Less Than Half of Jewelers Offer Free Goodies to Bridal Customers

This month’s question:  Do you provide a package of free goodies and services with bridal purchases?

Yes: 40%

• Two gifts: for the bride, a bottle of cleaner, polishing cloth and a coupon for a discount on a gent’s wedding band, and a coupon for bridal gifts. For the groom, a shot glass — “Buy me a shot I’m tying the knot”, a coupon for a discount on her wedding band, a coupon for a discount on a brides gift, and a coupon for a discount on groomsmen gifts. — Linda Griffiths, Hoover’s Jewelers, Kearney, NE
• We offer a complimentary engagement photo session with the most sought-after wedding photographer in our area. We also offer 20 percent off wedding bands, groom’s gift, and bridal party gifts. — Whitney Lang, Burkes Fine Jewelers, Kilmarnock, VA
• Free custom-etched champagne flutes, free engraving on inside of rings; coupons for discounts on floral services, wedding photographer, bakery and other wedding services. — Kent Bagnall, Kent Jewelry, Rolla, MO
• A countertop ultrasonic cleaner, a ring holder, a bottle of champagne, a wedding planner, a pen. All of this is in a reusable tote with our name on it. — Erica Lorenz, Michael & Sons, Reno, NV
• The Knot Ultimate Wedding Planner is a three-ring binder that I purchase by the case and then add several things about our store such as our diamond guarantee and tips and tools for selecting their bands. Along with this, I add in coupons and things from area “bridal” partners such as caterers, cake decorators, photographers, etc. — Rita Wade, Wade Designs Jewelry, Rocky Mount, NC
• We give our customers a “Toodie’s” shirt for them to wear. I found that by getting custom high-quality shirts, my customers will actually wear them. I was out to dinner with a sales representative a few weeks ago and I saw one of my customers actually wearing it, so right then and there, it paid off. — Howard Jacobs, Toodie’s Fine Jewelry, Quincy, MA
• I own a bridal store across the street: he gets a 20 percent off coupon for her on a wedding dress, free bottle of wine from a catering company, a bottle of jewelry cleaner and a few other things. — Alan Perry, Perry’s Emporium, Wilmington, NC
• Our bride bag contains our private label ring cleaner, a private label polishing cloth (let’s hear it for shameless advertising), a nail file, a mini bottle of cuticle oil and a nail buff. If the bride and groom purchased all of their rings with us, we provide a small box containing three sets of sterling silver stud pearl earrings for all those last-minute thank-you gifts you need. — Denise Oros, Linnea Jewelers, La Grange, IL
• Either a basket with two coffee mugs and a pound of coffee (mug handle is a “dia” set wedding band) or a basket with two champagne glasses and a split of sparkling wine (glasses are stemless with “cheers” etched into them). — Susan Cartwright-Coates, Cartwright Jewelers, New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada

No: 60%

• If people don’t come to me because of my exceptional jewelry and service, I might as well shut down. I leave the gimmicks to the mall with inferior products. Ever heard of Cartier including free goodies? — Klaus Kutter, A Jour Inc., Bristol, RI
• No. Prices already cut to the bone. — Cathe Linton, Kokopelli of Warwick, Warwick, NY
• I want them to focus on the purchase. — John DiEnna, JD3 Jewelry, Lansdowne, PA
• We tried in the past and it wasn’t well-received. — Chris Wattsson, Wattsson & Wattsson Jewelers, Marquette, MI
• Giving a lot of goodies at the end of a sale sends the message that we are charging too much, that our margins are so thick that we feel the need to give some of it back. At least that’s my interpretation when I receive goodies after a purchase. — David Phelps, Precision Platinum, Durham, NC

This article originally appeared in the September 2017 edition of INSTORE.