Tips for a successful consignment

Guest blog by Vicky Brown of Shore Debris

I have been making jewelry most of my life, but didn’t start selling for profit until almost 2 ½ years ago.

I began selling on consignment because I liked the idea of my jewelry being available for shoppers to see, touch, and buy in person. It also gives buyers more opportunities to interact with my jewelry than just my appearances at craft shows.

Sometimes I find consignment opportunities, sometimes they find me.

I find shops through word of mouth – a good friend or family member says, “Hey, you might want to check this shop out. I think your jewelry will go good there.” And then I go check and see for myself.

This “checking out” phase involves going into the store, looking at all of the inventory, and buying something small if I can find something that either I can use or give away as a gift. I like to see the sales process because I am picky and do not want to have my jewelry associated with a rude or nonchalant climate. On subsequent visit, I have inventory in a bag that I believe will compliment what is already in the shop and ask to speak to the owner (or purchasing manager depending on the size of the store).

Having a consignment shop contact me has occurred only though Etsy. Etsy has a search feature for “local” so you can search for crafters in your city or state. I've been contacted this way by new stores getting ready to open, but they don’t have capital for more inventory so they're wanting to find consignors. Sometimes I'm contacted by stores that don’t really have a plan and are just fishing to see what they can get from me. These deals have never worked out as well for me - “no-plan” type businesses don't make for successful ventures.

I currently sell jewelry on consignment in four places: a florist shop, a doctor's office, a salon, and a thrift shop.

I am lucky; my consignment contract with a florist’s shop is wonderful. Florist shops are great for jewelry makers. A lot of the customers are men buying something for a wife or girlfriend, and if they can do all of their shopping in one place, many will.

I have tiny displays in both my chiropractor’s office and my grandmother-in-law’s hair salon. The chiropractor’s office is good for me. I have a standing appointment once a month and come in to collect money and completely change out the display on the same day as those appointments.  The office only sells to their patients, so it is not a huge moneymaker, but I’m not sure I can say any other doctor’s office has ever handed me money when I arrive.

Venues like these are small, but also a good place to get your feet wet for consignment.  If you have a regular appointment at a salon, what would it hurt to ask proposing you have a display of earrings at the register? The worst they will say is, "No."  If you are like me and have hair that hasn't seen a professional in almost 10 years, think about family members who have long-standing relationships with stylists or other small establishments you frequent.

I have tried a shop that was marketed to me as a unique vintage and handmade market before it opened. It has become yet another thrift shop in my small town. I will be pulling my handmade jewelry out of here. Lesson learned. When I think of “vintage,” I think of treasures from the past – classic styles that are more than 20 years old and kept in good to excellent condition. To some people, "vintage" means anything that is not brand new - whether trash or not.  Now I know to ask a few more questions about the owner’s interpretation of the word “vintage” before committing.

The split

The flower shop agreement is 20/80 split (with 20% going to the florist) and she pays on the 1st and 15th of each month for all items sold since the last check.  She requests that all crafters mark their items at the full retail price. My jewelry is already priced at retail of 2 x the wholesale price, so I didn’t change anything from shows to online prices to this shop.

The Thrift Shop agreement was 25/75. They recently raised the consignment percentage to 30% and only pay after the 5th of each month for all of the previous month’s sales.

The chiropractor’s office charges me nothing, but this is a special arrangement.  They did it for me when I was starting my business because they saw me as a military veteran who was in pain. I personally feel like I am taking advantage of them, but they won’t take money from me even when I have tried to give them 20% of the sales.

The salon has turned into a 50/50 split because it has become a wholesale relationship. Each year, she buys five pieces or so from me at my wholesale price. Although I make less money, I like being paid up front much better than waiting for sales down the road.

I personally would not consider a consignment agreement above 30%. The way I feel about it, you are doing the business a favor - at no up front cost to the business, you are expanding the business' inventory through your own costs. I feel like when stores wish to charge 40-60% the selling price, they are attempting to take advantage of you. They want wholesale prices at no risk to themselves.

