Are you getting rid of unused jewellery or raising money for a big project? There are plenty of platforms for selling your items and so many that deciding on the best option warrants careful deliberation. While you can side-step most pitfalls with some fundamental knowledge, there are some aspects that you might have overlooked. I have sold many pieces of jewellery online so have personal experience of this. For that reason, I have come up with four important points to consider when selling jewellery.
1. Do Your Own Research
More than 60% of shoppers cited the retailer’s honesty and knowledge among the top factors they consider when they buy jewellery. So, how do you become a trustworthy seller? It is as simple as showing your customer that you know the product inside and out.
Prepare to answer questions about the brand, age, origin, and materials of the item. Always keep documents that prove the authenticity, value, and origin of your product. Older pieces may not come with paperwork, but you can utilise the internet to learn about an item.
Research also involves knowing what makes your item stand out so you can hit your target market. Are you selling designer jewellery to modern, independent women or pre-owned pieces to environmentally conscious consumers? The more you know about your merchandise and your audience, the more you are likely to get a good return for it.
2. Get an Accurate Valuation
Prepare to answer questions about the brand, age, origin, and materials of the item. Always keep documents that prove the authenticity, value, and origin of your product. Older pieces may not come with paperwork, but you can utilise the internet to learn about an item.
Research also involves knowing what makes your item stand out so you can hit your target market. Are you selling designer jewellery to modern, independent women or pre-owned pieces to environmentally conscious consumers? The more you know about your merchandise and your audience, the more you are likely to get a good return for it.
2. Get an Accurate Valuation
A valuation is not only useful for claiming insurance in case a piece is lost or stolen, it is also the best way to determine the worth of an item. You don’t want to receive less than the real value of the jewellery, especially if it is something you have inherited. Who knows? The piece could be a valuable antique.
Established jewellers offer in-house valuation services, but if you’re considering selling online, you can hire an independent valuer to appraise your item. Once the process is complete, you will receive documentation providing the details of your jewellery and its value. The service is expensive and sometimes lengthy, but it could be worth the cost and hassle if you want an accurate idea of the item’s resale price and you think it's worth a lot of money.
3. Consider Where You Will Sell
Established jewellers offer in-house valuation services, but if you’re considering selling online, you can hire an independent valuer to appraise your item. Once the process is complete, you will receive documentation providing the details of your jewellery and its value. The service is expensive and sometimes lengthy, but it could be worth the cost and hassle if you want an accurate idea of the item’s resale price and you think it's worth a lot of money.
3. Consider Where You Will Sell
From pawnshops to auction houses to online consignment stores, you have more choices than you can count. Before you decide where to sell, consider the worth of the item and if you are willing to wait to get the profit.
Auction houses are ideal for selling vintage jewellery and antiques because they target buyers hunting for rare finds and unique collectables. The disadvantage is, auctions don’t happen regularly, so you do not know when you will be able to sell your jewellery. For quick cash, a pawnshop is your best option; however, there is no guarantee that you will get the right price for your item in fact you will often get the bottom rate.
If you don’t mind waiting a long time for your product to sell, an online marketplace is a perfect venue for you. It allows you to pick the price of the piece, as well as choose the buyer. Be sure to choose an online platform that specializes in used jewellery. Such stores usually have better customer trust-ratings compared to general websites, such as eBay and Craigslist. They also have reliable safety nets that protect both sellers and customers from scammers.
4. Invest In Good Jewellery Photography
Auction houses are ideal for selling vintage jewellery and antiques because they target buyers hunting for rare finds and unique collectables. The disadvantage is, auctions don’t happen regularly, so you do not know when you will be able to sell your jewellery. For quick cash, a pawnshop is your best option; however, there is no guarantee that you will get the right price for your item in fact you will often get the bottom rate.
If you don’t mind waiting a long time for your product to sell, an online marketplace is a perfect venue for you. It allows you to pick the price of the piece, as well as choose the buyer. Be sure to choose an online platform that specializes in used jewellery. Such stores usually have better customer trust-ratings compared to general websites, such as eBay and Craigslist. They also have reliable safety nets that protect both sellers and customers from scammers.
4. Invest In Good Jewellery Photography
If you decide to sell online, a good photograph can make or break a deal. Therefore, be sure to invest in excellent, high-quality images. Think about hiring a professional to take pictures of the item. But if that's way out of your budget, at least learn the basics of jewellery photography.
While you should show your customers any imperfections, you should focus on the highlights of the piece, such as unique design, stylish cuts, clarity of the gems.
Avoid insufficient lighting, reflections that could affect the colour of the product, incorrect image size, and inconsistent background. Shoot plenty of images, and show the piece from every angle, including how it would look when worn. It may be worth investing in a lightbox if you are going to sell a lot of jewellery online. Getting your jewelry photography right is so important.
While you should show your customers any imperfections, you should focus on the highlights of the piece, such as unique design, stylish cuts, clarity of the gems.
Avoid insufficient lighting, reflections that could affect the colour of the product, incorrect image size, and inconsistent background. Shoot plenty of images, and show the piece from every angle, including how it would look when worn. It may be worth investing in a lightbox if you are going to sell a lot of jewellery online. Getting your jewelry photography right is so important.
So here are 4 important this to consider when selling jewellery. Have you sold any jewellery? Do you have any tips?
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