Market Ready: When UK Jewellery Brand Should Enter the US

Aug 25, 2026

Dan Cate, CEO at SoldThrough, shares insights and practical advice on the commercial opportunity for UK jewellery brands to launch, expand and scale in the US

The UK is a great place to start a jewellery brand; its reputation for craftsmanship and design, alongside a thriving creative scene, has helped produce some of the most recognised names in the industry.

But for brands looking to grow beyond their home market, the US market represents a very different opportunity.

Not only is the US jewellery market expected to grow from US$78.9 billion in 2025 to US$115.5 billion by 2034 – making it currently nearly 15 times the size of the UK’s – but Americans are also spending almost four times more per person on jewellery than UK consumers.

For British jewellery brands looking to expand and scale, these stats are hard to ignore, with the commercial opportunity as clear as day.

What’s far less clear, however, is exactly how to tap into this market without the cost, complexity and risk that we traditionally associate with international growth.

How to become US market-ready in five steps

As well as being undeniably large and growing, the US market is also highly competitive and incredibly complex, meaning breaking into it isn’t just about demand.

Some of the most common barriers to entry include understanding the costs associated with US marketplaces; managing logistics, returns, and compliance without having to set up a US entity; and ensuring profitability and maintaining brand visibility without overspending on promotions.

There’s also the impact of tariffs to consider, as well as policy changes, to factor into strategy.

With these challenges in mind, the following steps can help UK, or indeed European, brands get US market-ready:

1. Differentiate your brand

The US market is crowded, particularly for jewellery in the e-commerce sector, so brands need a clear point of difference to set them apart from the repetition seen across many marketplaces.

Think colour, aesthetic, uniqueness or a clear value proposition, as well as looking at niche categories that aren’t as widely distributed online in the US., such as watches, brooches and anklets. A unique brand story and imagery can also help.

2. Perfect your product listings

Scale, colour and perceived value can heavily influence purchasing decisions and returns, so as well as product imagery that catches attention, it must also be clear and be paired with accurate dimensions and material information – whether that’s stone, plating, sizing or country of origin.

Clean, structured product data should also be used consistently across global and US marketplaces, retailers and direct-to-consumer (DTC) channels to help listings stay accurate as they scale.

3. Get the pricing right

Before launching, brands need to understand the true cost of selling across wholesale, marketplaces and DTC channels in the US, from confirming tariff classifications, and calculating landed costs at SKU level, to ensuring pricing accounts for duties, retailer commissions, fulfilment costs, returns and promotions.

4. Lead with your strongest sellers

Start with a focused assortment of products that clearly represents the brand, rather than launching the full collection.

Then, build inventory around those hero products, using U.S. sales and return data to identify which categories, price points and aesthetics resonate most before expanding the range.

5. Build a US market-ready fulfilment strategy

To reduce complexity and protect profitability, brands should consider consolidating imports into a US warehouse so that orders can be fulfilled domestically, either by establishing their own infrastructure or working with an experienced retail and fulfilment partner.

This not only reduces shipping costs and duty exposure, creating a more predictable cost base, but minimises customs delays and gives customers a much smoother checkout and returns experience without unexpected fees.

The latter point has become even more important following the removal of the US de minimis exemption, which until recently allowed goods worth under $800 (around £600) to enter the country with minimal duties.

Now, any brands still relying on traditional cross-border ecommerce models can face increased item costs by as much as 30%, leaving them to either absorb those costs themselves – affecting margins – or pass them onto customers, which risks lower conversion rates. 

What UK brands can learn from Ottoman Hands’ approach

For many brands, establishing their own infrastructure can add a layer of complexity to an already daunting prospect.

This is when working with the right local partners can help provide a faster route to the US market, and navigate retail relationships, fulfilment and the operational complexities of selling overseas.

London-based jewellery brand Ottoman Hands recently launched in the US and has already seen some impressive results having opted for a partnership-led approach to entering the US market.

This led to approval from top-tier retail partners Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s, a streamlined delivery and returns process, and twice its expected unit sales.

Alongside the right infrastructure and retail access, however, success also depends on having a clear understanding of what resonates with US consumers and ensuring the product strategy is built around those insights.

Ottoman Hands has done an excellent job in that respect. The team curated a focused assortment that limits excess while remaining colourful, unique and cohesive, built a strong visual identity, making its pieces easily recognisable, and offered a thoughtful breadth of categories and price points to appeal to different customers and purchasing occasions.

The brand also used high-traffic promotional opportunities, helping increase product visibility and customer engagement and a very disciplined replenishment strategy.

Breaking into the US is not without its challenges, but for UK jewellery brands like Ottoman Hands – with a strong identity, a clear understanding of their customer and the right operational support behind them – the opportunity is huge.