Crystals
Firms such as Swarovski remind us that there is a huge demand for crystals. Some see them as a poor manˇ¦s diamond whilst others appreciate them for supposed mystical power. The range of products that can be manufactured from them is huge, have a look at Swarovski's website (www.asia.swarovski.com) for some ideas
You may want to decide whether you are going to push the mystical side of this product, or simply sell your crystal ware for its aesthetic appeal. The possibilities are certainly greater if you become an expert in the "power" of each type of crystal you sell. This is unlikely to work however unless you believe in what you are marketing, or are a first rate actor (note that being a first rate actor pays pretty well, ask Brad Pitt).
In terms or distribution, we have the following ideas: -
EBAY
Website
Party planning
Open a shop
Through spiritual shops
Sell at craft shows, spiritualist conventions etc.
The first 4 ideas can work without being an expert in the mystical quality of crystals. The approach would be to supply pretty objects made of crystal similar to Swarovski. If you are creative you may want to purchase crystals and design your own objects, for the rest of us it is simple to find stock and buy in bulk from overseas.
Posting a number of items on EBAY, with the same ˇ§brandingˇ¨, helps to create an air of respectability. Link all the adverts back to your website to further enhance this perception. You can decide whether to add a payment gateway to your web pages, or simply to sell through EBAY with the website providing added information about the products, the rest of the range, where they come from, your address and contact details etc. Adding the payment gateway allows you to promote sales through your offline activities; they are readily available online and will typically cost 2-3% of the value of each transaction.
Party planning is ideal for this type of item. You can pass around samples of your stock for people to see, hold, and try on in the case of jewellery items. Our web pages on ˇ§finding customersˇ¨ cover this distribution channel in detail.
Opening a shop is borderline in terms of whether you push the quality of your products, or the mystical aspects. You will probably carry a different range depending on your approach. Certainly there are benefits to being perceived as an expert, and this can add a perception of quality to your products and the advice based service that comes with them. A non mystical approach would probably require a town centre location to ensure high foot traffic, which in turn would mean higher rents and more risk. A mystical approach might allow you to build your shop in a tourist area, or even out in hiking country. As long as you add the other means of distribution you should be able to drive traffic out to the shop, and the location might make it more appealing.
Using other people's shops is a lower risk option, but you may find that they object to you marketing your website, or your own store aggressively. This is because they may perceive you are stealing their potential customers. If you can persuade shopkeepers to carry your crystals, or crystal objects then this is an easy additional source of revenues. If you can afford to, offer your stock on consignment. Make sure that you allow for some shrinkage as these kinds of shops often suffer from shop lifters. It is likely that spiritual shop owners will prefer to do business with others of a similar persuasion, if you are not into the mystical side of your stock then this can be a tough sell.
Similarly, if you plan to sell at spiritualist conventions then you will need to know your stuff, and have a certain amount of enthusiasm. You are likely to get a lot of questions but if you know your stuff sales can be brisk. Easier options may be craft fairs where you could sell both raw crystals and finished products.
Suppliers are plentiful, have a look at : -
www.trade-india.com/TradeLeads/sell/Gifts_and_Crafts/Crystal or use our usual recommendations; there are over 3500 companies on www.Alibaba.com and page upon page using www.google.com
There is an opportunity here to go for "high end" branded products. You may want to contact companies like Swarovski directly to enquire about becoming a distributor, or agent for them. This is particularly good if you plan to go down the party planning route, or open a shop in a prime location.
You don't have to be "into" crystals to sell the more decorative items, it will definitely help to be both interested and knowledgeable if you plan to sell to the spiritual market.
Whatever route you take, emphasise the quality of your stock. Your entire margin is tied up in the belief that there is value in what you sell, whether that be creative or spiritual.