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Consign

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When it comes down to deciding if it is better to consign jewelry to boutiques or sell on eBay, it is actually a very difficult question to answer. In reality both options have good points and bad points. As a Stay At Home Mom, I do both, and they are nearly equally frustrating. I do feel that consignment is the better option although and like the over all experience much better that selling on eBay.

The upside to consigning is that your work is usually displayed in a gallery, boutique or other retail setting. There is staff on had that can help potential customers try on the jewelry and to help you make the sale. Even though you are not there to sell your own work, there is a human element added to the transaction. This gives the potential buyer a chance to see what the jewelry looks like on. They also get to see how long the earrings actually are or exactly where on their neck the necklace will fall. You have a better chance of selling a piece of jewelry for a good fair price if your potential customer can interact with the jewelry and a salesperson. If you are great at making jewelry, but not so good with interacting with your customers then consigning can be a great thing for you. It is also a wonderful way to sell you jewelry if your business is taking off and your work is in high demand.

The problems with consigning are pretty costly. If you are lucky you can get as much as 80% of the sale price, in which case you are doing very well and I would recommend sticking with that boutique for as long as they want to continue to sell and consign with you. There are some boutiques though that insist that giving you only 40% is a reasonable and fair payment. I can only say run out of there as fast as you can, they are only taking advantage of you. Not all boutiques only sell handmade items. Many boutiques are also buying products mass produced in China and are paying pennies for the items they are offering. They do not understand the quality of work that comes with artisan made jewelry and will assume that your work is not any better than the jewelry they are importing.

Another issue to deal with working on Consignment is the fact that you don't have any control over the safe keeping of your jewelry. If it gets stolen or broken by a clumsy customer, you will not get paid. Getting paid for the jewelry you make depends completely on the ability of the salesperson at the boutique.

I do sell on eBay and I have to say that during the off season, that is when I am not vending,

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