Tale End: Inflation

Published

14 years ago

September 27, 2011

SOME TIME AGO, we did a battery and water-seal on a customer’s watch. I don’t recall the particulars, but something happened to displease her, so we refunded her money and sent her a letter of apology offering her 15 percent off her next purchase from our store. Sure enough, she came in recently looking to purchase a watch. When she finally made her selection, she reminded us of our letter and claimed that it offered her 20 percent off. Good thing I was able to produce a copy of the letter, 12 years later, to show her that she was entitled to 15 percent off! With customers like that, coming in once every 12 years, we’d all be out of business! — GINA WALLACH, WALLACH JEWELRY DESIGNS, LARCHMONT, NY

[span class=note]This story is from the October 2011 edition of INSTORE[/span]

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.