Here’s What Jewelers Fear the Most

Published

6 years ago

August 21, 2017

INSTORE Staff

There’s one agency no one wants to hear from.

As a jeweler, certain fears keep you awake at night. But have you ever wondered if your colleagues are worried about the same things you are?

As we collect responses for this year’s Big Survey, we’re bringing you a few highlights from years past. We call them Big Survey Flashbacks.

Today we bring you a question from our 2014 survey: “What scenario frightens you the most?”

The most popular answer, chosen by 19 percent of respondents, was related to audits: “The IRS invites you to come in and discuss your tax return.”

Other frightening scenarios and the percentage of respondents who chose them:

The diamond is fake! — 16 percent
Crack! Egads, I’ve broken her rings. — 13 percent
A big-name jeweler is opening across the road. — 12 percent
It’s a sure thing. The buy-in is $100,000 … — 11 percent
Boss, I’ve had a better offer. — 7 percent
You’ll be in Vegas and the kid is in charge for five days. — 1 percent

Want to have your say on the industry and what it means to own or manage an American jewelry store in 2017? Click HERE to take the latest INSTORE Big Survey. (The survey will probably take about 20 minutes to complete and is designed to be taken solely by store owners and managers.)

Time to Do What You've Always Wanted? Time to Call Wilkerson.

It was time. Teri Allen and her brother, Nick Pavlich, Jr., had been at the helm of Dearborn Jewelers of Plymouth in Plymouth, Mich., for decades. Their father, Nick Pavlich, Sr., had founded the store in 1950, but after so many wonderful years helping families around Michigan celebrate their most important moments, it was time to get some “moments” of their own. Teri says Wilkerson was the logical choice to run their retirement sale. “They’re the only company that specializes in closing jewelry stores,” she says. During the sale, Teri says a highlight was seeing so many generations of customers who wanted to buy “that one last piece of jewelry from us.” Would she recommend Wilkerson? Absolutely. “There is no way that I would have been able to do this by myself.”