I would also not consider a place that charges a fee for you to consign and/or requires you to work in the stores a certain percentage of the month. Some of these arrangements, although advertised to me locally as consignment, are really approaching on co-ops.

My personal belief is that "booth fee" type arrangements are not good. The owner spends time advertising space in the store to vendors, but once he/she has their overall rent taken care of by consignors, he/she doesn't worry about advertising goods for sale. If these were successful ventures, there would be a waiting list to get goods in the store not an ever present ad of space available for rent.

But, overall, I am very happy with my consignment experiences. I can leave home for any reason, temporarily shut down my website, and not do any craft shows during that period of time. Then, when I come back, I have checks waiting from sales in these shops.

Tips for success: Participation, Rotation, and Pull Out

By participating, I mean to get involved in your consignment shops. Every consignment shop owner I know complains about people dropping off inventory and not being heard from again for months despite phone calls regarding checks from sales, rotating inventory, and possible custom orders.

I visit any local shop where I have items on consignment a minimum of two times per month - and usually it is closer to five times or more per month. I now have such a good relationship with the flower shop that she can take custom orders and give timelines and pricing estimates to the customers all because she already knows what skills I possess, what materials I always keep on hand, and the kinds of materials to which I have easy access. Approximately one third of my sales are through custom work like this, so if you do custom work, establishing this type of relationship can be very beneficial.

Rotation is my key to continued sales. Be prepared to rotate inventory regularly.  You must either have enough inventory on hand to rotate or be prepared to make more while your items are on display in the shop. A lot of consignors make the mistake of telling the shop that they’ll bring in more once everything has sold.  Standing on the sidelines, I have watched some seller’s items get boxed up and placed in the back room because they refused to rotate after even six months of sitting on a shelf.

Some things just won’t sell and not always because they are bad items.  It might just be wrong market, wrong time of year, wrong price, not displayed to its potential, and numerous other factors. A lot of small stores rely on repeat business, so their customers come in just to “see what’s new.” By rotating your stock regularly, you provide those customers with new options. I “rotate” by marking some items on sale, replacing items with a completely new piece, and/or puting new inventory in holes left by sold jewelry.

Lastly, if you get a bad feeling at all, pull your stuff out of the shop. Always trust your instincts in this regard – and if you are already “participating” in your shop, you will know when something doesn’t seem right. My not so good feelings have come from suddenly having no e-mail or phone contact (disconnected lines and canceled cable services). Good businesses will be contacting their business associates (includes you as a consigner) prior to making large changes or immediately after the fact if it was an emergency change – not a couple of weeks down the road.

Another time, I walked into a shop and bought something for 75 cents. I was told that they don’t have to charge tax on items that cost less than $1. That was a red flag, and I realized I needed to pull my stuff out of the store immediately. I don’t want to be anywhere near a store that could be doing something illegal, even if it is just ignorance of tax laws rather than malicious intent.

Consignment agreements

Sign your contract before any inventory is handed over, but do not sign that contract without reading it in its entirety. All of my contracts start the same with the first line(s) stating who you are and who the shop is. The second section is a line that says almost verbatim, “All articles given from consignor to {shop} become property of {shop} until sold or returned to consignor at end of contract.” I do not sign a contract without this line. This line is what gets your items covered under the store’s insurance policy. If the store says they aren’t responsible for loss (theft or destruction) of your items, I personally would not sign that contract. They should have an insurance policy on all inventory including items from consignors.

The rest of your contract should cover how and when payments are made, how you and the shop will conduct drop off and inventory of your items, how you must tag your products, how much notice is needed to remove your items from the store, etc, etc. Most of my contracts are only one page long and none are longer than two pages. If something doesn’t look perfect on the contract, a good store will have no problem with you taking it to a friend to review and giving you a night to sleep on it.

Good luck!

Vicky

Shore Debris
Purple Fuzzy Feet

Notes from the NC Pagan Pride Day

Last weekend, I shared a booth with my friend Jill Liles of Liv'ngood Jewelry, as one half of the duo "Brigid's Jewels." It cost us $95 for a 10x10 foot vendor space at the Central NC Pagan Pride Festival. That was for both Saturday and Sunday, from 10am-6pm. It was the first outdoor vendor booth I'd done in about five years.

