I have an idea but I'm torn. It involves designing and making jewelry that I can sell for less than $25. Very simple designs obviously...nothing too complex.
I've always railed against people cheapening handmade products...but in reality I have many, many stones that would make lovely small and simple earrings that I could price fairly low and still make a nice profit. It doesn't take me very long to make simple earrings...a lot less time than it took me when I first started making jewelry.
Of course, my previous thought was that I'd rather have fewer, higher cost sales, than more lower cost sales. But if I lose my job I'll have plenty of time to work on all sorts of jewelry.
And in this economy I think people who want to support handmade artisans may appreciate a less expensive, but still high quality, option to buying mass produced products from overseas.
Everything about these pieces would be "minimalist" ... even the shipping and packaging. I wouldn't include gift boxes or bags ... just simple plastic zipper style bags with bubble wrap shipped in the smallest envelope I can use. This will keep my shipping charge down. Right now I charge $5.50 for USPS Priority with delivery confirmation. I use the Post Office boxes (which I get for free) and try to reuse bubble wrap and peanuts when we get them. I was hoping to be able to charge less than $2.50 for the minimalist pieces.
But I can't decide if I want to dive in and do it full throttle - open up a separate Etsy shop just for these minimalist pieces - or combine them into my current Etsy shop. Or maybe I should just transition my entire Etsy shop into a more minimalist shop and use my 1000 Markets shop as my more artistic expressions shop.
The whole idea rests on whether or not I lose my job tomorrow of course. If I do I'll have plenty of time...if I keep my job then things won't change that rapidly, though I may start listing a few lower cost items.
I hate not knowing what my immediate future brings...there's nothing I can do except go to work tomorrow and find out my fate.
Musings from a jewelry designer addicted to TV, politics, and the internet. A Mom. A Wife. A Daughter. A Sister. An Aflac Agent. Life is never dull.
2 comments:
its a hard decision to make - i dont like making the cheaper pieces - but sometimes its the easiest and quickest way to make some extra cash!!! Also its a good way to use the beads, and stones you only have a few of, maybe you can do it and put it in a seperate category - not a seperate shop - at least people will know they are still getting you high quality product, that way...
Thanks Dravens...that's sort of the other thought I had too. Maybe a "Minimalist" category within the Etsy shop. I think I may experiment and see how it goes. :) I have SO many excess stones and supplies ... at least I could use some up.
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