This past spring at Craftcation we hosted a Think Tank (group feedback session) on packaging. We did not anticipate the high demand for this class. Apparently a lot of you have questions about the best way to package your products, especially for wholesale and especially about jewelry. So, we thought we'd get some of the smartest shop owners we know to share what they like to see when it comes to jewelry packaged for their shop.
Marlo Miyashiro: The Handmade Showroom in Seattle
Q: What is the best way to package jewelry for display in a shop?
A: Having been a jewelry artist selling to 200+ stores all over the world and working with a lot of jewelers at The Handmade Showroom, I definitely have opinions on packaging!
Photo credit: Marlo M.
For necklaces, we prefer either no tag so we can use our own printed and barcoded dumbbell tags or small hang tags that are large enough for a small price tag but not so large that it is difficult to conceal on our display components.
For earrings, cards that allow the earrings to show forward, hanging naturally are the best.
Any branding or logos printed on the tags and cards should be minimal to allow the work to be the focal point when on display together. Imagine a case full of your pieces on hang tags or cards and if all you notice is your logo, then some adjustments need to be made.
Pay attention to the kind of paper that you use! Test out some sticky labels to see if removing them tears the paper. Many shops will offer to remove the price tag for customers who are purchasing gifts, so it can be pretty embarrassing to start removing a label only to have the card stock destroyed in the process.
Also, test out your earrings on their cards - move them around and see if the ear wires mark the card stock. If you see little lines forming with slight pressure, your cards will look worn very quickly. Include extra display cards so your display will always look fresh.
Overall, stay away from low-priced kraft paper, rough matte finish papers, and highly textured card stock. They all look great at first glance, but labels will tear away at them and silver ear wires will mark them up quite easily.
If your branding requires the use these types of papers, try to figure out a secondary way for prices to attach to the item. For example, affixing a glossy sticker to the back of an earring card will create a place for a price label to be easily removed.
Glass vases display: Christine Stoll Jewelry
Q: What should a maker take into consideration when designing jewelry packaging?
A: For shipping and point of sale packaging, if you have visions of offering expensive custom branded boxes and/or creating specially printed gift bags, I highly recommend first asking the jewelry buyer if they want those things for their store before you include them in your shipment.
Some shops like using the artist's packaging, but others prefer to use their own store branded packaging. It is truly a waste of resources to ship items in custom boxes if they will ultimately be thrown away.
If the buyer does not want your fancy packaging, try not to be offended! They are doing you a huge favor and saving you lots of money. Simply place each piece in a small zip lock bag and bundle them with like-items in bubble wrap.
As I mentioned earlier, if your tags and earring cards tend to be marked up by your work, include a few extra so the shop has an easy way to refresh your display without having to go to the trouble of asking for more later.
Communication with your buyers is key toward building a profitable and long-lasting relationship and will make your line stand out from the rest!
Glass case close-up: Verso Jewelry
Q: Anything else you'd like to share?
A: I am available for email and phone consultations to help jewelers improve their branding, packaging, pricing, and general business practices. Information about my services can be found at CreativeArtsConsulting.com
Leanna Lin Fong: Leanna Lin's Wonderland in Los Angeles
Q: What is the best way to package jewelry for display in a shop?
It all depends on the jewelry designer's style and brand. Unique packaging that goes with their brand is great. Packaging can also stand out to customers looking for a gift. People love a good presentation.
Also, shop buyers pick designers and how their branding fits into their own brand/shop. Each shop puts their own price tags differently, so a box or card in cello bag makes it easy for shops to put a sticker on back. Some shops have their own displays and will hang or lay them out. We display different lines accordingly.
Q: What should a maker take into consideration when designing jewelry packaging?
Branding and being universal to fit into several types of shops.
Q: Anything else you'd like to share?
Do your research. Shop the stores and see what's out there and how shops like to display their jewelry too!
Kiley Handy: Period Six Studio in Golden, Colorado
Q: What is the best way to package jewelry for display in a shop?
This is such a hard question since there's not a one size fits all solution. The packaging should reinforce the quality and personality of the jewelry and your brand. Let the jewelry be the "leading lady."
We gravitate towards packaging that is similar to our store's aesthetic or gives us a lot of freedom like the line (Niyol by Lara Holland) in our pictures. Lara's jewelry has such clean lines and attention to detail that we're constantly thinking of new textures to display it on. She sends us in in clearly marked, individual bags that makes it simple to receive and tag so we can put more thought into the merchandising.
Some of the things we love to see are heavy weight cards (especially with interesting textures), solid logos, plenty of space for us tag, accompanying information that helps us tell your story and simple identifiers like where the artist is from or if they're using a unique method or medium.
Q: What should a maker take into consideration when designing jewelry packaging?
Make the packaging work for you. It's telling your story and selling your work when you're not there. Don't be afraid to have an open dialogue with the stores you're working with to test and grow, good packaging is mutually beneficial and they're receiving front line feedback.
