Editor's Note

The New Luxury Engagement Jewelry Buying Experience Means Wowing Your Clients

Wining and dining is just the beginning.

Published

3 years ago

August 10, 2022

Trace Shelton Instore August 2022 Issue

WE’VE ALL USED the phrase “wined and dined” to describe an experience during which the subject was treated lavishly. But these days, “wining and dining” is just scratching the surface of what independent jewelry retailers are doing for their wedding jewelry clientele.

And it makes perfect sense. After all, you’re hoping to make a client for life. Why not wow them right out of the gate?

That’s the thought process behind what we’re calling “the elevated wedding jewelry experience,” as detailed in Eileen McClelland’s lead story. Some stores have integrated extravagant photo op spaces into their locations, including pergolas, winding staircases, wedding chapel gazebos, rose gardens and fireplaces. One includes a bridal party dressing room complete with mirrors and makeup stations. Another rings wedding bells for every engagement or anniversary celebrated in their store. Many give unexpected gifts to purchasers.

That’s the wining and dining portion. But there’s much more that goes into the luxury wedding jewelry experience these days, including custom design, appointment selling, alloy samples, wax models, photos and free appraisals. Not to mention services offered after the sale, including cleaning, checking of prongs, and free rhodium plating.

If you’re not going the extra mile for engagement customers, read our story and consider special touches that you can add to “wine and dine” your clients!

Trace Shelton

Editor-in-Chief, INSTORE
trace@smartworkmedia.com

Five Smart Tips You’ll Find in This Issue

Ask the purchaser to write their budget on a piece of paper to head off price objections later. (The Big Story, p. 38)
Below your email signature, include a promotion that changes monthly. (Manager’s To-Do, p. 30)
Create a themed event based on relevant pop culture of the moment. (Best of the Best, p. 55)
Include a page on your website featuring reviews exclusively from engagement customers. (Andrea Hill, p. 70)
If a client likes multiple rings, ask her to rank them from “most favorite to least favorite.” (Peter Hannes, p. 60)

Ready to Relocate? Wilkerson Makes Your Move Seamless

When Brockhaus Jewelry decided to leave their longtime West Main Street storefront for a standalone building elsewhere in Norman, Oklahoma, owners John Brockhaus and Brad Shipman faced a familiar challenge: how to efficiently reduce inventory before the big move. Their solution? Partnering with liquidation specialists Wilkerson for a second time. "We'd already experienced Wilkerson's professionalism during a previous sale," Shipman recalls. "But their approach to our relocation event truly impressed us. They strategically prioritized our existing pieces while tactfully introducing complementary merchandise as inventory levels decreased." The carefully orchestrated sale didn't just meet targets—it shattered them. Asked if they'd endorse Wilkerson to industry colleagues planning similar transitions—whether relocating, retiring, or refreshing their space—both partners were emphatic in their approval. "The entire process was remarkably straightforward," Shipman notes. "Wilkerson delivered a well-structured program, paired us with a knowledgeable advisor, and managed every detail flawlessly from concept to completion."