Selling Your Jewelry Creations Online

Lee Dobbins

Selling your jewelry creations online requires different skills and supplies then selling at shows or on consignment. You'll need to develop good computer and digital photography skills as well as set up a shipping area and buy shipping supplies.

Jewelry is a very visual product to sell - potential customers need high quality photographs that display the piece in detail as if they were holding it in their own hands. A good quality digital camera with zoom capabilities is essential for taking photos of jewelry.

Unfortunately, just buying a good camera probably isn't going to be enough to make your photos stand out. You'll also need good lighting and a light box for the photos to come out their best. You can buy professional lights and a light box or go the homemade route. I use a clear plastic storage box as the light box and set up adjustable plant lights on the sides and top - all these materials can be found at Walmart or any discount store. To take the photos, set the box on it's side with the open end facing you, set the jewelry inside the box and take the photo. The clear plastic will diffuse the lights to prevent glare and make your photos more clear.

Once you have taken your photos, you will need to upload them to your online selling venue. There are 3 ways to sell online - having your own web page, selling in an online mall, and selling at an online auction. Having your own web page requires a bit more skill as you will need to write the code for the page yourself, hire someone to do it or buy a package that helps you do this. Selling in online malls and auctions is usually a bit easier as you can post your information on a form that is uploaded and you don't need to know much about html coding. Personally, I have found that selling at an online mall is the best way to go - the auctions are overcrowded with jewelry of all types and it is extremely difficult to get any qualified traffic to your own website without spending a fortune.

Along with your photos, you will need to provide an excellent description of your jewelry. I suggest you take 3 photos of the piece and then write a paragraph description on the piece listing the materials used the size and any outstanding features. Don't be afraid to be creative in your description!

The final phase to selling jewelry online is collecting the money and shipping the product. You need to decide what form of payment you will accept. Will you take credit cards or only accept credit through Paypal? Personal checks, or only money orders? I love Paypal as it is so quick and easy but there are fees associated with it. Many of my customers pay with personal check and I have never had a problem in 6 years of doing business online.

Once you receive payment, you can ship out the jewelry! This is your opportunity to make a good impression and gain a repeat customer. To make shipping easier, it's a good idea to setup a shipping station which includes a table to package and wrap on, all your packing material, tape, boxes and mailers, your return address stickers and any promotional items you like to put in the package.

I like to package my jewelry in gold foil boxes and ship those inside a bubble mailer. The boxes are only about 20 cents if you buy them in bulk and they look so nice to the customer when they open their package. Also, have some promotional cards, business cards, pens or discount certificates made up and include those with your URL so the customer can come back and buy more!

Lee Dobbins is a jewelry designer and writer for Artisan-Jewelry-Online.com where you can read more about making your own jewelry

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Men's silver jewelry online today
Susi at Jewelry Crossings

The men's silver jewelry market has taken off in the past few years with men in the mainstream comfortably buying sterling adornments historically worn by Hollywood stars and athletes. From sterling silver pendants to chunky link necklaces and bracelets, silver jewelry for men has come of age since the days when cufflinks were the only jewelry adornment offered in the men's accessory department.

With the successful introduction of international brands such as the UK's Hot Diamonds into the United States market, American men have given themselves permission to have fun with attractive necklaces, bangles and heavy link chains for the wrist, as well as an endless variety of sterling silver rings, key holders and cufflinks. Hot Diamonds was one of the first jewelers for men and women to enhance sterling silver with small round diamonds.

Another distinctive feature of the Hot Diamonds Collection is the very clean, contemporary design of the jewelry. For instance, the classic heavy link bracelet is brought up-to-date with a toggle clasp sporting diamonds on each end of the bar fastener. Patterns are repeated in cufflink, pendant, key ring and ring, offering attractive sets to give as gifts, as well as to wear.

Men also do not have to fuss about keeping their Hot Diamonds jewelry clean since every piece is given a bath of rhodium, making them tarnish-free.

World renowned Canadian jeweler, John Hardy, who lives and creates his line in Bali, will be introducing his first collection of men's jewelry this fall called "Black Ice," combining sterling silver with black sapphires.

Fred Bennett brings a vast array of sterling silver pieces for men into the market with his 2004 collection. With elegant silver dotted with diamonds, oxidized silver that produces bold stripes of black, sleek satin finish pieces or even a series of "scratched" finish designs, the Fred Bennett line offers men an infinite variety of ways to wear silver. Even black agate, tiger's eye, enamel and resin are worked with silver to create masculine and bold patterns in the jewelry.

Very popular is the combination of highly polished sterling silver with matte-finished sterling, giving each piece texture and interest. Men are enjoying a way to bring individuality and style into their wardrobe without spending a fortune. Not only is sterling silver affordable, but it looks extremely fashionable with blacks, grays and the darker colors so many "mainstream men" choose to wear.

Men purchased $5 billion worth of jewelry last year, or 12 per cent of all jewelry sold. Much of that jewelry was purchased as gifts for wives and girlfriends. That is quickly changing as men are now on the lookout for their own personal jewelry and sterling silver is topping the charts as the metal of choice.

www.jewelrycrossings.com

For twenty-two years I have been involved in the gemstone and jewelry trade-first as the owner of an incorporated company in Singapore, then in Thailand, and for the last ten years in Northern California. Throughout my career my reward has always come from the knowledge that I have gone the extra steps to ensure my customers' absolute