Jewelry Dropshipping on Etsy: A Beginner’s Guide
Today I will provide you with a robust guideline on jewelry dropshipping on Etsy. Though I have never dropshipped jewelry, I did dropship on the Etsy platform.
In this article, I will share:
- Pros and cons of dropshipping jewelry on Etsy
- Best Etsy jewelry dropshipping suppliers
- How to properly price your Etsy jewelry products
Key takeaways:
- Etsy does not allow fake jewelry
- It is best to dropship jewelry worldwide
- To succeed in Etsy jewelry dropshipping, choose a niche that you want to serve
In the end, I am positive that you should have the information you need to start an Etsy dropshipping business. I will also provide other resources I believe are helpful in your dropshipping career. Let us start!
Pros and Cons of Etsy Jewelry Dropshipping: Is Dropshipping Jewelry on Etsy a Good Idea?
Dropshipping is a great idea, not just a good idea. However, just like anything else, you will face some challenges along the way. Even before the days of the internet, many people made it big in the jewelry business. There is money in it, but there are also some hiccups that you must prepare for.
Pros of Dropshipping Jewelry on Etsy
- Massive Demand – jewelry is a consumer product. Any person, man or woman, is a potential customer. Because of this, there is a huge market for jewelry, and all it takes to succeed is proper marketing.
- Universal Product – jewelry is a universal product in the sense that all people know what it is. They may not need it now, but jewelry certainly is a product that people want to buy at one point or another in their lives. In addition, all cultures use jewelry, which means that the whole world is your market.
- Product Variation – there are many types of jewelry products such as earrings rings, necklaces, anklets, pendants, and more. The product selection is so huge that you can even niche down so you can target a specific market.
Cons of Dropshipping Jewelry on Etsy
- Fake Products – beware of suppliers who mislead their customers and dropshippers. On Etsy, I have seen some complaints about jewelry products listed as 14K gold, only for a customer to realize that the gold is merely a plating, not solid gold.
- Returns and Refunds – some customers would buy jewelry, use it for a day or two, and then ask for a refund. Be careful of these customers—make sure you understand the refund policies of Etsy, and that you create refund conditions that will not put you in a tough situation.
- High Competition – you are not the only person selling jewelry. If you go to Etsy now, you will find a ton of jewelry products. Here is an example:
Dropshipping jewelry is tough. It pays well if you make sales, but you have a mountain to climb ahead of you. The trick here is to look for suppliers who have something unique to offer and make sure that you ordered the jewelry. Later, I will provide you with more details about the best jewelry suppliers you can trust.
What to Look for in Etsy Dropshipping Jewelry Suppliers
Before you start dropshipping, I want you to know that there is no shortage of jewelry suppliers for Etsy out there. However, not all of them offer the same quality of products or performance. In this section, I will provide you with a short guideline on how to choose a supplier for jewelry for Etsy dropshipping.
1. Legitimacy and Authenticity of the Jewelry
You cannot sell fake jewelry on Etsy. As such, you must look for suppliers who only provide legitimate jewelry items. In this case, you must be knowledgeable about jewelry types, materialism standards, etc.
The only way you can do this is by buying the product so you can test it yourself. You do not need to buy all the items that a supplier is selling—one should be enough.
2. Shipping Time and Accuracy
Another factor you must consider when choosing a dropshipping supplier is the shipping time. Accuracy, on the other hand, refers to whether or not the supplier ships the correct product.
The length of time it takes for the supplier to pack and ship an order has an impact on your customer’s shopping experience. Make sure you know how long it takes for the supplier to ship the item, and then add some allowance (days).
While suppliers will always make claims about their shipping durations, these claims are not always necessarily true—they are only true on paper but not in reality.
I suggest that you order the product yourself and measure the supplier's shipping time. It is the only way you can tell yourself if this supplier maintains a high standard in meeting shipping expectations.
3. Product Variation and Pricing
If possible, choose a supplier that offers several jewelry product types. In addition, I also strongly recommend that you only work with suppliers whose prices are reasonable. As far as pricing goes, choose a supplier whose prices give you a lot of room for profit.
Product variation is an important factor in selecting suppliers because you will never know when you want to niche up. At first, it makes sense to sell only rings. Once you see success in this, you will certainly outgrow this niche and you will want to sell other jewelry types.
If this is what happens, then it makes perfect sense to work with a supplier who has other products, other than rings, and you must do it as early as now.
