If you sell your handmade jewelry on Ebay, you may be frustrated with the constant changes in fee structure and the low prices you get for your designs. Buyers on Ebay tend to have a bargain basement mentality which makes it difficult to get the full value for your hard work and time. Instead of selling yourself short, maybe it’s time to get pursue other markets for your handmade jewelry. Here are some of the best alternatives to Ebay if you want to sell handmade jewelry online:
Best alternative to Ebay: Online jewelry and craft galleries
A variety of online galleries have sprung up on the internet making it easy for you to sell handmade jewelry online to a national and even an international audience. Listing your jewelry on these sites is usually no more complicated than creating a listing on Ebay. If you choose to use this option, it’s important to choose a site that has items that are consistent with your type of jewelry designs. For example, you wouldn’t attempt to sell sophisticated sterling silver jewelry with gemstones in a country craft mall. It’s also important to choose a mall that gets high traffic. One site to consider is at http://www.beadiest.com where you get a free two week trial to see if their site will work for you.
Best alternative to Ebay: Just Beads
Just Beads located at http://www.justbeads.com is an online site dedicated exclusively to buying and selling beads, jewelry components, and finished jewelry. If you make your own handmade beads, pendants, or other jewelry components, this is an excellent site for sales because they have a loyal audience of bead and component buyers. If you sell finished jewelry, this site may be worth a try, although you’ll likely have more success in an online jewelry or craft gallery where visitors are focused on buying finished products. If you make lampwork or polymer clay beads and pendants, Just Beads may be just the market you’re looking for.
Best alternative to Ebay: Your own website
To successfully sell handmade jewelry online from your own web page, you’ll need to create an attractive website with clear photos of your work. In addition, you’ll need a shopping cart to process sales as well as the ability to accept credit cards. If you don’t want to bother getting your own merchant account, Paypal provides a viable alternative for receiving payments, although you may lose out on some sales from people who don’t have Paypal accounts. The biggest barrier to success with a stand alone website is building traffic. Promoting your site could take a fair time and energy which will require time away from designing jewelry. Be sure you’re ready to make this commitment. There are a variety of ways to drive traffic to your handmade jewelry website. One of the most effective is to publish a blog with useful information on how to wear your jewelry along with photos of your designs. People love ideas and inspiration on how to enhance their appearance with jewelry.
As you can see, there are a variety of ways to sell handmade jewelry online. Why not see if these markets will work for you?
