Products - many designs vs a few designs?

[Red Rock Designs]

Hello,

I'd just like to get some opinions on whether a variety of items is best as opposed to having 3 or 4 designs. I know there's probably both advantages and disadvantages to both, but if anyone could shed some light, that would be great.

I make jewelry and I'm currently trying to figure out whether having a couple of designs is better than having a mish mash of items.  I assume having a mish mash of items on a table may overwhelm customers, but it can also keep them at your table for a longer time.  Or is having 3 or 4 designs a better setup because it shows you have a certain style or signature?

Any advise is appreciated.
Thanks
Bibi - Red Rock Designs

[iCraft Admin]

Hi Bibi,

I can only comment from SEO and marketing perspective. I don't see any problems with having a variety of jewelry products in your store. If you had a mix of jewelry, clothing and other products, that might be a problem. You just need to find the right keywords (a theme) to describe your store and use those keywords in your store copy.

You can segment your jewelry products, using our Collections feature to create your own groupings of products. Here is one example of a store with Store Collections https://icraftgifts.com/craft-boutique

[Red Rock Designs]

Hi, Thanks for the response.
I guess what I meant was how do I make my jewelry more cohesive as a whole and as a business.

Right now I feel like I make a mish mash of items, from using beads, crystals, semi-precious stones, chain-maille, and now I’ve starting using clay.  I don’t feel like my pieces are cohesive or say “Bibi”.

I'm looking for advice about how to make my jewelry more cohesive overall, or am I on the right track by using different materials?  I also find it difficult when customers ask for custom orders and the beads are discontinued or not made in their requested colour – I’m basically losing a sale.  Is it better to specialize in 1 or 2 types of jewelry making like chain-maille & using crystals; or is providing a variety of beads & making something one-of-a- kind the better way to go?  

I feel like I'm trying to find myself with my jewelry line!
Thanks, Bibi

[Hofkissed]

Hi Bibi,

I know this post is old, but thought I'd chime in...

I can't say that this applies to you exactly because we offer different things, but there was a time when I refused to "mass produce" and make anything the same. I wanted my product to be unique. More recently, I have started to make multiples of cards (but not to the extreme) because I've found that this saves time (when you make them all at the same time) and that they are still special and unique to the buyer anyway because they are handmade. I still offer my customers a variety of product, but my product is more uniformed now. If that makes any sense.

In terms of custom orders, I actively showcase product that I could reproduce if I was asked to. Sometimes, a customer wants something that I cannot duplicate, so instead of losing a sale, I offer them alternative options that are close and I find this usually works. When I come across product that I can no longer duplicate, hasn't sold in a while or I only have one or two left, I put it on sale and advertise it as a "last chance" sort of thing. This drives people to your product (for me, mostly people that wouldn't buy my product at my regular prices anyway), gets you some funds and makes way for new product.

I like that you offer a variety of types of jewelry making. I think you hit a wider market that way.

Hope this helps... just my two cents.

~Steph

[Fairy Cardmaker]

Sounds to me like you are talking about a branding dilemma.  You need to read up on branding.

You need to write down what you want people to know you for - and it doesn't have to be the product.
Example 1: You want people to know you for your medium [e.g. chainmaille, or beads, or clay].  -- that's only ONE possibility.
Example 2: You want people to know you for your colour scheme (mostly: brights, or neutrals, or vividness)
Example 3: You want people to know you for a feeling (Coca Cola does this with their branding about connecting all people and sharing goodness).
Example 4: You want people to know you by function [e.g. specializing in everyday wear or durability or fancy upscale treat yourself wear, etc.]

If you continue to make a variety of product (because you are too easily bored with one or you love them all), branding can still be achieved because it does not have to be product specific.  Example: You could achieve it through presentation: makes sure all your pictures are presented in a uniform way so, at one glance, people know: "That's so Bibi!"

So, I suggest you get a pen and paper and start writing out bullet points of what YOU want to be known for.  When you have a nice list, look for patterns/connections in the words you wrote out to start refining your brand.  And read up.  I'm sure there are lots of articles and books about it.  You could probably find whole studies on the branding history of Coca Cola, Walmart, Schneiders, Proctor&Gamble - all sorts of retail giants.

[Red Rock Designs]

Hi Steph and Lisa,  thanks for your advice....lots of great info!
Since my initial post, I've streamlined by shop and only make chainmaille now. I do make beaded items when requested by custom order, but it's not in my normal stock.  I'm a lot more focused now and feel like I provide a specialty type of jewelry. 
I'm still working on the branding and that 'cohesiveness' I mentioned in my post, but I definitely have a clearer picture of what that looks like now.

Lisa, your examples are really helpful.  Thx.