10 Steps for Selling Jewelry to Stores

My jewelry business took off when I started selling jewelry to stores that were consistently buying jewelry pieces from me. I was selling about $1,500 per month and was overwhelmed – but happy.

How did I approach them?

1. Consign or wholesale: the first thing I did was to decide the selling method to use.
   
   
2.  Where to sell jewelry: Location, Location, Location… this holds true especially when selecting stores to carry your pieces. Look for stores that have traffic but don’t carry much jewelry (The less competition the better - basic rule of marketing ;o)  Hair and nail salons, earthy book stores, spas, tourist shops, clothing boutiques, art galleries, hotel gift shops and floral shops are great stores to sell your jewelry.
3. Research Store: Once I knew the stores I wanted to approach I would either send a friend or personally visit the store to observe its atmosphere (earthy, modern, contemporary, classic, etc.) and most importantly their price range. This way I would have an idea of what jewelry pieces to showcase.
   Don't forget to grab a business card for the contact info - you'll need this for step 4.
   
4. Contact the store via email first: Send an email to the store requesting an appointment and attach your portfolio. Sample Email Here.
   
5. Set Up an Appointment: If you don't receive a response to your email, develop and practice a selling pitch to help you prepare when contacting the stores via phone. If the owner is interested in an appointment I’d say "Would Wednesday, before the store opens, be a good time to meet?" Meetings before the store opens guarantee the owner’s full attention.
   
6.  Set up Jewelry Displays: After I meticulously researched the store I would setup the jewelry pieces on carry-on-displays or in jewelry boxes. Please don’t use Ziplock bags!!
   


7. Get Ready to Sell: The day of the appointment I made sure I had pens, a calculator, price sheets and other important documents. Also, I dressed appropriately and wore tasteful amounts of jewelry.
   
   
8. Bring a Treat: Since my appointment was early in the morning I always brought coffee – nothing fancy, but thoughtful. They really like that!
   
   
9. Market Your Jewelry: Know your pieces - make sure you know the material you used for the piece, the techniques you use to make it and… any important information that would help you sell your jewelry. Remember, you are not just an artist –you are an expert in this field.
   
   
10. Thank the Store: Finally, I sent a personalized thank you post card or email (within a week). It’s imperative you do this weather they buy from you or not – it shows professionalism and they will definitely remember you.

From my experience with selling jewelry I noticed that when I called around 15 stores I usually got 3 that bought from me. But remember, having a good business is about the quality of the store rather than quantity. It’s better to have only 3 stores that buy from you constantly as opposed to 15 that merely buy once a year.

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