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Thread: Can you make a living from selling jewellery?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
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    Smile Can you make a living from selling jewellery?

    Hello all, I am looking for some advice. Over the last couple of months I have been busy refining my art clay technique and now have some original prototypes that I think would sell well. I have always been employed in permanent jobs with a consistent income and, although I would like to make a living out of selling jewllery, I would like to hear from others about if they have examples of people who have been successful and those who have not. I would also be interested in hearing the typical income you coul expect to make selling jewellery?

    Thanks for all of your help

  2. #2
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    Hi Mya. I'd say the answer is yes, but it won't be amazing and it will probably take you several years before you'll earn what you're earning now. It's a full time, full on job and you'll need to spend every waking hour either making or promoting your business. No weekends off or even evenings off, particularly at Christmas. I'm not prepared to say what I earn but I'm happy with it.

  3. #3
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    Thanks for your advice Carol, it's much appreciated I might try doing it in my spare time and continue working full time to see how I get on!

  4. #4
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    That is probably a wise approach. Well, I like to think so anyway. Remember to register as self-employed as well so that your tax returns can reflect the additional profits (although in the ramp-up stage of running it as a small business, those profits will be negative and consequently can be offset against tax. I am not a tax adviser ).

  5. #5
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    I think like with every business it is taking time to establish your income. I know few people who are having a good money from it but if asking them how long they are making and selling jewellery the number is always over 6 years Don't understand me wrong I a not trying to tell you that it will take you 6 years to have any money from it, but I wouldn't expect to sell something every day
    Babette

  6. #6
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    Great advice so far.

    I wholeheartedly recommend reading 'Setting up a successful jewellery business' by Angie Boothroyd. I got it for £9 from Amazon and while it contains a lot of common sense information there is a lot of content that is extremely helpful and it is specifically geared towards the UK market. It has some great tips on business in general, legalities (including distance selling regs, etc), pricing, pitching to retailers, all sorts of things

  7. #7
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    I am very grateful for all of the advice, the response has been great. It's funny you mention Angie's book, I bought it a couple of weeks ago, it's great

  8. #8
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    Its certainly do-able but you have to be a good salesperson as well as a good jewellery maker. I've been to a lot of shows where it seems the jeweller is more interested in reading a book or talking to freinds than telling me about their wares.

  9. #9
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    Hi, but you teach as well dont you. How many hours a month on average are spent teaching please, in relation to how much time you spend jewellery making etc. Are your profits, say 20% a month teaching and 80% making, promoting and selling. I have often thought that unless you do loads of Craft Shows and like you, and travel all over the country, that you can make money but not enough to live on. At the moment my daughter and I are doing one craft show a month, and make about £100 each on a good day, albeit one in a seaside town.

    Quote Originally Posted by caroleallen View Post
    Hi Mya. I'd say the answer is yes, but it won't be amazing and it will probably take you several years before you'll earn what you're earning now. It's a full time, full on job and you'll need to spend every waking hour either making or promoting your business. No weekends off or even evenings off, particularly at Christmas. I'm not prepared to say what I earn but I'm happy with it.

  10. #10
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    Nov 2012
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    Hi Mya. I ran my own business at 21 back in the 80's for 8 years and it was one of the best things I've ever done. The expectation each morning walking up the road and unlocking the door, wondering who you'd meet,what you'd make.hopefully how many sales you'd have, it was a great adventure and I'm glad I did it but it was a big commitment with overheads that you had to pay every week whether you took any money in the shop or not. Then there was no online selling, very few hobby jewellers and only the odd craft fair so competition was nowhere near as fierce as it is now.
    I have now decided to once again re-start my making and am attending craft fairs to show my work to people and then in the New Year hopefully get an online shop. I think it's important to let people see and feel your work, then maybe have a website and shop to sell from too, at least you can test the waters while still keeping your income coming in. With a shop, you are the last one in line to get a payment. Sorry if it's a ramble but having been on both sides I hope some of it helps!

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