Columns

Got Something to Say? Say It in INSTORE

Published

9 years ago

January 26, 2015

Trace Shelton

Got Something to Say? Say It in INSTORE

HAVE YOU EVER felt excited, happy, frustrated or cautious about an issue/initiative/technology affecting our industry? Have you ever read our magazines and thought, “They should have interviewed me for that story – I could have told them a few things”? If so, we’d love to hear from you.

As you know, much of the best material in INSTORE and INDESIGN each issue comes from your fellow jewelry retailers. That’s because they – and you – are “in the trenches” every day, and you all see things that work and things that don’t. I’ve often thought an unofficial motto for INSTORE could be “for the jewelry retailer, by the jewelry retailer.” If you’re a jewelry retailer, no matter how much you think you know or don’t know, we have a place for you in INSTORE.

The best way to tell us what you have to say is through our Brain Squad, a group of interested retailers who agree to respond to monthly surveys that give us information we need to fill out the various sections and stories in the magazine. The surveys are short, don’t take much time to fill out, and heck, you can even skip one or two and we’re not going to kick you out of the group. Sign up here and you can soon find your comments appearing in our letters section, Hot Sellers, Do You or Don’t You, The Real Deal, or a host of other places in the magazine.

Another way is to just tell us directly, “Hey, I’ve got an opinion/advice to share with your readers.” You can do that by emailing our editorial team at editor@smartworkmedia.com.

If you think you can write, and you’ve got an opinion you’d like to share with our readers in a longer format than a letter to the editor, I’d love to talk to you about writing for our commentary section, “The Business.” Feel free to leave a comment here or email me, and I’ll follow up with you.

Bottom line: There is no INSTORE without retailers like you sharing their knowledge and experiences with their peers. If you’ve never done that, now’s a great time to get started. We – and your fellow retailers – are eager to hear what you have to say.

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.”