If there’s one thing outside of your control that could wind up determining the success of your holiday selling season, what will it most likely be?

• The state of our national economic condition (i.e., inflation, the war in Israel and the Ukraine). Online sales also can hurt. — Gene, John and Krista Poole, Hudson-Poole Jewelers, Tuscaloosa, AL
• My health. I’m experiencing a health challenge I hope to be resolved soon! — Kas Jacquot, Kas A Designs, Jefferson City, MO
• WEATHER!! Especially on or near 12/20 and later. A bad storm can ruin us and make me puke … — Tom R. Nelson, Nelson Jewelry, Spencer, IA
• I need more sales staff who are substantively knowledgeable about jewelry. I need more people on the floor who can sell diamonds. I need to clone myself times three. The success of holiday relies almost solely on the number of good people I have on the floor. — Andrea Riso, Talisman Collection, El Dorado Hills, CA
• We’ve had a lengthy search for another jeweler. There’s a limited pool, and the vast majority have low level skills. The top level jewelers have mostly aged out or are about to. This will impact our growth. — Debbie Fox, Fox Fine Jewelry, Ventura, CA
• Snow: When it flies, we get busy. Smiles: If our farmers are happy, so are we! Wine: The more it flows, the better the holiday celebrations have been (and everyone is in a good mood!). — Erika Godfrey, Hawthorne Jewelry, Kearney, NE
• One of my competitors just announced her retirement sale. It appears that she hired a professional sales company and they have brought in a lot of cookie-cutter merchandise. I expect sales will be off as much as 50%, but in the long term, I will survive because I own nothing and have a fully stocked store and a cash cushion. My biggest challenge will be keeping the staff from becoming too disheartened. — Edwin Menk, E.L. Menk Jewelers, Brainerd, MN
• The same financial nervousness that has affected my selling success all year. I’m hopeful that gift-giving will open some wallets. — Janne Etz, Contemporary Concepts, Cocoa, FL
• The health and wellness of our sales team and our customers. Our city is experiencing an uptick in COVID and flu, causing the store to be short-staffed during busy sales days and customers fearful of shopping in-store. — Beth Greene, Conti Jewelers, Binghamton, NY
• Our weather. If we get ice, it can be brutal. The snow doesn’t really slow things down too much, but you can’t get around on the ice. — Sherrie Schilling-Devaney, Sherrie’s Jewelry Box, Tigard, OR
• Lab-grown prices this year. — Gene Arthur, Arthur’s Jewelry, Reidsville, NC
• Weather can sometimes be a factor that affects sales, for better or for worse. If it feels like Christmas outside, then people are in a buying mood. But if it feels too cold like the North Pole outside (or too hot like Santa’s beach house), people seem like they are less in the buying mood. — Kyle Bullock, Bullock’s Jewelry, Roswell, NM
• Media casting doom and gloom. — Willa Dickens, Herteen & Stocker, Iowa City, IA
• The weather and scheduling of the NFL. — Cindi’s Diamond & Jewelry Gallery, Foxboro, MA
• How much people want to spend. People are tightening their belts now, so I’m pretty sure that will impact us during the holidays. — Rick Sanders, Sanders Jewelers, Gainesville, FL
• Customers’ attitudes toward the holiday. If the feeling is upbeat, happy holidays! If things feel dark and moody, it will be reflected in holiday sales. Lucky for us, we realized the folly of living all year for a make-or-break holiday years ago. We do our best, but it never rocks our boat because we are always busy with the next project. — Jo Goralski, The Jewelry Mechanic, Oconomowoc, WI
• Government. Yuck!! Don’t get me started! — Rick Nichols, Nassau Jewelry, Fernandina Beach, FL
• Re-re-re-birth of COVID? Maybe a tsunami from Lake Michigan? Asteroid showers? After the past couple three years we are prepared for anything short of the Big One. — Cliff Yankovich, Chimera Design, Lowell, MI
• I think the unrest in the world has a lot of people nervous. — Patty Gallun Hansen, Dorothy Gallun Jewelry, Cedarburg, WI
• War. It has already impacted our sales. — Gregory Fliegauf, Fliegauf Jewelers, Washington, NJ
• People telling their friends and family about where to shop for jewelry. — Dave Fadel, Fadel Enterprises, Bountiful, UT
• That’s easy: the whimsical, irrational, entirely pattern-free inclinations of online jewelry buyers. — Gretchen Schaffner, Eytan’s Designs, Sherman Oaks, CA

The post Out of Your Control? Our Brain Squad Tells What Could Affect Sales This Holiday Season appeared first on INSTOREMAG.COM.

What effect are the dropping prices of lab-grown diamonds having on your diamond sales?

