The demand for jewelry has remained through virtually all of human history. There has been an industry surrounding jewelry for thousands of years, and this is no exaggeration. Ancient civilizations valued jewelry just as much as we do today
In the modern age, more people are buying their precious earrings, rings, and necklaces online to ensure they get the most choice as well as the best value. Enter Amazon.
Selling jewelry can be an exciting business opportunity. It can be one of the harder categories on Amazon to get accepted for, but if you get your business on the marketplace it can be extremely lucrative. As well as selling on Etsy, or even in person at local shopping events, or in a store, you can use Amazon to take your business nationwide, or even global.
Our guide to selling jewelry on Amazon covers some of the key considerations, not only on how to nail your product listing, but on how to get your account approved for selling in this category. Understandably, Amazon has some strict rules if you want to sell fine jewelry.
A lot of people start selling jewelry as a passion project. If you’re considering starting this kind of business, there is a good chance you have a flair for making or sourcing beautiful jewelry. It’s a very exciting niche to get into for a few reasons:
• Whatever someone’s background, budget, or interests, there’s every chance that they love at least one style of jewelry.
• The global jewelry market was worth 230 billion U.S. dollars in 2020.
• There is no limit to how much jewelry someone owns. People often accrue hundreds of pieces in their lifetime.
• High ticket price items are common in the jewelry niche, which can mean great profit margins for sellers.
• Jewelry is often lightweight, which means low shipping costs. It’s easy to transport.
• Because jewelry holds its value, even in economic downturns, especially if it is made with gold or silver.
Selling Jewelry on Amazon
Amazon differentiates jewelry into two categories: Fine Jewelry and Fashion Jewelry. You need approval to sell Fine Jewelry. It is vital that you list your products in the correct category if you want to keep your Amazon account in good standing. So what is the difference?
The entry requirements Fine Jewelry category are stringent. Sadly, there are a lot of people trying to sell fakes, and Amazon has to be careful to avoid these finding a way onto their marketplace. Imagine the backlash the company could receive if fakes were on sale on Amazon.
Put simply, the quality and nature of the jewels used will help you to categorize. Non-precious metals and materials can be listed as Fashion Jewelry. A full list of the metals and gemstones that need to be listed as Fine Jewelry are listed on Amazon’s Seller Central platform.
There are also restrictions on which sellers can apply to sell in the Fine Jewelry category. You must have:
• A professional selling plan.
• Order-Defect Rate of 1% or less.
• Cancellation Rate of 2.5% or less.
• Late Shipment Rate of 4% or less.
A great product listing is essential no matter what you are selling on Amazon. Necklaces, earrings, and other jewelry need a listing that is detailed and eye-catching.
For example, if someone sees a ring or necklace they like on Amazon, they are not going to buy it if they cannot see a clear image of the detail. Details make all the difference. To sell on Amazon, you need to make sure all the texture and beauty of a piece can be seen in high resolution.
Amazon has some guidelines for the listing. These include:
• Following the generic Amazon listing standards.
• Classifying products appropriately and accurately.
• Providing titles, bullet points and a clear description for the product.
• Understanding and complying with the Jewelry Quality Assurance Standards.
• Complying with the FTC Precious Metals Marketing Act that dictates how companies advertise precious jewelry.
Though these are the building blocks of a good listing, it’s a competitive industry. You will need to make your listing stand out using every tool at the Amazon seller’s disposal.
Customer reviews can be vital. Without reviews, customers are less likely to part with their money for your product, especially if it is something that comes with a higher price tag. Even a couple of good reviews can push potential buyers into action.
The images are crucial, and even videos of the jewelry items you are selling can take the product listing to the next level. As we’ve already stated, people are very unlikely to buy jewelry they haven’t seen in detail. Historically, people have often preferred shopping in person for jewelry, but the shopping experience in a post-covid world is changing, and driving more customers online to Amazon.
Fortunately, you can upload high-definition images and allow people to zoom into spectacular detail. Product photography may not be quite as important if you’re selling something functional like garden tools, it definitely matters if you are selling jewelry.
There’s some debate about what makes the perfect Amazon listing. Perhaps the perfect listing doesn’t even exist, but jewelry sellers will swear by the three golden rules below.
Optimize for searches. Amazon records billions of page views every single month. There are thousands of Amazon searches daily for jewelry alone. If you aren’t optimizing to show up in as many as you can, you’re probably missing out on customers. Use targeted keywords and creative copywriting to hit those searches.
Focus on images. Without HD images, people are likely to click on another listing so they can inspect the product they want to buy in detail.
Protect your selling privileges. Amazon has ways to weed out underperforming sellers in all categories, but Jewelry, and especially Fine Jewelry, are categories they keep a close eye on. Only trusted sellers can apply to sell in this category and must continually provide great service to keep their privileges.
The jewelry niche is potentially extremely lucrative. Amazon allows people to sell pieces valued at tens of thousands of dollars. Though the restrictions can be daunting for newcomers, it is worth jumping through the hoops to build your jewelry business on the biggest platform.