4. Personalization and Branding Options
The most common type of personalization is engraving. Without this, I have doubts that you will make it big on Etsy as a dropshipper. Why? It is because personalization has become a common standard on Etsy. Since many sellers do it, Etsy consumers expect it.
Branding refers to your packaging. I recommend that you work with Etsy dropshipping suppliers who allow flexibility in branding options. While they may not change the box, it would be better if you worked with a supplier who can print a label, like an insert, in the shipping packages.
There are other factors you need to consider when choosing a dropshipping supplier, but these are by far the most important ones. Keep in mind that the supplier is a critical component of your Etsy dropshipping success, so choose wisely.
6 Best Jewelry Suppliers for Etsy Dropshipping
1. CJDropshipping – best for multi-store integrations
Many people think that CJDropshipping is only for AliExpress dropshipping. It isn’t. There are jewelry suppliers here that you can work with to sell jewelry on Etsy. However, the jewelry available here is not of real gold or silver; the ones you can buy are made of brass and other metals.
Are these fakes? Can you sell them on Etsy? Yes, you can sell them on Etsy, and they are not fake. The sellers do not make false claims that the jewelry is made of silver or gold, and neither should you. For as long as you are transparent enough, Etsy will not take down your listing.
CJDropshipping Features
- Product Sourcing – if there is a product you saw on Alibaba or AliExpress (or other stores) that is not in the CJ database, you can file a request for CJ to look for a supplier. If the hunt is successful, you can dropship that item in your store.
- Personalization – the jewelry suppliers provide personalization; while the pieces of jewelry are mass-produced, you can ask the providers to engrave names.
- Integration – CJ integrates with major platforms like Etsy, Shopify, TikTok, Wish, and many more.
CJDropshipping Pros
- The platform integrates easily with Etsy
- Personalization and packaging options are available
- Shipping is worldwide
CJDropshipping Cons
- Shipping time can take a while
CJDropshipping suppliers are mostly from China. For the jewelry and print-on-demand items, it is not possible to choose a supplier. I checked it myself, and most of the jewelry products ship from China.
One thing I suggest that you do to address the long shipping time is to be transparent in your listing. The good news is that CJ offers several shipping options, which are available, to you before you even add the item to your product list.
2. ShineOn – best for print-on-demand Etsy dropshipping
ShineOn is a dropship supplier tool and product database. It is comparable to Spocket, but it does have a strong focus on jewelry items. The system is free to use, and it also offers a design tool where you can personalize the jewelry you want to dropship.
ShineOn Features
- Automated Dropshipping – all you have to do is design and market. The company will take care of the logistics, including the packing and printing of the jewelry you designed.
- Fast Shipping – ShineOn makes it a point that they ship the items within 2 to 5 business days from the date of order. However, they have no guarantee of actual shipping times. They also have only two fulfillment facilities.
- Courses – ShineOn provides online courses that you can take. These video courses provide you with a guide on how to start dropshipping and be successful with it.
ShineOn Pros
- Lots of merchants you can work with; a huge community of sellers
- You have access to a detailed dashboard that can provide analytics
- They provide support for scaling a business
ShineOn Cons
- ShineOn can only integrate with a few platforms
- Only two fulfillment locations
In addition to all these, ShineOn currently only has 150 products in its database. Despite that, you can give it a try because they do offer white-label dropshipping. Branding is not a problem, and you do not have to worry about extra fees.
ShineOn is 100% free to use. You do not even have to be a paying member to receive support from them. If you ever hit a snag, be it technical or not, you can contact them via email for support.
3. Shop3D – best for 3D prints
3D printing is a kind of printing where a machine prints a three-dimensional product. Yes, this technology is available to us now, and I strongly recommend Shop3D for dropshipping jewelry on Etsy. With this company, you can create wholesale private-label products and also dropship single items.
Shop3D Features
- No Minimum – believe it or not, the company allows single orders. If there is a type of jewelry you like, you do not have to order hundreds of pieces to sell it.
- Unique Items – you can send your art or 3D plan and they will print it for you. The good thing about this is that you can modify their existing products, such as figurines, and then make it so as a jewelry stand of some sort. If you do this, you are the only person who sells this item, which means you have no competition at all!
- Integration – you can integrate the Shop3D platform with Etsy, Shopify, and WooCommerce.
