I Don't Know Where to Start!!

by Carmen
(Michigan)

I have made a few pieces... put them on etsy... no success.

And I'm tossing around the idea of do I want to make jewelry and sell it or do I want to buy items in bulk at low prices and put them on ebay. Or do a little of both??? I am thinking a little of both.

I wish I could find a site that did drop shipping for jewelry supplies. I see people with thousands and thousands of items on their ebay store. And I'm sure they don't have all of that just sitting in their house!!

Or I need to find a place that sells in bulk at a great price but that is also quality items. I don't want junk. There is that site dollarbeads.com... but i worry that they have mostly junk.

I am so confused on where to start. I have a little money to work with to get started. Not a lot but a little.

Does anyone have any advice for me?? Please!!!!! I am a stay at home mom and I just want to contribute to my family.

I don't expect to get rich off of this. just be able to pay a couple bills a month. Or have a little spending money.

Carmen

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I Don't Know Where to Start!!

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dollar beads
by: pat barden

first ithink any site called dollar beads cries out junk--heehee.
id start by trying www.artfire.com to list ye items--iswitched from etsy--ifound it a lot less expensive per month. and withe both sites--downloading from the etsy site is simple. with both sites its a lot of work--bringing inthe people to your site--the tips rena has here are outstanding.
have you tried postcards and calling cards to promote your site? www.vistaprint.com always has deals--free stuff--though watch the shipping. ilike the postcards--more room for a picture of my jewelry--ihave my own site listed onthe card, which has a dozen or so pieces for sale--but its really just a link to my artfire shoppe--ileave my postcards where ever i gogo--cafes, restrooms, taxis--pennies a piece--its at least trying--heehee.
ive also found that wearing my latest creation for all to see is the best promotional tool ever--
and ispam my own facebook page--multiple times a day--ipost the pictures as soon as imake a piece--then ipost the link to my site and artfire as soon as ihave it listed.
as for the either/or or both--selling your own work or bulk stuff--you could buy beads and findings you need in bulk--you have your jewelry making supplies--then re-package whats left--and sell it as "destash"--though im so sick of seeing that listed everywhere igogo--so try to use a word to describe your extras other than destash--heehee

A couple of thoughts...
by: Dianne Culbertson

Rather than bulk jewelry supplies, kits might be good. They are very popular at the moment. Order your supplies, make one up and sell the kits. You get to satisfy your creative muse and sell off your supplies as well. Supplies are all over the place.
Another niche that is underdeveloped is 'Tween' supplies. That is to say, between the beads and quality gemstones stage. I would say go ahead and place a small order with the dollar place and if they are sub-standard you can market them as "tween Supplies" More than anything, have fun and remember..."The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it." - Michelangelo "

Perhaps supplies is best to start with
by: Annette

If you want to contribute income I think it is EASIER to sell beads/components than finished jewellery.

Finished jewellery has to appeal - and there are so many different styles that it can often be hard to find the right customer, particularly in a selling on the web situation. Supplies can be sold to many aspiring jewellery makers under their own vision.

I make jewellery rather than sell supplies, but its the passion behind the creating that makes me do this. If I needed to generate income though (rather than wait for jewellery sales) I wouldn't hesitate to go into selling supplies!

DollarBead
by: BeadKidd

Let me comment on DollarBead. They are great. The problem is that owner buys overstocks, so if you need to go back and match a bead, it might be gone. I have had several orders from DollarBead, including tigereye, jade, carnelian, etc., and have never been disappointed. Some of the stones, like jade, are only 3 beads for a dollar, but the quality is great. Shipping is flat rate $6 per shipment. Occassionally they have imperfect seconds, but they always warn you that you are buying seconds (which I don't buy). Returns are easy and friendly. LOL - I'm not an employee of DollarBead, just a very happy customer, and I hate to see them get a bad reputation. On the other hand, please don't buy up all the good beads! Leave some for me. If you are looking for good deals on quality beads, I'd give them a try with a small order. Good luck.

Just Start
by: KathyB

You seem to be in the same boat that my daughter found herself .... she enjoyed making jewelry but found that she was buying way more supplies than she was using.

Now she buys supplies from people that are going out of business, bulk deals that she finds on Ebay, closeouts from standard suppliers like Fire Mountain. She also joined a Yahoo buying group that is able to leverage the buying power of the group to get really good volume discounts.

She does purchase and store all of the supplies that she will be selling in her home. She feels that allows her to control the response to orders rather than trying to use a "drop ship" vendor.

I also need to say that as she began purchasing more supplies for sell, she also found herself making more jewelry and selling it as well.

Good luck with your new business. Choose the path or paths that excite you the most and go for it!!

