Is a Big Brand Store-in-Store a Fit for You? See What Other Jewelers Say

THIS MONTH’S QUESTION: Do you have a “store-in-store” area for a big jewelry or watch brand?

Yes: 18%

• We have a Rolex corner. It seems to work well to emphasize the brand and show the product, thus creating more sales. Obviously, you could not do a separate selling area for every product but, then again, Rolex is not every product. Bob Richards, Bob Richards Jewelers, Germantown, TN
• Alex and Ani; it works well as customers are “trained” to go there for latest styles. Christi Weaver, The Polished Edge, Liberty, MO
• Built Rolex store in store in one of our locations. Sales doubled. Put Pandora shop-in-shop. Sales flat. Bill Levine, Van Cott Jewelers, Vestal, NY
• Just upgraded to a Pandora shop-in-shop this January. We blew out an office and it really brightens up and dresses up our showroom and store. Julie Terwilliger, Wexford Jewelers, Cadillac, MI
• It makes the brand stand out, and people are all about brands. Brenda Hefner, Oz’s Jewelers, Hickory, NC
• Rolex and Hearts on Fire; they work well. Both are attractive and draw the attention they should. Kim Hatchell, Galloway & Moseley, Sumter, SC
• Verragio is my “store in-store” and I am not sure it has been of great benefit. Maria Aguirre, Benold’s Jewelers, Austin, TX
• Hearts on Fire has an area in our store, as does Rolex and Pandora. Other than the fact the vendors like these areas updated frequently, they have worked well. Lets the customer know that the particular brand is important to you and not going away anytime soon. The privacy is also nice. Only problem is we are very branded and everyone wants a space. Steve Floyd, Floyd & Green, Aiken, SC
• It is going in the store this week. Stay tuned. I cheated a bit on the answer. Up until now, it was our Hearts On Fire area. That worked great until the recession, then everything turned to s*&!. David Blitt, Troy Shoppe Jewellers, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
• It’s a fashion line that has created traffic and new customers; we look at it as part of our marketing money. Connie Stagner, Acori Diamonds & Design, Friendswood, TX
• We have a Pandora shop-in-shop, and although is has slipped, it’s still profitable. Mike Doland Doland Jewelers, Dubuque, IA
• People love important brands to be highlighted. Whitehouse deserves center of room currently. Eileen Eichhorn, Eichhorn Jewelry, Decatur, IN
• I built out the “Watchatorium,” kinda a man’s cave for my high end pre-owned and the authorized brands I carry. Brian McCall, Midwest Jewelers and Estate Buyers, Zionsville, IN
• All watch brands are in their own areas as are several prominent bridal brands. Gary Richmond, Van Horne & Co., Granger, IN
• Caravelle & Belair. We are downtown but don’t have clientele for high scale watches. Shevvy Baker, SPB Designs, Louisville, KY
• We have segregated areas in the store for ease of shopping. Hamilton Watches – Citizen Eco Brand Watches – Fossil Brand Watches. All the colored gems are in coordinated areas; designer product separate from the rest and silver is “here and there” that fills in. We are a supporter of local and area artists as well – that do (sell) better at this time of year. Doug Mitchell, UniQ Jewelry Gallery, Three Rivers, MI
• Great Roberto Coin entire front of store in a circular case!! Teddie Gause, Gause and Son Jewelers, Ocala, FL
• Pandora — just went store-in-store in early November 2017. Still too early to tell; customers seem to like the new look so far. We’ll know better after our Christmas season. Kriss Roethlisberger, Ace of Diamnds, Mt.Pleasant, MI
• We have a store-in-store for Slate and Tell. We have a simple white cabinet with their product show cased on top. It is a good place for people to stop and look and it causes people to ask questions about the product. Erica Lorenz, Michael & Sons, Reno, NV