• We finally established an in-house protocol for lab diamonds trade-in policies so both the store and the customers are treated fairly. For trade-ins, I will give you the going market rate on lab-grown diamonds. With this policy in place, I feel good about selling and educating my customers on lab diamonds. Many millennials come in with a juicy diamond budget, but lab buyers are looking for SIZE with smaller spending margins. Quality is not an issue, most shapes are available. We do custom anything, so realistically the only sticky wicket is being up front about trade-in value. I like presenting my clientele with a smorgasbord of options to fit their particular idea of the perfect ring! — Denise Oros, Linnea Jewelers, La Grange, IL
• Sales of lab-grown continue to outpace natural diamonds. We now sell more labs in count and total dollar amount (sales AND profit) than naturals. — Jim Tuttle, Green Lake Jewelry Works, Seattle, WA
• They are making me glad I never sold lab-created diamonds. I don’t have to explain why lab-grown diamonds are like used cars … — James Doggett, Doggett Jewelry, Kingston, NH
• Total sales dollars are less because of it, but it seems like the demand is up — so it evens out. — Cathy Miller, Caleesi Designs Jewelers, Austin, TX
• None at all. It actually gave us an opportunity to make more profit. As the prices dropped, we were able to hold the line onto our pricing and then make more profit doing so. — Alex Weil, Martin’s Jewelry, Torrance, CA
• We’re selling more with added disclosures about lab-grown being for beauty and savings, with no guarantee of future appraisal/replacement value. We also stopped trade-up offers. In one case, we had a lab-grown center on memo, we returned it to the vendor, we called it back within four weeks for another viewing and the price was half. That is hard to explain. — Jill Keith, Enchanted Jewelry, Danielson, CT
• It is very frustrating since customers are finding prices online that are hundreds of dollars less. That is why we do not buy them and only memo them. — Karen Hollis, K. Hollis Jewelers, Batavia, IL
• Jewelers are the only ones worried about it. — Ragnar Bertelsen, Ragnar Jewellers, Vancouver, BC
• Customers are becoming more informed that lab diamonds have no real value. We are seeing more clients buying natural. — Elizabeth Saba, Presley Co. Fine Jewelers, San Diego, CA
• We’ve noticed a marked uptick in requests for nontraditional engagement rings featuring sapphires, dirty diamonds, or heirloom old-cut diamonds; we think this is an inevitable result of lab diamonds. — Gretchen Schaffner, Eytan’s Designs, Sherman Oaks, CA
• Younger people love the look and price of the lab-grown diamonds. Older generation want the tried-and-true “grew in the ground.” — Mary Jo Chanski, Hannoush Jewelers, Rutland, VT
• To me, lab-grown diamonds and mined diamonds are two separate product categories and attract different types of customers. Therefore, the price does not become an issue. — Patty Gallun Hansen, Dorothy Gallun Jewelry, Cedarburg, WI
• Lab-grown diamonds have killed the sale of our lower color and blurry natural diamonds. Mined diamonds are very slow right now, overall engagement rings are slow. — Nicholas Pronko, Steve Pronko Diamonds, Dickson City, PA
• They are dropping enough I don’t feel comfortable with the value for more than a week. Mined has a much steadier value. — Valerie Goodwin, Vaughan’s Jewelry, Edenton, NC
• It just leaves people confused. the diamond, once the main focus of the jewelry industry, is taking a back seat. — Steven Wardle, Forest Beach Design, Chatham, MA
• The number of diamond sales has risen, but the average ticket price has gone down. Lab-grown sales are up and mined diamond sales are down. The price divide is growing, and it’s hard to find a mid-priced option. — Dianna Rae High, Dianna Rae Jewelry, Lafayette, LA
• Steady on. Customers don’t know that gold used to be $250 an ounce, not $2,000, just like they don’t know what diamonds cost before they needed one. We sell both, but labs are super easy with my older ladies. — Jo Goralski, The Jewelry Mechanic, Oconomowoc, WI
• We are seeing an increased demand for natural diamonds. There have been fewer customers asking for lab diamonds, The growers and distributors have ruined the lab market by overproducing; there was room for everyone to make money. Tom Schowalter, Miner’s Den Jewelers, Royal Oak, MI
• Rapidly decreasing prices are making some clients more intrigued with lab-grown diamonds, while an equal number are shying away as they are not viewed as an asset. End result is equal to date. I expect lab-grown sales to soften. Steven B. Goldfarb, Alvin Goldfarb Jeweler, Bellevue, WA
• We’ve started carrying some since the price drop. I was skeptical until the price has seemingly stabilized. Gene Arthur, Arthur’s Jewelry, Reidsville, NC
• It is lowering our average sale and gross dollars in the door, but profit percentage is up. It has created new buyers in the category that weren’t before. Joel Wiland, J. David’s Jewelry, Broken Arrow, OK
• It hasn’t had an effect yet, but it’s pretty clear the manufacturers put out too much supply and killed the market. There is almost no value left in lab diamonds. At this rate, they’re going to be virtually worthless. Sydney Nusinov, Charles Nusinov & Sons, Parkville, MD
• Sales volume and demand are still strong, but margin and bottom-line dollar profit have deteriorated. It won’t be long before we stop offering lab-created diamonds because there is no way to make profit. Jeremy Auslander, Roxbury Jewelry, Los Angeles, CA
• Interesting. The dramatic drop in lab diamond prices has created an entry point for some who didn’t feel they could afford a nice-size diamond. And at the same time, we’ve seen customers who were considering a lab diamond decide on a mined diamond because of its price stability. Bill Elliott, Ross Elliott Jewelers, Terre Haute, IN
• Prices of lab-grown diamonds have only been dropping. The real question is how are sales of lab-grown diamonds affecting cash? The jeweler that is enamored with lab-grown because the margin is higher may be missing the critical piece: cash in hand. Bob Goodman, Robert Goodman Jewelers, Zionsville, IN
• Lab is easy … almost lazy. We still make a beautiful margin, so it’s difficult to have the desire to push natural. There was a time when I never sold lab-created stones (color), never stocked sterling, never even entertained alternative metals. All of those have a place in my store today. So does lab. It’s viable for the customer and for us. I mean, in small-town middle America in selling 5-carat lab diamonds. In my 25-plus years, I’ve only done that a handful of times for natural. It’s fun to see the client’s eyes twinkle! And again, I get to make money, and that makes my eyes twinkle. Erika Godfrey, Hawthorne Jewelry, Kearney, NE

The post How Dropping Lab-Grown Prices Are Affecting Diamond Sales, According to the INSTORE Brain Squad appeared first on INSTOREMAG.COM.

What do you anticipate as being your biggest business challenge during 4th quarter?

