Packaging and Shipping Your Handmade Jewelry

You work hard to make sure your hand crafted jewelry is unique or made of the best quality materials. You work hard to promote and sell your hand crafted jewelry because it is an extension of you, the artist. When it comes time to present your beautifully crafted work to your customer through the mail, it is really important to make sure that it is presented in a visually appealing, professional and businesslike manner. In addition, the packaging must be appropriate for the piece that is being shipped.

Creating, promoting and selling your work is "hard work," but your job is not done. Your customer has made a purchase of your artwork and is eagerly awaiting his or her package to arrive. Presentation of your piece through the mail is just as important as making the piece. There are several ways to present your artwork through the mail. Here is what we, at Body Ice Jewelry, like to do:

It is very important to print out labels (using a printer or typewriter) for your packages that are an extension of your business. I use the big 3 ½ x 5 inch Avery shipping labels No. 5168. The big labels that I use allows me to insert my return information at the top in small print and in the middle of the label in a larger font I place the purchaser’s address information. One big label looks very professional and neat. Hand written address information is too sloppy and is NOT professional. You say, how do I make a label that is an extension of my business? Well, you could have a small graphic that matches your banner or business cards (nothing large or gaudy). Or, on my return label information, I make sure that my Etsy website address is on the label. I do this for more than one reason. First, to confirm that the package is from my shop to the customer. But, secondly, it is free advertising! I don’t know how many times I have gone to the post office and had someone ask me about my jewelry just because of the website address. This gives me another opportunity to give out my business cards and promote more business. (Speaking about business cards, you should also include several of them in the package being sent so that your customer can give them to friends or family who admire his or her purchase [More Promoting].)

Next, of course, the packaging itself must be neat and appropriate for the piece being sent. For my small clay pendants that are not easily damaged, I generally use small brown bubble mailer envelopes. I neatly wrap each piece in tissue paper, insert it into a small zip plastic envelope and I have neatly labeled the item with its name. For my larger items or breakable pieces, I have purchased Indestructo Mailers that are crushproof up to 200 lbs. (You can purchase them through a company that I use called Uline at 1-800-295-5510 or http://www.uline.com. They come flat for storage and you just fold them up when you need them. They sell all kinds of mailing supplies. Another good company to get your mailing supplies from is Cornell Robbins at 1-888-251-1297.) My jewelry pieces are individually wrapped in bubble wrap, placed in a white jewelry box (which I also get at Uline), and then placed into the indestructo mailer with foam peanuts around the white jewelery box. My jewelry pieces are not going to budge, no matter how much bumping its package takes. It is so important that your product be protected from breakage because, don’t forget, that customer of yours is "waiting eagerly" for their jewelry to arrive. Take this advice from me, I learned through one customer, who was very very nice. I had sent one of my sterling silver wrapped pieces with a delicate dragonfly in the mail, boxed in a white jewelry box and placed in a bubble mailer, thinking the white jewelry box would protect the piece. When my customer had received her jewelry, her package had been greatly damaged. The white jewelry box inside was crushed on one side. But, thankfully, the jewelry item (which could not be replaced - one of its kind) was unharmed. I almost had an unhappy customer. She just loves her jewelry piece and still thanks me when we meet in the forums. Lesson Learned - make sure your item is protected. Also, when you mail your item.. make sure they mark it "Fragile."

Finally, I always include a copy of the Etsy order, which shows a picture of the item they purchased and how much they paid for the item. Then, I almost always send a brief note about the item they purchased. Things like what materials the piece was made from, how to take care of the jewelry they purchased or perhaps a little folklore about the stone that it was made from. This note should probably be hand written, but my handwriting is so bad, I generally type it in script but sign it with my handwritten signature. This brings the customer closer to you as the artist. Then, as a little incentive to purchase from us again, a small gift or a coupon with a discount for their next purchase is always a good thing.

Going that extra mile to make sure your artwork is presented professionally and that it gets to your customer without damage could make the difference between getting that future sale or reference from your purchaser. Your customer will know that you are a serious artisan and business person and that your shop will be around in the future.

P.S.: Always confirm with your customer when you have shipped their item. Communication is also extremely important. In today’s world there are so many rip off artists out there, your customer needs to know that you are aware of his or her purchase and that they are being well taken care of. :)

If you like my article and have some additional advice to give on packaging and shipping jewelry, please add them in the comments section. These are just how we do it at Body Ice Jewelry.