He’s remembered as a “font of passion,” leaving behind a legacy of dedication to his craft and community.
Business Pulse: Are You Selling Online?
According to our latest Business Pulse survey, the answer for many jewelers is no, for now.
New York--National Jeweler/Jewelers of America’s latest Business Pulse poll found that many jewelers still aren’t selling jewelry on their websites, though some seem to be warming up to the idea.
When asked to describe their company’s web presence, the highest percentage of respondents (69 percent) said they have a website but it’s not e-commerce enabled.
About a quarter of survey-takers do have e-commerce on their sites while only 6 percent reported having no website at all.
Of the 24 percent of respondents with e-commerce-enabled websites, 75 percent are making less than 1 percent of their overall sales online, while 11 percent are making between 1 and 1.9 percent of sales there.
Only 8 percent of respondents reported that online sales accounted for more than 4 percent of their store’s total sales. As one survey-taker noted, “The majority of my peers (small stores doing $800K to $1.2 million) find that it (online sales) is not significant.”
While it might not seem “significant” now, many digital experts argue that having e-commerce is a must in retail today.
Even if a lot of sales aren’t made on a store’s website, they argue, it at least gives customers the option to make a purchase should they change their mind about a piece of jewelry after leaving the store or need time to contemplate a purchase.
It also gives jewelers the chance to reach customers outside their immediate area.
So, will more independent jewelers come around to the idea of e-commerce in the future? The survey seems to point to yes.
The 2 percent of respondents who marked “other” when asked to describe their company’s web presence said they are in the process of building a website that will include e-commerce, and four more jewelers said the same in the comments sections of the survey--that online sales are part of their website redevelopment plans.
Lamb and lion
National Jeweler/Jewelers of America’s Business Pulse poll for April also asked jewelers about their store’s sales in the month of March as compared with March 2015.
The greatest percentage of respondents, 29 percent, reported a drop in business of less than 25 percent while nearly the same percentage (28 percent) reported business was up less than 25 percent.
Twenty-two percent recorded flat sales in March.
Very few jewelers found themselves at extreme ends of the spectrum, with only 15 percent up more than 25 percent and 6 percent down that same amount.
National Jeweler
The Product Pulse portion of the survey questioned jewelers about their gold jewelry sales. National Jeweler published those results last month.
The Latest
The first one will take place next month during the Jewelers of Louisiana’s and Mississippi Jewelers Association’s conventions.
The redesigned boutique features interactive displays and a workshop space for hands-on learning about watchmaking.
For over 30 years, JA has advocated for the industry, fought against harmful legislation and backed measures that help jewelry businesses.
There is a willingness to comply with new government-mandated regulations, with an insistence that they should be practical and realistic.
A combination of factors is driving growth in the industry despite the precipitous drop in prices across the board.
The zone’s modernization will enhance and increase India’s jewelry manufacturing capabilities while aiding small and mid-sized businesses.
Ho Brothers offers scalable solutions for the future of custom jewelry.
By the end of this year, SRK’s diamond manufacturing complexes will achieve net zero emissions, one of an impressive array of achievements.
The company plans to invest $25 million in marketing initiatives to boost awareness around its namesake and licensed brands.
Optimism about the current state of the economy was offset by anxiety around inflation and the political environment.
The former WJA executive director is MFM’s new managing director.
DDG encourages retailers to educate customers on the positive impact of purchasing natural diamonds.
Highlighting the most iconic Tiffany collections, it’s inspired by the company’s late window designer, Gene Moore.
Jen Cullen Williams and Duvall O’Steen explore how jewelers can save time and money by using AI to analyze engagement and create content.
The retailer previously turned down an $8.4 billion offer in 2018.
The Florida store’s owner Miguel Gonzalez is retiring.
The lab stresses the importance of accurate identification, as the difference in price is “substantial.”
The brand also plans to expand its retail footprint from 138 to 200 stores over the next three years.
One is reserved for a NAJA member, the other for a non-member.
Longtime employees Carie Lehrke and Megan Mattice have received promotions.
Three guests joined National Jeweler and Jewelers of America to discuss trending time periods, spotting reproductions, and more.
Chris Clipper and Robert Lepere join the company with 50 years of combined experience.
The trendy, metallic earrings wink at classic spring colors.
JSA said a man and woman pulled the safe out of an Oakland jewelry store but couldn’t quite get it into their van.
The miner’s March auction generated $19 million.
Helen McCluskey will succeed H. Todd Stitzer when he meets his 12-year term limit in June.