Recently I was asked about the viability of selling Jewelry online. I didn't know the answer right a way. But after a little research I've discovered something interesting.
According to data from Framingham, Massachusetts-based research firm IDC, online jewelry sales will grow from $77 million (US$) in 1999 to over $1 billion in 2004 and outpace the growth of consumer e-commerce as a whole. (For the whole story:
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/3680.html)
Established brick-and-mortar jewelers that have begun selling directly over the Web, include Tiffany , the Zale chain and Kay Jewelers (a division of Sterling Jewelers). Among the online upstarts are Blue Nile, Denmans, Miadora, and luxury goods seller Ashford.com.
"Shipping small items that weigh only a few ounces results in nominal shipping costs and little need for warehouse space, increasing profit margins and dramatically reducing an online jeweler's cost of doing business," says Tod Francis, a general partner at Trinity Ventures, a founding investor in Blue Nile.
Selling jewelry online may be a very smart investment. What do you think?