For the entire weekend, I had $368.50 in sales, and $23.30 of that was NC sales tax. I spent about $25 on food and drinks, probably about $5 for gas back and forth both days. My estimated materials cost for the items sold was $100.

So, I made $170, or less than $10/hour, counting the hours of set up, take down, and sitting there for two days. Counting the hours I spent making the jewelry I sold, and the amount of money I'll have to pay for social security tax and other taxes on my small biz income, it's probably closer to $3 an hour.

Still, not bad for an event that was dark and wet all day Saturday, and which had an attendance of about 2,000 (compared to, say, the 20,000 or more who attend the Raleigh St Patrick's Day Festival or the International Festival). And I did better than other vendors I spoke with.

The interesting thing, to me, was that most of the money I made did not come from jewelry. It came from the "lures." These are low-priced, eye-catching items placed at the end of the table, at the front of the booth, to stop people and attract their attention.

One of my lures was my Gnome Terrarium, at $8.00 each (that's with sales tax). I sold several, and I think by the end of the weekend Jill was sick of hearing the squeals of "Look at the gnomes!"

Another lure was a tray of rocks, minerals, herbs, and semi-precious stones, with small drawstring bags, so customers could create their own amulet or love charm. Each stone was labeled with its "properties" (based on a bit of internet research), and ranged from about $.50 to $1.00. By the end of the weekend, the bags were gone and the stones almost sold out.

The stones and gnomes had little to do with my jewelry -- which is mostly steampunk, spacepunk, cosplay, SF, found items and relics -- but I knew I needed to have something that would appeal to the audience.

Jill took a page from my book, and on Sunday she rearranged her side of the booth so that her earrings (typically a less-expensive and more-popular jewelry item) were at the front of the booth, and her display board of bottlecap magnets was at the end of her table. And they did lure in more customers! Everyone loved the magnets.

The festival was fun. I had a good time, met several people, and gave away a lot of biz cards. Hopefully that latter will pay off later, though I honestly can't recall EVER having an online sale from someone who took my card at a show.

Something to keep in mind -- and the Central NC PPD was no exception -- shows that are free to attend typically do not draw the type of crowds that are going to spend money. My average sale over the weekend was about $5. This is one of the reasons why I don't usually do outdoor, non-juried festivals.

The vendor-to-attendee ratio also makes a big difference in how much you will sell. Obviously, the more customers and the fewer vendors vying for their attention, the more you stand to make. This event was about 2,100 attendees to 58 vendors listed on the website. 

But the moral of the story is that your lures and low-priced items can save your butt at an otherwise financially-disappointing event.  





Jen Hilton makes one-of-a-kind jewelry sold through her website JLHJewelry.com. She is the founder of the Triangle Jewelry Makers and is featured in the books "Steampunk Style Jewelry: Victorian, Fantasy, and Mechanical Necklaces, Bracelets, and Earrings" and "1000 Steampunk Creations: Neo-Victorian Fashion, Gear, and Art" available at Amazon and other booksellers.

"Why does it cost so much?"

If you do shows, events, festivals, or even if you just sell to friends, at some point you will probably get a question like, "Why does your jewelry cost so much?"

It doesn't matter if you're selling a hand-forged, solid sterling silver, acid-etched cuff for $300 or a ceramic pendant on a cotton cord for $10. You are eventually going to hear the question. And judging by my experiences, and the experiences of my friends in the Triangle Jewelry Makers, you're going to hear it more than once.

Your initial reaction might be to lower all of your prices, question your skills, or become critical of your work. Don't do that. Because there will also come a time when you will hear, "You don't charge enough." It's all a matter of perspective.

You may feel compelled to reply with a defensive justification. "I spent five hours working on this...! You'd understand if you knew anything about making jewelry...! When you buy jewelry in the store, it's cheap because some 14-year-old in China got paid ten-cents to make it, and it probably contains lead...!"

Um... don't do that, either. As tempting as it is.

