Most Read
Most E-mailed
E-mail Article
Print Article![[Get Copyright Permissions]](http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif){kind=small}
Pearls have always been a classic symbol of beauty, sophistication, and glamour. But today’s wide array of pearl varieties and colors, as well as the amazing creativity of jewelry designs featuring these lustrous orbs, have also made pearls a symbol of fashion that women of all ages and lifestyles can wear with every look and for every occasion.
For retailers, however, selling pearls can often be a challenge—after all, customers typically don’t know nearly as much about the origin, varieties, and features of pearls as they do about diamonds. And training salespeople to “get” pearls and sell them well is no easy task. So when a customer walks through your store, how likely is it that they will be drawn to your pearl selection?
But you can create higher interest and bigger sales of pearls in your store, pearl savvy retailers say—it just takes some time, effort, and creativity to build some powerful pearl excitement.
Kimberly Adams Russell, president of Frank Adams Jewelers in Albany, New York, says the key to pearl selling success is a creative and passionate staff. “You need to have the ability to turn the classic strand of pearls into a wardrobe essential that offers fashion, elegance, and tradition all in one piece of jewelry,” she says.
Carrying a wide selection is also a key factor, notes Kathy Grenier, marketing and public relations manager at the Cultured Pearl Association of America. “You need to have a variety for the customer to select from,” she says. Then you can add an element of the unexpected, a piece that will make people notice your pearl case even if they don’t buy that particular item. “It spices things up a little,” she says. “They may pay attention to it and buy something ‘pearl’ as a result.”
But no matter what, say successful retailers, knowing your product is absolutely essential. “You have to do your homework,” says John Anthony Jr. of John Anthony Jewelers, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. “You need to learn the difference in the type, shape, color, and origin of the pearls you are dealing with, as well as the types of pearls and color that go with styles and hair color and clothing.”
These retailers warn their peers not to fall into the old myth that pearls are worn only for weddings or only on Sunday. “Pearls are for dress, work, and fun,” says Adams. “They are one of the most versatile pieces of luxury anyone could own.”
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
RSS Feeds
