Susan of Photo Jewelry Making has an excellent strategy for getting her jewelry sold in beauty salons:
A privately owned high end beauty salon can be a great place to sell some of your handcrafted jewelry.
The clientele are usually females who spend money on themselves and if you have a tasteful and beautiful display of your jewelry in the store that they can look at while they wait, the chances are they will either purchase something or take your card for future reference.
Call the owner of the salon a week or so in advance.
Tell him or her you would like to come by and show them some of your jewelry and that you would like to present them with a gift for their time.
The gift of a piece of your jewelry will get you in the door and once you are in suggest a consignment arrangement.
Don’t be afraid to ask for prime display space for your items.
Go in once a week and maintain your display and collect your money for your sales!
See more tips on selling your jewelry via salons.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I have an earring display at a local salon where I sell the majority of my jewelry. The beautician loves the fact that I pay her commission with jewelry. Win win situation!
I have been selling my designs over the last few months at the salon where I have my hair done, as little mini trunk shows and they have been very successful! There isn’t a space to leave them displayed in the lobby where I have my displays or in my stylists room. ( It’s a newer concept boutique salon). But I will recommend that when you have your pieces in a display case, check them frequently if they are sterling as the solutions from perms, hair coloring, etc will tarnish sterling VERY quickly, making the peices look old, unkept and not appealing to purchase – resulting in zero sales! This is from an experience at a higher end salon/ day spa a few years ago.
I have a small business making jewelry. I have gone into a salon in Indianapolis, and the purchase from me wholesale and triple the price and then complain that people aren’t buying because of the prices.
I had a display in a local salon for awhile. One recommendation I might make – either have your sterling under cover or well away from the styling floor. The chemical fumes will tarnish sterling quickly! Also, away from styling sprays, etc.
Still, a high end salon is a great idea! Lots of women, and if they are going for mani-pedi’s, massages, etc. – they are the market who have the disposable income to spend on luxuries! I was only in a small local shop, (no high end in my small town!) and I had a spinner rack set up at the desk, so it could be seen while waiting, and perfect for checking out at the end of appt, while the receptionist processed the credit card! Once we feel pretty after our hair appt, it’s nice to pick up just one more little treat!
I am doing some of this. One place, very small, it went ok for awhile, but has gotten to where nothing sold in the last few months. And YES, the metals get discolored; I didn’t have sterling out, but my earwires & metal pendant had to be polished up.
I have 2 other salons that are too far away for me to do this with. That is a BIG disadvantage. One is a high-end salon in a large city. I have been concerned about this discoloration issue. Maybe I can ask them to polish them up??? The sales are going slow at both of these other salons (I have them on consignment). I’m not sure what to do.
Thanks for this great article!
I’ve tried to place my jewelry in shops and galleries but they require a closed case which I think should be lockable too. That would prevent theft and reduce discoloration from beauty products. However, it gets expensive buying those cases. Does anybody have a solution that is less expensive. thanks.