Understand that patrons don't always think before they say things. They might not even realize that the maker of the jewelry is sitting right there and overhearing them. They see a price tag, and they have a gut reaction -- they imagine how many groceries they could buy with $40, or the doctor bill they need to pay, or the gas they could put in their car. How in the world could a bracelet be as important as these things?

Many people may not realize that your jewelry is handmade, by YOU, even if you are at an arts and crafts festival where everything else is made by hand, and even if you have a big shiny sign saying "Handmade Jewelry by ME." They might be assuming that you are only reselling the same items they see all the time at KMart for half the price.

Which is another point to consider -- a lot of people don't know the difference between a handmade piece of jewelry and something mass-produced. Would you know the difference between a hand-sewn quilt and one from Target? A loaf of homemade banana bread and one from Whole Foods? A German-engineered 8-cylinder engine and a transmission from a 1976 Pinto? At a glance? Really?

As a jewelry maker, and a lover of sparkly things, are you taking for granted your ability to spot the difference between sterling silver and pewter, gold plate and base metal, faceted garnets and plastic, well-made wire loops and ones that are destined to fall apart? Remember that most people do not possess these skills.

It also helps to remember that not everyone has extra money to spend, and that fact has nothing at all to do with your skills or the value of your jewelry. The median household income in the US is $50K. In North Carolina, it's even lower, $44K. That's for an entire household, possibly containing children and elderly relatives. The per capita income -- that is, the average income earned by each individual in the US -- is only $27K. (Source) In North Carolina, it's $20K. (Source)

So, when someone says, "Why does it cost so much?" what they are really asking is, "Why should I spend my hard-earned money on your jewelry?"

Answer the second question, not the first, when you reply. Depending on who you are and what you'd like to say about yourself, responses might include:

- "I put a great deal time and creativity into my jewelry, every piece is handmade and unique. No one else in the world will have one like it."

- "It's made in the USA, and I use beads and charms that are made by local artisans."

- "I've taken several jewelry classes at Pullen Art Center, Ornamentea and the local university, and every piece is made with not only beauty but durability in mind."

- "I am happy to make one for you in red or purple. I also take custom orders, and can re-size any item for you right here while you wait."

- "This is made of sterling silver, and these are iolite gemstone briolettes. There's no plastic, lead or nickel in my pieces."

And if they still don't get it, just let it go. They're not your target audience. But if you find you are being asked that question A LOT, you might want to re-examine your choice of marketing venue, or expand your range of price points.





Jen Hilton makes one-of-a-kind jewelry sold through her website JLHJewelry.com. She is the founder of the Triangle Jewelry Makers and is featured in the books "Steampunk Style Jewelry: Victorian, Fantasy, and Mechanical Necklaces, Bracelets, and Earrings" and "1000 Steampunk Creations: Neo-Victorian Fashion, Gear, and Art" available at Amazon and other booksellers.

Naming your handmade jewelry business

As I've written before, selling handmade jewelry does not require you to invent a business name. Painters sign paintings with their own names. Authors use a byline -- sometimes a pseudonym, for marketing or social reasons -- but the name is still a name, not "Quill Pen Inc."

In a similar manner, a jewelry maker doesn't necessarily need to be "My Beautiful Jewels" instead of Mary Jones.

However, there are several reasons why people choose to sell their jewelry under a fictitious business name. These might include:

1) Handmade items are not the only thing you sell, and so you need a retail business name.

2) Jewelry is not the only thing you do, so you want a name which encompasses everything you offer.

3) Your name is very common, already in use elsewhere, and/or not available for email and url.

4) You are doing business, selling at events, etc., with one or more friends or family.

5) You want to protect your privacy. (Though, keep in mind, it will become difficult to maintain a great degree of privacy if you are going to be on the internet, standing behind a sales table, filing public records such as a business license, and conducting any ongoing commerce with the public.)

6) You want to open a business checking account, have a business phone number, etc.

7) It's fun.

If you've decided to operate under a fictitious business name, here are some things to consider. Some may seem at odds with each other -- "be easy to spell" vs "be unique" -- you will need to determine how to balance these considerations against your own personal goals.


Does your business name reflect your business? 

