Businesses and online shops selling jewelry have benefited from internet resources as they have been able to sell their jewelry to an increased market. Moreover, it is not labor intensive to operate an e-commerce site. It is also cheap to run an online shop, and anyone can make a kill in the jewelry industry. Many benefits accrue as a result of marketing and selling jewelry online.

o   Building a trusted brand

New and existing jewelry brands can leverage on the internet business to create an excellent reputation for their brand because online shoppers know what they want and are tech savvy hence pretty specific. When a company gains online recognition, it attracts new customers through internet search and referrals which translates to sales.

o   Huge market

We are living in an error of the internet of things, and this has led to the digitization of most services. Businesses selling jewelry online have been able to leverage the power of online markets for their jewelry. They use online e-commerce sites to attract massive traffic to sample the jewelry collection on the market. This results in business gaining the target market across the world to buy the jewelry which is then shipped to their respective location effectively.

o   Savings and safety

Payments made to jewelry sellers by buyers usually are from popular vendors such as Visa, MasterCard, PayPal, etc. the money generated from the sales is transferred directly to the bank of the seller, and this is an easy and efficient way to make savings. Operating cashless also increase the safety of the business as it protects the money against fraudulent activities because it is easy to monitor the financial transactions.

o   Large variety

Displaying a wide range of jewelry on online stores is possible. This enables the buyer to have an extensive collection of jewelry to choose from. It is also possible to categorize the products in different pages to allow the buyer to make the right decision fast. Additionally, the seller can allocate different prices to their jewelry, and this will enable them to attain more money from sales.

o   Convenience

Instead of setting up a shop or driving all over town to get the right buyer for your jewelry, you can conveniently sell your merchandise online. This will save you some time and money. You can send your jewelry to an online buyer and wait for their feedback.

Tips for selling jewelry online

Do you want to become a successful entrepreneur in the jewelry industry? If your answer is yes, then you should read this article to the end. According to research done in 2016, more than 29 customers purchased jewelry online. Both the buyer and the seller benefit from e-commerce websites. The websites connect the sellers and buyers from different parts of the world. Sellers reach to the masses and gain a good amount of profit with little effort. The buyer also gets access to a large variety of products. Nevertheless, there are numerous challenges in the business, and we are here to help you with the best tips on how to get started.

ü    Choose your market

The jewelry world is diverse, and it can be overwhelming to pick all the types of jewelry available on the market. You can decide to sell costume or fashion jewelry, fine jewelry, semi-fine jewelry, and many other categories. Once you know what you want to sell, you should know where to get your potential customers. Define your market regarding age, geographical location, gender, religion and so on.

ü Where to sell

There are two options for selling jewelry online. You can design your store, or you can collaborate with a reputed online website to sell your jewelry. Both options have advantages and disadvantages so you should evaluate them both and choose what will work for you.

ü Do your market research

Before launching your online business, you should do thorough research on the type of market you have chosen. Doing research will give you a rough idea to build a strong business strategy, find your ideal customers, tweak advertising of products, management, and sales in high probability areas. The jewelry industry is a fast-moving industry so make sure you keep involved with time. Customers are always aware of the new trends so you should be updated accordingly.

ü What are you selling?

Know the right categories of products that you want to sell. You can divide the products according to age group and gender. For example, if you have products such as necklaces, anklets, and rings for both men and women, it will be wise to divide them and put them in different sections according to their gender to give buyers ample time on your site. You should let customers know what you are selling by displaying photographs of the products on your site.

Challenges of developing an online jewelry store

The revenue in the global jewelry market in 2017 was $257 billion. The USA is the leading country in the jewelry industry. The jewelry market appears to be robust, but still, the percentage of online jewelry stores is very small. This implies that numerous challenges prevent people from joining the market.

·       High return rates

The reasons for return rates can range from the gemstones lacking the clarity implied in the photos, the items being the wrong size or the color not complementing the new dress it was intended to. Online jewelry sellers often include high return fees to recoup some of the costs. This means that the goods are returned at the expense of the customer. The owner of the business ends up losing the money from the sale and credibility.

·       Must see before buying

Customers need to explore all facets of the products before making their choice. Sometimes it can be hard for buyers to guess the correct size of the ring or even picture the appearance of the ring on their finger. There is, therefore, a high risk of the customer buying the wrong product and returning it. This means that the seller must add high-quality images and even integrate videos to show their items clearly. Some stores implement virtual try-on experience platforms for the customers to see how the rings fit on different fingers. This can be expensive on the part of the seller.

