The 4 Best Places To Sell Handmade Jewelry Online

Learn the best ways to sell handmade jewelry online and the pros and cons of each one.

If you’ve been bitten by the entrepreneurial bug and would like to sell your handmade jewelry, then you’re in luck.

There are many places where you can offer your creations for sale including craft fairs and even opening your own store.

However, opening your own store means you need to spend a lot of money upfront and you may not relish the idea of sitting at a booth all day to sell handmade jewelry at craft shows.

So, what can you do?

Well, this is where you turn to selling your jewelry online. With the technology available today, you don’t really need to be tech-savvy to run your own online jewelry business.

If you’re ready to start making some cash so you stop feeling guilty about all the money you spend on beads, this is the post for you.

Where To Sell Handmade Jewelry Online

1. Online Marketplaces

An online marketplace is a website that facilitates shopping from many different sources. The marketplace operator does not own any inventory. They simply allow entrepreneurs to set up their own shops and sell to customers.

Advantages

• This can be a win-win situation. For a small fee either per listing or monthly, the marketplace owner makes money and the entrepreneur profits by running their own business.
• The marketplace operator wants shop owners to succeed so they do lots of marketing to drive customers to the website. This means you have an in-built customer base and just need to entice them with your products.
• There’s little to no tech to deal with. The website is already done for you. All you need to do is add photos of your jewelry, descriptions and pricing.

Disadvantages

• There’s way more competition on online marketplaces. Other shop owners will be vying for the same customers as you.
• Some websites charge a monthly fee that you need to pay regardless of whether you’ve made sales or not.

Online Marketplaces For Selling Handmade Jewelry

There are many online marketplaces suitable for selling jewelry online:

• Amazon Handmade – Amazon is a giant in the online space so you’ll benefit from the trust that’s already built into the name and the ridiculous amount of traffic they get every month. They have also waived the monthly fee so that’s an amazing deal.
• Aftcra – If you live in the U.S., Aftcra caters specifically to you. Crafters can list their products for free on the website. You’re only charged 7% of the sale price once you’ve sold a product. Listings expire after 6 months.
• ArtFire – There are three different plans on this website. The most affordable one starts at $4.95 monthly, plus a listing fee of $0.23 per item.
• Big Cartel – If you want to set up an online store and don’t mind paying a monthly fee, this may be the website for you. Plans start at $9.99/ month but there are no additional listing fees.
• Etsy – This is probably one of the best known websites. They charge a fee per listing so there’s no monthly fee to worry about.
• Folksy – Live in the UK? Folksy is an online marketplace for crafts made in Britain. There’s a pay-as-you-go option as well as a plan with a monthly fee.
• ShopHandmade – Who doesn’t like free stuff? Well, if the idea of having an online store completely free appeals to you, check out this website.

2. Sell Handmade Jewelry Online Using Social Media

If you’re not quite ready for an online store and want a simpler solution for selling your handmade jewelry, use social media.

You can show off your pieces via a Facebook page, Facebook Marketplace and Instagram. Have an email address and/or phone number where customers can easily contact you to make a purchase.

You’ll need to have a method for accepting payments e.g. PayPal.

Advantages

• Free
• Easy to use
• Lots of traffic already visits these websites and apps

Disadvantages

• Held hostage by changes in Facebook or Instagram algorithms
• Must follow their Terms and Conditions
• Can have your account shut down without warning which means you’ll be out of business

3. Create An Online Store

If you don’t want to deal with the direct competition lurking on online marketplaces, a standalone store could be great for you.

Advantages

• Less direct competition
• No need to worry about algorithm changes
• You set your own Terms and Conditions.

Disadvantages

• You’ll will need to do all of your own marketing and drive traffic to the website yourself so consider if you’re up to the task. But, just remember that even if you’re a part of a popular marketplace, you’ll still be responsible for marketing your products so this isn’t a major setback.
• Lack of credibility – A customer is more likely to buy a product off Etsy or Amazon Handmade than from a store they’ve heard little about. It will take time to build the trust that’s important for an online business.

Shopify is one of the more popular platforms that provide all the tools you need to start and grow your online jewelry business. Create your own store, sell via social media and even in person.

4. Build Your Own Website To Sell Jewelry

The most complex option is to create your very own website. Having done this myself, I know how exciting it can be.

But, if you’re afraid of technology, it might seem like you’re about to climb Mt. Everest.

Creating your own website doesn’t have to be so bad though. Websites like Wix give you drag-and-drop tools to quickly create whatever you have in mind. No coding knowledge needed.

You could also use Squarespace or WordPress to build a website.

Advantages

• Having your own website gives you the most freedom.
• Create anything you can dream up
• You’re not restricted by other people’s rules and regulations
• You’re not competing with other sellers for the same traffic
• No-one can just come along and shut down your business overnight because you’re not building your business on someone else’s land.
• You could hire someone to do all the website design for you.

Disadvantages

• Need to pay for hosting and domain name
• You need to be a bit more comfortable with technology unless you have the budget to hire someone. But, if you hire out the job, every time you need help, you’ll have to pay for it.
• A web developer doesn’t come cheap. Hiring someone might be an option for when you’re ready to level up after having sold for a while and having built a solid customer base and good sales.

The Best Place To Sell Handmade Jewelry Online

I bet you’re wondering which option is the best for you. And, you’re probably not going to like my answer…

It really depends.

How comfortable are you with technology? Is this a serious business or just a side hustle? How much do you want to spend?

An online business can be amazing. You reach people across the world and can literally make money in your sleep. Your business can grow as big or stay as small as you want it to.

You need to decide what exactly you want and that will help you to choose where to sell your jewelry online.