• Keeping up with all the repairs and custom work we’re taking in. — Phil Pancer, Ring Leader Fine Jewellers, Pickering, ON
• Counteracting the partisan politics that make everyone uncomfortable and less relaxed about purchasing a diamond. — Alexander Rysman, Romm Diamonds, Brockton, MA
• Getting customers through the door. Our 4th quarter traffic has gone down consistently for the last 10 years. — Mark Kasuba, M. Edward Jewelers, Pittsfield, MA
• Selling too many lab-grown diamonds will actually bring our volume down, though our gross profit will benefit. We have to find the proper balance and train our associates not to take the easy sale. — Jon Walp, Long Jewelers, Virginia Beach, VA
• Standing out from the crowd. While my product is unique and beautiful, I am a one-woman operation in the vast ocean of the internet, and one of a hundred downtown businesses in a small local economy. — Janne Etz, Contemporary Concepts, Cocoa, FL
• Marketing and getting my staff to clientele. — Natasha Henderson, Saxon’s Fine Jewelers, Bend, OR
• I believe that having the right merchandise will be the biggest challenge. As we look to an economic slowdown, how will that impact consumer purchasing and will lab-grown diamonds continue to become a larger percentage of business? — Trevor Williams, Leitzel’s Jewelry, Myerstown, PA
• Staffing. One of my staff moved 600 miles away — a long commute! My wife is expecting eye surgery and would like to retire, so I am looking to replace both positions in a tight labor market. — Edwin Menk, E.L. Menk Jewelers, Brainerd, MN
• We are hearing what’s going to be hot. Do we go with that or not? — Tom R. Nelson, Nelson Jewelry, Spencer, IA
• Continuing inflation felt by the middle class combined with expensive travel priorities placing jewelry lower on the wish list. — Lucy Conklin, Toner Jewelers, Overland Park, KS
• Being able to order and/or make enough stock for the holiday rush. Our jewelers are having to help on our sales floor as workforce is really hard to find and retain at this time. Because of this, we have not been able to keep up with our manufacturing and repairs of items, leaving us a lower flex spending budget to use for ordering items for the holidays. — Rebecca Larson, Barry Peterson Jewelers, Ketchum, ID
• Any number of challenges! Inflation/rate hikes. Soft/hard landing. Next recession. Political mayhem! Anything can and will happen! — Michael Cook, Walter J. Cook Jeweler, Paoli, PA
• The escalation of lab-grown diamonds as an increasing share of our overall sales of natural diamond jewelry relative to their continued downward price spiral as economies of scale. Look at the cost of a 1-carat CZ in the late ‘70s compared to today. — J. Dennis Petimezas, Watchmakers Diamonds & Jewelry, Johnstown, PA
• Margins and demand for higher-end jewelry $25,000 and above. Marketing and advertising costs, creative. — Jeremy Auslander, Roxbury Jewelry, Los Angeles, CA
• Getting all of our inventory accurately described, photographed and uploaded for instant appraisals at the point of sale. Customers are always impressed and grateful. — Denise Oros, Linnea Jewelers, La Grange, IL
• Employees: finding the additional staff we need and keeping those we have happy. — Jennifer Hornik Johnson, Miller’s Jewelry, Bozeman, MT
• Lab-grown diamonds … so many questions … — Ila Manner Schulman, Golddiggers, Block Island, RI
• Nothing will change for the people that can buy something at the drop of the hat. But people struggling to buy groceries and pay rent/mortgage are probably going to hold back for the holiday this year. — Ellie Mickey, DBS Fine Jewelers, St. Michaels, MD
• Continued increases in all matters of internet security. All internet complications demand confirmation, verification, and constant revisions. These obligations require an overwhelming amount of attention. — J. Mason Cutchin, J Mason Custom Jeweler, Chapel Hill, NC
• Everyone at the store has a lot of personal stuff to take care of in October, which is when we should be getting inventory ready for Christmas. — Gretchen Schaffner, Eytan’s Designs, Sherman Oaks, CA
• I really hate to say it, but at the moment the answer is … crime. — Alex Weil, Martin’s Jewelry, Torrance, CA
• Economy! They love to come out with some bad news right before the holidays!! — Scott McQuaid, In House Jewelers, Phoenix, MD
• I’m concerned that we’ll be understaffed. We’ve found some great part-time employees; however, scheduling around their college classes and second jobs can take time and effort. — Beth Greene, Conti Jewelers, Binghamton, NY

The post Jewelry Retailers Share What They Believe to Be Their Biggest Upcoming Challenges for 4th Quarter appeared first on INSTOREMAG.COM.

Tell us about your worst experience ever with a bridal customer.

