What’s a Home Jewelry Party and How Can You Make a Profit at One

Many budding jewelry designers are looking for unique ways to get their jewelry out there, but It’s not always clear where to start. If you’re a jewelry designer who’s created their first pieces, home jewelry parties may be the best way to introduce your collection to the people in your life. From there, you can work on spreading awareness through word of mouth. But jewelry parties aren’t just for those new to the trade, experienced designers can also enjoy the convenience and control of planning their own party. When you’re considering how to sell your jewelry, follow this guide from MKM Jewelry to get your product moving.

What Are Home Jewelry Parties?

Home jewelry parties are a creative alternative to selling your pieces at craft fairs and festivals. Considering how to sell jewelry at these type of events can be an expensive venture, as you have to reserve booth space, pay for tables, give the host a commission, and pay for transportation for your pieces. A home party can be a great way to build relationships with friends of friends and network with people who may be able to advance your business.

Advantages of Home Jewelry Parties

When you host a party at your own home, there are a number of benefits you can take advantage of. First, you don’t have to pay any of the overhead that’s inherent in craft fairs. Even better, you don’t have to spend all day at a craft fair. Usually, those events last 5 - 7 hours (plus set up and break down time), while at a home event, you can spend just three hours with friends and make the same amount of money with less effort and planning. A home party also has advantages for your guests. They’ll feel more relaxed and comfortable in a friend’s home. They’ll also have a chance to speak with you about your jewelry, goals, and business in-depth — cultivating trust from customers. You’re offering them a personalized experience and you can even take commissions while you’re there. Hosting at your own home isn’t a necessity, you can host at a friends house and compensate them by bringing food or even offering them pieces for free. It’s possible to host home jewelry parties at a different friend’s home every week — especially if each host has a different circle of friends.

Downsides of Home Jewelry Sales

There aren’t really any inherent downsides to hosting home jewelry parties, but sometimes your guests may feel too pressured to buy. Organizing niche games, being too strict about the arrival time, or getting too elaborate with food and drinks are all things that can scare off potential customers. The best way to sell your jewelry at a home event is through the open house format.

How to Sell Jewelry Through the Open House Format

The open house format is exactly what it sounds like, although instead of touring a home, people are touring your jewelry collection. To set up an open house home jewelry party, simply set up a time frame and allow people to come and go as they please. There’s no need to schedule events or keep a timetable. Usually, three hours is best for home jewelry parties in the open house format, as it allows people enough time to wander in on their own schedule. They don’t feel pressured to arrive or leave at a certain time and they can show up at their own convenience. Do your best to create a fun shopping atmosphere in a “girl’s night” style where you make suggestions, answer questions, let people try on pieces, and help them decide what they want with a custom order. While this is the basic idea for successful home jewelry parties, MKM Jewelry has some tips to ensure you have everything you need when working on how to sell jewelry.

Tip 1: Be Prepared

Send invitations early — a month in advance is usually best. You can use a free evite service with a number of different templates that allow you to customize an invitation for your business. Make sure people can RSVP through the online service to help you keep track of who is coming. Choose a comfortable number of people to invite and encourage everyone to bring a friend. Hosting on a weeknight or a Saturday afternoon usually brings the biggest crowds, and scheduling a three-hour time frame offers enough time for people to browse, shop, buy, and leave. Bring small bills, gift packaging, business cards, and custom order forms to ensure everything stays organized. Set up your display before people start arriving and make it easy for people to find you. You should also have an area where people can try on and look at jewelry off to the side, so they’re not blocking the displays while checking themselves out. A third area of your home jewelry party should be set up for people to cash out to ease traffic and congestion around your tables.

Tip 2: Stock Up

You can only sell the amount of jewelry you have with you. While you can take custom orders, this means more work for you in the long run and deters the people who make impulse purchases. Guests want to be able to take their jewelry home with them right away, so don’t make them wait a week for a piece they loved at the party. Selling the pieces you actually have also reinforces that each item is unique and custom, making people feel like they’re getting something truly special. We recommend stocking up 3 - 5 pieces per guest with a focus on pieces that sell out the fastest. As a rule, earrings sell out quickest at home jewelry parties, so make more of these than you would of necklaces, rings, and bracelets.

Tip 3: Create a Smart Display

Selling your jewelry successfully isn’t all about the quality of your pieces — sometimes it’s about how you show it off. Ensure your displays are visually appealing and easy to navigate by organizing them by color, stone, style, or type. Pair items together that can be worn as a set and don’t put everything on a single table. People like to wander around at home jewelry parties, so when thinking how to best sell jewelry, avoid clutter and use several tables throughout the home to display your items. You don’t want to irritate your guests or cause them to give up with too much clutter or too many people around a single display.

Tip 4: Choose Vertical Displays

Statistically, people buy jewelry more often when it’s at their eye level. Make sure your displays are at varying heights. Don’t just lay everything flat, as it doesn’t showcase all the angles of your pieces and it’s very boring. You can display your pieces at the height they should be worn — earrings are highest, then necklaces, and lowest can be rings and bracelets. It doesn’t matter what you use to elevate your pieces. We’ve seen jewelry displayed on tiered cakes, metal sculptures, and tree branches. Depending on your jewelry style, choose a display that complements your pieces.

Tip 5: Don’t Forget Mirrors

While home jewelry parties happen in a home — and homes have mirrors — you’ll need extras. People want to see the jewelry they try on from every angle — without running to the bathroom to look at the earrings or necklaces. Position mirrors near tables at strategic heights and provide a few handheld ones so people have easy access no matter where they are. Work with MKM Jewelry Now that you have some top tips on how to host successful home jewelry parties, bring everything together with your gorgeous designs. If your jewelry involves mold making, casting, engraving, setting, or finishing, MKM Jewelry can help. We have over 15 years experience in fashion and fine jewelry. We can take you from the concept board to completion with CAD and CAM processes that allow greater flexibility for your design ideas. Reach out to our expert team today when you call us at (213) 689-4823 or email at info@mkmjewelry.com.