Can anyone out there share their on line success stories?  I am considering getting a web site to sell my jewelry, but I am sooooo confused.  With the growth of the www, there are so many choices.  I don't know weather to bite the bullet and pay thousands for a profession site or hook up with Face Book or My Space.  I tried building my own e-commerce site with Homestead, but it was way to difficult.  I'm getting a bit discouraged, so I'd love to hear some positve news regards on-line jewelry sales.

Much Appreciated,

Heidi

 

Heidi,

I am interested in this too.  I'm wondering about a blog vs. a website.  I have little skills in the computer area, but don't want to fork over the cash to have someone else do it for me.  Alice 

Hi,

I do all my own website work and maintainence and it does take time and energy. But once you have a system in place it goes pretty quickly. I use Yahoo web hosting and sitebuilder, Google Ad words, mals-e commerce for a free shopping cart and try to link to every free or cheap jewelry or crafts directory I can find. It takes a while to get noticed by the world at large, but in the beginning your site will serve as a conduit to customers you meet at shows, parties, work, church, etc. Hand out biz cards liberally!

In the end, I think you need a website if you are selling as a business. Customers today expect it and it lends legitimacy to you business.

You can always offer a modest site at first, with a sampling of your work just to get the ball rolling and expand as time permits.

I love the computer work, but am always looking for better ways to take pictures etc. It is a learning process.

Many community Adult Ed programs have short courses in web design and desk top publishing. I prefer to do my own work and would not shell out big bucks to someone else, but cheap is my middle name!

Alison

Hello ladies,

Thanks for the feedback.  I checked out your site (very nice)....you really put alot of work into it.  I guess thats what I'm afraid of.  So much time and energy goes into creating a site like yours.  I've already spent way too much time on the computer, time that could have been spent making jewelry.  But you make a great point...if you want to be in the business of selling your product, a web site does help your credibility.

Thanks for the info,

Heidi

 

 

I agree that an online website is necessary to show that you are really in business to sell your jewelry. I've gotten lots of good comments about my website and my jewelry but I really haven't sold anything on my website or through Etsy yet.

The way to sell is through craft fairs and art shows where people can actually feel and see the jewelry. Perhaps in the future, as my customers give me repeat business, they will feel confident to purchase through my website. Until that time comes, I'm selling through the fairs and shows.

I also teach beading to seniors at our local county's senior centers and that helps to advertise my business, as well as to make a little extra money to pay for my "bead stash". I accept a maximum of 8 students for each two session class and I feel it's better to sell 8 sets of jewelry in this way through teaching than not selling the jewelry at all. Of course, teaching is hard work and requires good organizational skills. You learn as you teach your classes.

 As far as your first website, start small and get something up there. As I have mentioned before, I use Doteasy.com for my server as well as purchasing my website names. I use Coffeecup Software for designing my website. They now have "Visual Site Designer" software that is supposed to make it easier to design a site. I usually "handcode" as that's the way I learned HTML a long time ago. I use PayPal for the purchasing part or the person can write an email and send me a cashier's check.

I hope this information helps.

Thanks Carole....your information was very helpful.  I too like to sell my wares and craft shows and fairs, but lately I am finding these venues saturated with jewelry designers.  Recently I attened a small fashion show 50% of the tables were selling jewelry.  Quite furstrating.  I was hoping to earn some revenue via on line sales, but that doesn't sound overly profitable either.

 

Thanks again for your feedback,

Heidi

Hi Heidi,

You can have a look at my store, I use the free blog-hosting domain http://blogger.com, it is an extremely popular site where many online shop owners host their shops at. It's free and you can customize the look if you know basic html.

 For me I am quite experienced in html so I did the entire website (including the background images etc) from scratch. It took about a week but it was definitely worth it in the end. I get customers to email their orders to me, no fuss about shopping carts and all that!

 Hope that helped. Good luck!

Re:  The Red Jewel.

Wow, your site is very impressive.  Also, your jewelry has a great style.  May I be so bold as to ask if you are generating any revenue from the site?

Regards,

heidi 

 

Hey Girl I got you with this one ! I am going to help you as much as I can ok.

I started on etsy.com and I still have some of my stuff on there. But I got something better for you that's going to change you jewelry business. Thanks to my fellow friends at beadstylemag.com they found a website it's called www.freewebs.com you can build your own website for free or if you want your own personal domian it's $20.00 a year (ex) I used to have www.gracefuljewelr.com/freewebs but for $20 a year my website is http://www.GracefulJewelry.com It's more professional like that .

What you do is go on freewebs.com set up a account and belive me freewebs has changed my website a allot. Ok let's do this when you get signed up with freewebs.com contact me on  my e mail and I will take you to the steps ok.

