(PRESS RELEASE) NEW YORK — The Plumb Club announced that, due to extremely positive survey reviews and retail feedback, the retailer-focused learning event will be returning next year. The event will take place during the week of March 10th at a new creative and convenient Manhattan location, to be announced shortly.
Survey results, done by Reed Exhibition after the event, showcased that the show team, location, keynote and registration were highly rated, all at 90% and above satisfaction. 76% of respondents were satisfied in the objectives of gathering industry knowledge and learnings through the education conference program and 89% said they were “likely” to “extremely likely” to recommend Symposium to a friend or colleague in the industry. Individual retailers also provided feedback after the event.
“Our team found a lot of value from Symposium ’24”, said Bobbi Hansen, director of merchandising, Fred Meyer Jewelers. “It was a terrific line up of speakers and something for everyone – sales, marketing, technology, industry insights and more. It was nice to take the time out to invest in learning and networking.”
Brittany Merrill, GMM, merchandising for Helzberg Diamonds, added, “Symposium offered an impressive lineup of sessions featuring high-caliber, engaging speakers on topics confronting the jewelry industry. The diverse range of subjects, covering relevant issues around sustainability, artificial intelligence, and leadership, amongst others, provided an enriching experience, enabling attendees to think about its businesses innovatively outside the typical day-to-day environments.”
Independent retailer, Susan Eisen of Susan Eisen Fine Jewelry in TX., adds, “I was amazed by the quality of the speakers. The information we received was top-notch and not your typical jewelry seminar topics. This was world-class learning from people who are entrenched in a variety of different business categories. It opened my eyes to areas that I was unfamiliar with and provided information that I can adapt to my business plans.”
The event will continue to provide world-class learning from a variety of leading experts, as well as business networking opportunities. In 2025, the Symposium event format will be tailored slightly based upon the feedback, making it an easier to attend one-day event. Learning will be focused to a single track, responding to the concern that the multi-track format made it difficult for retailers to choose between all of the valuable presentations. Additionally, a retailer-based advisory committee is in formation to provide input on the presentation content and a fun infotainment evening event will be added to round out the day.
“The extremely positive survey results, compounded by the exuberant feedback from retailers, made the decision to move forward with the event again for 2025 a ‘no brainer’, said Roger Forman, president of The Plumb Club. “One of The Plumb Club’s pillars is education of the industry, and it’s pretty obvious that there is a strong desire for quality learning. It’s a natural fit.”
Retailers interested in being considered for the next event should email info@plumbclub.com.