Shipping and Postage Tips for Jewelry Designers

In the age of the Internet and online shopping, this is a great time to be an independent jewelry designer. In the past, if you wanted to make a living out of selling your jewelry, you needed to pay for a stall or a storefront where you could sell it. You would spend time traveling to your store, setting up and serving customers face to face. However, these days if you are a jewelry designer, whether as a hobby or your main source of income, you can quickly and easily display your products online.

Selling your jewelry creations online gives you a huge advantage, because you will not need to pay extra expenses for a stall or a shop front. Whether you create your own website or use a site such as Etsy to sell your wares, your products will be on sale 24/7 and customers can order your jewelry from anywhere in the world. This will expand your reach and bring you more income as a jewelry designer, which you can use to grow your business.

Shipping to Customers

If you make your own jewelry and sell it online then you will need to figure out how to ship it to your customers around the world. When your customer orders a beautiful piece of custom jewelry, she will expect to receive it promptly and in good condition. The presentation of the final package that the customer receives will reflect on your professionalism. How can you ship your products in the most efficient way possible while creating a good impression on your jewelry buyers?

Tips for Packing and Protecting Your Jewelry

When you send a piece of jewelry, you don’t want it to arrive crushed, bent or damaged or you will have a very unhappy customer on your hands. In order to make sure that your jewelry arrives in one piece, keep these tips in mind.

• Bubble envelopes can be a great option for sending earrings, necklaces and other pieces of jewelry. They are relatively inexpensive and they offer protective cushioning.
• If you are sending multiple pieces of jewelry in one package, wrap them up separately so that they will not scratch and damage each other.
• When you are sending a long necklace, make sure that you send it in a necklace folder. This will help to keep it from tangling on the way there.
• Approach your jewelry business with an air of professionalism and put together a package that looks coordinated, stylish and elegant. Have matching address labels, hang tags and other items — all with your name and logo on them.

Avoiding Theft

Unfortunately, shipments of jewelry are often targets of mail theft. Here are some ways that you can keep your shipment safe.

• Use a large box to package the jewelry. Thieves will be expecting jewelry in a small box, so this will throw them off.
• Package your jewelry in two or three boxes within each other. This will stop thieves from slitting open the box and grabbing the inside contents.
• Don’t label the box with any words or designs having to do with jewelry. For example, if your company is called “Jessica’s Diamond Designs” or “Creative Jewelry Designs by Thomas,” thieves will know that there is something valuable inside. Instead, just use your first and last name.

Charging Your Customers for Shipping

What about when it comes to charging your customers for the cost of shipping your jewelry to them? Many online shoppers get frustrated with expensive shipping charges tacked on at the end of the checkout process. Save yourself lost business and make your transactions as straightforward as possible. Here are some tips to keep in mind.

• Consider including the costs of shipping in the price of your jewelry. This might make your jewelry slightly more expensive, but you can advertise “Free Shipping” and make your customers think that they are getting a great deal.
• If you want to save money on postage, you can even print postage online. There are options available that allow you to buy and print complete postal service postage for all of your letters and packages.
•  Some jewelry vendors offer free shipping on all orders over a certain amount, which is a great way to encourage your customers to buy that little bit more.

Keep these tips in mind when shipping out your beautiful jewelry creations and have fun building your creative business.

About the Author: Laura Albertson is a blogger who also has her own handmade jewelry business. Her jewelry is whimsical, vintage-inspired and made with natural gems and antique treasures.