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The Magic of St. Barbara’s Day, Re-Gifting Day, and More Big Calendar Dates in December

You also have a chance to capitalize on National Tie Month with a creative promotion.

Published

9 hours ago

November 15, 2023

INSTORE Staff Instore November 2023 Issue

1 National Tie Month is held in December to recognize the fact that 20 percent of all ties sold are bought as Christmas gifts. So how about a tie-in? (Sorry.) Take a tip from the government’s old cash for clunkers program: Offer so many dollars toward a nice watch for any customer who sneaks in with an “unwearable” tie in the week after Christmas.

4 On St. Barbara’s Day, legend says that if a young woman places a twig from a cherry tree in a glass of water and it blooms by Christmas Eve, she is certain to marry in the next year. So, get out those glasses of water and cherry twigs. Marketed properly, Babs’ Day should have wannabe brides back in your store in droves come Christmas Eve. If the twig doesn’t bloom, 15 percent off any self-purchase.

15 More than 60 percent of people now think it’s OK to “re-gift.” So, how about a special luxury wrapping service (“Wrapped only the way a jewelry store can do it”) on Re-gifting Day for those with that special gift they want to offload?

21 In winter, the days get short, but for anyone in jewelry retail, these are your longest days of the year. On the First Day of Winter, turn the lights up a notch, put your coat rack up and have a cup of warm coffee or cocoa ready for your customers.

When There’s No Succession Plan, Call Wilkerson

Bob Wesley, owner of Robert C. Wesley Jewelers in Scottsdale, Ariz., was a third-generation jeweler. When it was time to enjoy life on the other side of the counter, he weighed his options. His lease was nearing renewal time and with no succession plan, he decided it was time to call Wilkerson. There was plenty of inventory to sell and at first, says Wesley, he thought he might try to manage a sale himself. But he’s glad he didn’t. “There’s no way I could have done this as well as Wilkerson,” he says. Wilkerson took responsibility for the entire event, with every detail — from advertising to accounting — done, dusted and managed by the Wilkerson team. “It’s the complete package,” he says of the Wilkerson method of helping jewelers to easily go on to the next phase of their lives. “There’s no way any retailer can duplicate what they’ve done.”