- Fast Shipping – the company will ship your items in as short as 1 day if the item ships to the UK for US and global shipping, it can take up to 5 working days.
Shop3D Pros
- You can dropship jewelry and figurines on demand
- Can integrate with Etsy
- Customizable designs with branding and packaging options
- Multiple materials are available, such as 18K gold, 18K white gold, platinum, etc.
Shop3D Cons
- Shipping is expensive; starts at 5 pounds (GBP)
Shop3D offers multiple plans. There is a free plan but the products you sell will carry the Shop3D brand name on its stickers and packaging tape. The other plans can cost between £19.99 and £349.99. With these plans, however, you must meet certain minimum order requirements per month.
At best, I recommend that you start with the Starter Package. This plan has a minimum order requirement of ten products per month only. The tape they will use for your package has no brand, but you cannot add your brand to it.
4. Beeoux – best for engraving and sublimation
Beeoux is a dropship supplier company that we can categorize in the print-on-demand business, albeit in the jewelry niche only. You can design your jewelry on this platform or choose ready products from more than 100 selections.
Beeoux Features
- Integration – you can integrate the Beeoux platform with Shopify, Etsy, and WooCommerce. You can also ask them for their API or application programming interface if your store is not built on these three platforms. With the integration, it takes only a few clicks to import products from Beeoux to your store.
- Product Selection – they have a wide selection of products made mostly of sterling silver. You can dropship sterling silver, steel pendants, sublimation watches, photo pendants, silver rings, and even ID tags for your pets.
- Niche – they have jewelry for many niches, including the pet niche. Yes, you can dropship pet jewelry from this supplier. They also have jewelry for games, like soccer or basketball pendants.
Beeoux Pros
- There is a customization program that your customers can toggle
- They offer fast shipping and fulfillment services
- It is free to join
- The orders are trackable
Beeoux Cons
- Integrates with only three platforms
If you want a store that offers not just typical jewelry, I suggest you take a closer look at Beeoux. They even have wristwatches where you can print something on the face. In addition, they also ship internationally, and you can track them with USPS and DHL.
The one thing you will love about this supplier is that you can design pendants in any shape. They call it Freeform Sterling Silver Pendants. This process is rare, as most companies that offer jewelry dropshipping have ready-made jewelry, and you cannot reshape them in any way.
5. OwnPrint – best for fast shipping and branded packaging
OwnPrint is a jewelry print-on-demand provider that specializes in the following niches: babies, fathers, mothers, horoscopes, and pets. What I like about the products is that apart from customizing the jewelry engraving, you can also customize the leaflet insert inside the packaging with a special message.
OwnPrint Features
- Fast Shipping – the company offers fast shipping; it takes only as short as four days to deliver the items to international destinations. They ship to over 150 countries, and they provide the same fast shipping standards.
- Branding – the company allows you to design your packaging. However, this is not free. The minimum order requirements for the boxes are 96 pieces. You can customize the box with your logo and pay only between €1 and €1.13 per box.
- Samples – you can order samples at a low cost (around €10). These samples do not come with prints or engraving.
- Catalog – they offer a wide range of products to choose from. Some examples are keychains, necklaces, bangles, bracelets, and more.
OwnPrint Pros
- The packaging comes with a unique jewelry card
- You can use third-party apps to collect info for personalization from customers
- You can brand your packaging
OwnPrint Cons
- Shipping is fast but production takes up to 6 days
Please note that while OwnPrint ships to many countries, they do not ship to Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and Sudan. In addition, they also charge a tax rate of 21% if you sell the item to the Netherlands.
I can say that you must visit OwnPrint and give it a shot. It is free to sign up for an account, and they even have an app that integrates with Shopify.
I want to add here that the production time of each piece can take anywhere between 1 and 6 days. It is only after the production that you should start counting the shipping days.
6. House Of Jewellery – best for high-end jewelry
The House Of Jewellery is not exactly a dropshipping supplier. It is a wholesaler of top-of-the-line jewelry. You cannot buy from this supplier unless you are a registered and legit business. The way it works is you have to register for an account, and then a sales rep will contact you.
You must prepare your business documents, such as your tax ID and other documents proving your legitimacy as a business. That is not the end of it. The sales rep may ask you for more information, and they will decide if they will approve your application or not.
House Of Jewellery Features
- Huge Catalog – the company offers a multitude of products such as bracelets, bangles, rings, earrings, hoops, charms, pendants, and more. These jewelry also come in different plating types, such as gold and silver.
