When browsing online jewelry stores, do you ever wonder where sellers get their merchandise?
Chances are, many of these merchants are dropshipping their products, meaning they’re outsourcing manufacturing, warehousing, and shipping to third party suppliers. You handle the marketing and customer service, and your dropshipping partner packs and ships the product.
Dropshipping saves you the headaches of storing inventory and shipping—and it lets you start selling without ordering inventory upfront. Ahead, learn how to start a jewelry dropshipping business of your own.
How does jewelry dropshipping work?
Jewelry dropshipping lets you operate an online jewelry store without holding inventory. You independently curate your products from one or more suppliers. Some suppliers manufacture their own jewelry, while others connect dropshippers to multiple jewelry brands.
When a customer places an order, the dropshipping supplier ships it directly from their warehouse. You, the ecommerce merchant, charge the customer a retail price, pay the supplier a wholesale price (plus any associated fees for shipping or subscriptions), and keep the profit. You only pay after you make a sale, so there’s no upfront inventory investment.
Jewelry dropshippers sell a range of products, from fine gold and diamond jewelry to less expensive costume jewelry. You can start selling through your own ecommerce site or on marketplaces like Etsy, eBay, and Amazon.
Advantages of dropshipping jewelry
Many ecommerce merchants find that dropshipping is one of the easiest ways to launch a jewelry business. Here’s why:
Low startup costs
Unlike in a traditional retail jewelry model, dropshippers don’t have to buy stock upfront from wholesale suppliers: you pay suppliers only after your jewelry sells. And since your partner stores and ships the products, you don’t have to invest in storage or manage stock.
Wide product selection
As a jewelry dropshipper, you can partner with multiple suppliers to sell a variety of products. You could have one supplier that specializes in rose gold jewelry, another in sterling silver jewelry, and another in crystal necklaces. This allows you to reach different markets from the same online storefront.
For example, footwear company Larroudé uses Shopify Collective to sell jewelry from multiple different brands at a range of price points.
Trend agility
Since you pay suppliers per purchase—not upfront—you can quickly shift your product offerings without eating the cost of unsold inventory. This flexibility allows you to consistently offer on-trend products.
Stay up to date on jewelry trends by analyzing what competitors are selling, following fashion influencers on social media, and signing up for jewelry and fashion newsletters.
Easy-to-ship products
Jewelry is ideal for dropshipping due to its small size. That means lower shipping costs, which makes it easier for you to offer free shipping—a great incentive to encourage customers to buy.
It also makes marketing your products easier. For example, if you want to create short-form videos for TikTok or Instagram, ordering samples is more affordable thanks to lower shipping costs.
Challenges of dropshipping jewelry
Here are a few things to consider before you launch your jewelry dropshipping business:
Finding reliable suppliers
It can be difficult for jewelry dropshippers to find reliable suppliers who ship high-quality products at reasonable prices. When you find trustworthy suppliers, they may charge membership fees or require minimum order quantities.
Some dropshipping platforms have limited customer reviews, and you run the risk of selling low quality or counterfeit products. You can avoid this by using a platform with built-in vetting like Shopify Collective, which lets you partner directly with independent jewelry brands and curate collections in your store.
Highly competitive landscape
As dropshipping has grown in popularity, many entrepreneurs have set up jewelry dropshipping stores on dedicated ecommerce platforms or on ecommerce marketplaces like Amazon and Etsy, selling everything from gemstone keychains to gold earrings.
To stand out from the competition, you need to identify a competitive advantage. That could be impeccable curation, fast shipping times, unbeatable prices, or top-notch product quality.
No customization
Customers often buy jewelry to mark special events like birthdays, graduations, and engagements—and they may want to personalize it for the occasion. From monogramming bracelets to altering wedding bands, stores that make their own products can offer more customization than dropshipping merchants, who can only sell what their suppliers have available.
If you want to sell customized jewelry, consider print on demand, a form of dropshipping focused on customization.
Longer shipping times
Many dropshipping suppliers are located overseas. This can lead to longer shipping times than dropshipped products from domestic warehouses operated by domestic fulfillment partners. Be transparent about this on your product pages; posting estimated shipping times helps set expectations and build trust.
How to start dropshipping jewelry
- Choose your niche
- Research suppliers
- Build your ecommerce website
- Connect your store to suppliers
- Market your jewelry business
1. Choose your niche
Jewelry comes in a range of materials and styles, from dainty to chunky, classic to edgy. Instead of trying to sell everything, hone in on a particular material or style. Finding a niche can make marketing easier by helping you target a specific type of customer.
To find your niche, consider your personal style and expertise. For example, maybe you have a large collection of minimalist silver jewelry, and know what to look for in terms of quality and trending designs.
You can also choose a niche based on your target audience. Look for a market gap, or focus on a community you know well. For instance, maybe you realize athletes need more affordable, sweatproof jewelry they can wear while exercising. Or maybe you’re an athlete and know which types of products won’t interfere while running and lifting.
2. Research suppliers
There are plenty of dropshipping suppliers to choose from, but finding the right one for you can be tricky. Here are a few options:
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Contact manufacturers: If you find a product you want to sell, contact the manufacturer and ask for their wholesale distributors. Then, call the distributors to see if they support dropshipping.
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Search online: Look up jewelry dropshippers on Google using search terms like “reseller,” “bulk,” and “wholesaler.” Many dropshipping partner websites won’t look as polished as retail sites, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the partner isn’t reliable.
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Attend jewelry trade shows: Trade shows can help you find products to sell and develop relationships with potential dropshipping partners.
