You know what you need to do, but you’re not sure how. Join a panel discussion dedicated to giving a jewelry store the confidence and answers it needs to make the changes that will help them differentiate, stay competitive and revolutionize the way their store is perceived by their customers forever.
Stores that embrace change and strive to innovate are stores that survive, and many have flourished in an unsteady economy by incorporating designer jewelry into their product mix. AJDC president Todd Reed and Vice President Sarah Graham lead a discussion with the owners of two top retailers who have over 50 years of combined experience in the jewelry business. Both stores turned to designer jewelry when times got tough, and have relied on this product mix to see them through the inevitable ups and downs of our ever changing, but never boring, industry.
I. Gorman, a family owned business since 1981, began experimenting with designers in the early 80s, and by the time the recession of the early 90s hit, they were glad the had – they found themselves well positioned to survive what would otherwise have been a crippling economy had they not set themselves apart from the crowd by offering their customers jewelry they couldn’t find anywhere else. As competition grew and the designer ‘gems’ they had discovered became more mainstream. I. Gorman saw a need to differentiate themselves again and altered course in mid 90s by introducing newer jewelers as well as international designers. Today, Nicole and Adam Gorman are witnessing yet another evolution in their customer’s tastes and are adjusting their product mix to suit – and still find the designer pool to be their best source for filling their cases with the newest and most innovative jewelry.
Babs Noelle of Alara Jewelry began her career as a bench jeweler in 1988 and sold her designs through her retail store. Her success reached a ceiling in 1998 when, tired of watching business walk out the door and unable to find enough time to make everything herself, she realized that if she were going to grow, she needed to offer diversity to her customers, and so turned to the designers that she respected and appreciated. Babs has been committed to designer jewelry ever since, and has developed an astute sense for choosing new designers and evaluating their success. She also has an exceptional skill for marketing that grabs her customer’s attention and builds their trust in one of the most entertaining campaigns in the industry.
Adam, Nicole and Babs will talk about how they choose designers, how they evaluate a line’s success, and how they formulate marketing strategies that capitalize on the clout of the brands they carry while still building their store’s own brand. They will turn the tables by asking Todd and Sarah their take on certain aspects of the business as well, and finally the audience will have full reign to pose questions to the entire panel. Under the auspice of the American Jewelry Design Council, whose purpose it is to bring understanding to the public about the value and craftsmanship of designer jewelry, Todd and Sarah, along with these hugely successful store owners and the Smart Show, promise a value packed seminar that will layout exactly why and how designer jewelry could be just the change a mainstream store needs to differentiate and excel in any market.
###
The panel discussion Designer Jeweler Opportunity begins at 11:15 am Monday, April 26th during the Smart Show on Chicago’s Navy Pier. Visit www.smartjewelryshow.com for more details.
