Finding outlets for selling jewelry

I am trying to find outlets for selling my jewelry. I make dichroic
glass jewelry and sterling silver jewelry. I want to find shops or
galleries that will either buy my work wholesale or put things on
consignment. What is the best way to find resources to do this? I
can’t seem to find any good ones and I know there has to be a way to
find good potential customers. Please give me any suggestions you
have. It will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Linda

There is an excellent book called Marketing your arts & crafts :
creative ways to profit from your work by Janice West. Every chapter
is a different market type, from getting into hotel gift shops to
specialty trade shows to you name it. I got it from my local library,
and want to buy myself a copy now.

Miachelle

One place to start would be craft centers where they teach jewelry
making. Many of them also have associated galleries and shops. As an
example, here in Connecticut, there is Wesleyan Potters, the Guilford
Craft Center, and the Brookfield Craft Center. All three have jewelry
making classes (and pottery, weaving, etc.), and all three have
galleries. If you hunt around in your area, you should be able to
find some craft centers. Visit their stores, and see what they’re
selling. Ask what the process is for submitting work. Usually it
involves a jury process - even if that jury is the shop manager. Many
of these places have big show/sales at the Christmas holidays, when
they push the looms and potters wheels to the walls and fill up with
even more merchandise. For those sales they usually have less of a
space constraint than the rest of the year, and can bring on more
artists. Now is a good time to contact the galleries to find out
their requirements, as the jury process is typically in the late
summer to get the stock in time for November. You’ll sell on
consignment, but they take a lot of the hassle out of it.

Beyond that, wear you work. Lend it out to people you trust and like
for them to wear. I’ve gotten sales and commissions from folks that
have seen a bracelet and asked where I got it. When I let them know
I’m the artist, the next question is usually if my work is for sale.
Always carry some business cards around for just that eventuality, as
a little printed pasteboard cards immediately adds credibility. Some
of my wife’s weaving buddies saw her bracelets, and pretty soon they
wanted some. And then folks they knew saw them, and so it goes. So
get your stuff out there, even if it is just lending it to friends
and family. And make sure they’ve got some of your business cards on
them. And it’s nice knowing your stuff is out being seen, instead of
sitting in the drawer.

Hi, my name is Pat Everett and I own 1ofakindjewelrymall.com. I have
been reading all of the emails about outlets for selling jewelry. I
started my jewelry mall because I had a hard time getting customers
to my website and checked out several other venues to sell my jewelry
at. I am dedicated to providing a very upscale atmosphere where
serious jeweler’s can sell their jewelry. I provide my vendors with a
full scale store with a shopping cart that is connected to the mall,
at a very reasonable cost and no listing or commissions fees. I am
also in the process to placing ads on Google and Yahoo. Also I send
out press releases on a regular basis, promoting my vendors, the last
one I sent out has been read by over 123,000 readers! In the near
future I will be placing ads in various magazines such as Town &
County to bring customers to the mall.

So if you are serious about selling your jewelry online, please come
by my mall and check it out. I already have several members from
Orchid there already. You will be joining at a great time and will
become charter members. You can contact me privately if you have any
questions. Thank you in advance for at least checking out what I have
to offer you.

Pat Everett, President
www.1ofakindjewelrymall.com

Hello Orchidland,

Pat Everett recently told you’all about her 1ofakindjewelrymall.com.
I am one of the vendors who have signed up for a store with her. She
is being very upfront about the quality of store and atmosphere that
she provides for a very modest monthly rental. She also provides
extras, such as the means for becoming a featured store and having
your products shown as featured products. This again is for a very
reasonable fee. Pat is tenacious about getting things off the ground
and fair in her treatment of the vendors.

I am pleased to be a part of the 1ofakindjewelrymall.com and hope it
really takes off in attracting both vendors and customers.

Doreen

Doreen K. Sanborn
DKS Designs, Inc.
@dksdesig
703/201-4290