Silly earring question

[Former_Member]

Thanks for reading this!!

So I mostly make earrings. The only metal I use (for now) is antiqued (the Vintaj Company) nickel free brass. My personal go-to earring wire is the simple french hook with no stopper on the backside so that is what I usually sell/show.

I'm wondering what women actually prefer! Maybe I should offer the kidney wires that hook shut in the back, or maybe the lever backs that close. I do not ever make post earrings, so that's not a question.

I was thinking I'd use the 4th photo (5th is the gift box) to show the earring with 4 different kinds of ear hooks. Is that TMI? too much information? Or is choice a good thing?

Which kind of earring wire do YOU prefer? Thank you!!

Marguerite

[DarkRide]

I like hooks, myself, and most all the earrings I make are hooks of some kind. No one has every asked me to switch out, except for the one time I made post earrings. The customers wanted hooks ;-)
I'm inclined to make what I like and sell it like that. If the customer wants something else, they generally ask.

[Former_Member]

I prefer the simple hook, like you do. Options might be nice, but don't spend all your time on it. My guess is that most customers won't bother to have the hook style changed.

[HausofAriella]

Personally, I prefer the simple French hooks on my earrings, though I recently got a pair of lever back earrings that I adore. I think that showing the different options would be a great idea though, so that viewers can easily see that you offer different types of backings. You also could make some earrings with kidney or lever back ear wires as their default so that they come up in more searches for lever back earrings or whatever.

[HumandBumble]

I prefer the hook earrings also, although since my baby girl is in the "grabbing" stage right now I mostly wear posts=) I think that offering the different options is a great idea! Just make sure to let people know what the default style will be.

[StuckOnSilver]

I can only wear sterling silver or gold--poor me! Most of my wires are solid low-tarnish sterling french wires. Convo me if you want more information on silver wires. Good luck!

[Former_Member]

Some of the kidney hooks are really neat and add to the overall style of the earring, but for functionality (and aesthetics on most designs) I prefer french hooks.

[Former_Member]

I think it is too much information. Most buyers won't know what to pick and it will only create more work for you. I will stick to one type of ear wire. Most people don't read thru the entire description or forget to let you know their preference at check out. Then you have to keep on trying to contact them for clarification (a pain, and half the times they don't write back).
If you do decide to offer different options, make sure to say on your description that if they don't choose you'll send the "X" type.

[ThekawaiiOD]

if I buy earrings I would prefer surgical steal fish hooks or studs.. anything that is nickel free, really.

[Former_Member]

What about a custom listing offering the kidney wires, lever backs, etc. on any existing earring in your shop, and priced to cover your labor switching out the wires. That way a customer who wanted different hooks could just order the second item when they made their purchase, and you wouldn't have to worry about adding a bunch of variables to your existing listings.

[Former_Member]

Thank you, ladies! Good comments by all
Tessa, interesting thought offering a custom listing.... I like that. Thank you.
Amber, the solid brass I use is American made and nickel free.
Flavia -- thanks for the too much info comment especially since, yes... customers get confused and then you have to spend too much time clarifying.
Thanks Niki and Bev.
Eden and Ariella -- yes I think I will offer more types just in a design; not in each listing, and then if customer sees that I have other options, they can ask...good point.
Jessica and Caroline -- thanks. I think I will just wait for the customer to ask.
Or, make a custom listing, as Tessa suggested.
Thanks so much!

[heartsabustin]

Posts, hooks, or leverbacks - but I can't wear brass. My earwires are all sterling silver.

[ParkPlaceHandcrafted]

Marguerite, your earrings are nice. I always like hook earrings. On the more expensive/favorite ones that I don't want to lose, I like having the little rubber (plastic?) backs that you can slide on. I think adding those might be a nice touch. Not sure how much they cost but I doubt if it's much.

[mjjrosebuds]

As I have gotten older (I'm fifty-one) I have found that the French wires slide out too easily (great, add sagging lobes to the gravity list), so mostly I look for lever-backs now.

When my sister makes earrings she uses French wires but includes the rubber stoppers on every pair.

[ForgedMettleJewelry]

My ears aren't pierced, but I do sell earrings and ear wires as well, and it seems that french wires/Shepard hooks are very popular...

[marokel]

I usually only sell the hooks. But occasionally I have customer who request leverback. And I have in my information that I will convert any earrings to a clip on for those without pierced ears.

[Former_Member]

When my shop first started out we sold earrings with the inexpensive metal hooks you can buy just about anywhere. I found a decent deal on surgical steel hook earwires so I upgraded to using only those on the earrings in my shop. I include the little rubber backings with every pair because some people like to have those. I made myself a couple of pairs of earrings but I don't wear the rubber backs. One pair in particular likes to fall off my ears so I think I better start putting those things on the backs!

Sorry, that's not what you asked. I agree with the others who said make what you like and don't offer too many choices. It'll only make more work for you. The buyers who like your style of earrings are your market.

[practicallyfrivolous]

I like the simple hooks too, or the lever back kind.

[TheDarkFen]

i offer different earwires upon request. otherwise you generally get leverbacks, (or what is shown, if i decided to use hooks for that item)

i sometimes get a request for hooks versus leverback, but not often. i don't think people really care THAT much. if they like the earrings they aren't going to be turned off by one hook or another, especially if you say you can swap em out!

i like that you make your own ear wires. i looked into it. i hand form some of my own. because i don't like the wigjig look. too... scrawny? i like the big elaborate hooks :D

but i used to put in my listings "Other ear wires are available. French hooks, short and long kidney, leverback, clip-ons and ball posts. Please message me before purchase to see what is currently on hand"

[Former_Member]

I prefer the french hooks - the wearer can always pinch them in a bit if they slide out...?

Tessa has a great idea about an extra listing to switch style if someone specifically wants a certain type. I think the hooks are the most popular though.

[Former_Member]

I like the french hooks personally, but it's also fun to play around with the basic shape and size of the ear wire if you're making them yourself. I think adding a note that says other ear wire styles are available on request is a really simple way to let those who are interested know.

I personally prefer sterling silver, stainless or surgical steel, or niobium ear wires, and have found that most of my customers do as well. The steel and niobium are hypoallergenic, which is awesome. Plus, niobium is available in different colors so you can coordinate them with your earrings.

I think even when you tell you customers about the quality of the brass you're using, there's still like an ingrained belief that brass isn't the kind of metal earrings should be made from. It's really difficult to re-educate buyers.

[Former_Member]

I like hooks and in some earrings I prefer the kidney earwires which will allow the design of the earrings to show better in my hair since they will hang lower. I have had maybe 1 or 2 customers ask to have the earwires changed to leverbacks. I think you should make what you like and if the customer likes your creations but want a different earwire they will ask--beautiful shop by the way :)

[LisasCottage]

I prefer lever backs and have not purchased other earrings because I don't want them to slip out with my long hair moving them around.

[beatroad]

I prefer simple french hook ear wires for myself, but in my shop I offer earrings with different types of wires (kidney, leverback, etc.) just to change things up a bit. Makes it more fun to design, in my opinion. :) I'll do a swap-out if a customer wants to stick with basics, though.

[Former_Member]

I prefer french hooks, with my muscle & nerve damage these are the easiest for me to use! I often use the little rubber stoppers on the back, but I buy a package at W-M at use them; I don't expect to come with earrings unless I buy a pair at a big box store, and those are used mostly to keep the earring on the card during shipping. I only like lever back if they are long enogh in the back; one pair that I have is so short I have to jab it into my ear & hold my lobe out of the way when I use the lever, otherwise I pinch myself *owww!*