Thank You All
by: Angel

OMG! Right before I read these posts, I was thinking the same thing as Carmen, I believe is the original poster. Where to start? Whew!
I too have more supplies than the actual finished product, my beautiful designs. Why? because I spend so much time worrying about the how's and what's of being a small business owner, finding the best deals without getting beat or having to receive no good items, than making my designs. I know we have to take some responsibility in taking charge of our business' but dang!
I call myself, spending a lot of money on good supplies and I wind up not having the time to make that jewelry because I'm looking around or researching the best way to get my jewelry out there. What a waste! And I still haven't come up with the best way yet, LOL! Now with the ideas you guys have suggested I'm gonna pick one and just go with it!
I would like to thank those of you that posted so much good information, tips and ideas, some of which I knew nothing about like the DollarBeads, shop...I am going to check them out to see how I can work some of that magic that I do so well with my beads, LOL!

Wow
by: Carmen

You guys are fantastic!! It's nice to know I'm not the only one out there with this issue!! And all of you have amazing advice!!! I actually went ahead on Friday and got some beads from that dollarbeads.com most of them were not bad at all and the shipping is flat rate of 5.95 and arrives within a couple of days. A couple were a little iffy. But I threw them on ebay anyways at a .99 starting bid just to see what happens. if they don't sell i'm not out much especially since I was able to list them for free because they are starting at under $1. and i will have more beads to add to my collection if they dont sell. I do like the idea of getting all of these beads then putting them together and selling them as kits. because I remember at one time I did a lot of searching online for kits to make jewelry to sell. I also have wasted a lot of time and energy search and searching for the best deals. So hopefully I am getting on the right track now!!! Keep all of the tips coming everyone!!! I am sooooooooo happy I found this site!! It is amazing!!!! Thank you Rena!!!! <3

selling handmade along with pre-manufactured
by: Kristen

There are market places to sell handmade, places to sell pre-manufactured goods or supplies, and places to sell both. Any or all are a good way to go. What is important is to be honest with your customers, true to yourself, and be good at marketing.

When I started making jewelry, silver was $5/ounce. It is now $41/ounce. I cannot afford to buy as much of the raw materials that I need to make items. I have to charge a lot more than if I resold pre-manufactured items to make it worth the time and cost. So my work needs to stand out and be well-marketed. I love the art of making it and want to build up a name as an artist, so I have to be good at marketing and be patient. People can't spend as much money as they used to, but there are a lot of people out there who want to invest in a special piece and are willing to pay more for certain materials.

I have noticed on etsy.com that people are selling their handmade work alongside pre-manufactured goods. You aren't supposed to do that on etsy, but it is done in MANY stores. To me, ebay and other market places are more appropriate for selling your own work alongside pre-manufactured items. Seeing this happen on etsy is annoying because they are selling on a "handmade or vintage" market website and calling these items "handmade." It takes away from those who truly hand-make their goods. I have the same wholesale catalogs as they do and could resell the same exact charms that they do on etsy, but I chose not to because I take pride in the artist that I am. BUt people do it.

YOu can invest some money into buying a dozen or so pieces of an item from the wholesale catalogs and then list them for resale in your store/website. As they sell, you order more and re-list. You can start small with it if your budget is small, and starting small with it is a good idea to see what is popular and what is selling. If you aren't making it by hand and from your heart, you should look around and see what trends are and then order the jewelry that fits the trends.

You can set any profit that you want on items that you resell from catalogs . On etsy, some people are selling the pre-manufactured items for just a few dollars more than they cost. it is not huge profits, but they sell a lot of them and it does not take any time for them to make.

I just ask that as an artist and out of respect for other artists, if you are selling pre-manufactured goods, don't label them as handmade work on etsy.com.

continues from my other comment
by: Kristen

I, myself, am considering starting my own website where I can sell both pre-manufactured and handmade items. On my site, I will state which is handmade and even explain the process used to make it, and that way a little bit more in cost is justifiable. People love finding original pieces that are not mass-produced. People that just want anything for cheap will buy the catalog items.

I have some pieces that take me about two to four hours to make, and I am designing some pieces that I will be able to make several in an hour. If you want to be all handmade, maybe you can come up with some designs that have a speedier production process or cost less in materials so you can produce more. I have seen many people charging a lot for their handmade work (more than I would ever be able to pay), and it sells.

Be true to yourself. We all want to make it as handmade artists, but we all want make sales and have our free time. Some of us will only ever do handmade, and some of us will find it fun to resell jewelry and have a resell store. Just be honest and do what feels good. Try out different methods of selling and see what works best.

I agree that it is hard to figure out where to start. Nothing wrong with an etsy store with your original pieces and an ebay store with some items from catalogs. More to keep track of, but just shows that there are a lot of options.