• Unbeknownst to us, our customer recommended her boyfriend get the engagement ring he gave to her from us. We made a beautiful set but with a 3-carat CZ center. Three months later, she came in crying her eyes out. Her fiancé had stolen her car and all of her money and fled the state. The only asset she had left was the wedding set with the 3-carat CZ center stone, and she needed to sell it to pay her bills. Informing her the center “diamond” in her ring was worthless was beyond the worst experience ever with a bridal customer. — Scott L., Scottsdale, AZ
• A famous Olympic snowboarder and his Olympic skier fiancée came in two days before their wedding. They picked out designer rings after several hours, but of course they didn’t fit perfectly. So that left us Friday to modify them. We finally got them sized and looking perfect Saturday morning. We drove several hours to their exclusive wedding and delivered right before the ceremony. No gratitude … just entitled. They came back to complain about us arriving so late with the rings, shouldn’t they get a discount and how we made their day more stressful. Grrrr. — Caitlyn W., Brattleboro, VT
• You mean my first marriage? Well, my legal team has advised me not to discuss it. — Cliff Y., Lowell, MI
• I was sued for asking to be paid on the balance due. — Jeremy A. Los Angeles, CA
• After spending four months working with a bridezilla and her mom, Karen. Her check bounced, she claimed one stone was 3 microns out of line with the other stones. The average human hair is 50 microns thick. The judge awarded me two times the amount of the check, costs and stated he wished he could fine her more. Took three years to collect the funds. — James D., Kingston, NH
• The one who picked out our most expensive diamond, announced, “This is it! I’ve made my decision!” then left us with six pages of instructions about her ring and her absolutely necessary pile of accompanying eternity rings, then texted a week later to say she had changed her mind and bought a stone somewhere else. “Sorry! [smiley emoticon]” Hard to not feel performed upon … — Gretchen S., Sherman Oaks, CA
• The child the couple had together dirtied his pants in the diamond room. Not a great experience … Yes, I sold the diamond! — Eileen E., Decatur, IN
• The day the client arrived with his mother, future mother-in-law, sister of the bride-to-be, sister of the groom and the dog. P.S.: They’re now divorced. — Stew B., Natick, MA
• I had one demanding lady and I feel like I was the one that screwed up … and she let me know it. She had been in twice before with other staff and looked for literally hours. Then she came in one more time and it was a crazy busy day, when one staff called in sick and another had some other issue, so I was short two people and I got her. As she looked at every ring for the third time with me, I was inpatient and rushed her. I also was not at my best with the phone going off every few minutes and nobody able to answer. She did have her fiancé buy the ring but left a review that I was impolite and created a very poor experience for her. She was correct, and while she was demanding, it reminded me of how to improve and not let it happen again. — David B., Calgary, AB
• The couple who brought his mother in to “help”. Everything the girl liked, the mom hated. They finally picked mom’s favorite and the girl left barely holding it together with me humming, “Why do fools fall in love?” in the background … — Dorothy V., Tallahassee, FL
• I sold a D flawless emerald cut 1.5-carat engagement ring in a white gold setting. However, the diamond showed to be yellowish. Of course, the customer couldn’t care less that the stone had a GIA report; they returned the ring to me very mad. When I removed the diamond from the setting, under the prongs had never been polished and still had the yellowish color from the casting. Live and learn. — Barry F., Bardonia, NY
• Got in about six large diamonds and three mountings for a customer. He never came in, and then the customer went to a mall store and bought something. I heard that a few diamonds fell out and the marriage never happened. — Tommy T., Perry Hall, MD
• A customer chipped her diamond. Complained that was how it was when they picked it up five months earlier. She said she knew she didn’t chip it, that it was that way, and he replied, “You didn’t chip it.” The sob story of how special it was and how careful she was began. I explained that diamonds can chip and gave some references from reputable sites for them to investigate on their own. I also told them that there are several inspections of their diamond before it is sold. The vendor inspects before selling to retailers, I inspect upon purchase, the goldsmith inspects before setting and it was inspected and photographed for the appraisal. They still tried to blame us for selling them a “flawed” diamond. He said he wasn’t informed and didn’t know what he was buying. He also said another jewelry store said it shouldn’t happen and that there was an inclusion hidden under a prong that we were trying to hide to try to discredit us (this is something those in the industry must stop doing, it makes us all seem untrustworthy). All of our customers are “educated” and look at their diamond with a loupe when they are choosing a loose stone. I finally sent them an email with the synopsis of the situation including: the process of his purchase, proof that diamonds can chip, five solutions for the problem of the chip and a couple of photos he sent to us when they got engaged, the close-up photo clearly showing a non-chipped diamond from five months earlier. — Julee J., Mankato, MN
• After selling the engagement ring, the couple came in for wedding bands and sat down for hours learning and trying on all the styles of bands. The width, half round vs flat, comfort fit, finish, everything you could imagine. When it came down to inside engraving, which they just learned was possible, they said they needed to think about what they should engrave. When I called to follow up, they said they found it cheaper online. Now I charge for an appointment, if you want to use me as the internet showroom. — Niki N., Lyndhurst, OH
• Made a custom ring to exact specs, she loved it till 48 hours prior to wedding and wanted a refund for the ring and a whole new set made in 48 hours. She couldn’t understand why we couldn’t get new stones, recast piece set and polish set in 48 hours. “It’s not like you do anything else.” Needless to say, she wasn’t happy but used the original set, which we bought back 18 months later as part of the divorce. — Trisha C., Lowell, MA
• Middle-aged couple came in looking at engagement rings. She was surprised when he wanted to purchase the ring she liked. She cried. They were so happy when they left the store with the ring. We were having a 10% off event and she was excited to receive a discount. Our associate looked up the ring and offered her a slightly larger discount to close the sale. He proposed on the spot and they left the store happy. The next day, she returned alone and asked for the 10% discount in addition to the discount she had already received. We explained that she had been given a larger discount than 10% and because we are a small, independent business, we could not offer an additional discount. She then demanded a refund! She told the manager that she was made to feel “icky.” After several more minutes of trying to appease her, we realized there was nothing more we could do and we refunded the full amount. It was a snowy, stormy day and she left everyone involved with the transaction feeling very “icky.” — Theresa P., Edgewater, CO
• I’d rather not respond to this. Too traumatic!! — Phil P., Pickering, ON
• Customer refused to get engaged to the young man when he wasn’t going to purchase the 2.0-carat that she felt she was entitled to get. — Bruce B., Lyndhurst, OH
• Two young adults came into the store to look at diamonds and rings. I pulled out a 1.0-carat to start and only showed the diamond to him. He kinda shook his head at the price. She said I want a bigger stone. He started sweating. I brought out a 0.75-carat lower in price. He smiled. I asked him if he wanted me to bring out any more stones? He responded no, he really liked that diamond. She was not happy and made a scene. Embarrassed, he said that they had to go. Boy, I hope they work through whatever they can before he puts a ring on her finger. — Karen H., Batavia, IL
• A “bride to be” was six months out from her wedding. She was “anxiety eating” as preparations were being made on a lavish celebration. We had to size her engagement ring set four times. To keep the peace and not offend in any way, we had to insinuate we were simply not able to “get the size right” because of the width of the set. Sometimes being diplomatic can be expensive … — J. Dennis P., Johnstown, PA
• Customer wanted a cushion shaped diamond set in a halo setting but wanted it set high. Not just in the prongs, but so high it was a weapon. He came back five times to correct the height for her until she finally came in to have the diamond set as high as she wanted. We called it the “Tower of Terror.” — Cindi H., Foxboro, MA
• I get a phone call on a Friday asking if we could size a ring. I say we do offer that service, but we do not have an in-house goldsmith. It will be 2-3 weeks. No problem. Next day a woman walks in with a ring to be sized, it’s too big. I say of course, it will be 2-3 weeks. “NO! I called yesterday. I’m getting married in two hours. You said it could be done!” I informed her I was the only one here yesterday and explained I spoke to a woman (that was not a bride) about our services. She then changes the story to say her mother called and did not tell her about the wait. But do not worry readers! I saved the day. I put a plastic ring guard so she could wear her grandmother’s something borrowed down the aisle. — Ellie M., St. Michaels, MD
• I was patiently waiting on a couple when the guy suddenly turned on me and accused me of trying to “hit” on his girlfriend. I calmed him down by making him realize that wouldn’t be a very effective sales technique. I did still make the sale! — Jon W., Virginia Beach, VA
• The worst bridal customer I had was not really my customer. Many years ago when I was first starting out, a gentleman stopped in with an older engagement ring that needed sizing. The ring was a solitaire with a round diamond approximately 3/4 carats. It was a promotional quality I2 clarity from one of the majors. This gentleman had purchased the ring from his friend and wanted it sized and refurbished like new. He was very happy when he picked it up and paid extra in case his future fiancée needed an adjustment. My mistake was supplying him with one of my store boxes. He asked that if she came in to make any needed adjustments not to mention he had purchased it from a friend. She did return the following week screaming that she could not believe we would sell her fiancé such a poor-quality diamond. I did not tell her directly that the ring did not come from us, but I believe she got the hint when I politely said that she really had to discuss it with her fiancé. Thankfully this was pre-internet days and there was no such thing as online reviews. After she left, we never saw her again and I learned never to provide a store box for product that we didn’t sell. — Eric S., West Springfield, MA
• Our worst experience with a bridal customer included multiple renders, wax molds, and remaking the engagement ring three times because the bride wanted the point on her pear-shaped halo to be more “pointy.” Less than a year later, the customer brought the ring in, the shank completely broken into multiple pieces, with missing stones, from catching it on a shopping cart. We remade the ring a fourth time for her. Thankfully, Jewelers Mutual covered the physical damages. Our bench jeweler is still recovering. — Beth G., Binghamton, NY

The post Jewelers Tell of Their Worst Experiences Ever with Bridal Customers appeared first on INSTOREMAG.COM.

If you could change one thing about your store, what would it be?

