In this article, we look at the six major steps you need to take in order to start selling jewelry on Etsy. If you're interested in starting an Etsy jewelry business, now is the time. Here are some of the most important things you need to consider!

How to Start an Etsy Jewelry Business

All of our tips and tricks are best laid out in the video below. So make sure to watch it before reading the rest of this article:

How to start selling jewelry on Etsy in 6 steps

Ready to start working on your Etsy jewelry business? Here are some things you should consider as you build your Etsy store, in order for it to thrive in the long run:

1) How to decide what type of jewelry to sell 

If you like the idea of starting a jewelry business on Etsy, but you don't have a product ready to sell, here are some things to consider in order to choose the best kind of jewelry for your store. 

First of all, Etsy is a marketplace for things that are vintage, handmade, or unique/custom. So your product should fall into one of these categories.

Secondly, you want to choose a product that you love. Only by doing what you enjoy, you can have the motivation to work on your business everyday and to keep it successful and thriving. So if you enjoy making clay jewelry, do so. If you love finding vintage jewelry pieces, go ahead and do that. Personalized jewelry is a major hit on Etsy, so if you are interested in that, go for it.

Photo by JESUS ECA on Unsplash

Thirdly, you need to consider some financial aspects when it comes to your product. Start thinking like a business owner. What are the materials you will need and how much will you pay for them? How many hours of labor go into every piece of jewelry? All of these things need to be taken into account when you set the price for your products on Etsy (plus Etsy fees, and your desired profit). When you add all of this up and set your final price, is it competitive on a  market like Etsy? Or is your competition selling this product at half the price?

When in doubt, research your competition. Look at the most successful jewelry stores on Etsy and see what they do well. Get inspired, but don't copy a store. Your Etsy shop should be unique, just like you.

If you already have a high-quality product that you've been working on for some time, then you're set. You no longer have a dilemma when it comes to what type of jewelry you want to sell on Etsy. But thinking about costs and profit should also be a priority for you.

2) Product photography

Having beautiful product photos is a must. It's a key differentiating factor between you and your competition. If you don't have a lot of experience when it comes to photography, don't get discouraged.

The easiest way to take a good jewelry photo is on a white background (a white table, or a large white sheet of paper). Use natural light. Place your table or sheet of paper next to your window, in your garden, or somewhere with good natural light. And start taking photos with your phone or camera.

Photo by Sabrianna on Unsplash

Some people prefer to see the jewelry on a person, to have a better idea of what it looks like in real life. So maybe you can ask a friend for help with that.

Photo by Julia Cheperis on Unsplash

If you're looking for some inspiration, we recommend checking out our article: Top 10 Etsy Product Photography Background Ideas. 

3) Shipping and packaging

When it comes to jewelry, people expect to see beautiful things, and if possible, beautifully packaged. Many people turn to Etsy to shop for gifts. So if you invest in a lovely packaging for your jewelry pieces, you can feature it in your product photos to attract more customers.

Photo by Daily Nouri on Unsplash

Shipping is one of the most important things you need to consider when you start a jewelry business on Etsy. You need to decide if you'll ship nationwide, or internationally. If you opt for international shipping, you need to get some quotes from shipping companies, and find the one that works best for you. 

Sellers that offer free shipping on Etsy are favored by the Etsy algorithm. Their products show up higher in searches. So think about including the cost of shipping in the price of your product.

4) Product variations

If I have different variants of the same product, should I create one listing with variations on Etsy? Or should I create multiple listings, one for each product variant? 

This is really up to you. But if you have a lot of variation in the same product listing, customers might get confused. For example, if you have a pair of earrings available in 20 colors, in 5 sizes, and 5 different materials, if can be a bit overwhelming for the customer to choose. 

So they might leave your product, and look for products with less variation, where the choice is easier. 

Moreover, it's important for the customer to see what the product actually looks like, in all (or at least most) of its variants. So you should limit yourself to the colors you can show in the product photos.

If your product is available in 20 colors, consider creating 3 separate listings.

5) Use SEO techniques for your titles and tags

Whether you’re a new seller or already have an established store on Etsy, your Etsy titles and tags are a major game changer when it comes to traffic and sales. By using the right keywords in your products’ titles and tags, your listings will get found in Etsy search more easily by potential customers. Thus, generating more sales and exposure for your shop.

We strongly recommend reading our blogpost on How to write your Etsy titles and tags. It explains everything about SEO, keyword research, and we show you step by step how to write a good, SEO-optimized product title and how to choose the right tags!

6) Social media

Social media is a great way to promote your Etsy shop. Think about creating an Instagram account, a Facebook page, think about using Pinterest to promote your products, or YouTube to show a glimpse of your work process behind the scenes.

The great thing is that you can link these platforms on your Etsy shop. So potential customers can check out these pages. This way, your store can get a bit more credibility.

Ready to start selling jewelry on Etsy?

Did you start your jewelry business on Etsy yet? Or are you still undecided? Let us know in the comments what the name of your store is! And make sure to share it in our Facebook group.

At the start of your journey on Etsy?

Gain access to our Ultimate FREE Guide to a Successful Start on Etsy, a step-by-step workbook to help you set up your store effortlessly!