It is easy to see how packaging is crucial when you're shipping glass beads or jewelry.  Strong cardboard boxes and/or lots of bubble ensure that your goods arrive intact.  Surrounding your goods with plastic or bubble wrap also protects against the package being left outside in inclement weather.

Packaging is also crucial in point of sale purchases.  It helps define your image.  It also helps determine your markup.  The same pair of sterling silver earrings displayed in a high end jewelry box that costs  1.50

will sell for more than those displayed on a plain .10 earring card. 

However, this does not mean that you have to spend big bucks to have appropriate or impressive packaging.   You can get a very nice earring box for half the price of the high end one listed above.  Then again, you may sell low end jewelry or you may sell in a flea market.  In both of those cases, you wouldn't want to run up the price of the piece with the packaging.   The earring cards would be fine. Regardless of your price point or retail venue, there are numerous packaging options at every price point in between the two ends of the spectrum (foil boxes, jewelry pouches, gift bags and leatherette boxes to name a few).

I personally believe you should invest in gift boxes (.24 for plain white cardboard), particularly around the holidays. In place of the gift box, you could use a gift bag (.32 to .39 a piece depending on color) lined with tissue paper.

If you have the time, you can create your own earring cards with cardstock and a paper punch.   The most economical way to do this would be to use black print on colored cardstock.  You could then go for the same color in your gift bag. 

Tissue paper in a co-ordinating color gives you an economical, yet completely distinctive look.

You can also dress up a plain white box with a label or a small bow or tie-on.  I like the elastic bow ties because the box will stay shut.  For the same .08, you could get some beautiful ribbon and tie your own bow.

Hopefully, your customer will buy several pieces of your jewelry and will need a way to carry all those packages out to the car.  Why re-use grocery store plastic bags when you can get brand new ones for slightly more than .01 a piece?  Again if you're packaging your jewelry in little gift bags, you could always bundle them into one large gift bag.  Pricier, yes, but you know your target market and image. 

If you've been following this column, you will remember that we talked about romance cards in the article I recently wrote on keepers (follow link on top of page).   A romance card can be made very cheaply.  Again, you could use black print on a colored background and fit several romance cards on one 8 1/2 by 11 piece of cardstock.  Put your contact info on the romance card and throw it in the package with the purchases.  Keep your name in front of the customer. The liberal use of romance cards pays for itself in the long run.

The last area to be covered is wholesaling to retail stores.  As always, you have options.  You could depend on the store to provide their own point of sale packaging.  You could also allow the store to choose from a few different options.  This is what I do.  I list the base price of the jewelry.  Then show a picture of the different types of packaging available along with the additional price for each packaging type.  I consider it part of the personalized service I offer my customers.  I've saved the best for last.  You have a large jewelry line that is quickly developing a brand image.  At that point, you could have your own custom packaging printed. Or, of course, you could also follow the lead of the now famous designers by having your brand name discreetly put on a tag that dangles from your fabulous creation.  And on that pleasant thought, I'll leave you for this month.