Starting a new business

[lookingforpearls]

Ru Pei Pei and Ling Ling

Ru Pei Pei and Ling Ling

Does anyone know if Ru Pei Pei and Ling Ling have websites? Have you all purchased from them online? or in person? What are your recommendations?
Thanks again.

 

[Sueki]

Sueki, would you be able to share who you buy your pearls from? I would love to purchase from someon in the US.

I have bought from PearlParadise, ]IntegrityPearls, Druzydesign and Pearllunar.
Some purchases have been finished jewelry, some loose pearls.
I've not been disappointed with any.
But I don't re-sell - the pearls have all been bought for my personal use, and the loose pearls for making gifts.

 

[Raisondetre]

Any of the online vendors mentioned above do wholesale, if you buy in the right quantities. However, they provide mainly AA+ and above, including gem quality, so it won't be as easy to find something for the price range you want. There are a few on ebay, and they sell loose as well, so you wouldn't have to pay import duties.

 

[Caitlin]

What do you you mean "home based"? How do you sell, through the internet or parties? What kind of shows do you show at? Name one. that will help me see what you need.

I deleted a post above from someone who has never posted here before. I wouldn't trust them and we- the forum -are not responsible for people who approach you or for the people you approach through this site.

 

[Caitlin]

Jeremy regards Ling Ling as as trustworthy. She does have a web site, but doesn't keep her catalog on the site.

I feel like we are doing a ridiculous dance. Wierd strangers are posting to try to tempt you into buying from them......We still don't have any idea what you what to accomplish, what quality pearls you want to sell or how you plan on selling them. All those things make a huge difference in which pearl company is the best to buy from.

In any case I don't want anyone here to go out on any more limbs trying to tell you who to buy from. No one here is speaking for anyone but their own opinion. Buy at your own risk. Espcially if you want schlocky junk like topearl sells.

However, the more clear you are with us about what you want to sell and how, the more our opinions can help.

 

[lookingforpearls]

my business

my business

Cathy
I have a shop at my home where I sell several types of jewelry. I also do trade shows and home jewelry parties. This is where I would "like" to sell some pearls if that turns out to be an option. Right now I'm feeling like it want be since I don't know where to buy them from or how to get them to me. I would like AA+ for example I would like to be able to buy the stetchy pearl bracelets for about $1.50 and sell them for $6 I apoligize for not being clear, I hope this helps.

 

[Caitlin]

Hi lfp

I would like AA+ for example I would like to be able to buy the stetchy pearl bracelets for about $1.50 and sell them for $6

You won't be buying AA+ in stretchy bracelets for $1. and anyone who says so is lying.

They sell the stretchy bracelets at every trade show I've been to for about $1-3 (I've seen them for 5 for $1!!! but they are commercial grade pearls. Elastic bracelets say "cheap, cheap, cheap" so loud, they sound like birds. Unless you are Chinese, people will know you aren't giving them the lowest price because you had to buy them from the Chinese.

Trade shows are where you need a resale license (or tax license) to get in, then you buy the stuff to resell. Do you want to be retail or wholesale?

There is always one person at the trade shows that has stuff much cheaper. That vender sells to many of the other people in the very same trade show for half price of anyone else. Then others buy the stuff and resell in the same show for double their price !!!, so if you don't look carefully, you won't get the best price.

You have been told not to worry about the customs, the sellers take care of it before you get ithe package. The person who said to write imitation pearls on the package is a crummy business person and I would disdain his/her advice.

 

[olivia24]

I would like AA+ for example I would like to be able to buy the stetchy pearl bracelets for about $1.50 and sell them for $6 I apoligize for not being clear, I hope this helps.

This is where you need to research pearls. What kind of pearls are you talking about? Unless you are talking about super-cheap, irregular, poorly matched freshwater pearls, these prices are not at all realistic; and if you are talking about these pearls, I don't really know why you want to sell them. Take a look at a reputable site like Pearl Paradise for an idea of what good quality pearls sell for and how they are graded. $150 is a more realistic price for a true AA+ quality pearl bracelet. You will find that the grading system for pearls is not very reliable - it is much better to go on how reputable you believe the seller to be and word of mouth. While Topearls may say that they are selling a AA+ quality necklace for $4, you have to consider why people are buying necklaces that are also marked AA+ for hundreds or thousands of dollars if it's really the same thing. If you are using semi-nice pearls, it is important that you put them on a nice thread (silk is the standard) and knot the thread between each pearl, so that if the strand breaks only one pearl would be lost, and so that the pearls don't rub against each other. A 14k clasp is also pretty standard, though some people work with silver as well. Then again, the prices of pearls vary quite widely depending on many factors of quality, such as luster, roundness, color, orient if appropriate, etc. Besides quality, the prices also vary widely depending on who you buy them from. There is lots of good information on this site about all of that stuff. You are still going to need to be a lot more specific about what kinds of pearls you are hoping to sell and what kind of jewelry you want.

 

[Sueki]

Olivia,
Many thanks, I am now feeling a lot better.
When I saw $1.50 for a bracelet, I choked on my tea and felt that I must have "mug" written on my forehead !
I can't even get on a bus here for under $4, let alone buy a pearl bracelet......