True Tales: Customer Expectations

Published

9 years ago

May 4, 2015

Sure, we’ll wrap everything for you!

I had a customer come in to purchase a small pair of pearl earrings for her granddaughter for Christmas. She loved the way I wrapped the gift so she came back in with all of her gifts to be wrapped by us. — Nancy C., Wilmington, DE

I had a lady come in stating that a family member had died, that they had three boxes of jewelry and they needed to know how much it was worth, and right at that moment. I expressed my sympathy, and explained that in cases like this we could do an estate evaluation, for which we charged by the hour. The lady looked stunned and exclaimed that she didn’t realize we would charge her, because we just stand around and talk to people, so we could do it in our spare time! I smiled and suggested that she check the other local jewelers. — Rosanne K., South Bend, IN

An older lady came in asking if we do repairs. I told her yes and she showed me a broken strand of pearls and asked how much. After I gave her the price she immediately put it back in her purse and said it wasn’t worth it. Then she showed me a heavy gold bracelet that needed a new large end cap that she wanted fixed as she waited. I said she’d have to leave it and that it’d cost $65. She replied it was too much and wanted a discount. I told her that was the price. After she argued with me a few minutes, I lost my patience and asked her if she demanded discounts when she buys groceries. She replied: “That’s different, jewelers have to give discounts all the time.” I told her I had a job to finish and walked back to my bench. — Saro A., Chevy Chase, MD

It was a Sunday, a day we are normally closed, but we happened to be there with the painters and our furniture out on the front step, when this lady comes in the door and asks, “Are you open? I want to get a price on a clasp for my sister’s gold herringbone.” —Josh R., Montgomery, AL

This article originally appeared in the May 2015 edition of INSTORE.

This Third-Generation Jeweler Was Ready for Retirement. He Called Wilkerson

Retirement is never easy, especially when it means the end to a business that was founded in 1884. But for Laura and Sam Sipe, it was time to put their own needs first. They decided to close J.C. Sipe Jewelers, one of Indianapolis’ most trusted names in fine jewelry, and call Wilkerson. “Laura and I decided the conditions were right,” says Sam. Wilkerson handled every detail in their going-out-of-business sale, from marketing to manning the sales floor. “The main goal was to sell our existing inventory that’s all paid for and turn that into cash for our retirement,” says Sam. “It’s been very, very productive.” Would they recommend Wilkerson to other jewelers who want to enjoy their golden years? Absolutely! “Call Wilkerson,” says Laura. “They can help you achieve your goals so you’ll be able to move into retirement comfortably.”