Columns

Laurie Owen: Leaders and Occupancy Costs

Published

18 years ago

June 1, 2006

Laurie Owen Instore June 2006 Issue

GIVE YOUR STORE a perfect figure.
4.8%

What is it? How much the top performers in the 2004 Jewelers Financial Benchmarking Study spent on occupancy costs. An occupancy cost of 4.8% means that for every $1 of sales, the company spends about 5 cents on occupancy costs, such as rent, occupancy, utilities, and store security.

Strategy: How to get by with spending less? Start by comparing yourself to others. Find industry benchmarks and see how you stack up, line by line. Monitor your expenses monthly by getting a timely profit-and-loss statement with your expenses in dollars and percentages so you track changes before they get out of hand. Look carefully for unusual fluctuations when examining your statements. Pay close attention to expense items which lend themselves to personal (not business) use by yourself or your employees and evaluate whether you’re getting adequate benefit for the cost (e.g. mobile and long-distance-phone use, company-provided automobiles, Internet-access time, consumable supplies, etc.) At least once per quarter, review all expenses and ask, “How can I reduce this?”

This story is from the June 2006 edition of INSTORE.

This Third-Generation Jeweler Was Ready for Retirement. He Called Wilkerson

Retirement is never easy, especially when it means the end to a business that was founded in 1884. But for Laura and Sam Sipe, it was time to put their own needs first. They decided to close J.C. Sipe Jewelers, one of Indianapolis’ most trusted names in fine jewelry, and call Wilkerson. “Laura and I decided the conditions were right,” says Sam. Wilkerson handled every detail in their going-out-of-business sale, from marketing to manning the sales floor. “The main goal was to sell our existing inventory that’s all paid for and turn that into cash for our retirement,” says Sam. “It’s been very, very productive.” Would they recommend Wilkerson to other jewelers who want to enjoy their golden years? Absolutely! “Call Wilkerson,” says Laura. “They can help you achieve your goals so you’ll be able to move into retirement comfortably.”