Starting a business requires different steps and strategies to position your brand well. Here are some steps to help you start a successful online jewelry business.
Step 1: Research and find your jewelry niche
The first step to starting a wholesale jewelry business is researching and deciding what jewelry pieces to sell. Finding your jewelry niche helps with many things, including defining your target audience, getting a supplier, and deciding what type of jewelry to sell. It’s essential to figure out the latest trends and gather inspiration from other jewelry sellers to find your niche.
Having a niche helps your brand better and streamlines your vendor and target audience. Some nice jewelry niches to get started with include fine jewelry, handmade jewelry, costume jewelry, body jewelry, and so on. You can also start with one type of jewelry and later expand into another niche. Some tips for conducting effective research before starting your business include:
- Looking at Google trends and fashionistas styles to know trending topics and products in the industry
- Going on social media and forums to see the latest jewelry trends and run surveys on products people love
- Analyzing competitors’ blogs and websites to see what your competitors are doing right now and how you can differentiate your brand.
Step 2: Create a business plan
Starting a business means having a plan to follow. This begins by creating a business plan which contains your business goals, target audience, marketing strategies, financial strategies, team, resources, and so on. To create a detailed business plan, you should:
- Provide a summary: A summary of your business explains what your business is about in simple terms. What do you do, what do you sell, what’s the company’s purpose, your niche, and your funding options? These are some of the questions your business plan should provide answers to.
- Write your business goals: Your business should have SMART long-term and short-term in terms of sales, revenue, and brand building. Having goals provides a design for your business and makes it easy to track your performance.
- Define your target audience: Your products can’t appeal to everyone, and that’s normal. However, you need to identify the people your products will appeal to; those are your target audience. For example, if you sell diamonds and gold, your target audience would be people with a high-income level. The more you know about your audience, the easier to develop strategies that will work out effectively.
Step 3: Select your distribution platform
The internet is a big place and selling online means you can choose different channels to advertise your products. Do you want to set up an online store, leverage B2B e-commerce sites like Alibaba, or sell on social media? The platform you choose may depend on your business goals and preference.
Some popular channels to start an online business include:
- Selling on your website. You can use e-commerce website builders like WordPress and Squarespace to build your online store.
- Online marketplace. Instead of setting up an online store, you can pick an online marketplace like Alibaba to set up your store.
- Social media. Another popular option to start your jewelry line is social media. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter already have tools to help business owners set up a store on their platforms.
Meanwhile, the beauty of selling online is that you can diversify. Depending on your preference and needs, you can sell on multiple platforms or stick to one platform.
Step 4: Find a jewelry supplier
Except if you are manufacturing the jewelry, you will need to figure out how to source your jewelry. Most wholesalers work with jewelry suppliers that can sell at wholesale prices. The 2 main options to source for your jewelry pieces are wholesale and dropshipping. Inventories and online resources help people find vendors based on their location and convenience.
Also, you can simply start by searching for jewelry suppliers on Google or online marketplaces like Alibaba, where suppliers list their items. In addition, you can find a supplier based on your niche. For example, if you specialize in costume jewelry, you should consider looking for a costume jewelry supplier. Also, ensure you go for a supplier that offers original and high-quality products. If you advertise silver and your customers end up with painted steel, it will affect your business.
Suggested Website
As the first company to propose pricing by weight (Kg), jewelrykg has a more obvious sales advantage in the market because they are the first to propose a new model of wholesale jewelry and put it into practice:
1. The product line is affluent, and the product styles per kilogram are diversified and suitable for personal use or wholesale sales.
2. All the products sold by kilograms have independent packaging, not bulk jewelry on the market, and do not have independent packaging. They are all defective products. It will not affect the customer’s secondary sales or gift giving.
3. The quality of the products is good. The products sold by kilograms come from jewelry factories, which are packaged and sold at low prices for the rapid return of cash, or some products that have broken contracts. So the product is by no means inferior, and every product has integrity.
4. Complete after-sales system.
5. The products sold by kilograms are sent in random styles, and every purchase is full of surprises. The buyer can even make a wish to get her specified product included in the package sold by the pound.
Step 5: Set up your store
Now that you have decided on a niche, created a business plan, and connected with suppliers, you can start setting up your store. Sign up with an e-commerce platform, open social media accounts or build your website.
Meanwhile, it’s going to take more than just posting pictures to find your customers and rank on search engines. That’s why it’s crucial to optimize your online store to make it easier for people to find you and create a great user experience. Also, if you sell different products, you can sort your products into categories to make it easier for users to navigate.
Step 6: Price your jewelry right
Putting a price on your products can be quite a task, but it’s crucial. You don’t want to set a price too low that you run a loss; neither do you want a price too high that your potential customers run to your competitor. A good tip is to start by calculating how much you spend on each product, including the packaging and marketing costs. Then, decide how much you can sell the pieces without running into a loss.
Also, you will want to set up a payment method and decide if you are open to refunds and returns. It’s good to offer various payment options to provide a seamless user experience. Some popular payment methods are Paypal, credit card, and Afterpay. Many online marketplaces and eCommerce website builders let you integrate different payment gateways to your website.
Step 7: Showcase your products
Now that you have set up your store and decided on a price, it’s time to showcase your products for the world to see. Remember, jewelry is about looking good, and people will always go for jewelry sellers that showcase their products brilliantly. Customize your store to look captivating and attractive, post great images and give an accurate and engaging product description.
Step 8: Promote your online jewelry business
One thing about online businesses is that you need to market your products effectively to reach your target audience. Selling jewelry online doesn’t end at selecting a distribution channel and posting pictures. It’s also essential to build an effective online marketing strategy and follow it. For effective marketing, you need to think about:
- Target audience: Setting a target audience is essential to help make the most out of your marketing campaigns. The target audience is people that are likely to buy your products, their age group, location, and so on.
- Marketing strategies and channels: There are different marketing strategies and platforms to promote your product. The one you choose will depend on your target audience, budget, and preference. Popular marketing strategies include SEO, social media marketing, email marketing, telemarketing, paid ads, and other online options.