• I would open a third store. There are no women-owned jewelry store chains in Connecticut, and it would be really neat to accomplish this! — Daniela Balzano, Water Street Jewelers, Guilford, CT
• I’d like a trap door to remove some customers. — Peter Tims, White Mountain Jewelers, Show Low, AZ
• The lighting. It’s such a mishmash. — Janne Etz, Contemporary Concepts, Cocoa, FL
• Our location. We are downtown (for 60-plus years) and there are less and less parking spots, less and less retail stores and everyone is moving out where strip malls and restaurants are. — Paul Krueger, Krueger Jeweler, Fort Atkinson, WI
• I would make it larger, include the upper floor for a private viewing room and a private design area. We have a 600-foot showroom and it is often crowded with overly observant customers who ignore proximity protocol with self-serving interruptions, especially if they are familiar with the customer or the items. — Denise Oros, Linnea Jewelers, La Grange, IL
• Have people buy what is in the cases! So tired of “I like this but, can you…” — Doreen Vashlishan, Werkheiser Jewelers, Bethlehem, PA
• The hours. We are in a mall and our hours our dictated by the mall. I think scheduling and quality of life would be a lot better if we could be open when it makes the most sense. — Becky Bettencourt, Blue River Diamonds, Peabody, MA
• Putting the repair department in a separate room. It would be so much quieter in my office and the back room. — Valerie Goodwin, Vaughan’s Jewelry, Edenton, NC
• No front steps. Even the two steps we have are tricky for certain clients. We can’t help our wonderful historic building. — Ellie Mickey, DBS Fine Jewelers, St. Michaels, MD
• After 30 years of working the store, the only thing I would want to change would be having one of our children involved in the business to take it to the next level. — Frank Salinardi, Linardi’s Jewelers, Plantation, FL
• I would get rid of watches. My partner (who is my brother) loves watches, so it is a battle I will not win. — Shari Altman, B&E Jewelers, Southampton, PA
• A smoother way to manage and consistently stay connected with staff. More consistent team get-togethers that people will want to come to that aren’t a big time commitment outside of already worked longer retail hours. — Christina Baribault-Ortiz, Baribault Jewelers, Glastonbury, CT
• Location! We are currently located in downtown L.A.’s Diamond District. Which is great for access to items immediately, jewelers, suppliers, out of town vendors, shipping, etc. But it is an inconvenient destination for the general public. Foot traffic and visits would increase if we were closer to our customers. DTLA is also not a pretty or safe place to be. It feels weird selling someone a nice ring or watch and watching them hide it in their bag, or having my customers ask me for a trash bag or paper bag rather than our custom bags because it’s too nice and someone will steal it from them. — Jeremy Auslander, Roxbury Jewelry, Los Angeles, CA
• Layout design and flow. The store needs to be updated to a more modern layout and less traditional. — Christopher Sarich, Noah Gabriel & Co. Jewelers, Wexford, PA
• New ceilings, floors and glass to step it up a notch. — Theresa Peregoy, Classic Facets, Edgewater, CO
• A smaller showroom! Fewer cases! When we built out the store, the largest showroom possible seemed like the best idea, but now our thoughts are fewer vendors, categories, and better curated, which would be easier to manage and likely bringing in the same sales numbers. — Mark Clodius, Clodius & Co. Jewelers, Rockford, IL
• BIGGER BIGGER to add an art gallery. — Pamela Hecht, Pamations, Calumet, MI
• I would like a jeweler who could sell and a trustworthy salesperson so my wife and I could move to the mountains but still run the store. — Rick Nichols, Nassau Jewelry, Fernandina Beach, FL
• New cases. We still have the same old scratched-up cases from the ‘80s. — Gloria Horn, Donaldson’s Jewelers, Topeka, KS
• Our logo. It needs updating. — Kathleen Shaw, Eliza Page, Austin, TX
• Now that I own it, the building’s mortgage interest rate or mortgage balance. To have the building and property paid off ASAP would really help us manage inflation, especially now that I finally have two amazing and dedicated staff. Rising costs and quality control issues of certain popular manufacturers are destroying our profit margins. — Jill Keith, Enchanted Jewelry, Danielson, CT
• I’d like to add additional staff so that we may accommodate our clients even better than we do today. I want to continue to exceed client expectations. I worked with a company that had “Service” in their name, but their answer to every obstacle was to cut payroll. That’s when the “Service” began to fail and the company soon went out of business. Creating and maintaining a good service environment is vital to a store’s health. — Jon Walp, Long Jewelers, Virginia Beach, VA
• Find a POS system that integrates seamlessly with QuickBooks and also doesn’t make inventory and assembly of items a headache. Also, I would love to be able to use iPads on the sales floor to check out guests and pull up item information at your fingertips. — Rebecca Larson, Barry Peterson Jewelers, Ketchum, ID
• I remodeled about seven years ago and love it, except I should have built in a workstation for at least one if not two employees closer to the front. Drives me nuts that customers end up walking clear to the back to find staff and/or get waited on. — Tom R. Nelson, Nelson Jewelry, Spencer, IA
• Made some changes last year! Only open to the public three days a week. Do appointments only for custom work, engagement rings and wedding bands on two days we are closed. Use the time to get things done. Should have done it a long time ago! — Scott McQuaid, In House Jewelers, Jacksonville, MD

The post What Would You Change About Your Jewelry Store? appeared first on INSTOREMAG.COM.

What business and/or people in the jewelry industry inspire you?

