Chains and cords - advice please

[jazzactivist]

Hi all! Just a quick question on which I hope you can advise me. I am trying to work out how best to display and sell my pendants on my craft stall, and wonder whether it is best to sell them with or without a chain / leather thong / cord, or have that as an optional extra. When you buy a pendant do you also buy a chain / cord to go with it? Do you expect the pendant to be on a chain as part of the package, or do you have favourite chains and use those for all your pendants? Your thoughts on this will be most welcome.

[Crocus]

Hi Jazz, my sis always, always changes the chain of what she buys, always. I find that sometimes the chain or cord is a bit to long for me, sometimes to short. I bought a pendant to wear to the Matric farewell Dance last year, but the chain was to short. Fortunately I already had a similar longer chain.

The boys gave me a pendant for Christmas with a lovely chain, but they bought it separately. I think it may depend on each customer but perhaps it's something to think about to sell it separately? xx

[jazzactivist]

Thanks crocus. Maybe I'll just keep a few chains / leather thongs for sale separately then, in case someone asks to buy one to go with a pendant. It is easier to make up the right style and length of chain or thong there and then with nice end fastenings than risk that someone might not buy an item because they don't like the chain.

[Crocus]

Yes I agree with you on that Jazz. As you say, rather allow people to choose pendant and chain separately to their liking than not buying anything at all. What you could perhaps do is to 'make up' different pendants with one style of chain, and the other way round for people to see what it looks like? Best wishes with your sales and keep us posted. x

[dragonfly]

I wouldn't buy a pendant without a chain/cord but as Crocus says they sometimes are the wrong size. I think it would be nice to have a choice of size and colour.

[jazzactivist]

I was thinking about putting some of the pendants on nice ribbon with silver fastenings too, as that is very hot at the moment and can look good and is easy to wear. What do you think?

[buecherwurm]

I think ribbons with silver fastenings sound very nice and would probably appeal to younger people because they are less expensive then silver chains.
I think it best if people have the option to either only buy the pendant or a pendant and chain, or ribbon, or leather thong or whatever. You could display the pendant with a chain but price them individually and as soon as people are showing interest tell them that there are several options. (hope this makes sense)

[jazzactivist]

Thanks beucher. Yes it does make sense. It is so difficult to know what's best to do for a small craft stall. Where my stall will be is in an area that attracts mainly older people walking along the prom. A few families go, and the occasional younger couple, but I have never seen any teenagers or younger women on their own whenever I have been. I am trying to make my work mainly attractive to women over 50, and men as gifts, for that reason. When I have a stall at other types of events I will have to try to make it appeal to a wider age range.

[buecherwurm]

But women and men over 50 might have a big family. So they might look for a present for their daughters, granddaughters, nieces. Also they might look for baptism and confirmation presents or even a graduation present etc.

[jazzactivist]

True, beucherwurm. I am trying to think of ideas for a wide range of ages that would be suitable as gifts, but would prefer it if women were buying jewellery for themselves. I think that I'll stay away from baby jewellery and gifts at first though, as I know absolutely nothing about babies or their jewellery needs!

[buecherwurm]

Making things for a baby might proof to be difficult but I think those earrings you showed us on another thread would really do nicely for a teenager, I think. And if I would pass your stall I would probably not only look for myself but also for my daughter and for son's girlfriend.

[Crocus]

I bought my sister a bookmark - a light turquoise cross with a lovely ribbon. She loved it quite a lot but, she removed the ribbon, bought a lovely chain and now wears it as a pendant. It looked quite feminine with the ribbon so I think it's a very good idea. It gives a different appearance to the pendant. x

[sheddie]

Jazz when are you going to be doing your stall, have you made enough yet? X

[jazzactivist]

Thanks for asking, Sheddie. My stall starts at the end of April, and I am still working away trying to make an item per day, and ideally up to 2 or 3 per day. I am planning to have at least 50 items for sale each time, and at the moment I have about half of that for my first stall! I think that it will work out though as I am on a roll with it. The stall is only once a month, so I will have time in-between to make more. As I speed up I hope to have some available to put in galleries and selected shops, but at the moment I can't spare any... Luckily for me, some people prefer to order something in their preferred size or design so the stall acts more like a jewellery showcase, although everything on mine will be for sale. Quite a few jewellers have just a few items and a book or slides of what they can do, but I think it is better if interested people can handle the piece, even if they decide to order rather than buy that particular one.

[Crocus]

I wish you all the best Jazz, with getting enough pieces made before the end of April and that the stall will be a huge success. You've worked hard enough for it. XX

[sheddie]

Well done Jazz and do let us know how it is all going. X