The retail industry has undergone some significant changes in recent years. Consumer trends and behavior have led to the emergence of online businesses, which are now overtaking
Have a Clean and Simple Layout
You can do everything else, but if the design of your website is either unappealing or distracting, you will have very few sales if any. Remember the site is the face of your business and is the first point of contact between you and the customer. Make it visually appealing to grab and maintain their attention.
Don’t get carried away though. You may be sucked into the visuals so much that you forget the primary goal, which is to sell jewelry. Keep the visuals to the minimum. You should have a simple and clean layout that places focus on the merchandise. Ensure you have;
- Clean background colors such as white and gray
- Simple navigational options
- Basic fonts and clear text
- Minimal pop-ups and banner ads
- High-resolution product images
Mobile Friendly Site
Mobile phones have since surpassed computers as the preferred tool for accessing the internet. Most potential customers will, therefore, access your website through their phones. You need to optimize your site for mobile phones for a smooth user experience. If customers need to pinch-zoom and scroll endlessly when navigating your site, they are unlikely to spend time on it. Few visitors mean few sales.
An effective way of optimizing your website for mobile phones is to employ responsive design. It will automatically scale the content on your site to fit all screen sizes. You don’t need to have a separate desktop and mobile version of your site. One is enough.
Leverage Social Media
Social media is an efficient platform for showcasing your brand and marketing your product. But being on social media is not sufficient. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest are awash with amateur sellers who are also looking to sell their products.
You need a proper strategy to stand out from the crowd. Upload professional images of your jewelry. Don’t just focus on ad campaigns; create engaging content with which people can interact and identify. Be consistent, too. The more the potential consumers will interact with your business, the more they will trust your brand.
Branding
You need to settle on an overall look that defines your business brand. Your customers need something with which they can identify your business. Spend time working on a theme and a logo for your website. You don’t even need a big budget, website themes are available for free, and you can create a logo using a free online logo maker.
However, branding goes beyond the look of your site. It also incorporates your voice, vision and story. Why is this important? Emotions usually drive fashion purchases and choices. If you could find a way to connect with the customers on a personal level, you will manage to win them over.
Carve Your Own Niche
The jewelry business is very expansive. The industry generates $70 billion every year in terms of sales. It is a very saturated market with both big and small players. There is hardly any extra room for newcomers to wiggle. To avoid being swallowed up, you need to focus on a particular niche.
Choosing a niche will not limit you, it will maintain order within your store. Similar to clothing, people usually shop for specific pieces of jewelry. For example, if someone wants to buy a statement necklace, they shouldn’t have to rummage through earrings, chokers and bracelet just to find what they like.
Don’t Sell Fake Products
To save yourself and your customers from grief, deal with authentic products only. Fake jewelry is easy to spot. Some turn your skin green while others cause rashes. While it is easy to spot some of the fake jewelry, it is still possible to be duped by the suppliers. The surest way to avoid fake jewelry is to buy from suppliers that are members of the Better Business Bureau.
The consequences of selling fake jewelry may be very dire. If you’re caught dealing with fake jewelry, your website could be shut down, and you could be liable to face prosecution. In case you don’t get caught, the customer will still be dissatisfied and will never come back. Stay away from fake jewelry.
Essential Tips to Follow
Wear whatever you are selling. It is an effective way of putting yourself in your customer’s shoes. If you can’t wear a piece of jewelry the whole day, your customers may not be able either.
Come up with fantastic deals that the clients won’t be able to ignore. For example, you can sell a necklace and an earring as one package. Make sure to include not only the price of the set but also the individual prices.
- Give your customers detailed information. For instance, will they have to pay for the shipping?
- Research on trends. Read jewelry and fashion blogs as a daily routine to keep up with top trends.
- Learn how to price your products. Decide whether you will charge the customers for shipping or not.
Summary
The first step you should take in creating an online business is to build a website. The marketing strategy you use will have an impact on how your customers interact and relate to your business. If you employ the right strategy, you can build trust and loyalty with your customers and, consequently increase your sales and revenue.