• Dilly Blair Kirby [of Elizabeth Blair Fine Pearls in Harbor Springs, MI]. Jennifer Farnes at Revolution Jewelry Works in Colorado Springs. Any woman blazing a trail. — Erin M., Lancaster, PA
• Kendra Scott. Her bravery startup mentality to what she has grown to today. — Christina B., Glastonbury, CT
• I’ve been long inspired by Jim Rosenheim from Tiny Jewel Box [Washington, DC] and by Marie Helene Reinhold [from Reinhold Jewelers in San Juan, Puerto Rico]. Ellen Hertz from Max’s [St. Louis Park, MN] and David Iler from Alchemy [Portland, OR] are rock stars. I think very highly of Benjamin from Uneek and especially love Yehouda Sakethou from Yael Designs. Yehouda kept me going early on and through the toughest times in my business, and I owe him a lifetime of gratitude. He is really a person who holds it together and stays creative. — Andrea R., El Dorado Hills, CA
• David Rocha with Jewelers For Children. He works tirelessly for children in need with the jewelry industry supporting his efforts. He has the support of so many vendors and stores that work each year to raise money for JFC. — Joan C., Muscle Shoals, AL
• I’ve always loved Knox Jewelers in Minneapolis. I like his CAD system of producing excellent rings. Beautiful images. Also like his policies. — Rick N., Fernandina Beach, FL
• My dad, Alan Perry. He founded the company over 30 years ago and has shown me that hard work and never settling for where you are — always trying to grow and improve — is what builds a successful company. — Josh P., Wilmington, NC
• Oh my goodness, originally, back in the ‘70s when I started, it was Georg Jensen’s mid-century clean lines. With a store, we make everything, but I still love the clean lines. — Holly M., Astoria, OR
• Jen Cullen Williams. — Kathleen S., Austin, TX
• Harry and Aaron Gordon from Gordon’s Jewelers out of Houston Texas. Basically started my career at 19 years old, now 63. The lessons and values and work ethic. They set a sound foundation for me throughout my career. — Rick W., South Jordan, UT
• Lang Antiques in San Francisco. Also M.S. Rau in NOLA. Both businesses do antique jewelry and make it seem so elegant. They also have their website and social media presence very well developed, which is something we aspire to. — Theresa P., Edgewater, CO
• I’m most inspired by my father-in-law, Ceylon Leitzel. He has dedicated himself to creating a wonderful business, but more importantly has improved the community around him and fellow jewelers across the state. — Trevor W., Myerstown, PA
• Our store owner, Peter Hannoush! He owns 16-plus stores and is always looking forward! Onward and upward! — Mary Jo C., Rutland, VT
• Anish Desai [of Star Gems] is an amazing individual who is an innovative scout for our industry. He sees what’s challenging our industry, finds a solution, then with genuine entrepreneurial spirit, he monetizes and brings it to the masses. Innovators who see a dilemma and create a new pathway are the most interesting people in the room. — Denise O., La Grange, IL
• Abe Sherman. He gets it. — Bill E., Terre Haute, IN
• David Geller is the single most important person to me in the whole industry. As a former manufacturing cost accountant (sounds boring, but I loved it), he has taught me how to price our repairs and get the most value from my shop, a shop which is run by amazing artists, not businesspeople. I bought the first Geller guide in 1997 or 1998 and never looked back. In fact, I have the whole collection! — Jo G., Oconomowoc, WI
• M.S. Rau [of New Orleans]. — Jeremy A., Los Angeles, CA
• John Dyer, stone cutter; Aleah Arundale [of Olympian Diamonds and Jewelers Helping Jewelers]. — Tim W., Yorktown, VA
• My father is my inspiration. He is 90 years and still comes to work. He built our business on service first, sales second. — Sue P., Excanaba, MI
• I am inspired by Costco and not anyone in the jewelry business. — Brad L., Duncan, BC
• There is no “one” person. I find people that write for industry magazines, yes like INSTORE, or people that develop new techniques or technology like CAD programs are what inspire me. — David B., Calgary, AB
• No one specifically but I’m generally inspired by people who aren’t afraid to grow and change with the times, whether it’s designers catering to more gender-neutral styles, inclusive and diverse marketing, or owners who create wonderful experiences for every customer, whether they are purchasing a $10,000 natural diamond, or a $1,000 lab grown diamond. — Becky B., Peabody, MA
• Not a direct answer, but since we got on Instagram, we’ve been really inspired by all the great creative minds making fabulous, beautiful and innovative jewelry. As much as we hate social media and resent having to keep up with it (and we BARELY keep up with it), we will admit that we love seeing what our fellow jewelers are doing all over the world. — Gretchen S., Sherman Oaks, CA
• As the jewelry buyer, I am inspired by the companies that don’t just sell you but help you plan how to makes sales to the customer. — Jim C., Modesto, CA
• I find all the great bench jewelers, the amazing setters, polishers, etc. to be inspiring. They are the unsung heroes of the trade. — Alex W., Torrance, CA
• I get inspired by someone or their business in just about every issue of your magazine. (I just said that so you will send it to me for free.) — Cliff Y., Lowell, MI
• Every jeweler that runs his store with “zero” inventory. — Klaus K., Bristol, RI
• Colleagues in my regional IJO cohort have inspired, encouraged, and helped me out as I work towards growing the business. Knowing I have friends out there who have my back when I need it can be the very thing that gets me through a tough week. Also, I’m inspired by the innovation and ideas many first-generation store owners have. They see the industry with fresh eyes and I love listening to their ideas and seeing their success! — Kyle B., Roswell, NM
• My peers in my Plexus Performance group that have multiple doors! Running one successful store is a job, but running four doors successfully is inspiring! Not enough though to open more doors! — Tom D., Warren, OH

The post The Brain Squad Shares Which Jewelry Business People Inspire Them appeared first on INSTOREMAG.COM.

How do you determine pricing in your store?

• Poll the salespeople how much it looks like. — Lee K., Cincinnati, OH
• We carry a curated collection with many different designers who set their own mark-up. Its uniqueness determines one-of-a-kind pieces and comparables determine kinds. — Kathleen S., Austin, TX
• We follow guidelines from Shane Decker. — Stephenie B., Fountain Hills, AZ
• Pricing is determined by establishing a baseline from Internet giants and being sure we are under that without compromising service. — J. Dennis P., Johnstown, PA
• On basic items, we’ll use standard markups. On estate goods or fine gems, we’ll look at materials, workmanship, markets and do some sight pricing. — Georgie G., Palo Alto, CA
• We have a standard markup for all goods, i.e., 3 key for lower goods, silver and gold. 2.5-2.75 for $500-$!500. 2 key for over $2,500. But, we look at an item to be sure it works for the store in those ranges, then add or subtract based on what we know our market will accept. We try to regularly push the mark-ups to see where the ceiling of a category can be pushed to. — Holly M., Astoria, OR
• Triple key on things you make yourself. Keystone on super-competitive merch like stud earrings and bracelets. Branded items: Stick to your agreements and everyone wins. — Jon B., Middleton, WI
• The Geller Blue Book for repairs and custom, traditional keystone-type markups on sales based on total retail price points. We never hesitate to add on a “coolness factor” when it’s appropriate for something made here. — David P., Durham, NC
• With some help from the Edge Retail Academy data. — Ray L., Claremont, CA
• Repairs, labor modified Geller, parts triple key. Need to break it down since Minnesota charges sales tax on parts not on labor. Merchandise anywhere from 1.4 for larger diamonds to triple key or more for items we make. Seems like the more I understand pricing, the less I know! — Edwin M., Brainerd, MN
• I am 85 percent estate, and if I can’t at least triple key, I don’t buy it. Sterling silver, I buy new and sell in-store and online at 6 to 12 key. I must buy and import many kilos at a time to accomplish this. We sell a huge volume of sterling jewelry. I have been in business for 40-plus years and stick to this method. If I can’t make a fair profit, I’d rather not work. — Medford C., North Charleston, SC
• Depends on what it is. Loose diamonds and stones are 20 percent over wholesale. We price match and beat all other retailers, especially Blue Nile. Our margins are not high. — Andrea R., El Dorado Hills, CA
• Usually a “formula” of cost x 3 (that basically works out to 1/3 costs, 1/3 labor, 1/3 overhead). With a little “what the local market will bear” thrown in. — Janne E., Cocoa, FL
• Using Balance to Buy, we look at the most popular price-points and try to fit prices to match where we can. And if some category or item constantly sells fast, we raise the price. If constantly slow, we lower the price or discontinue that item or category. — Dorothy V., Tallahassee, FL
• Interesting question. Mostly where I believe the profit line needs to be to “make it all work.” Repairs are probably our highest margin at 3 to 3.5 average. It’s always excellent work, I don’t have any reservations charging for it. I’m not a fan of any line that tells me what my markup should be, and quite frankly I tend to avoid those lines — especially in bridal and higher-end product. We are pretty much 2.8 across the board now, except some price-point fashion lines that set the retail prices. With those, I feel the volume offsets them setting the lower margin prices. This is a constantly changing thing that one always has to keep an eye on for sure. — Tom N., Spencer, IA
• We base pricing on what the market will bear. On some lower price-point items, we can have margins of keystone or better, but on higher ticket items, we focus on profit and not markup. You take dollars to the bank, not margins. — Eric S., West Springfield, MA
• Based upon a gross profit projections/budget tied to inventory management. Brands that control MSRP make it easy on that front, and then everything else must be priced to make our GP goals on a monthly/yearly basis. Inventory mix ranges from as low as 36% to 65% gross profit. — Tom D., Warren, OH
• We do a standard markup of 2x for loose gems, 2.5x for already-made jewelry, and 3x for findings. We have exceptions for each standard depending on rising interest in a stone or a style, and also if the wholesale price is over $10-15K, which we usually just double plus a little more for in case a customer tries to negotiate a price. — Rebecca L., Ketchum, ID
• We figure out what each item costs to produce, then add some profit on top of it to pay for the boss’s labor and aggravation. If it’s pre-owned (i.e., not made in the shop), we use a blindfold and a dartboard. — Gretchen S., Sherman Oaks, CA
• In my former life, I was a production cost accountant for a national vegetable company. You calculate the cost it takes to run the business, then divide it over available hours to get to your hourly cost. I never have based any of my pricing on competition. I know my cost; I have no idea on theirs. — Jo G., Oconomowoc, WI

