Oh, dear. I put off writing this for weeks (well, I procrastinated doing the math first). It’s not the kind of thing a business owner takes lightly or rushes to announce, unlike fabulous publicity. Reviewing our business model along with rising costs is something I back-burnered doing for y-e-a-r-s; and it’s a very necessary element of running a business with hope for sustainable longevity.
Time for a little #realtalk - I put off doing it because things were working. Then I opened a store; got busy.
Then we relocated to Whidbey and lowered overhead expenses, so things had to have been fine, right?!
Then I had a baby and there was never enough time.
Then my dad passed and I juggled the weight of grief with the joys of new motherhood and the demands of a multifaceted business that I loved.
A pause to assess always felt impossible to carve out. Until 2020. Band-aid ripping moment — here goes...
The time has come for us to raise our prices.
(Okay, that wasn’t so awful.)
Like Baz Luhrmann cautioned in the song Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen) “prices will rise...” The song came out when I was in highschool and like the song warned, I only fully grasp much of its meaning now.
I'll take any excuse to use a Paul Rudd meme (I mean, how Juliet could've passed on Paul as Paris is beyond me...) But all joking aside, this is a long-time coming. It's been over a decade since our last price adjustment and the precious metal market has risen considerably in that time. In some cases tripled. (Don't worry, we aren't tripling our prices!)
Also, it feels silly to point out, but my skills as a jeweler have grown considerably in the past decade as well. I had to have a little self-reflective pow-wow to finally embrace the value of my time and expertise. I've definitely put in the 10,000 hours, so I'm claiming my title of expert.
Why write this and not just quietly raise prices?
Personally, I highly value transparency. Since I get to call the shots around here (#girlboss) I felt it worthwhile to share some of the reasons behind this increase.
2020 threw so many curveballs, some of which included long-time precious metal suppliers shuttering. For many components we found another outlet, often at a notably higher cost. Shopping around for alternative sources also got us really thinking about our role in operating a business that prioritizes environmental sustainability in tandem with our economic goals. While we are a mom-and-pop small business with a tiny carbon-footprint, we believe in our responsibility to protect Earth’s ecosystem however possible.
Some of the ways we have shifted and re-structured our business in order to serve in an ecologically sustainable fashion...
- Jewelry is Now Made to Order
Offering made-to-order service allows us to reduce waste two ways: by eliminating waste from pre-made items that need to be re-sized and by reducing the potential waste of an item that doesn't fit properly being discarded. Our simple, made to order custom chain necklaces have helped customers create mix-and-match looks with their personal charms. One necklace with infinite possibilities instead of a chain for every pendant.
- Recycled Packaging Materials
Orders are packed in gift boxes made from 90% post-consumer fibers and shipped in recyclable cardboard mailers made from 100% recycled materials from Ecoenclose.
- Offsetting Carbon Emissions
Shipping from us to you means unavoidable carbon emissions. We now work with Ecocart to pay for offsetting carbon emissions incurred in shipping orders. Proceeds go toward projects like forest protection, water purification, and wind farms.
- Free Repairs for Life on Our Jewelry
It has long been our goal to help our customers pay for a piece one time and enjoy it for life which is why all our jewelry automatically comes with a guarantee of free repairs for life. We offer single replacements for lost earrings at half price.
- Repair Services for Personal Jewelry
Having a piece you treasure be revived rather than replaced is common sense way to reduce waste. We recycle all precious metal scraps from repairs to return the material to the supply chain and further limit excess.
- Free Polishing Pad Included
This may seem inconsequential, but a little polish might be all it takes to salvage a piece that may have otherwise ended up in the landfill. You'll be able to polish 10-20 pieces from one little pad. Waste not, want not!
And while we're on the subject of change, there are a few other things we should mention. Since few things are more annoying in online shopping than getting to the cart page and finding a bunch of add-ons and fees, the following improvements have been made to the checkout process to streamline while continuing to be a financially accessible brand...
- Done Away with Tipping
We added the tip feature last summer at a friend's suggestion. We were floored by how many folx opted to leave a gratuity. Rather than continue tipping, we've factored your generosity into new pricing. Streamlines our bookkeeping as well as the checkout process. Win-win!
- Sales Tax is Included
This has long been our policy and it will continue to be so. Sales tax is factored into the price so there won't be an extra charge in your shopping cart.
- We Cover Offsetting Carbon Emissions
After a short test-run, we found majority of folx opted to off-set carbon emissions, despite the added fee. Sustainability is vital, so we're incorporating this cost into every order automatically rather than nickel-and-dime our shoppers.
- AfterPay for Installment Payments
Stick to a budget with installment payments. We partner with Afterpay to provide an option to pay for your order in four equal installments paid bi-monthly, interest free. Available to select during checkout, eligibility determined in seconds.
The most important thing - WHEN are prices going up? April 8th our new prices will be live. You've got until then to save and enjoy the current price structure. We will also be having our annual Spring Cleaning Sale in April. Subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of this page to catch limited editions and last-of-their-kinds on sale.
That's all the news that's fit to print for now. Thanks for reading and supporting our evolving family business since 2007 (aka the days when it was just me teaching myself how to wire-wrap after my day job). We are grateful to be a trusted source for your jewelry needs now and onward.