Jewelry to make a big splash in this summer

From Body Chains to Secret Items

Jewelry to make a big splash in this summer

The more you expose your skin the more attention your jewelry get. As people take off facial masks that have suppressed daily activities during the past two years of pandemic, jewelry got bolder and more elaborate. The jewelry market of late is flooded with non-traditional products like body chains, anklets, and belly piercings. Compared to last year’s unexpectedly great performance due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this year’s beauty market has been lackluster. Could jewelry shake up the status quo? We examine the jewelry trend that can boost sales during the summer season and discuss procurement/display tips.

1. How to carry various jewelries at a beauty supply

Today, we are doubtful there are many beauty supply stores that carry no jewelry at all. It might take an entire wall or a single section next to the cashier. No matter the size, you likely see a jewelry section in a given beauty supply store. According to a jewelry distribution company, quite a number of beauty supplies did not carry jewelry if you go back 20 years. They were quite focused on the hair, chemicals, and beauty accessories, so jewelry received little attention.

Now, things have changed. The jewelry market has grown continuously, and as the beauty supplies start to size up, more merchandise is required to pack the aisles. In addition, customers who prefer one-stop shopping experience gave a good reason for beauty supplies to make jewelry an essential category.

Jewelry scattered throughout a beauty supply store

Of course, jewelries are not essential goods, so impulse buying is the norm. Customers rarely visit beauty supply stores to buy jewelry. They often come to buy a wig or chemical and grab jewelry in addition, which creates a ceiling to sales performance. According to an employee of a jewelry distributor, you need not carry all sorts of them but should carry the essential kinds. Many who are in charge of running the stores tend to make procurement decisions based on their personal experience. As more new types of jewelry come out, past years’ hit jewelries can sit idle on the shelf with no promise to sell next season.

Then, how do you get the essential kinds?

You should first think about the proportion. Earrings are the single most representative item in the jewelry market. They do not have off-season and are worn throughout the year. In the old days, earrings made up 80% of the jewelry market, and other items such as necklaces and bracelets made up the other 20%. It has changed a lot since then. As the fashion industry got bigger and the individual preference got diverse, earrings now make up about 50%. Hence, procurement of jewelry at a beauty supply store should follow the balance proportion of 5:5 between earrings and the others.

Next, consider the trend. There are steady sellers for beauty supplies, such as gold ring-type earrings, but jewelries are by default very sensitive to trend. You should keep an eye on the trend. You definitely do not want to fill up the jewelry stand with “items that look great to you. There is a jinx that “items that heated up a booth at a trade show do not make great sales in the market.” And there is indeed a wide gap between what retail business owners or managers like and what customers do. It is often a sure mistake to choose an item based on your thought such as “that looks great” or “my customers love anything that bling-blings, so this item must sell.” This is actually quite common when you purchase jewelry from the wholesale. Remember that jewelry is even more sensitive to trend than hair.

2. How to follow jewelry trend

When the trend shifts so fast, how do you catch up with it in the jewelry market? When asked a jewelry-exclusive distribution company, they listed a handful of things to do. The bottom line is to attend annual accessory shows and fashion shows. Major domestic shows to remember are ENK show and Accessories the Show among others. In addition, fashion shows held at Paris, Milano, and other major cities abroad should be continuously monitored, and Pantone color, U.S. and non-U.S. jewelry websites, social media and so on should be checked regularly to look out for new trends.

2022 Jewelry Trends video clip highlights the bold earrings, matching arm cuffs, glamorous gold bangles on the wrists, big silver hoop earrings, non-traditional body jewelries on the body parts including waist, massive earrings with big and bold design, pearl necklace and earrings featured in the catwalks of luxury brands including Etro, Fendi, Versace, Balmain, Miu Miu, Givenchy, and Chanel.

Accessories the Show is held at New York ⓒCBS trade shows global / Jewelry Trends Spring/Summer 2022

Can you simply follow the advice and purchase items at the wholesale? Well, the answer is no. The beauty supply market does not necessarily move along the general trend.

Basics of jewelry trend for beauty supplies

Although individual preference is the ultimate test, each ethnic group has preferred styles. Caucasian American market has seen the rise of fashionable jewelry made of various materials, but the African American market is still dominated by metallic products(about 80%) mostly in gold and silver color. It is not to say that African Americans do not wear colorful fashion jewelry. However, they are often called dollar jewelries because you buy them at a cheap price and wear them once for a change. The jewelries for regular use are mostly metallic products at mid-to-low price range. As to the material, the general jewelry market goes silver(and platinum) and then gold in the order of preference, but among African Americans, gold beats silver.