NO:  82%

• We had one and it makes a great impression but is very expensive, and most of the brands are not respectful of our design wishes, just theirs. Susan Eisen, Susan Eisen Fine Jewelry & Watches, El Paso, TX
• We use to carry Pandora (and had a shop-in-shop). Once we stopped carrying the line, we converted that corner of the store to feature an in-house designer with similar price points. She has hundreds of pieces on display and they were all made at our store … it’s been a great transition out of the bead corner. Jen Foster, David Douglas Designs, Marietta, GA
• We have an open style where our higher brands are in sight lines with other lines. All lines are equal so there is no feeling of “I can’t afford those.” Instead, it’s “Oh, let me look at these as well.” No fear in looking and no snob appeal approach. Scott Kelly, Jems Jewels & Gold, North Wales, PA
• I have a problem supporting “the machine” of box store jewelry that is manufactured outside the USA and lining the pockets of big wigs at the expense of the people overseas they barely pay to put the stuff together. I want to keep my money supporting American jobs — paying for dance classes, mortgages, groceries, and vacations of the individuals who actually make the jewelry I sell. Jennifer Farnes, Revolution Jewelry Works, Colorado Springs, CO
• Been there done that, screwed every time by manufacturers of high-end brands that get a customer base and then go direct to our customers. Tried it, so no more. Janice A. Niebauer, Jan & Dan’s Jewelry, Erie, PA
• We closed out of one brand this year. We just got tired of the way they were with their retailers. Not very good to work with, too many restrictions and purchasing requirements. It is easier to deal with when you are selling tons of product, but ultimately we make the decisions in our store. Nathan George, Joshua’s Fine Jewelry, Russellville, AR
• We’re in a “small town” city and our store is too pretty to try and make it look like a Pandora store! We have all hardwood and slate interiors with vaulted ceilings. When someone asks you to paint that white, you say, “No thank you!!” Mary Jo Chanski, Hannoush Jewelers, Rutland, VT
• I don’t carry any kind of inventory that I haven’t made myself. No outside vendors. Janne Etz, Contemporary Concepts, Cocoa, FL
• We do not carry big jewelry or watch brands because we have a smaller store with limited space. We fill our cases with Jewelry we make. Frank Salinardi, Linardi’s Jewelers, Plantation, FL
• Not a brand store. Steve Doubleday, Amidon Jewelers, West Lebanon, NH
• Don’t carry watches or many major brands that would warrant a shop-in-shop. Bill Elliott, Ross Elliott Jewelers, Terre Haute, IN
• Our big feature – most space – is devoted to what we make in house. Cliff Yankovich, Chimera Design, Lowell, MI
• I am small no time for other brands then my own. Klaus Kutter, A Jour Inc, Bristol, RI
• We are not big enough to interest those guys. Loann Stokes, Stokes Jewelry, Stillwater, MN
• Not enough room to waste. Craig C. Curtis, Belfast Jewelry, Belfast, ME 
• We operate with “departments” or cases organized in groups to feature specific products … watches, bridal, designer, estate, artisan glass, and so on. Mark Kasuba, M. Edward Jewelers, Pittsfield, MA
• We choose not to carry big brands. Chris Wattsson, Wattsson & Wattsson Jewelers, Marquette, MI
• We do not advertise other brands. We are the brand. Russell Criswell, Vulcan’s Forge, Kansas City, MO
• We are an old downtown store and space is not adequate for large displays, so we do small ones. We do have sections for our best sellers; Naladi bridal, Honora pearls, Berco sterling, Colore sterling color, Carla earrings, Chatham color and Lashbrook men’s wedding bands. John Hayes, Goodman’s Jewelers, Madison, WI
• I plan to possibly add a Simon G. boutique to my store in 2018. Donnie Blanton, Brittany’s Fine Jewelry, Gainesville, FL
• We are in a small area and distinctive brands don’t sell well enough for us. Sue Parker, Nyman Jewelers, Excanaba, MI
• Do not appreciate outside interests dictating how I run my store. Dale Thompson, Ken K. Thompson Jewelry, Bemidji, MN
• No. I’m here to brand my name and image, not theirs. Marc Majors, Sam L. Majors, Midland, TX
• My store is MY BRAND, Linnea’s Custom, why would I let someone dictate to me how much I have to purchase and repurchase. I’ve watched my contemporaries struggle to match Brands Demands, not pretty. Besides I like my bank account like my store fluid and full! Denise Oros, Linnea Jewelers, La Grange, IL

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