The post Is the Price Right? Our Brain Squad Discusses Pricing Techniques appeared first on INSTOREMAG.COM.

If a genie granted you one wish, what would you change about your business?

• Give me an endless supply of gold at $350 an ounce. — William N., Menomonee Falls, WI
• I would update the physical appearance of the store. Some time ago, I got a lecture on how we could update the physical appearance for $10,000. The actual bill came to $50,000. — Alexander R., Brockton, MA
• A perfect and brilliant use of all social media platforms. — James G., Memphis, TN
• An exit plan. — Donnie B., Gainesville, FL
• That rude people would go to our competitor. — Sue P., Excanaba, MI
• Availability of qualified trained help. — Jeff S., Mason City, IA
• Affordable housing for my employees … and customers! — Steven W., Chatham, MA
• That is hard to say because I LOVE what we have and how we are doing it. Improvements needed? Yes. But that is never ending. Currently the big things the genie could help me with are delegation, clienteling and a digital strategy. — Doug M., Marietta, GA
• To have more help behind the scenes so I can be out front. — Karen H., Batavia, IL
• More space, more talent, more time! Oops that’s three, but I need all three for it to work. — Amber G., Katy, TX
• Have someone else to handle all the HR headaches (including finding and training new employees and keeping them all happy). — Jennifer J., Bozeman, MT
• Unlimited money to invest in marketing! It’s the hardest check to write. — Lucy C., Overland Park, KS
• If the genie would grant me one person to come in and give me a fair value for my store, I would retire to Costa Rica. — Patty W., Sugar Land, TX
• I would ask the genie to turn back the hands of time back to the mid ‘70s. (We had it so good and didn’t even know it!) — J. Dennis P., Johnstown, PA
• We’re experiencing some growing pains. Adding new employees means tons of training. I would go back and document all of our processes to compile into a thorough training manual. It’s a massive project. — Joe K., Milford, OH
• Everything would be automated and all inventory would be online as well as in store. — Theresa P., Edgewater, CO
• Easy move to a standalone location. — Amanda L., Steinbach, MB
• I’d have an amazingly talented in-house bench jeweler. — Traci H., Harrisonburg, VA
• I wish every employee had ownership mentality. — Stephenie B., Fountain Hills, AZ
• I would have an assistant that I could throw 70 percent of the things on my desk at and never worry about them again … — Melissa Q., Chicago, IL
• I’d be able to work remotely … I’d be toes in the sand on the Amalfi Coast! — Erika G., Kearney, NE
• The industry? Don’t get me started. Our own business? I would replace the stupid, rickety, ridiculous TV trays that we use as tables in the work area of the store. That’s really all I want. Real tables instead of TV trays. Is that so much to ask, Genie? — Gretchen S., Sherman Oaks, CA
• A new 15,000 square-foot freestanding building with an incredible buildout interior worthy of a Cool Store debt free! — Tom D., Warren, OH
• People to stop coming to the door before we are open. Drives me cray-cray … — Cliff Y., Lowell, MI

The post Here’s What Our Readers Would Wish For If They Had One Wish appeared first on INSTOREMAG.COM.

What stood out about the 2022 holiday selling season?

• We moved to a smaller location after 28 years and didn’t have as much traffic but sold almost everyone that came in!! Not as much stress as in years past. It was great! — Frank S., Plantation, FL
• Men shopped earlier this year. More people out than the last few years. — Susan K., Lewisburg, PA
• General slowdown starting in the middle of October and continuing through December after large increases earlier in the year. — Willa D., Iowa City, IA
• Our average item was $800 with a 40 percent add-on rate. BUT, we missed last year’s sales by 10 percent (We lost all our gains we had amassed throughout the rest of 2022 in December.) First sales decrease in eight years. — Bill L., McCook, NE
• People could not make a decision; men were hemming and hawing over their purchases and definitely not spending like they did the past two years. — Laura K., Oak Park, IL
• Customer count up but less dollars spent per customer. — Alan and Renee B., Naples, FL
• Less traffic. Average ticket was up but sales over $10K were a fraction of last year. — Joel W., Broken Arrow, OK
• High-end gold (paperclip, etc.) saw a 200% increase over last year. Using Podium has been really good for increasing sales in December. — Rick W., South Jordan, UT
• Overall not as good as 2021 with the last three days disappointing. But then, we did have the big freeze weather. — John C., Uniontown, PA
• People purchasing men’s jewelry for gifts this year increased. — Rebecca L., Ketchum, ID
• Up a little over previous years. I had the most online sales I’ve ever had, with a single-day high of 39 open orders. (The previous was 22 orders, set last December.) With a guaranteed turnaround time of 3-5 business days, I was kept pretty busy making all those orders, while simultaneously taking care of my usual in-store customers! It was delightful for a while, but I don’t think I could sustain that level of “busy” on an ongoing basis. — Janne E., Cocoa, FL
• The weather and snow and snow and snow. Lost our last week before Christmas due to — you guessed it! SNOW. — Loann S., Stillwater, MN
• It was another good selling season this year. We had a few contemporary pearl pieces from Imperial Pearl that were well received by customers and sold quickly. — Kathy B., Valley Road, NJ
• It was very good. 2021 was the record year, and we came within about $3K of beating it, but we had some serious snowstorms right before Christmas — several stores on Main Street just closed. We were open, but business was very, very slow. I got a lot of end-of-year paperwork done. — Cliff Y., Lowell, MI
• It was like any other month. In 2021, we had a down year and an incredible holiday season. 2022 was a great year and a dead holiday season. It is what it is. We gave up putting all of our eggs in the holiday basket when the internet took over the world. — Jo G., Oconomowoc, WI
• Fewer tickets, but those that bought spent more money. Surprisingly studs and hoops, a typical staple for us, did not sell nearly as well as expected. — Dorothy R., Chicago, IL
• Less traffic in-store. More online sales. There seemed to be more disparity in what customers were looking to spend — bigger budgets and smaller budgets, with an absence of the middle-ground. — Jennifer Hornik J., Bozeman, MT
• We did okay in the store and in our lower-priced online platforms, but sales of our better pieces on our high-end platform were absolutely abysmal — worst we’ve had since we started selling on this platform. Meanwhile, sales of our lowest end stuff (silver!) have been through the roof, so it’s hard to look at that and not think “it’s the economy, stupid!” — Gretchen S., Sherman Oaks, CA
• It definitely didn’t feel like a normal holiday season. It was pretty steady the whole month but no big rushes on the last two to three days like usual. — Becky B., Peabody, MA
• Two items stood out: how poor traffic was and how many misinformed guys came and purchased lab-grown diamonds with incorrect beliefs and made the engagement ring a pure price proposition for size over substance by using a lab-grown diamond center. — David B., Calgary, AB
• Didn’t get many engagement rings this year. Lab-grown jewelry sold better than I expected. — Gregory F., Washington, NJ