If you call yourself "Earthy Enchantments" are potential customers going to understand that you're selling handmade jewelry? Or are they going to think you're selling massage oils, occult tools, or garden plants?

When someone sees your business name on the internet, a vendor list, or an advertisement, what is it going to tell them? It might be their only point of connection with you. It will need to convey a lot of information and intrigue them into clicking through or coming to find you. 


Is it unique?

Anyone on the Internet knows the frustration of discovering that their name is already someone else's email or Twitter account. So being unique is not only a marketing tool but a necessity.

Make sure you Google your potential business name before using it. You don't want to be mistaken for someone else (in my case, that "someone else" is a nude model who shares my name). And check a url registrar or Betterwhois.com to see if your name would be available as a website.

I've been making jewelry for a long time, and there are some pretty common words in the biz -- "sparkle," "jewels," "adornment," "glitter," "treasures," etc. If you're going to use one of these, consider pairing it up with something unusual.

If you're planning to build a social media platform (and you should, if you want to increase your success), also check with Facebook, Twitter, and the email and blog services you plan to use, to make sure your chosen business name will be available.


Is it easy to remember? Easy to spell?

This might be difficult if you are also trying to be unique, memorable and intriguing. The best I can suggest is to avoid the temptation to be obscure, clever or verbose.

PaulasPreciousPerfectPins.com is a mouthful and a typing handful. Unless you're selling steampunk jewelry under a neo-Victorian persona, avoid
PaulasPerspicuousParaphrenalia.com or you are just going to tick people off. Seriously.

PaulasPins.com is much easier and comes right to the point. /pun

Come up with something that is easy to say and easy to remember--or easy to guess, so that person who stopped by your booth at the craft show can find you online later in case they lose your business card. They probably won't find you if they Google "paula pins" and you are PawluzPinz.etsy.com.


Avoid boxing yourself in

What if Paula chose PaulasPenguinPins.com because she started out making penguin pins, but two years later is making lions and daisies? Then she'll find herself doing the naming game all over again--and changing her business cards, url, email, etc.

Trends change, customer feedback will shape your direction, and your interests and abilities will morph over time. Don't assume that you will always be making birthstone bracelets or silly monkey jewelry. Select a name that will allow you to grow.




Jen Hilton makes one-of-a-kind jewelry sold through her website JLHJewelry.com. She is the founder of the Triangle Jewelry Makers and is featured in the books "Steampunk Style Jewelry: Victorian, Fantasy, and Mechanical Necklaces, Bracelets, and Earrings" and "1000 Steampunk Creations: Neo-Victorian Fashion, Gear, and Art" available at Amazon and other booksellers.

My journey to jewelry

I've been making jewelry all my life. One of my earliest memories is stringing a plastic bead necklace when I was about 3-1/2 years old. I put it on and played out the scene from Disney's "Cinderella" where the step-sisters rip Cinderella's dress apart. I broke that little plastic necklace and lost all of the beads, but I never lost my fascination with jewelry.

When I was young, I spent a lot of time going through my mother's jewelry box, even though it didn't contain much more than mood rings and cheap trinkets. She kept personal treasures in that jewelry box -- a tiny cloth doll from her great-grandmother, gifts from my father, a box of my own baby teeth -- and I realized that this was about more than sparkle and shine.

Jewelry is a treasure because it is a memory, a piece of the story of our lives.

In elementary school, I made rings and bracelets out of pieces of wire or knotted thread. In junior high and high school, I used my dad's pliers to fix broken jewelry. In my teens, I started selling jewelry to friends and gift shops. I made earrings with semi-precious stones purchased at a local gem show. I also made necklaces of little fabric pouches embellished with stones. Even before I knew much about the history of jewelry, I understood that jewelry was a kind of magic. In college I began learning about stone lore and geology, mythology and anthropology, symbolism and psychology, ancient art and history. I don't have an art degree, I have a degree in Psychology with an emphasis on Comparative Religious Studies.

