Headlines

Diminishing Middle Class Hurting the Big Jewelry Companies

Published

8 years ago

March 3, 2016

INSTORE Staff

“You don’t have to be a rocket scientist” to figure out why, consultant says.

It’s definitely a bear market out there and particularly so for publicly traded jewelry companies like Tiffany, Signet and Blue Nile, all of whom are trading down for the year, as Yahoo Finance writes.

The article cites Howard Davidowitz, chairman of national retail and consulting firm Davidowitz & Associates, who says the big jewelry companies face a threat in the declining purchasing power of the middle class: “You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see that any company that appeals to the aspirational middle class is in trouble.” He also says that jewelers should focus on closing mall stores and instead shift their attention to online sales and urban stores.

Wilkerson Testimonials

Wilkerson: “They Feel Like Family”

Newton’s Jewelers in Fort Smith, Ark., was a true institution. But after being at the helm for most of his life, owner (and descendent of the original founder) Kelly Newton decided it was time to retire. He chose Wilkerson to handle the sale. “I’ve known the owners of Wilkerson for a long, long time. I felt at home with them,” he says. The final retirement sale was just a “blast” and the Wilkerson sales team made it so very simple and straightforward, says Newton. Would he recommend Wilkerson to others? Absolutely. “They’ve done incredible work,” says Newton. “They feel like family.”