Am I Too 'Old School' to be Successful in Jewelry Sales?

by Gloria
(Southwest Ohio)

Ballet shoes wall collage by Gloria

Vintage treasures collage

Black-and-white French arrangement

Shabby chic vintage ephemera grouping

I guess I could start with a little background about myself. (I promise to give the abridged version.) OK, here goes:

~ I'm an artist who sews, sculpts, creates multi- media art, etc.

~ Over 30 yrs. experience contributing to the household income selling handmades both wholesale and retail, designing and painting for reproduction companies, producing my own pattern line for years, and even owning 'brick and mortar' shops full of antiques, vintage and new items.

So, as you see, I'm used to being flexible and resourceful, using my talents to make some income. At present, my daughter and I own a vintage shop, that includes a Ladies' Fashions and Accessories Boutique.

Despite 'time' restraints, due to running a shop, I have managed to dabble in creating a few Wearable Art Jewelry pieces, and I have sold them for $25-35.00. I LOVE incorporating my vintage and antique bits and baubles in the creation of interesting, artsy, statement jewelry, and I want to focus on creating enough of an inventory to do a show, or presentation online.

I keep debating with myself . . . practicality versus creativity, as to whether starting a new venture in this slow economy would be worth it. That would mean eliminating something I already do to make income. There is also the monetary investment in buying new tools and materials to consider.

I've been in business so long, that I'm used to selling in 'old school' ways, although I have sold on Ebay, and I do have a Blog.

Our shop is located in small town USA, with an abundance of mainstream buyers, and I would need to reach the younger, artsy, up-with-the-trends type gals for my creations. I'm not into Facebook or Twitter. I see Etsy right now as an over saturated market where it is hard to get any recognition.

I seriously desire to replace the hard labor of carrying heavy old furnishings in and out of a shop and at shows, with focusing on my jewelry designs, but I have too many fears about relying on something new to bring the kind of profit I need.

Gloria
Les Arts by Gloria

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Am I Too 'Old School' to be Successful in Jewelry Sales?

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Vintage Artistry vs. Old School?
by: Rena

Hi Gloria,

First I must say how I LOVE your gorgeous collage / mixed-media groupings! If your jewelry is even a tiny bit like your collage work shown above, you should certainly be able to develop customer base - never fear.

A lot of the "mainstream buyers" you mentioned actually wind up loving vintage-themed mixed-media jewelry once they discover it. It triggers a longing, a nostalgia, a sense of escapism - all of which are feelings that translate quickly into jewelry sales, especially when the pieces are one-of-a-kind.

By specializing in that style, you could easily develop fans / collectors who keep coming back to see (and buy) your latest work - before anyone else can snap it up!

I think if you geared your entire jewelry business toward your vintage-themed mixed-media style, you could have wonderfully appealing jewelry tags, earring cards, packaging, displays, etc. in that style. At a glance people would know they're in for a magical experience with your jewelry art - and they'd step in for a closer look.

You might also offer custom jewelry in this theme, where you incorporate the customer's vintage photo, or one of their small treasures, etc. into a unique mixed-media jewelry item for them.

Now, do I think you're too Old School? Absolutely not. There are lots of ways to connect with jewelry customers using only old-school strategies!

And possibly you could tweak some of your "old-school" business methods, giving them a "vintage" twist that's in keeping with your jewelry style - adding lovely touches to your customers' experiences with you.

Another thought - is your daughter into Twitter, Facebook, and other online social networking? If so, perhaps she could be your "social media specialist" while you focus on the things you specialize in.

Thanks Rena.
by: Gloria

Thank you so much Rena for your kind and encouraaging words! I did not mention it before, but in addition to jewelry, I also want to create small purses & other accessories, using vintage pieces. Your encouragement got me started on a purse using a child's rabbit fur muff and faux pearl strands. It's exciting to begin working on my dream. Whether I will sell well remains to be seen, but I won't know until I try. Right?

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