Holiday Product Mix - What Works?

[Aaron Rome]

From time to time I will send out prompts that I think are particularly relevant to my customers.

 

I find that, especially with newer businesses, folks are not always sure what types and quantities of wholesale jewelry or other products to stock. Today, I want to ask :

 

1) What does your current product-mix consist of and what do you intend to stock for this holiday season? And to put this in context, please define your target market.

 

2) In your experience what works - do you have a 'rule of thumb' for picking your selection? What do you find gets the best results?

 

As always, if you have something to share, please do, and if you have a related question that you would like to throw out there feel free.

 

 

-- Aaron

www.wholesalegemshop.com

Wholesale Silver Jewelry Supplier

[Wayne BAttiste]

HI everybody,

 

I've been selling for 4 years now and I have a well defined clientelle.  They are working women in the 25 and up age group with some disposable income so if they see something they want, the'll buy it for themselves or give as a gift.  They are on the lookout for good quality, very classic pieces in sterling silver that are small in size and come as a set, i.e. earrings, pendant and chain.  To save money, I'll often buy 6 pairs of earrings and convert 2 earrings to pendants and sell the pendants with the earrings as 2 sets.  This works very well as my customers like the small size of the pendant with the matching earrings.  I also sell just the pendants without the chain as this helps them save a little bit of money (I don't discount anymore than $10) and keeps them coming back.  Also, each pendant comes with an 16" chain and I give them the option of getting an 18" chain at no extra cost (makes them feel the're getting something for free).  My customers often tell me the'd rather buy from me as I'm so flexible and I'm the only one who offers this option - free of charge. 

 

With gold becoming popular again, I am on the lookout for nice pieces in silver and gold.  As these are very expensive, I've been buying silver jewelry combined with brass.  There is not mutch out there yet but I expect we'll be seeing more of these pieces. For the christmas season, I stock a lot of boxed sets of pendants and earrings as these sell very well. 

 

My customers also rely on me to provide them with information such as the origin of the jewelry and  how to take care, clean and store it,  etc.  I am very happy to share my "expertise" with them as my customers feel the're getting something for free again  (at no cost to me) and it creates a lot of goodwill and keeps them coming back. 

 

I always have a "thank you for your business" gift during the business season, I buy a bunch of really cute gift tags from Cosco and put them in a nice basket and let them select one with each purchase.  Again, they love getting free stuff.  So, in a nutshell, I spend a lot of time talking with them and am always looking for ways to make them happy - this builds the emotional attachment that keeps them coming back.

 

Hope this helps someone out there.

 

Johanne

 

Original Message -----

[brand...@peoplepc.com]

Here at Talisman (www.talismanct.com) in Connecticut, we are a new-age store so jewelry makes up about 25% of our inventory.  Gemstones are worn for their metaphysical qualities so I have displays and cards that talk about their inherent "qualities" and that is part of the selling process.  To attract love (rose quartz), stressed and anxious (hematite), inspire joy (ocean jasper) etc. etc.  Books are my #1 product, incense/gemstones/candles #2, jewelry #3, after that it's statues, windchimes, folkart and other decorative objects. Recurring themes are goddess, celtic, celestial, animals, mythology, native american. 

 

We opened in April of '07 and people are now coming to Talisman to see what's new and inspirational in the new-age marketplace.  I rely on "New Age Retailer" for some of that, and feedback from patrons especially those attending our classes, workshops and meditation sessions.  I put out a monthly e-newsletter and always see a surge in customers coming into the store in the 5-7 days following the e-mailing.  I'm on the radio every few months - my intuitive readers are wonderful and inspire new people to come in - and basically, I try to make everyone who walks into the store feel welcome and appreciated.  Always make eye contact, even if talking with another customer, SMILE, ask if they need help with anything.  At some point, I walk over and ask if they are finding everything they need - I let them know that I am always placing orders, if they are looking for something special I will do my best to order it for them. 

 

My shop is pet and child-friendly.  Adults have accidently (only twice) broken things (which I whisk away and don't mention ever again - they already feel badly and end up buying more to make up for the small loss) but never a child.  My own 4-year-old son is at the store with me in the morning, moms come in with their kids and shop while the children play with Roy's toys ... it all works.  The biggest complaint I have heard, bar none, is patrons telling me about shops where they did not feel welcome, their kids got dirty looks ... and they left saying "I'll never shop there again".  If they are telling me this, comparing my shop favorably to these others they are not comfortable in, then this is the word on the street ... one unhappy customer will do more damage than you can imagine and I would guess that is true for people who work fairs, e-stores, home parties and brick-and-mortar shops like mine.  Customer satisfaction must be your #1 priority.  Oh!  and keep your silver polished and shiny!  If you are all hanging out and talking, break out the cotton cloths and silver polish and start buffing!

 

It's all good!  Laura Lenhard             

----- Original Message -----

From: Aaron Rome

To: WGS-GoogleGroup

Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2008 2:07 PM

Subject: [wholesalejewelryforum:19] Holiday Product Mix - What Works?

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[beeline10]

Well I did it!!! I took my merchandise in to the shop on Wednesday, (first order from Aaron) had it laid out on seating bench in my velvet roll up carrier getting ready to price. I had my invoice in my hands checking prices against pictures when one of the salon customers walked up and asked if she could take a peek. I kept my joy under control, did not start jumping up and down hollering--OH YES, PLEASE LOOK ALL YOU WANT AND PLEASE, PLEASE BUY ALL YOU WANT TOO!! I very politely smiled at her and said " Sure, I'd be happy to show you what I have". I went on to explain all about the merchandise, where it was made. what it was made of, etc., etc. She was really impressed with everything she saw and started thinking Christmas. Well, she picked up a pendent (I had chains on all pendents) and asked me the price. Like I said earlier, I had my invoice with me so I was able to look it up real quick like. I first doubled the price (in my head) and decided
that it was really too low so I tripled it and brazenly told her before I could chicken out. She smiled and said "OK. I'll take it and I also would like the price of this and this and this and this and this. Well, I tripled the price of everything she was interested in and she bought all of it and paid me with a smile on her face and asked me to please order the earrings to go with one of the pendents she purchased. Needless to say I was one happy lady!! Now to top it off, after telling my husband about this he is finally seeing things my way and is going with me this weekend and he is buying me a lighted glass display case that locks. Life is good! Thank you Aaron for such quality merchandise, fast and inexpensive shipping and being so willing to help a newbie get started. Can't tell you how much you are appreciated!

     
Renee
Antioch, IL

--- On Wed, 11/12/08, Wayne BAttiste <wbat...@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote: