I am a new member and have some questions about sales reps. I am
interested in selling my jewelry in Japan and Korea and am wondering
how I could possibly find a sales rep to help me break into that
market? I am also wondering, more generally, how sales reps work and
whether or not it a sales rep is for me?
I design and make hand-crafted 18k gold jewelry but I do not mass
produce. My jewelry would be considered high-end, and I currently
sell at a handful of boutiques in the U.S., which I’ve accomplished
by physically going to the stores and initiating a face-to-face
relationship w/the gallery owners. But I have some idea of what kind
of jewelry sells well in Japan and Korea, and I have been told by
others that those countries might be a good market for my designs.
So, first of all, I have no idea how to accomplish this, but I
figured a sales rep who deals with Asia might be my best bet. Even if
that is the case I have no idea how to find such a sales rep?
Secondly, I would potentially be interested in a sales rep for the
U.S. as well, but I don’t know if a sales rep is for me? I’ve heard
bad things about sales reps from other people in the business. I’ve
also heard that they require you to give them a very large number of
pieces to take with them on their sales trips, and that they are
really more appropriate for a large wholesaler/mass marketer. Are
there sales reps who work for smaller clients who make designer,
hand-crafted jewelry are not mass producing their product? And how
do they operate…do they work on a commission or do you have to
pay them up front for their services?
If anyone has any experience with sales reps and could offer some
advice, I’d really appreciate it. Thanks in advance…