Editor's Note

When You Make Those Unforgettable Holiday Sales, You Make a Memory Forever

And as your biggest fans, the team at INSTORE is cheering you on from the sidelines.

Published

3 years ago

November 30, 2021

Trace Shelton Instore December 2021 Issue

JEWELRY RETAILERS HELP their customers make special memories daily. But what can get lost in the shuffle is that sometimes, those moments are special memories for the store owners, managers and salespeople as well.

Especially during the holiday season, when jewelry retailers will do up to 40 percent of their annual sales in just a few short weeks. It’s a grind, and it’s exhausting, but it can also be extraordinarily rewarding. And that’s what so many of you love about your jobs (see our “Buzz Session with the Brain Squad” on page 56).

For this month’s lead story, “Holiday Whoppers,” we asked you to tell us about your most memorable holiday sales, and boy, did you deliver! Some were stories of monumental and unexpected purchases. Others were amusing tales of last-minute desperation. And some were heartwarming moments where the jeweler went above and beyond for a thankful client.

We hope you’ll enjoy reading these stories as much as we did, and that they’ll inspire you to keep that smile blazing and maintain your “A game,” because you never know which customer interaction will provide that next unforgettable moment.

As always, we’ve packed some last-minute holiday advice into this issue, like Megan Crabtree’s column on how to turn post-holiday returns into exchanges and Sherry Smith’s column on sales KPIs. And don’t miss David Geller’s column at instoremag.com outlining 11 fun sales games.

May your holiday be merry and bright, and may you experience many more “holiday whoppers” this season!

Trace Shelton

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

Five Smart Tips You’ll Find in This Issue

Start a list of “bad weather projects” to do when traffic is slow. (Manager’s To-Do, p. 26)
Call (don’t text) when you need to communicate emotions. (Tip Sheet, p. 42)
Send every client a handwritten thank-you card, no matter how big the purchase. (Shane Decker, p. 52)
Designate time for “creative thinking” in your weekly schedule. (Ask INSTORE, p. 48)
Track discounting by salesperson and monitor variance so you can train when needed. (Sherry Smith, p. 54)

Family Legacy, New Chapter: How Wilkerson Turns 89 Years of History Into Future Success

After 89 years of serving the Albany community, Harold Finkle Your Jeweler faced a pivotal decision. For third-generation owner Justin Finkle, the demanding hours of running a small business were taking precious time away from his young family. "After 23 years, I decided this was the time for me," Finkle explains. But closing a business with nearly nine decades of inventory and customer relationships isn't something easily managed alone. Wilkerson's comprehensive approach transformed this challenging transition into a remarkable success story. Their strategic planning handled everything from advertising and social media to inventory management and staffing — elements that would overwhelm most jewelers attempting to navigate a closing sale independently. The results speak volumes. "Wilkerson gave us three different tiers of potential goals," Finkle notes. "We've reached that third tier, that highest goal already, and we still have two weeks left of the sale." The partnership didn't just meet financial objectives—it exceeded them ahead of schedule.