3. Build your ecommerce website
The fastest way to start dropshipping is to use a no-code website builder like Shopify. To set up your store, you’ll need to:
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Choose a unique domain name (Shopify’s domain search tool can help)
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Upload product photography and product descriptions (dropshipping suppliers can provide you with these)
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Group products into collections
Shopify has a number of themes designed specifically for jewelry businesses, which make it easy to set up a professional-looking site without design experience.
4. Connect your store to suppliers
Shopify apps make it easy to connect ecommerce entrepreneurs with suppliers and streamline the process of tracking sales.
Install your preferred dropshipping app from the Shopify App Store. Once you’ve downloaded the app, you can add products directly to your Shopify store.
If your supplier doesn’t offer a Shopify app, they might provide an API key and setup instructions so you can integrate their products via your store’s code.
5. Market your business
Now that you’ve set up your ecommerce site, it’s time to get the word out. Begin with a marketing plan that includes buyer personas, a SWOT analysis, and the marketing channels (like social media, email, and print) you’ll use to reach your audience. A great marketing strategy will include marketing initiatives across multiple channels.
Set up social media profiles for your shop. Social media marketing can help you reach a wide audience without a large upfront investment. Invest time in search engine optimization (SEO) to help your shop reach the top of search results.
Encourage site visitors to sign up for email marketing. A well-rounded email marketing strategy will include automated emails, promotional offers, and a newsletter for sharing insights, company updates, and more. This strategy lets you stay in regular communication with your customers.
6 top jewelry dropshipping suppliers
Successful jewelry dropshippers rely on fulfillment partners who can source the best items, offer fast shipping times, and charge reasonable rates. Many dropshippers import products from overseas, which keeps costs low. Others prioritize domestic suppliers for faster shipping.
Here are a few dropshipping suppliers to consider:
1. Shopify Collective
Shopify Collective is a dropshipping app for eligible Shopify stores in the US and Canada. It connects you directly with established jewelry brands, letting you sell their products in your store. You market, list, and sell the products, and your partner handles order fulfillment.
This is a great option if you want to sell high-quality, unique products from well-known brands rather than generic dropshipping products.
Shopify Collective has a number of well-regarded jewelry brands on its platform, including Adlina Reyter, Ariel Gordon, RENNA, Stephanie Gottlieb, and Lizzie Fortunato. If you want to partner with a brand that’s not on the platform, you can invite them to join.
Once you’ve chosen your suppliers, Shopify Collective makes it easy to manage your partnerships with features like real-time inventory syncing and bulk product imports.
Pricing: Free with a Shopify subscription
Free trial: Yes, Shopify offers a free trial
2. Syncee
Syncee is a Shopify-integrated dropshipping platform offering everything from crystal studded jewelry to sterling silver pieces. Some products are supplied directly by Syncee, but like Shopify Collective, it can also connect you with established jewelry brands.
You can filter products by product type, supplier location, shipping times, and more. Some suppliers require approval before you can list their products.
You’ll need to create an account to see pricing.
Pricing: Free with a Shopify subscription
Free trial: Yes, Shopify offers a free trial
3. Spocket
Found in the Shopify App Store, Spocket has a worldwide network of suppliers with a strong presence in the US and Europe. While Spocket is not a jewelry-exclusive platform, it has suppliers offering low cost jewelry products.
Spocket integrates with Shopify, letting you manage your dropshipping operation from one place. You can also connect your AliExpress listings and manage both platforms through the app.
The site lets you view some prices without logging in, but you’ll need to start a 14-day free trial to see additional product details.
Pricing: Plans start at $39.99 per month
Free trial: Yes
4. Richard Cannon Jewelry
Richard Cannon Jewelry is a wholesaler that also has a dropshipping program. The company specializes in fine jewelry, including items made with gold, silver, and diamonds.
Although there’s a monthly subscription cost, there are no minimum order thresholds. You’ll need an account to view prices, but product filters help you narrow results by metal, stone, and style.
Richard Cannon Jewelry doesn’t offer a Shopify app, but you can connect to your Shopify store using its API with setup instructions from the company.
Pricing: $29.99 per month
Free trial: $1 for the first month
5. AliExpress
AliExpress is a China-based ecommerce marketplace and a subsidiary of Alibaba.
The company is well known for its low cost retail products, but its robust network of suppliers also makes it easy to dropship with AliExpress. Product quality can vary, so it’s important to check product and seller reviews before adding items to your store. AliExpress lets you filter your search by price and number of sales.
Once you’ve chosen products to sell, import items into your store. When a customer buys it, you can either place the order manually on AliExpress, or install an app like DSers to automate the process. DSers can also let you notify you when prices change or products go out of stock.
Pricing: Free
Free trial: Not needed; AliExpress is free to use
6. Trendsi
Trendsi is a fashion-focused wholesaler and dropshipping platform that offers low-cost jewelry alongside clothing. It has a Shopify app for easy integration into your storefront. Trendsi also offers private labeling, print-on-demand functionality, and free seven-day returns.
You can narrow down products by style, product type, shipping location, shipping time, inventory levels, and more. Prices are visible for more than 2,800 dropshipping products without an account, and shipping is fast, often between two to 10 days.
Some Trendsi items are offered for lower prices elsewhere, but the convenience and shipping speed can make the higher price worth it.
Pricing: No subscription costs or minimum orders
Free trial: Not needed; Trendsi is free to use
Dropshipping jewelry FAQ
Is jewelry profitable for dropshipping?
Jewelry can be profitable for dropshipping. To ensure profitability, choose suppliers with reasonable pricing, watch your subscription costs, and make sure your sales volume covers suppliers’ order minimums.
Does jewelry sell well on Shopify?
What platform is best for selling jewelry?
Shopify is one of the best ecommerce platforms for selling jewelry. It lets you design your own storefront and avoid marketplace fees, which platforms like Etsy and eBay charge per sale.
