The mined-diamond industry is mightily concerned that the rapidly growing man-made diamond industry is on a course to disrupt their business. At least that is the conclusion I draw from the Diamond Producers Association’s new marketing campaign “Real Is Rare.” The DPA was organized in May 2015 by seven of the world’s leading diamond companies. Its new […]
Archive | November, 2017
‘Tis The Season For Jewelry Stores To Shine And Build Business For Next Year
The December holiday shopping blitz is just about in full gear. December is the month when jewelry retailers can be expected to make some 20% of annual sales , about as much as they make during the entire first (21%), second (23%) or third quarter (20%), according to 2016 data in the U.S. Census Monthly Retail Trade […]
Be Successful This Small Business Saturday: Make Retail Personal Like Beekman 1802
November 25 is this year’s official Small Business Saturday, a day when local retailers can strut their stuff on the Saturday bookended between mass retailers’ Black Friday madness and e-tailers’ Cyber Monday frenzy. It was conceived by American Express, which reported that small businesses generated some $15.4 billion dollars on Small Business Saturday last year. American Express explains […]
Holiday Sales Forecasts Are Not Worth The Paper They Are Printed On
As retailers ramp up to Black Friday, the consulting firms and industry advisers are piling on with holiday retail forecasts. There are a dizzying array of forecasts to choose from. Take your pick, from good (4% from National Retail Federation) to better (4.5% by Deloitte) to best (6% by JLL Retail). Even more astounding is Deloitte’s prediction that shoppers will spend […]
Need a Retail Rescue? We’ve Got Your Lifeline
To be successful at retail, business owners must wear many hats. Their responsibilities span many disciplines, including management, business planning, marketing, social media, public relations, advertising, customer relations, operations, accounting, systems, technology, merchandising and product expertise. To be truly successful business owners must be competent in all or hire staff that can fill each of […]