- Clearance – they often have clearance sales, or they give massive discounts to their members. These discounts will certainly boost your profits.
- Photography – I browsed what photography they have for their products, and I can say that they were all professionally made.
House Of Jewellery Pros
- They ship in as short as 2 days
- They accept multiple payment methods
- They provide several shipping methods
House Of Jewellery Cons
- You cannot access the catalog unless you are an approved member
- There is a minimum order of $150 before they ship
For engraving, you must speak to their representative to discuss what types of personalization you want to offer. The House Of Jewellery offers high-end jewelry, so they are also meticulous when it comes to product customization.
Best Types of Jewelry Products to Sell on Etsy
Unlike Amazon, Etsy does not have a bestseller category or list. My assumption, however, is that Etsy will automatically show the top-selling products on its page, so that is what I did. I went to Etsy’s jewelry category to find what products have high sales.
Based on this screenshot, the best types of jewelry items to sell are:
- Jewelry box
- Earrings
- Locket pendant
- Necklace with custom name
- Bracelets
Curiously enough, rings are not part of the top-selling items here. However, it does not mean that rings do not have a market. I clicked on the ring category, and here is what I got.
As you can see, there are types of rings that have a high demand. In this screenshot, the best-selling one is the gold-plated ring that has an ocean design. It has over 38,000 reviews, which means that the seller certainly has sold more than 38,000 units of it.
Unfortunately, Etsy does not provide a top-selling list to users. As such, I cannot provide you with a definitive list of what items you must sell.
What I suggest that you do is type your ideas in the Etsy product search box and see if the sellers are making huge sales. If not, you can always test the marketability of your jewelry. After all, you do not need to buy inventory in dropshipping.
Steps on How to Dropship Jewelry on Etsy
It is easy to start a jewelry dropshipping store on Etsy. There are four major steps that I strongly recommend you follow in order. Of these four, the first two are the most critical. Let us begin.
1. Choose a niche
The first order of the day is to pick a niche. There are many types of jewelry, so you want to choose an area of expertise.
Here are some types of inches:
- Ring
- Earring
- Necklace
- Bracelet
Of these four, rings make up a chunk of the jewelry market. Another approach you can take is to sell all these jewelry types but focus on a single material, like gold, silver, etc.
The niche is what makes you the go-to store in Etsy. It is your specialization. If you attempt to sell all types of jewelry all at once, you will find yourself overwhelmed.
You can also sell jewelry for men only, women only, or jewelry for weddings only, like engagement rings. The main benefit of choosing a niche is you are essentially branding yourself, making your store dominate a particular area of interest.
2. Find a reliable supplier
The second step to starting your Etsy dropshipping jewelry business is to find a supplier. I will no longer discuss this in detail as I have provided the necessary elements of this aspect earlier.
3. Build your Etsy store
Building your Etsy store is easy. Perhaps the one important thing that I want to emphasize here is your store name. Please avoid using fancy and comedic names. Make your business name on Etsy sound serious.
The process for using Etsy is self-explanatory. If you are unsure what to do, there are many tutorials out there on YouTube.
You will need logos and banners for your business. For these things, you can always use freelance marketplaces to hire experts. The other method is to DIY it and use free tools online.
4. Market your jewelry
Your product will not find itself at the top of Etsy results pages. Without proper positioning in the search results, buyers may not even see your offer.
Below are some of my recommendations on how to market your jewelry products on Etsy:
- Instagram – upload your images and videos on Instagram for people to see. Do not forget to add your Etsy link or tell them how to buy your jewelry
- SEO – use Etsy search engine optimization when you do your product listing. You want the Etsy search engine to prioritize your products in showing search results.
- Advertise – you can advertise on Etsy and pay a fee to Etsy. What happens here is that the Etsy algorithm will put your products at the top of search results if the buyer’s keywords match yours. You can read more about Etsy advertising on their website.
Marketing is a challenging aspect of dropshipping, especially since you do not have the goods. Because of this, you do not have the liberty to photograph your products, let alone make videos of them.
If you want to dominate the marketplace, I urge you to spend some money buying your products. Pick the best ones that you want to sell, the ones that offer the highest profit, and make videos of them.
These marketing materials should set you apart from the other dropshippers. Just be wary of copycats—report them to Etsy if they copy and use your videos and product images.
