Starting a jewelley business

[syed]

Hi
I'm looking into starting my jewellery business but want to keep stock and overheads to a minimum just incase it does not work out. Many of my pieces are hand-made designs using high quality materials and prices range from £35 up to £400. Does anyone know of a good way I can sell these items without renting/buying a shop or using a website as with websites I found it costs alot and you need a good photographer to take the pictures.

Advice would be greatly appreciated as I really want to make this a success.

Thanks

Yes you could put them on Etsy Madamez.

My Etsy shop isnt up and running yet but its on there iyswim.
I've had a few commisions from mumsnetters and friends so I havent had the chance to make enough stock to put on.

This is my blog though Here Soyou can see what I do.

This is the seller who ships from Isreal

MN classified is £30 (not £25). Don't expect a lot of traffic from it though, but £30 for 3 months is very good value!

Hi Nbg
Sorry to hijack - but how does blogging help your online visibility and business? Are all blogs picked up by search bots and then indexed, so when someone Googles 'bespoke jewellery' for instance, your blog is ranked due to the keywords in the text?
Apologies for being so dense. I'm new to the blog world.
SP

I can answer too. Any link from a trusted source helps. A link from an active blog helps, but even more several links from different blogs really helps (stating the obvious).

It takes time, patience and a little luck! Here are 101 tips to getting better Google rankings.

I've taken the route of giving toys to bloggers and getting them to write reviews - not cheap, but it helps!

Also, to keep your google rankings up you need to create new content regularly on your site (I guess that's how a blog helps).

Thanks JoDivine and scotsgirl, I'll check out the link and get blogging...

SP

Well I have just signed up to Etsy (and shreiked with laughter at some of the horrible tat on there. What a load of farking bunty cupcakes and gingham knicker holders....) but interested to know how many other people have made any money off it?

If you are going to blog, and hope to boost your rankings, don't forget you need links into your blog to boost it up the rankings. Otherwise, you're just shouting in the wilderness. Contributing to other peoples blogs (comments etc.) is a good way. It's all hard work - I don't have time for it myself, preferring to get my own website working, and getting bloggers to write about me.

Blimey, this sounds like a lot of work for little reward ie the site is all about craftspeople desperately trying to flog stuff to each other as only craftspeople who want to sell use the site... Oh well I will probably try it for a while as it doesn;t appear to cost much unless stuff actually sells.

Short, basically like JoD says, the key is links.
I mean I have a list on the left of my blog which links to other blogs I like but when I'm writing about someone else I always link to them in my posts and others do the same.

Also commenting on other peoples blogs gets you out there.
I always read all of my comments and for example, last week I noticed a new name on the comments, I clicked on it and was taken to a blog I'd never seen before. I commented with her and she came back.

Dont get me wrong, I dont do it for the sales side of it but its nice just to "get out there" iyswim.

Lucykate from here who also posts on thr arts and crafts thread has done amazingly well with her Etsy shop and I think alot of it is to do with her blog following and the fact that she has created a "fan club" before shes started to sell on there.
She has put on 2 batches of her items and on both occasions the stuff has sold the seconds after she has uploaded it all.

I'll link all their Etsy shops for you to look at

This is Tillyboo's shop
Imagingermonkey
Lucykate
Meridian

Theres also Champs etsy shop for her chocolates and Crochata which I think is Rantings.

Madamez, the thing is, bunting, gingham and hearts sell
In fact imagingermonkey is making some for my dd's bedroom atm but not with a ridiculous £50 price tag.

Honestly I am totally hooked with Etsy. Its a wonderful site and has some brilliant stuff on it from some very talented people.

Jo, have you thought of doing a competition to get traffic to your site? Lovehoney, ann summers, Cherry Bliss and sextoytester run competitions where you have to register for newsletters or answer a quick survey to enter, a monthly one would be good. Get it added to competition sites such as Loquax.

bubblerock: Indeed, I do intend doing that. As ever, it is getting the time. I need to get a email list server up and running and PHPForms up and running to do the competition. Thanks for the tip about Loquax - I hadn't come across that one before.

I've also been having problems with email - not sure why, but embarrassingly I've been offering discounts to MN customers who drop me an email, and I've had someone say they've tried to contact me and I haven't responded, which is very embarrassing and makes me look like a a right numpty. When you're competing against companies such as Lovehoney - at least in business sector, if not in style - you need to be on top of it all.

Looks like I'll be shelling out more money to get a backup email solution too! Second time in a couple of weeks this has happened, and I'm not sure why.

syed: Just came across a company advertising jewellery boxes and jewellery in the Private Eye classifieds www.boxofjewels.co.uk

Something like that might be worth a try. Fairly low outlay (£27.50 minimum).

I've sent an email to the site owner to ask whether they think it worthwhile.

Private Eye classified page is here: www.eye-advertise.co.uk

Hi all.. Interesting convo you got going here.. I run a website www.playtimeonline.co.uk please note it is an adult site full of toys, lingerie, fantasy wear etc. and yes it's hard work gathering links and building up credibility. The craft fares seem a good idea for you to initiate a start into getting yourself known.. I would also suggest that if you are going to start a website then try www.gbbo.co.uk the gbbo stands for get british business online.. use that for a free website and free domain registration. You can insert your own photos and descriptions along with a google checkout. My site uses a secure online payment system via cc/debit card and we also accept paypal. Anyway best of luck in your venture.