I will tell you now that you do need a paypal account so your customers when the buy something it's payed with paypal ok.

And go on my website and tell me what you think . As I said I will help you ok.

I hope  everything goes well.

my e mail is gracefuljewelry@gmail.com

Danica

I totally agree with you that I want to sell jewelry but I don't want to pay any extra money to do so.

I just created a website www.jewelryfixer.com

It was fairly easy through web.com

You can do it the quick way first, then as you get to know the program you can add a more customized site.

I did call them a few times and did not have to wait on hold for any length of time.

I may try selling at craft shows, just to get my web name out there.

Good luck to you.

jewelryfixer.com 

Hi There, I just got my website threw web.com I love it http://www.BeadaliciousBoutique.com

 

I just went on your website jewelryfixer.com and I really like your website ? Can I just ask you do you use paypay ? and how do you have on top where it says view cart? I would Like to add on my website but I just can't figure it out..

 

Thanks

God Bless

Danica

Hi Heavensenybeads, I am wondering, since you published you jewelry site have you sold anything? I am currently doing the ebay thing but wonder if it is more profitable to use a web store site like yours. If anyone else cares to comment I would appreciate it.

 

Thanks

crossbeads

Hi there I have been doing really good i have my own website http://www.GracefulJewelry.com and i have been selling really good.... I still do ebay sometimes and etsy.com

My website it's more profitable then ebay only because ebay takes more when you sell but with my website i have paypal and the only take like 32 cents on whatever you sell.

I have created my website threw http://www.freewebs.com  I only pay $20 a year for my name and then whenever I sell something paypal takes a low fee..

I hope I helped you

if you need any help I will help you ..

Take Care

Danica

Graceful Jewelry

Hi Heidi

 Woops sorry I neglected this forum quite a bit. In response to your question: yes, business has been really good! On average I get about an order a week, which might not really seem a lot but I'm not actually doing this full time as I also have other commitments so I'm quite happy with my rate of business!

I hope you are having luck with yours too.

All the best!

This question bothering me too. I am working on my website ojewelry.net stil

Can some one answer how to increase website traffic?

 

Hi Danica,

I see you have started 2 websites.  Which one is better?  Thanks for all the info you provided on this.

 I can't tell on your website.  Do you use sterling silver findings?  The jewelry really looks great.  You have a good sense of style.

 Carol

Carol,

I want to take a moment and thank you for your kind words about my jewelry and my website I work very hard to make it look how I want it to look

I have http://www.GracefulJewelry.com that's my website I know I did have the other one as well but I had allot of problems with web.com so I had to cancle it but this one is doing really good.

On some of my pieces I use sterling silver not all I am going to be making everything from now on. I am working on some more pieces and today I took a little break.

Thanks again

Danica

Graceful Jewelry

Hi Danica, I agree with Carol...you have done a fabulous job with your web site. Can I ask what kind of template or format you used to create it? It really looks professional. I hope you are moving lots of pieces through it! Best, Heidi

Thank you so much  for your kind words that really means allot to me.

I created my website threw  http://www.Freewebs.com they have all kinds of templets that you can use. I strive for it to look good sometimes I think I am so much of a perfectionst that it drives me up the wall . do you make jewelry as well? if you need help I will help you get started to me freewebs saved my life It's so easy to use and I am very blessed that my friends here at bead style have helped me so If you need help I will help you as well it's so easy and plus it's free all you need is a paypal account and when you sell something paypal dosn't take that much only some cents and than if you want a domanin name like ex .com or ,net you only have to pay $20 a year so let me know ok

And thanks so much for your kind words

Also yes I have been busy as well I took this day off to relax my fingeres ...

Danica

Graceful Jewelry

Hello Heidi,

Not knowing how much you want to invest let me tell you what I have done.  There is a brand new Artisan community called ArtFire.  What they decided to do was help Artisans who want to sell without all of the EBay fees.  When you join, which is free, you can list 10 items at no charge.  If you want to become a Premium member, it's $20 a month and you can list endlessly plus they give you your own URL which will point your friends/customers directly to your personal shop on the site.  This is still in it's Beta stages and they are making improvements constantly.  You ask if it's successful?  Well, I had 15 items listed last week...and only have 3 left.  As a beader you have probably heard of Foxey Findings, Sterling Coach?  They are two big EBay sellers who have started this Artisan website.  I see they are also now advertising in BeadStyle magazine which is going to point even more folks to this website.

My goal will be eventually to have my own website so as not to be in competition with other artisans but this is a great starter.  Plus you get to see what everyone else is selling, and the prices they use.  Check it out at ArtFire.com