You can even take your handmade work to boutiques. Just make sure if you retail it yourself on the internet that your own prices are in the same range as the boutique's.

Yes, we do
by: Anonymous

I sell jewelry tools, equipment on supplies on eBay. And yes, I have thousands of items IN STOCK and ready to ship. Drop shipping is an iffy business. With eBay fees highly dependent on DSRs (Detailed Seller Ratings) you don't want to be at the mercy of a drop shipper to fulfill your orders.

My advice is to hit the web and the library and find some information about developing a viable business plan. It will help you focus on what you like to do, want to do, and what can be made profitable within those parameters.

bulk supplies links
by: Lisa

There are many bulk suppliers in China that have a good reputation, but you have to do some research and look at their feedback. Also ask for samples before buying. That is if you choose a supply shop instead of jewelry shop. Then again, you can find wholesale jewelry on these sites also.

aliexpress contains listing of wholesale jewelry suppliers and wholesale jewelry supplies.

Whatever you choose to do, good luck!

Agree with Pat
by: Anonymous

I read some time ago, a suggestion for saving money on supplies for making our own jewelry, was to always buy in bulk and then repack and sell off the overstock.

I actually opened a separate shop on Etsy to do just this - but have been held back only by lack of sufficient time to get my extra stuff photographed, packaged and listed! That shop is a little embarassing now, as it's still pretty poorly stocked - but I keep hopeful!

Still - it's a great idea, and can cover the cost of materials you use yourself if done right, carefully and consistently. Also can keep your studio from becoming overrun with old stuff that you no longer need or use.

If someone comes up with an idea for adding more hours to the day - or for cloning ourselves, I am IN! So many money-making ideas, but rarely enough time in the day! At least we'll never be bored.

Meanwhile, good luck with your decision - let us know what you decide, and how it goes!

Selling jewelry supplies online
by: Rena

Lots of great tips and ideas here - thanks so much to all for sharing!

Here are some other pages on this site that may spark some ideas or strategies for you:

Selling Jewelry Supplies on eBay

DIY Kits Are a Hit!

Jewelry Kits and Tutorials

Supplying Products to Other Jewelry Artists (newsletter article)

I hope you find these helpful.

jewelry business plan
by: Rena

Thanks also to Anonymous above, who suggested that you create a business plan.

I have page about putting together a creative plan that flows and grows with your jewelry business:

Jewelry Business Plan.

Rather than the dry, textbook-type of plan, this is more of a soul-searching exploration of what you want from your business, and steps to creating your own map to achieving your dream.

Where to Start!!
by: Mermaids Purse

I whole heartedly agree with a business plan. I too am an at home mom which already is a full time business. Just striking out to make money will not carry you for long. You must follow your passion. What is it that you do well and what makes you different from everyone else? Why should anyone buy from you? These are important questions that need answers to get your head around. " With out a vision..people perish" (quote from the Bible) What most are rediscent to say is that it takes TIME to become established and profitable. You need to be great with finances..no matter how little. Take some time and consult with someone you know who has started a business, your patience will reward you. It's a wonderful thing to start small then build your snow ball..it makes for a great foundation. Happy creating and much success to you. Please keep us posted about your journey.

Fair Winds and Calm Seas,
Deborah Leon
www.mermaidspurseseaglass.com

Bulk orders and links
by: Sylvia

I agree to what Lisa had said..I just stumble to this very useful site thank you Rena. I am working in a sterling silver jewelry factory in sales and marketing in less than a month now here in Bangkok Thailand.

This silver manufacturing company has been in the business for about 45 years. There are rough gemstones that you can choose from a lot of them that if you could only see them you will never run out of ideas. As Lisa said don't just go for shops reminds me of putting my own store in my home country with just small starting capital since I already know where to buy stocks in wholesale price from the factory that I had been with. This thought strikes me with exciting ideas from previous posters of how to start marketing the product you are passionate with.

They also drop ship for orders of clients buyers, if you want to know more about it, I can be of help.

Once again thank you Rena for this wonderful site and friendly community it help me a lot.

sylrep1231@yahoo.com

handmade jewelry
by: Connie

I make beautiful neclaces,bracelets,earrings and what everyone loves is my "beaded lanyards".
The lanyards are my biggest seller,just by selling them at work. The nurses love them to display their work badges.I use nothing but glass beads and with the other pieces,I make sterling and gold on request.My prices are very reasonable.
I cannot get my pictures to transfer to Ebay or Craig's list to sell anything. I guess I'm not doing it right.
I would like to sell online if someone honest would help me get started.
I would go to craft shows,but their set up fees are too pricy.
If someone would write me back,I would appreciate it.
Thanks

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