The Mysterious Chemistry of
Jewelry Sales

© by Jeffrey Miller; all rights reserved

What's the key to making jewelry sales? I understand what it takes to make a business work, since I ran my own successful computer business for 23 years. I understand that the simpler your business is, the better. I understand that spending less and taking in more is what makes you successful - to a point.

But jewelry is a funny business. For instance, it's one of those words (like colour and favour) that both Brits and Canadians spell differently (they spell it "jewellery", I think).

Besides the odd spelling, it's a very subjective business. I have spent hours making a piece of jewelry that *I* think will be sold in a matter of minutes. But it sits there on display... people look at it, pick it up, try it on, tell me how beautiful it is, but they don't buy it.

On the other hand, I have (or should say, had) pieces of jewelry my nine-year-old daughter laid out (I assembled them properly, of course) which I thought, frankly, were a little ugly. But because I love my daughter I put her little necklace or bracelet out next to my beautiful creation. Funny thing is, her stuff sells.

I can't explain how that happens. I see women try on pieces that look PERFECT on them... and I can just see in their faces how they see it too. They touch it lovingly... the caress the piece, and then they put it back.

For a while, I thought it was me hovering over or watching them. I hired some saleswomen, who I thought might make my customers (typically women) feel more comfortable. But there were only marginal benefits there.

So what is the mysterious chemistry of jewelry sales? I don't know, and I wonder if I ever will.

Tastes are different, so I have learned to make something for everyone. I never know what someone will want to buy; that much I do know.

I read about trends, and so I try to make something that fits into the trend - but here again, what might sell (at a particular show) seems to have nothing to do with trends. Oh sure, I might have sold a couple of chandelier earrings when they were hot and I do see more gold being sold than silver - but it seems to me that three things (not to mention certain planets) have to align for jewelry sales to occur:

1. the right person
   
2. the right piece
   
3. the right time.

When all these things align, you might have a jewelry sale if you don't ruin it.

Unfortunately, there are lots of ways you can ruin a jewelry sale. I used to think that people wanted to know ALL ABOUT each piece, so I would reel off encyclopedic information about what the piece is made of, how I engineered it to wear comfortably, and how they should care for it. I guess I overwhelmed more than a few people with my enthusiasm.

I found that there is a subtle difference between leaving customers alone and telling them too much - a balance which you need to find in order to keep them engaged but not uncomfortable.

I started making jewelry thirty years ago, but in earnest only for the last five or so years. It doesn't pay the rent, but it helps and - as is true for many of you as well - the joy I get from actually DOING the work is payment enough.

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