THE PROMISE OF a prosperous holiday sales season is only a few short weeks away, and jewelers looking to make their stores ready for the rush are getting prepared now. Here are a few hints to make this holiday season the best for your customers and yourself.
1. Clean your displays! If your elements are in good shape and not torn or otherwise ruined, give them a good cleaning. Use Simple Green cleaner on them, as it will remove any stain except ballpoint pen. Spray it on, let it sit for 30 seconds, wipe it off with a damp rag. No scrubbing! (Note: If your displays are torn or past their prime, get new ones, now!)
2. Choose 10 or 12 “Great Gift Ideas” that will appeal to shoppers looking for gifts. Place them in your cases with small tent signs for a fast sale.
3. Put prices on about 10-20 percent of the items in your cases. If they look like they are worth more than you are asking, put a price on it. If they look like your price might be too high for the bling it has, skip it. I love the “magnetic taco shell” signs available here because they are inexpensive, do not ruin your displays, are reusable and have a template to help you make your signs: smartprodisplays.com.
4. Promote store financing. The chain jewelry stores sell over half their holiday sales on credit. If you are doing less, you are missing out. Saying you offer financing isn’t enough. Put signs in your cases with approximate monthly payments for a list of purchase prices.
5. Stock up your clearance case. Old inventory is the anchor that keeps many jewelers from being successful. Create a showcase with your aged goods, mark it all down and move it out. If a piece was in your case last December and it is still there, it goes in the clearance case.
6. Put photos, details and prices of merchandise you have in your cases on a slide show on your store TV. Check out this service at mystoremonitor.com.
7. Put up a “New Arrivals” board near the front door. A whiteboard on an easel will work fine. List any new pieces you have and direct your customers to them. You sell more of what you emphasize.
8. Set up your showcases with intention. Place the pieces you want most to sell in the back center of the showcase (these are your highest priced pieces). Move your lesser priced pieces closer to the front of the showcase. Organize your cases in a good-better-best arrangement to make your case easier to shop.
9. Decorate the store, not the cases. If you put a foil covered ornament in your showcase this November, you’ll still be picking glitter out of the case next November. Put up all the decorations you want in the store but leave the inside of the cases for the merchandise. Gold jewelry looks downright dull next to gold foil.
The holidays are a wondrous time, and despite all the hard work for retailers, it can be your favorite time as well.