(PRESS RELEASE) NEW YORK — Platinum Guild International USA has released an easy-to-navigate infographic that will enable retailers and brands alike to better understand the mindset of ‘gifters’ versus that of self-purchasers. Based on a research study conducted by 360 Market Research on behalf of PGI USA in late 2020, the infographic delves into several key differences which the industry should be mindful of when developing consumer-facing messaging, whether for advertising programs, in-store promotions or social media campaigns.
The infographic focuses on five key areas:
- Who is buying?
- Gifters are a predominantly male audience, with 78% of male respondents having bought a gift for a significant other in the past two years, as opposed to only 28% of women. Generationally, Millennials are out-gifting all the rest, followed by Gen Xers.
- Women are treating themselves a bit more often than men, as 52% of those females surveyed identified as self-purchasers reported buying themselves a piece of fine jewelry in the past two years. Again, Millennials lead the pack of self-purchasers; nearly twice as many of those born in the ‘aughts’ made a purchase for themselves, than those in the next closest generation, Gen X.
- Who is receiving?
- When segmenting by generations, Millennials, Gen Xers, and Boomers are buying for their significant others by a considerable amount. Interestingly, however, when Gen Zers are in the mood to give a gift, it’s their mom who will most likely be the recipient.
- Why are they buying?
- ‘Just Because’ was the top reason for nearly half of the identified self-purchasers when asked why they were making a purchase. Classic jewelry-buying occasions, specifically, milestone birthdays and graduations were still deemed important to mark with the purchase of a piece of fine jewelry.
- Where are they finding inspiration?
- Surprisingly, in the day and age of everything digital, in-store visits proved nearly as inspirational as websites for both gifters and self-purchasers. Advertising and social media also played a part in the decision making, but perhaps not to the degree in which we often believe they do.
- Where are they shopping?
- For both gifters and self-purchasers, more than 90% of respondents confirmed they shop in-store and will continue to do so. The importance of being able to see, touch and try on fine jewelry will never diminish. That said, consumers have no fear to purchase jewelry online, making a company’s digital presence critically important to continue to maximize the opportunity to grow that channel.
“We feel it is very important to continue to share our research with the industry,” noted PGI USA President, Jenny Luker. “This particular study showed that in the cases of both the gifters and self-purchasers, more than two-thirds plan to purchase platinum in the future, which signifies the opportunity for jewelers, retailers, designers and brands across the board to focus on platinum as a business segment.”
The infographic is available for download here. For more information on the research findings, contact PGI USA’s Marketing Coordinator, Mackenzie Keefe, at mkeefe@pgiglobal.com.
Family Legacy, New Chapter: How Wilkerson Turns 89 Years of History Into Future Success
After 89 years of serving the Albany community, Harold Finkle Your Jeweler faced a pivotal decision. For third-generation owner Justin Finkle, the demanding hours of running a small business were taking precious time away from his young family. "After 23 years, I decided this was the time for me," Finkle explains. But closing a business with nearly nine decades of inventory and customer relationships isn't something easily managed alone.
Wilkerson's comprehensive approach transformed this challenging transition into a remarkable success story. Their strategic planning handled everything from advertising and social media to inventory management and staffing — elements that would overwhelm most jewelers attempting to navigate a closing sale independently.
The results speak volumes. "Wilkerson gave us three different tiers of potential goals," Finkle notes. "We've reached that third tier, that highest goal already, and we still have two weeks left of the sale." The partnership didn't just meet financial objectives—it exceeded them ahead of schedule.