·       Security

For those online shops dealing with expensive jewelry, it can difficult to promote the products to potential customers. Not all the potential customers may be willing to pay a lot of money for a piece of jewelry. Also, some customers cannot trust an online store that doesn’t have cash on delivery service. The security of payment and personal information is what concerns most buyers. Businesses have to integrate reliable payment methods such as PayPal to provide secure transactions.

·       Fraud

There are numerous cases of fraud in the jewelry industry. The business attracts thieves and swindlers. The main reason is the quality of jewelry and the high price. Most expensive pieces of jewelry are fake. Customers don’t trust most online shops, and this makes it difficult to assure your credibility to customers. Online shops try to solve this challenge by hiring a professional appraiser to evaluate the jewelry and include documented evidence as proof that the jewelry is authentic.

Common jewelry photography mistakes that jewelry sellers make

It is easy to learn anything through trial and error, but it may take a while. With experience, you will figure out the right things to do. The problem with trial and error is that it is not effective. You shouldn’t waste your time learning how not to take jewelry photos. Jewelry photography comes with unique challenges. The products are reflective, small, and can be difficult to stage for photo shooting. However, it is easy to overcome these challenges. Here are some common mistakes you should avoid when taking jewelry photos.

   Unprepared products

It is necessary to clean the jewelry before photographing. The challenge comes from the details that a DSLR can capture in proper lighting setup. The actual size of the photo will be blown up several times, and this will reveal some aspects that are invisible to the naked eye. You don’t want to display a dirty ring to your customers because this will be a turnoff. Always wear cotton gloves when touching your jewelry and wipe it down every time you touch it.

   Inconsistent shooting

It is wise to develop guidelines for your photography and follow them. Displaying consistent photos to your customers is essential. Variations will distract your customers and make them think that they are different products. Document your lighting, camera settings, equipment position, and background. Even if you resume your shooting on a different day, make sure that there are no noticeable changes.

   Unnecessary props

You don’t need props because they will distract your customers. Some people think that their jewelry looks good when staged or they may want to show it in a lifelike manner by using a mannequin, but mannequin can obscure some part of your jewelry and dominate the shot. You don’t have to use props because they draw attention away from your jewelry. There are many times when it is necessary to use models, props and interesting locations but those are shots for branding and not marketing your product.

   Reflections everywhere

Some reflections can send the wrong impression and customers may end up thinking that the reflection is a flaw in the jewelry. The presence of metal and gemstones creates a technical challenge for your photography. It is hard to shoot objects that are highly reflective without capturing distracting reflections. You can try a double overhead light when shooting metallic jewelry to avoid reflections.

Selling jewelry locally vs. online

Often, most people think about selling unwanted jewelry to their local jeweler. This is a substantial step, but it shouldn’t be your only choice because it might not give you the best deal. It is nearly always better to sell your jewelry online. Here are some reasons.

• Fair price

Your jeweler may be 100% reputable and honest, but he may have one opinion about the worth of your jewelry.  The local jeweler is therefore likely to give you just one offer. Setting a price for any product is highly subject to individual mistakes and opinions. The grade of diamond or gemstone and their value is subject to people’s interpretation. When you put your product online, you will have quotes from different people, and this can enable you to get a fair price.

• Fraud is rampant

The jewelry industry has been known to be rife with dishonesty and deceit. If you are relying on one person to give you quotes, you are likely to get ripped off. Online review sites can help you determine the right people to do business with to avoid falling prey to fraud.

• Ease

You can fuel your car and drive around your area or town or take a bus or train moving from one jeweler to the next. You can spend hours and even days looking for the right person to buy your jewelry. This will only waste your time and money, but at the end of the day, you might not get the right person to buy your jewelry. It is easy to sell jewelry online. Good sites offer excellent customer service and continuously communicate with you via email, text or chat. This puts you at ease and can get you money quickly without needing to leave the house.

• Transparency

Every time you want to sell to a local jeweler, they will try to find ways and tricks to rip you off. There is no transparency. On the other hand, there are applications online that can help you estimate the value of your jewelry within a few seconds by keying in the qualities and dimensions of your jewelry. From there, you will present your jewelry to the highest bidder or at a fixed price depending on your preference. Both the seller and the buyer will benefit from the deal because the buyer will only buy what they like without persuasion.