Over the years, I continued to make jewelry for myself and for friends. Mostly basic stuff, a bead or pendant on a cord, a knotted hemp bracelet. Then, for my wedding in 1999, I designed my own necklace and put it together with wire, using beads, semiprecious stones and silver connectors. I also made my own wedding cake and my own bouquet.

When I was pregnant with my first child in 2000, I quit my job as a newspaper editor/columnist and began spending more time on jewelry. But it's not my full-time occupation. I'm also an author. I homeschool my children, and do charity work. But jewelry remains one of the loves of my life.




Jen Hilton makes one-of-a-kind jewelry sold through her website JLHJewelry.com. She is the founder of the Triangle Jewelry Makers and is featured in the books "Steampunk Style Jewelry: Victorian, Fantasy, and Mechanical Necklaces, Bracelets, and Earrings" and "1000 Steampunk Creations: Neo-Victorian Fashion, Gear, and Art" available at Amazon and other booksellers.

Photographing your jewelry

If you are selling online, you need good photographs. There are a ton of tutorials, tips and resources for taking good pictures, just search Google or YouTube.

Here's a quick overview of how to improve your online pictures -- which means improving your online sales, as well!

Light

Having a lot of light is important. Jewelry looks better with sparkle. More light = less blur. Natural light = true color. Standard light bulbs, while they might seem bright enough to us, can make jewelry look yellow (if incandescent) or blue (if fluorescent) in photographs.

Some people use light boxes. The idea behind this is to put your jewelry in the center of several reflective surfaces. Again, more light = better pictures. Not necessarily glaring sunlight, which can have it's own problems, just light from more angles. You can buy a light box, or make your own. Search Google or YouTube for "DIY photography light box." 

Macro lens

"Macro" is a special setting on some cameras, which allows you to put the lens very close to the object. "Telephoto" means you can take a closeup from very far away. "Macro" means you can take a closeup from... closeup.

If you are not using the macro setting, you are going to get blurry pictures when you get too close. But if you don't get close, potential buyers are not going to see the beauty and detail of your work. Macro is the only way I know of to get the sharp detail you need to sell jewelry online.

Not all digital cameras come with a macro setting. If you are buying a camera you plan to use for photographing your jewelry, make sure it has a macro setting -- typically indicated by a symbol that looks like a little flower.

White backdrop

I've seen beautiful photos shot on black, patterned or colored backgrounds, and with a variety of props such as necklace displays, leaves, and other items. But if you're having trouble with these, try shooting against a white background. White reflects light, offers truer color, and also makes it easier to "touch up" your photos with your editing software. When you've achieved sharp, bright pictures with a white background, then begin introducing other elements.

Offer several different views of each item

Etsy does this as standard procedure for listings, but it's a good idea in any online selling situation. Try shooting from different angles. Have shots with props and without. Use white and dark backdrops. Have a closeup picture of the details and also a picture of the entire piece.

Digital editing program

This might be something such as Adobe Photoshop, Corel PaintShop Pro, Photoscape, Picasa 3 or GIMP. Some cost money, some are free. A photo editor is necessary because -- in spite of all your best efforts -- you're probably not going to get the perfect picture out of your camera. It will still need some cropping, brightness/contrast adjustment, color balancing, and maybe something like a speck of dust or hair removed from the background.

How I take my photos

I take all of the photos for JLHjewelry using a Fujifilm digital camera with a macro setting. I typically use a combination of indirect natural light and fill-in flash. I do not have a light box or a tripod. I photograph all of my pieces against a piece of plain white paper. I finish the photos with GIMP, the GNU Image Manipulation Program, which is free to download.




Jen Hilton makes one-of-a-kind jewelry sold through her website JLHJewelry.com. She is the founder of the Triangle Jewelry Makers and is featured in the books "Steampunk Style Jewelry: Victorian, Fantasy, and Mechanical Necklaces, Bracelets, and Earrings" and "1000 Steampunk Creations: Neo-Victorian Fashion, Gear, and Art" available at Amazon and other booksellers.

Good shows and bad

I've known Jill Liles of Liv'nGood Jewelry for three years. She is one of the co-organizers and chainmaille guru of the Triangle Jewelry Makers. Check out the "Grow your business" section of her blog about using twitter, google analytics, and more.

