How to Start an Italian Charm Business
Italian charms are a versatile type of jewelry that appeals to people of all ages. If you are knowledgeable about basic jewelry making, and you already adore or collect Italian charms, you can turn your passion into a lucrative business. There are many ways to run an Italian charm business, and this venture can be started on nearly any budget.
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Instructions
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Decide what types of Italian of charms you want to sell. There are a great variety of charms made with an array of materials, ranging from enamel to precious metals to gems. The type of Italian charms you sell should match your target customer. For example, if you want to sell charms to a teen market, stock inexpensive charms featuring colorful designs.
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File the necessary paperwork. Pick a name for your Italian charm business and file for an assumed name certificate, also known as a DBA statement, with your county clerk's office. An assumed name certificate is necessary if you will operate a business under any name other than your legal name.
You will also need to file for a tax ID so that you can collect sales tax from your customers, which is required by law. Consult your state's official web site for information on obtaining a tax ID, and the laws surrounding sales tax.
In some areas, you will also need to obtain a resale permit in order to buy charms from wholesale suppliers.
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Decide how and where you will sell your Italian charms. You may choose to operate a brick-and-mortar retail store, an online store, a booth at a craft fair, or kiosk at the local shopping mall. Alternatively, you could start an Italian charm party business, similar to a plasticware party, where you bring your charms and jewelry-making supplies to parties, and charge a fee from each participant.
Of these, a brick-and-mortar store is the most expensive to operate. In contrast, setting up a craft fair booth is the least expensive, and will initially cost between $150 and $200, including inventory.
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Generate your inventory. Purchase an assortment of Italian charms at a wholesale rate from companies such as AZ Charms and Links, Deffego, Italian Charmers or Charms Land. You should also add jewelry findings, such as blank charm bracelets, to your inventory since your customers may find it convenient to do one-stop shopping at your store or web site. It's especially important to carry jewelry findings if you decide to operate a charm party business.
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Organize your charms by sorting them into plastic storage containers in a logical way. For example, you may want to put all of the heart charms in one container, the gold charms in another container, and the charms that feature gems in yet another container.
To organize the charms, it is best to use small, shallow containers with a secure lid that measure about 6-by-6-by-3 inches. Keeping yourself organized is an important part of this business, especially if you are planning to display the charms in a physical retail store.
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Attract customers by creating a web site for your business. Even if you decide to open a brick-and-mortar store or a party business, you can use the web site to display your Italian charm selection, and provide prospective customers with basic information about your company. A web site is an important marketing tool that will help drive customers to your new business.
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