It has finally become clear to me that I don't have a skill issue when it comes to jewelry. I have a visibility issue.
Vinted is really working against me.
Some of my pieces sell in a minute. Others take ten minutes. Some take a couple of days. But in the end, they sell. Every single time.
What I've noticed is that whenever four necklaces are on their way to their new homes, especially after one sells incredibly fast, Vinted seems to cap my visibility to almost zero. Sales come to a standstill. Then I have to wait until those necklaces have been delivered and accepted. Only after that, once I list new items again, do the sales start coming back.
It's frustrating.
I've realized that I need to pivot. I need to find an income source that allows me to keep my self-employed status, so I can start wholesaling my jewelry to boutiques under the brand name Reloved by Pauliina and open an Etsy shop where I can sell these same necklaces at premium prices.
Because people genuinely love them.
The truth is, I'm underselling on Vinted.
I can see a real brand taking shape. These stones and pearls have been rescued. I find them at flea markets, in random online listings, and in forgotten collections of jewelry that have been mislabeled or misunderstood. Then I give them a new life by creating something completely new.
They are truly reloved by me.
I can honestly tell their story in the following copy that could be in a label tag: These stones and pearls were rescued from Andalucian flea markets; gathered under the Spanish sun before reimagined as brand new jewelry with premium hardware.
So what do I need to do?
Find an income, stick with it, and keep building this brand.
Because I genuinely think this is what will make me happy. And, hopefully, prosperous.
The feedback has been incredible. One pearl necklace recently received over 200 views and 50 likes. That's not nothing. I made that necklace with my own hands, and it makes me immensely happy to see people respond so strongly to my work.
Now I just need to solve the visibility problem.
