VALUE SHOPPER 
 
?ON CHRISTMAS EVE, an elderly gentleman came into the store looking for a sapphire eternity band. We didn’t have one in stock and explained to him that an eternity band is generally custom-made as resizing is not an option after presentation as a gift. He said he would send his wife in after Christmas to order the ring. The wife showed up in mid-January for estimates on a white gold eternity ring with sapphires. We priced it out with two different grades of sapphires and she went home to ‘talk to the boss’. When she came back after a couple of weeks to have some other jewelry work done, we asked her what her husband had decided was on the sapphire band. Her response was: ?He said if I was younger he would go for it, but at my age he doesn’t think we’ll really get our money’s worth out of it.’ She settled for garnets.?  
 
FRANCES B., 
TONAWANDA, NY
 
 
 
 
?I HAD A WOMAN come into the store looking for a ruby ring. After 45 minutes, she finally had focused on one ring for $1,500. We talked a little more and she told me that she would have to go home and pray on it. If God wanted her to have the ring, she would come back the next day. Now, I’m a fairly religious guy and have a great amount of respect for God. But, I really don’t think God cares one way or the other whether this woman buys this ring. So I figured if she could use God as a sales obstacle, I could use God as a closing tool. I simply said, ?Ma’am, why do you think you’re here with me today? God already brought us together so that you could purchase this ring!’ Five minutes later, she walked out of the store with the ring on her finger! The Lord works in mysterious ways! 
 
JOE C. 
MIDLOTHIAN, VA