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CIBJO Releases Marketing and Education Special Report, Analyzes ‘Next Great Jewelry-Buying Generation’

Generation Z ‘is coming to our markets very soon if it has not already arrived in reality.’

Published

4 years ago

September 15, 2019

INSTORE Staff

(PRESS RELEASE) MILAN, ITALY — With fewer than 10 weeks to go until the opening of the 2019 CIBJO Congress in Manama, Bahrain, on Nov. 18, the first of the CIBJO commissions’ Special Reports has been released. Prepared by the CIBJO Marketing & Education Commission, headed by Jonathan Kendall, the report returns to what has been defined as the next great jewelry-consuming group, Generation Z, providing a breakdown of what the industry needs to consider if it is to ensure that jewelry remains a favored purchase.

Generation Z refers to consumers who currently are 15 to 25 years of age.

“Gen Z is coming to our markets very soon if it has not already arrived in reality,” writes Kendall. “Its members are forecast to spend a whopping $143 billion this year alone. So we better get them on our side if we want to enjoy a rosy future. In fact, the future success of the jewelry industry will depend on our understanding the needs and wants of Generation Z. Get this right and we can all look forward to strong profitable years moving forward. Get it wrong and we could be destined for the scrap heap – not overnight maybe, but ultimately.”

Communicating largely via social media, Generation Z is more environmentally conscious and gender neutral than any generation that preceded it, studies show. It celebrates authenticity, diversity and human imperfection. It is more likely to heed the advice of a friend rather than a celebrity.

“Gen Z is prepared to splurge, but it must be worth it. The more added value the better, and that can come from its environmental credentials or its social value,” says Kendall.

To download a copy of the CIBJO Market & Education Commission’s special report, click here.

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.”