Posted on June 25th, 2008 by Iris
Jewelry isn’t something we typically think of when making an online purchase, though there is no question that buying jewelry online is becoming more and more popular. The reasons for this are many, but often start with selection and price. Because online retailers are able to reach a wider audience, they more often than not offer a better selection of jewelry than local stores are able to. Because they aren’t dependent on expensive local advertising or paying for expensive retail space, online jewelers are usually able to offer more competitive pricing as well. When buying jewelry online, there are a few things to look for that can help insure a purchase you’ll be satisfied with. First off, make sure the online jeweler you are considering is a member of the Better Business Bureau. The BBB keeps a watchful eye on the complaints attributed to its member retailers, and only those businesses who maintain the highest levels of customer satisfaction can maintain membership. You can check with the BBB for more information on any online jeweler you may be considering.
The second things to be aware of is how much information the retailer is willing to give regarding the procurement and or manufacturing of the jewelry they sell. Online jewelers who purchase raw materials and manufacture their own jewelry are more likely to offer a better guarantee, lower prices and of course, items that can’t be purchased elsewhere. Online retailers who only provide basic product information are likely to be resellers who purchase their products from other retailers or wholesalers. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this practice, many stock their online stores with goods that were either deemed poor quality or were simply unable to be sold at other locations. Finally, always look for an online jeweler who deals exclusively with the specific products you are searching for. If you’re looking for an engagement ring, go to a site that specializes in loose diamonds and settings. If you’re looking for pearls, go to an online retailer that manufactures pearl jewelry. The quality of jewelry you receive is likely to be several times better than that of the jewelry available at online retailers who sell a little bit of everything.
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Posted on June 5th, 2008 by Johny
If you are a creative person, with a great sense of style and flair, you may be able to start your own business – making and selling jewelry wholesale. Because people are so very unique, they want jewelry pieces that are unique – one-of-a-kind pieces that nobody else in the world owns! This desire can make you quite a bit of money – simply start your very own jewelry wholesale company.
You can easily order wholesale supplies from hundreds of companies around the globe online – at really low prices. It is important to keep up with how much each part of each piece of jewelry costs you, and to get a total cost of each piece, including any expenses that you had for having supplies shipped to you. With the total cost figured, you can easily set your prices by adding 15% to the cost. You can sell your pieces in a variety of ways. You can open your own online wholesale jewelry store, sell to local jewelry stores, rent booths at local flea markets and fairs, or advertise your jewelry making skills and take orders for unique pieces. You can also sell your pieces on consignment at boutiques. Another option is to do catalog sales. Make enough pieces to fill a small catalog, and take pictures of each piece. Write a description for each piece and then put together your own catalog using software and a good printer – or send the work to a print shop. You can send these catalogs out to a list that you obtain from a direct mailing list company.
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Posted on May 13th, 2008 by Sarah Baltic
If you make jewelry wholesale, then you definitely need to know how to make repairs to the jewelry that you sale. If you can offer your clients free or discounted repairs, you will find that you have better customer relations. Also, you need to have the ability to guarantee your pieces and offer free repairs for a specified period of time after the sale. This is just good business – and it will set you apart from many of your competitors. If you’ve made the jewelry, you probably already know how to repair it. The repair that is needed is probably the simple replacement of a piece on the jewelry, such as a clasp or replacing a stone that has come lose. This type of work can usually be done quickly, and at very little expense.
One piece of equipment that you will need is a magnifying glass that stands on its own, allowing you to use both of your hands. You also need very good lighting that can be pointed directly onto the jewelry that you are repairing. Both of these are essential if you want to do a good job, and avoid eye strain at the same time. You will need some jewelry making supplies as well, such as extra clasps, chains, and possibly even gemstones. Of course, you don’t want to keep too much of this on hand, as you may never use any of it…so use your best judgment here. Before you rush out and purchase a book or course on jewelry making and repair, find out if the company that you order the jewelry wholesale from in the first place has any guarantees. If so, you don’t need to learn anything. Simply have your customer ship the jewelry back to you, or directly to the company, and they should take care of the repairs. However, follow up for your customer – don’t leave the customer to deal with the wholesale company on their own – that is bad business! If the jewelry wholesale company doesn’t treat your customer right, it will reflect on you!
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Posted on April 2nd, 2008 by Jenny Edwards
Diamond jewelry makes a great gift for any woman no matter what her tastes and preferences are. Diamond jewelry is said to be the gift to make the other gifts jealous. But if you are interested in buying diamond jewelry, you need to follow the 4C’s. Diamonds can be explained by learning the 4C’s which characterize and distinguish the different grades and quality.
Carat measures the mass of diamond. One carat is defined as 200 milligrams, point unit is commonly used for diamonds of less than one carat. The price per carat does not increase smoothly with increasing size. Clarity is a measure of internal defects of a diamond maybe crystal of foreign material or another diamond crystal. The number, size, color, orientation and visibility of inclusion can all affect the relative clarity of a diamond. Color A perfect diamond is perfectly transparent with no hue, or color. The color of the diamond may be affected by the chemical impurities or structural defects depending on the hue and density of diamond’s coloration. Most diamond used a gemstones are basically transparent with little tint or white diamonds.
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Posted on February 28th, 2008 by Cindy Heller
Knowing as much information as possible is one of the best ways to help when selecting the perfect diamond and setting for your engagement ring. You should know jewelry information before you begin shopping to make sure you find the best fine jewelry for your marriage partner so that it aptly displays your love and romance. You should make sure you know about diamond cuts in addition to proper care for diamonds so that you will be able to make an informed decision when shopping.
The first important step in choosing jewelry is to decide what your budget is going to be. This doesn’t mean you necessary have to set a specific money limit and stick to it. Having a budget can mean that you select the perfect diamond jewelry for a cheaper price. Don’t feel you have to pay a high price for engagement rings, rather pay for what you find to be the perfect choice. Once you do find your perfect ring don’t just pay the amount even if you have the money. Always try to negotiate for a better price since you may actually be able to save some money. The worst that can happen is the jewelry stores won’t go lower in price and you will just have to pay the listed price. The next step you will need to do is consider which stone you are going to get. It is generally best to choose a diamond rather than any other stone since this is the tradition for engagement rings. The third thing to consider is cut which is the shape of the diamond jewelry. The cut is just as important as the clarity and color of a diamond and you should ask to see a variety of options in order to decide which is the best option for your setting. The final thing to consider is the carat. This is the weight of the diamond and as a result the size. Each diamond is given points so that a hundred points equals one carat. On average the higher the carat you are choosing the more expensive the jewelry is going to be.
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