Tips to Succeed in Jewelry Dropshipping on Etsy
You are facing a lot of competition in the jewelry business. Because of this, sales can become your main challenge. In this section, I will provide you with several tips to succeed in dropshipping jewelry on Etsy.
1. Use Lots of Videos and Images
Videos can be a tad difficult to make, but it works better than images. In the absence of videos, I strongly encourage you to invest in high-quality images.
You do not need to buy the jewelry to take product images. Most suppliers always have this. However, some suppliers do not pay much attention to their photography. In this case, you have the option not to work with this supplier, or you can edit the images and make them better.
You can hire somebody, a freelancer from Upwork or Fiverr, to do the editing. If budget is a constraint, you can learn editing skills. There are many free apps you can use to edit images without learning hard skills in photo manipulation.
For example, you can use programs with background removers. Use the supplier’s photo, remove the background, and then use a different one to make the product image more vibrant. You can also use video makers like Canva where you use still images and convert them into a slide show.
2. Make the experience effortless
What customers do not like in a jewelry listing is the absence of information. If you sell jewelry, make sure you provide enough details for a customer to decide. For example, you can include a size chart for rings.
You cannot make this yourself, as it requires huge capital to buy many jewelry items just so you can measure them manually. What you can do is ask the supplier for this size chart. If they do not have one, I suggest that you do not work with them.
The sizes must provide real measurements. What I mean is that you should not provide generic sizing terms like small, medium, or large. You must provide the diameter of the ring in real measurement standards like centimeters. The same thing goes with a necklace or an anklet.
You should also indicate the weight of the stone, the karat, etc. The customers must not ask for this information—they should be readily available in your Etsy jewelry listing.
3. Offer Personalization
Jewelry is a personal thing. As such, it is wise to offer personalization options, such as engraving. If you can find a supplier who also personalizes boxes, then all the better.
Why do buyers want personalized jewelry? It is because jewelry is a symbol. It is a symbol of love, status, ownership, and many more. A name on that jewelry matters a lot, especially if the buyer wants one for romantic reasons.
Personalization offers uniqueness; it appeals heavily to a person’s identity, and it is how you convert a jewelry transaction into an impulsive and emotional purchase.
How to Price Jewelry Products
Jewelry is a luxury product, which means you are at liberty to price your jewelry. However, you must also keep in mind that there is a prevailing market rate according to your jewelry’s material and gemstones. As such, you must competitively price your jewelry.
Generally speaking, you must price your jewelry at a 300% mark-up based on your supplier’s cost. So, if your supplier’s price is $20, the math is:
- $20 x 300% = $60
- $60 mark-up + $20 capital = $80
Your jewelry selling price for this piece is $80. By the way, the jewelry capital price must include your packaging.
Is this price not too high? In a way, it is high. However, this pricing scheme is a common standard in the jewelry industry. Your price of $80 will eventually allow you to go on a sale spree. For example, you can offer Black Friday deals or Holiday deals where you sell the same item for $40, not $80.
Now, one other thing you have to consider in pricing your jewelry is tax. In the United States, jewelry tax rates vary by state. You may want to consult with an accountant on this matter.
Jewelry Dropshipping on Etsy: Frequently Asked Questions
Is dropshipping on Etsy allowed?
Yes, Etsy allows the dropshipping of jewelry. Just ensure that your products are unique and not mass-manufactured ones. You can get away with ready-made products, provided that you offer personalization, such as engraving services.
Is jewelry good for dropshipping?
Yes, many people buy jewelry all the time. Now that people are putting less and less value on diamonds, it is the best time to sell faux jewelry.
Can I sell jewelry on Etsy?
Yes, you can sell jewelry on Etsy. However, you must not sell fake items. Do not sell replicas or copies. Sell jewelry and be transparent about their real characteristics.
How to start jewelry dropshipping?
The first step is to find a jewelry supplier. Buy that jewelry so you can test it yourself. For further guidance, I recommend that you read our blog Dropshipping Jewelry Products - Suppliers, Products Ideas, & Risks.
Summary: Jewelry Dropshipping on Etsy
The next step is to go to the website and supplies I mentioned. Check the products that they have to offer and see which supplier can provide you with the best service concerning your Etsy jewelry dropshipping business.
I also encourage you to try our application Dropshio.IO. Register now for free and use our tool for seven days. With Dropship.IO, you can spy on Shopify stores and get ideas about what kind of jewelry sells and what doesn’t!