time to develop a marketing strategy for promoting your website out there. Find out what marketing tools could come in handy. For example, there are tools like Amazon SEO, Amazon keyword tools and WordPress marketing plugins. Ads and social media marketing can also give you more reach.

Register your business

If you plan on regularly selling jewelry in your online store, then you need to register your business and check whether you need an EIN (employer identification number). If you fail to register your business properly, you may be subject to fines.

Add an imprint and details on data

If you operate a store and sell goods then you need to provide visible, legally compliant terms and conditions, an imprint, and a privacy policy.

Step 2: create an online store to sell jewelry

Create your online store with a tool, store system, or CMS. Your online store should be appealing in terms of design and presentation, and provide customers with a quick overview of offers, shipping, and payment options, as well as prices and additional costs. Product descriptions and images are key, with keywords to improve your SEO ranking. Reliable shipping options, common payment methods, and visible customer support with return policies are also important. Also, choose a suitable domain name, a distinctive store or company name, and an original logo that represents your business.

Step 3: find manufacturers and suppliers

If you don’t want to sell your own jewelry, you can find partners to source products from. This can be through wholesale, dropshipping, or independent jewelry designers. With wholesalers, you purchase products in bulk. You store and ship them yourself, which means you cand o quality checks and take advantage of wholesale discounts. Dropshipping eliminates logistics costs because you don’t manufacture, store, or ship your own goods. But, you have little control over shipping speed and product quality. Check the reputability of the people who manufacture and ship your items, because counterfeit goods or poor quality will end up falling back on you.

Step 4: optimize your stop for search engines

To increase your visibility and reach, you should optimize your content for search engines. Learn about the basics of search engine optimization and especially about image SEO. Also, update your content regularly for better content marketing, to increase traffic and keep new offers and collections coming.

Step 5: high-end product pics and helpful descriptions

Aesthetics are especially subjective when it comes to jewelry. One of the most important things to consider when selling jewelry online are high-quality product photos with different angles and optimal lighting. Get them done professionally and upload only high-resolution photos. Showing jewelry on models also helps. Equally important are informative product descriptions. Here you can make clear your products’ special features and brand vision.

Step 6: marketing products or building your brand

Following tips on optimizing SEO content isn’t enough. It’s best to also learn about email marketing trends, influencer marketing, social media marketing, positive website ratings and customer comments to help grow your user base. WordPress marketing plugins and sponsored ads on Amazon can also help integrate key marketing features in your store.

Step 7: analyze statistics and consumer behavior

Analyze the success of your store and customers’ buying behavior by optimizing your website with web analytics. This will let you check your KPIs (key performance indicators) and identify deficits in keywords, loading times, or presentation. The popularity of products and categories is also displayed.

Step 8: building and maintaining your store

In the jewelry world, the aesthetics and appeal of the brand are as important as the jewelry itself. Therefore, build a brand with recognition, distinctive style, and trustworthy appearance. This includes:

• Flawless product pages and images
• Consistent look and feel
• Trusted customer support
• Safe payment methods
• Easy order processing
• Reliable shipping