How to Make Beaded Jewelry at Home & Get Paid

Remain open and flexible about where you sell your handmade jewelry.

Plenty of people dream of turning their jewelry-making hobby into a business. In today's economy it is a smart move to avoid commercial rental spaces and turn to alternative sources. Retail space is expensive, sometimes costing thousands of dollars each month. Alternative sources include online web stores, craft shows or consignment opportunities. When choosing to sell online, visit sites like Etsy or Zibbet. Selling online allows you to sell across the nation and not to just those who happen to visit your area.

Things You'll Need

• Jewelry supplies
• Computer
• Internet connection

Instructions

1. Determine your product by choosing to concentrate on a few of your favorite techniques and designs. Create a variety of high-quality products but avoid mass production.

2. Research your venues. Consider starting online at handmade-item websites such as Etsy or Zibbet. Pay the minimal fee. Approach a local retail store about selling your handmade beaded jewelry on consignment.

3. Market your product. Wear your jewelry and carry business cards, catalogs and order forms with you. Design your product packaging to be professional and memorable. It should contain your business name, logo, website address, phone number and email address.

4. Promote your product. Utilize as much free marketing as possible on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Consider creating a blog with Blogger or Typepad. Advertise on sites such as Craigslist or through classified ads.

5. Set up payment methods and plan for both local and national orders. For example, some venues such as Etsy require you to have a Paypal account in order to receive payments. Determine your payment methods for local orders. If you would like to accept credit cards, you will need to set up a merchant account or your customer must have a Paypal account.

Tips & Warnings

• Not all merchant accounts are the same. Compare multiple companies before committing to a particular merchant.

References

• Beadage.com: How to Sell Your Jewelry Online

Resources

• Typepad