However, this discrepancy may not last forever. Lately, the African American market has seen shifts from generic to brands, from cheap to high-end, from gold and silver to colorful jewelries. Despite this, they still prefer primary colors instead of pastel tones, eye-catching bling-bling, and bold contours, distinguishable from White or Hispanic market. The jewelry people we talked to agreed that it is a difficult market indeed. For one, they are largely of personal taste which can be quite odd.

Hence, before you purchase jewelry, you should not only understand the trend but also analyze the local customers and their preference. If you are not sure, you might be better off to contact jewelry distribution companies instead of making direct purchases. You should work with a company that has a long history, offers promotion regularly, and allows exchange of old inventory in order to reduce the risk.

3. Top 7 must-have jewelries for beauty supplies

Based on the information provided by major jewelry distribution companies, we came up with the following list of hottest items in the upcoming summer.

No.1 Body chain

Bring the best out of summer crop tops and bralettes with this superb accessory. Wrap your neck and waist with a body chain to highlight the core for a body-slimming effect or to reveal tight-looking core muscles. The demand is growing among the younger women, and the target audience includes White, Hispanic and African Americans.

ⓒNasty Gal, Lulu, Nectar clothing, Vanessa mooney / ⓒRM Manufacturing

No.2 Belly chain(Waist chain)

A secret jewelry for hot bodied women. Wrap it around the waist to add an accent to the waist line or use it as a long necklace or a short layered necklace.

ⓒAmazon.com / ⓒRM Manufacturing

No.3 Anklet

This seasonal jewelry is a must-have for store owners preparing the summer season. This year’s hot keywords are gold/silver with a small pendant as a point, pearl, and bold and elaborate design.

ⓒC&L USA / ⓒJoy Jewelry / ⓒRM Manufacturing

No.4 Nose pin/Nose ring

When the mask mandates are lifted, this item should see an increase in sales. Some stores are said to have stocked up multiple sets already. Lately, nose pins that can be worn without piercing the nose came out in the market.

ⓒC&L USA / ⓒJoy Jewelry

No.5 Toe ring/Mid ring

Yet another summer item, toe ring, can make your toe shine. In addition to the toes, you can wear them in the middle of a finger as a mid ring.

ⓒC&L USA / ⓒJoy Jewelry / ⓒRM Manufacturing

No.6 Belly

Piercing accessories’ popularity is on the rise, and the belly piercing matched with bikinis or crop tops are especially popular in summer.

ⓒJoy Jewelry

No.7 Hoop earring

Everyone has one of these must-have accessories. Elegant gold and silver styles in various sizes can go along with any outfit, and eye-catching big sizes are especially popular in summer. This season, classic earrings with a touch of special design such as twist, decoration, chain, and logo are popular.

Bonus. Initial jewelry

Not just for summer, but for all seasons. Since a few years ago, the initial jewelry has been popular with continuous release of new designs and types. As a personal item or as a gift, people are likely to impulse buy these. Place them near the cashier.

4. Jewelry display tips to increase sales

Mainly three kinds of display are used for jewelry as below. First of all, you need to have a firm idea about how many and what kinds of displays you need for your store size. It is never right to have more than necessary. If you fill in a limited space with too many display units packed with items, the jewelry simply loses its shine and decreases thecustomer’s purchase desire. The advice about getting the essential kinds applies here. In addition, you want to place all items separately. If you simply pack a display unit with all sorts of items, it would look like an unpopular gift basket. Unless you have a large space, mix countertops and tower units to display items separately.

-Countertop: a display unit typically placed on top of the cashier’s counter. It can attract customers’ eyes during the last few minutes they spend at the checkout.

-LED tower display: a unit accommodating set display in a tight space, typically used for body jewelry.

-Wall cabinet: a cabinet-type jewelry display. It can be installed in the middle of a retail floor without facing walls or along an entire wall as a set. With LED lights, it can catch customers’ eyes with the shine and sparkle of jewelry.

63” 2 side Cabinet / 80” Wall Cabinet

The next step is lighting. It is a recent trend to utilize LED light, and you need to pay attention to the color temperature. According to a display expert, purple (white) light at 6000k or higher is good for white/silver based products with diamond, crystal, and rhinestone. White colored lights can shed clear light on these products. However, beauty supplies typically carry a mixed bag of gold, silver, and rhinestone jewelry, so it is recommended to use natural light at around 4000K color temp. The direction should be downward from the top for a luxurious and comfortable look.

Lastly, a word from jewelry companies: jewelry does have a decent profit margin compared to other categories carried at beauty supplies, so as long as you purchased good quality jewelry, you should make sure to charge at least twice the cost. Let’s keep our hope up for the summer season with sparkling jewelries.