Jewelry designers love the online medium because they can set up shop without having to spend on the expensive real estate and keep their stores open round-the-clock for visitors. They are also spared the expense of incurring overhead expenses on keeping the stores open, security, as well as staff. While many jewelry businesses have been very successful in the online world, many more have stumbled due to some common mistakes. If you are considering setting up an online jewelry business, here are some of the more common mistakes that you should watch out for:
Bad Quality Photography
If there is a single item that is perhaps the most important in an online shopping environment, it is the photography. Since visual images are the most vital tool in online businesses, you have to be really careful to ensure that the product photography is of the best quality. Buyers do not like online businesses that offer inconsistent quality or patchy photographs that are obviously not taken by professionals. Remember, that even though it can be expensive to engage a professional photographer, you can use the photographs on a variety of media, apart from your website, like the social media and product catalogs.
Not Having a Website of Your Own
Having your own domain name is not only an integral part of the brand building but also lends legitimacy to your business. It can be very tempting to go for the cheapest web designer and hosting service to sell jewelry NYC but you are likely to end up with results that will not impress customers. Just like you would want the best if you were to establish a brick and mortar shop, you should look at web design services that add value and make shopping easy.
Not Engaging in Online Marketing
Even if you have the best of designs, customers will not discover you unless you engage in a marketing campaign. Not only should you look at SEO techniques for driving your website up the search engine rankings but also engage in advertising campaigns online through Google AdWords and other service providers for banner advertising to the relevant target audience. If you can afford it, you should also engage in traditional advertising.
Not Using a Secure Online Payment System
If there is anything that spooks most online customers, it is the payment mechanism. As an online entrepreneur, you should have a payment gateway integrated into your website that can facilitate online purchases without having to leave the website. Use trustworthy payment gateway service providers that offer a fully-encrypted system for making online payments through credit cards and e-wallets keeping all vital financial information completely secure.
Conclusion
In comparison to setting up a jewelry retail store on the high street, establishing an online jewelry store can be far easier, However, you have to keep in mind that in order to convince customers that you are a legitimate business, you should design your website professionally, market it aggressively, and ensure customers have a safe and secure payment gateway to process the payments.
Author Bio:
Karen Anthony is a fashion designer. She worked with many firms and individuals in choosing the best wedding bands, wedding accessories and the best spas for the bridal parties and the groom.