Editor's Note

Can We Just Talk About Jewelry For A Change?

INSTORE editor-in-chief previews the June issue and Online Jewelry Week.

Published

4 years ago

June 1, 2020

Trace Shelton Instore June 2020 Issue

“WHEN CAN WE get back to talking about jewelry?”

That’s the question on everyone’s minds, I think, since soon after the COVID-19 pandemic began. We’re all tired of worrying about our health, worrying about our businesses, and wondering when or if we’ll ever be able to get back to life as normal. If only we had some new awe-inspiring jewelry designs to distract us from these weighty concerns!

Good news: You’ll find just such jewelry in this issue. That’s right, it’s our fifth annual INSTORE Design Awards, and boy, do we have some jaw-dropping pieces to show you this year!

You’ll also see our expanded New Arrivals section with four trends to watch in 2020. Usually, we cover these as trends to look for at the trade shows in Las Vegas, but this year, you’ll have to make do with seeing them in print and calling these suppliers to make sure you’ve got them in your showcases.

Speaking of trade shows, you’ve hopefully heard by now about INSTORE’s Online Jewelry Week, which featured a series of “desktop interviews” with jewelry suppliers, giving them a chance to show off their latest pieces. We also interviewed organizations and service providers and offered free education. It’s how we can bring the shows to you, since none of us are going to Las Vegas anytime soon. Check out instoremag.com/ojw for the video replays.

Huh … it seems we’re talking about jewelry after all! Let’s keep it up!

Can We Just Talk About Jewelry For A Change?

Trace Shelton

Editor-in-Chief, INSTORE
trace@smartworkmedia.com

Five Smart Tips You’ll Find in This Issue

1. Do a sensory audit of your store. Clean carpets, change the air filter and service your AC if needed. (Manager’s To-Do, p. 32)

2. Ask holiday customers to bring in their jewelry for a free six-month checkup. (Manager’s To-Do, p. 32)

3. If a client reaches to shake hands, tell them, “I’m so glad you came in. We’ll shake hands when we can. Let’s pretend we did.” (Ask INSTORE, p. 76)

4. When coming into a team-sale opportunity, arrive on the same side of the case as the client and always on their right. (Shane Decker, p. 79)

5. Fill the bottom of showcases with coffee or cocoa beans, candy, aquarium rocks or thin marble tiles to add contrast for jewelry. (Denise Oros, p. 74)

When There’s No Succession Plan, Call Wilkerson

Bob Wesley, owner of Robert C. Wesley Jewelers in Scottsdale, Ariz., was a third-generation jeweler. When it was time to enjoy life on the other side of the counter, he weighed his options. His lease was nearing renewal time and with no succession plan, he decided it was time to call Wilkerson. There was plenty of inventory to sell and at first, says Wesley, he thought he might try to manage a sale himself. But he’s glad he didn’t. “There’s no way I could have done this as well as Wilkerson,” he says. Wilkerson took responsibility for the entire event, with every detail — from advertising to accounting — done, dusted and managed by the Wilkerson team. “It’s the complete package,” he says of the Wilkerson method of helping jewelers to easily go on to the next phase of their lives. “There’s no way any retailer can duplicate what they’ve done.”