Featured Opportunities

Wholesale and Consignment

You can sell large numbers of jewelry to retailers so they can sell your jewelry in their establishments. You have to sell at a steep discount because retailers generally double their cost for the retail price. But it works out for you because you sell a big bunch of jewelry in one sale.

You would making several of the same design over and over, which you can do a faster then trying to make a new design each time. You would then make line sheets, which is basically catalog pages with more information, which you would show to the retailer.

It is best to do some investigating before you approach anyone about buying your jewelry. Go into a store and look around to see what they sell, would it be the kind of store that your jewelry would fit in well, is it the kind of store you would like to be associated with? If so ask the sale clerk when the owner or manager is in and ask for a business card, then later call to set up an appointment with the owner or manager.

Keep in contact with the store to see how things are selling and if they want to buy more. Don't feel funny about asking them if they want more, that's the way other merchandise distributors work too. It might help to offer incentives like free jewelry or bigger discounts if they buy more.

Consignment

When you sell on consignment you leave your jewelry on display in a store, the store collects the money, keeps the pre-set percentage then gives you the rest. It is an advantage to the store because they do not have to invest in buying in bulk nor are they stuck with merchandise that does not sell. You have the advantage of all their customers looking at and buying your jewelry!

As with wholesaling it is best to do some investigating before you approach anyone about buying your jewelry. Go into a store and look around to see what they sell, would it be the kind of store that your jewelry would fit in well, is it the kind of store you would like to be associated with? If so ask the sale clerk when the owner or manager is in and ask for a business card, then later call to set up an appointment with the owner or manager.

Then it is your responsibility to keep the display full and dusted. You will want to take away items that aren't selling well and change seasonal jewelry.

It is really important to keep good records of what jewelry you leave at the store and what jewelry has sold since the last time you were in. Believe me, I know. I lost some money because I was not careful. (It was an honest mistake.) Unless the store puts bar codes on your jewelry it will be your word against theirs. Most people are honest so it is not something to worry about, just be careful.

Another thing you can do to earn more money with out having to spend more time making jewelry is to sell complementary or related items. Items such as jewelry boxes, and jewelry polish/cleaners.