STRATEGY
A competitor just opened selling similar stuff 20% cheaper. Should I drop my prices?
Only if you want to go broke together. INSTORE columnist David Brown channels Warren Buffett’s wisdom: “If you need a prayer session before raising the price by a tenth of a cent, then you’ve got a terrible business.” Instead of racing to the bottom, give customers reasons beyond price. Tiffany doesn’t have sales. Neither should you. Build emotional moats, not price wars.
MANAGEMENT
What’s the smart move when bad luck hits?
Squeeze it. Richard Wiseman, professor of psychology at the University of Hertfordshire in the UK and author of “The Luck Factor”, says “lucky” people flip setbacks into fuel. Shot in the arm? Well, it’s a lot better than getting shot in the head. Flat tire? Great excuse to meet the mechanic who becomes your new client. It’s not delusion. It’s not “good vibes only.” It’s looking directly at the bad thing and saying, “Fine. But you’re going to be useful now.”
MANAGEMENT
Can I actually train my staff to focus, or am I just yelling at the ocean?
Both, unfortunately. Nicholas Carr, author of “The Shallows”, points out that the internet basically returned us to our “natural state of distractedness” — which, if you think about it, makes sense. We spent a few million years scanning the savanna for threats, and like 50 years trying to concentrate on spreadsheets. The spreadsheets were never going to win. But focus CAN be retrained. Block out windows. Kill alerts. Make distraction inconvenient. Attention is a muscle.
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SALES
My repair customers never buy anything else. How do I convert them?
Don’t let them stand there like mannequins. Sales trainer Shane Decker says hit them with a lead-in line immediately: “While I’m writing this up, you’ve GOT to see this knockout piece.” Have your wingman swoop in with something spectacular while you’re still scribbling. You’ve got a captive audience who already trusts you with grandma’s pearls – this is your moment to blow their minds and open their wallets. (November 2007)
STAFF
Should I reward employees for going screen-free during shifts, or just enforce it as policy?
Do both. Set the rule, but make it FUN. Some stores keep a “distraction jar”: every phone check is a dollar. End of week? Pizza. Enforcement plus reward. Carrot, stick — and pepperoni.
SALES
What should I do when a customer’s anger clearly has nothing to do with the jewelry?
Sometimes the complaint isn’t about you at all. When people are under stress — whether from family, work, or finances — jewelry can become the lightning rod for their frustration. Listen without taking it personally, acknowledge their feelings, and give them space to vent. Often, once they feel heard, the real issue surfaces, and you can help them find what they actually need.
BRIDAL SALES
How do you keep a little surprise when it seems that 90% of couples now shop together?
Slip in something romantic and secret. Patricia Carruth, owner of Your Personal Jeweler in Detroit, says the recipient still wants “some detail with sentimental meaning.” That could be a secret inscription, a hidden birthstone, or an heirloom diamond recut into the design. Couples may design together, but the magic is in the detail they didn’t see coming.
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ESTATE JEWELRY
Why bother with estate jewelry when new sells fine?
Because “variety” sells even better. Jordan Brown of Once Upon a Diamond in Shreveport, LA, says his cases hold everything from late 1800s pieces to rings made two years ago. Customers love the treasure-hunt vibe. If your floor looks like every mall jeweler, estate is how you stand apart.
STORE DESIGN
Won’t a messy shop turn off customers?
Maybe not as much as you think? Jesse Balaity of Balaity Property Enhancement says customers now expect transparency. Custom work, Instagram culture, and the rise of “experiential retail” flipped the script. A visible shop isn’t a liability — it’s proof of authenticity. Shoppers don’t want perfect; they want REAL.
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