Q: What kind of jewelry do you make?

Chainmaille, steampunk, semi-precious stone beading, whatever catches my eye.

Q: How long have you been making and selling jewelry?

Making for 3.5 years, selling for 2.5 years. I filled up my jewelry box, my mom's, and my sisters. It was either give up the hobby or start selling the stuff.

Q: Is this a full-time biz or a hobby?

Let's go with "hobby plus." I do try to make money at it, but I have a "real" job too that pays the bills.

Q: How many events do you do a year?

Probably 10 or so. That sounds like a lot more than it feels. Usually April-May my weekends are full and then again in Oct-November. I won't do a show in Jun-Aug (too hot) or Dec-Jan (too cold).

Q: What was your first show or event?

The Fuquay-Varina Celebration of the Arts and it was f****g hot!! It was June 4 and 104 degrees. I was in a side street off the main drag between two brick buildings that bounced the heat back and forth like a pizza oven. And I didn't sell diddly.

Q: What are the best and worst shows you've ever done?

Boylan Heights Art Walk in 2009 is still my #1 show from a sales perspective. I did about double my usual sales at that one event. It's a long established art show, so the people coming are looking for art and don't mind paying for it either.

The worst is a toss up between that first Fuquay show above, my last show in Fuquay where I was situated between a politician and a masseuse, and the show at Duke Homestead where I sold nothing, zip, nada.

Q: How do you feel when you have a bad experience at a show? 

It's tough but I try to go into every show thinking I'm just there to give out biz cards, any sales are "gravy." That makes the duds easier. But so far (knocking on wood) I've at least made back my entry fee at every show I've done (at least the Duke Homestead show was a freebie for me).

Q: What is your set up? How long does it take you to set up? Do you have help or do it alone?

I do it all alone now. My husband helped the first few shows, but then I got it down. It takes me about 45 minutes to an hour if I'm doing the tent and all. Shows where it's just tables and displays are a little faster. But, I'm a "futzer." I'll move pieces around the whole time if I don't like how it looks. My basic set up is three tables in a U shape, with me sitting at the back behind them.

Q: Have you sold through consignment or galleries?

There's one store in Cary that has bought a few of my pieces wholesale, and I was in the Craftland Market at Scrap Exchange last fall. I forced myself to go into all the little cutesy shops in Apex and ask if they sold jewelry, hated every second of it and got nothing out of it, so I've never tried that route again. 

Q: What's your experience with internet selling?

I have my own website (but few sales there so far). I also have stores on the big two (Etsy and Artfire) and have had a few sales on each. The handmade sites are flooded with jewelry makers, so it's tough to stand out.

If you're just starting with the online stuff, I recommend setting up a free storefront on Artfire. Unlike Etsy, there are no listing fees, so this is an inexpensive way to figure out what you'll need to know about every piece you try to sell (good photos from all angles, price, shipping, tags, description, etc).

My philosophy is to promote myself and my site, not anyone else. So you won't see me advertising my Etsy or Artfire sites on my business cards. When it comes to online presence, you really should get your own domain and website. You can buy your domain name for $10 a year, and set up a basic free site using Blogger, WordPress or a similar service. Even if it only contains your links to an Etsy or Artfire store, having your own domain will pay off in the long run. It is the web address you should use on your business cards, show applications, etc. 

If you take the next step and decide to build an online store, test every single aspect of it as if you had never seen a computer before. I skipped that step on my own site and it was months before I realized that not only was there no way to contact me through the site, but the security settings weren't connecting. So even if you did want to buy something, you couldn't. And since there was no contact form.... I had a big time "doh" moment there!

Thanks, Jill! 
~ Jen





Jen Hilton makes one-of-a-kind jewelry sold through her website JLHJewelry.com. She is the founder of the Triangle Jewelry Makers and is featured in the books "Steampunk Style Jewelry: Victorian, Fantasy, and Mechanical Necklaces, Bracelets, and Earrings" and "1000 Steampunk Creations: Neo-Victorian Fashion, Gear, and Art" available at Amazon and other booksellers.