The post Jewelers Describe Their 2022 Holiday Selling Season appeared first on INSTOREMAG.COM.

What are your favorite and least favorite things about the holiday selling season?

• Favorite is when a client knows what they want and I have exactly what they’re looking for! Least favorite are the zip-lock bags of watches for batteries! — Laurie C., Hyde Park, NY
• My favorite is the chance to touch more customers’ lives than any other part of the year. My least is the slow building exhaustion that comes from working longer hours and having more work on my desk than I can keep up with! — Kyle B., Roswell, NM
• The Christmas season is excruciating for bench jewelers. We never know when to stop making promises. — J. Mason C., Chapel Hill, NC
• Favorite: Busy-ness. Least favorite: Things getting misplaced and mistakes being made. — Lee K., Cincinnati, OH
• Favorite and least favorite thing about the holiday season? How long it is and how short it is. You figure out which is which. — Steven W., Chatham, MA
• Favorite: selling, happy people, Christmas music, Christmas cards, Santa’s lap, chocolate, wine. Least favorite: snow-melt mess, driving on icy roads, long hours. — Erika G., Kearney, NE
• Favorite: Seeing all the customers who choose our store. Least: Struggling to help all of them at the same time. — Jillian H., Coral Gables, FL
• Running out of in-stock inventory (that is a favorite and a least favorite!). Favorite: decorating, customers abuzz, reemerging from the pandemic as a community business that generations cherish and can count on. — Jill K., Danielson, CT
• My favorite thing is when husbands just throw me their credit cards and let me choose. My least favorite is when spouses think they can choose the best thing for their mate and then we get tons of returns because these same spouses don’t pay attention to what their mate wants. — Andrea R., El Dorado Hills, CA
• I enjoy the fast pace and being able to help so many people. The paperwork becomes impossible to keep up with, but it’s all part of it. — Kate S., New Oxford, PA
• Holiday music is the worst. Same 10 songs, just 20 different versions. — Krystal S., Plymouth, MI
• Favorite thing is seeing all the friendly faces you’ve missed all year. Least favorite thing about the holidays are the unhealthy attitudes of people that obviously forgot about the 365 days leading up to Christmas. They could have been preparing a little better. — Ellie M., St. Michaels, MD
• My least favorite thing is I do not get to enjoy Christmas. I work seven days a week, 12-to-15-hour days. One day, I want to have the entire family over for Christmas!! — Tommy T., Perry Hall, MD
• My favorite thing about the season is the happiness we bring to our community through the gifts purchased. My least favorite thing is the ungrateful recipient after Christmas. — Trevor W., Myerstown, PA
• This is where we get our BINGO Squares from: Do you have anything else? Just looking. Can you clean my rings (bag of jewelry)? Do you change watch batteries (bag of watches)? Can you size this ring I got off the internet while I wait? What’s this worth? Are these real? Do you do appraisals? I have to pay what? My ring is stuck, can you size it by tomorrow? What’s an express fee? Are you open? Do you fix eyeglasses? Can you copy my dad’s cluster ring by Christmas? Is the gift wrap FREE? Can you give me one of your fancy boxes for this ring you just cleaned up? Do you polish silver (opening a silver chest of flatware)? The list goes on. You don’t even have to wait very long for the next one before you can holler BINGO!!! Dead Benjamin Delight! — Denise O., La Grange, IL
• Favorite: the rush of the holiday crowd, having fun with the last-minute guys and the idea of helping someone choose a gift that could put a WOW on someone’s face Xmas morning. Least favorite: the people who come in with a watch battery at the height of Xmas rush who refuse to leave it, demand to wait and “have no one to shop for in a jewelry store” and then complain that their battery is $15. — Mary Jo C., Rutland, VT
• The least favorite thing is when the client’s problem becomes your problem. The customer knows all year that Christmas is coming, yet waits until two weeks out for a complicated, custom piece and it’s my fault if not ready to put under the tree. With supply shortages, delivery problems due to weather and this year, a potential rail strike; we follow a “Golden Rule”: If you can’t personally be responsible for the delivery of the finished product, don’t make a promise. — Jon W., Virginia Beach, VA
• Favorite: I love the feeling of the holidays and I feel like people are generally happier. Least favorite: Floor flushers and people who expect you to size a ring for them that they just bought online. — Marc M., Midland, TX
• We don’t decorate until Thanksgiving week, so we don’t get tired of the look. But the “looky lou’s” and “wellillbeback” customers get old-especially after they’ve tried on all the earrings and smudged up all the gemstones. — Beth C., Dublin, OH
• I love how our regular customers bring us treats like they would their neighbor to say thank you for the year of service we have given them. I dislike those that come to town for just the holiday season and do not adjust their attitude to the small-town vibe. We do not live to work in our ski town; we work to live in our ski town. We just happen to be a unique specialized jewelry store that has drawn talented and capable jewelers that also need to enjoy powder days just like everyone else. And that is why sometimes, “We cannot replace your watch battery on the spot.” — Rebecca L., Ketchum, ID
• The annual sightings of certain clients are always good. Least favorite is people bringing me booze, as I have never liked alcohol. — James D., Kingston, NH

The post These Are Jewelers’ Favorite (and Least Favorite) Things About the Holiday Selling Season appeared first on INSTOREMAG.COM.