In the Loupe October Edition

I N

T H E

LOUPE

The Premier Jewelers Cooperative

O c t o b e r 2 0 2 0 • I s s u e 93

Moving Forward through Whirlwind 2020

THIS ONE YEAR has thrown a lifetime of challenges at retail jewelers, such as mandated closings due to a worldwide pandemic, destruction in the streets, floods, hurricanes on the coast and even a waterless hurricane throughout the Midwest.

A shining light throughout this has been the resiliency and adaptability of RJO members—retailers and vendors alike. Retailers quickly moved sales online, tapping social media and personal networks to keep serving their customers. Vendors kept members up to date on Facebook and regularly through RJO blasts.

RJO leaders converted the in-person Summer Buying Show into a virtual one held at the end of August, continuing the Buying Show’s expectations of networking, education, andpurchasing—all from members’ own computer or electronic device.

“I want to thank those who took a leap of faith with us on the Virtual Summit,” says RJO CEO Sarah Streb.

“Members were able to buy and sell and connect in a new way; network with peers; and educate themselves and their staffs. With the 2020 Winter Show host properties having to cancel our event, it is our

hope our members and vendors will see new opportunities within the RJO virtual environment. Until we can all meet safely in-person once again, we want to provide the best experience we can.” Dates for the Winter Virtual Show are: Sun-Tues, January 24-26. The best part? These dates are in 2021.

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In the Know with RJO

Whirlwind 2020 HOW’S YOUR BUSINESS PLAN? I ask because the very essence of a good retail business plan is being able to reasonably predict future events: hot fashion items, design trends, inventory levels, and even seasonal cycles. Upscale magazines devote many covers to what the future holds, insurance companies provide checklists to help prevent surprises, and our financial institutions even provide lines of credit ... you know—just in case.

I’ve heard from many of you, and it’s no surprise many abandoned your plans back in April. Since then it seems we awake every day to something new and unexpected, but I’ve been able to observe some really positive unexpected surprises among RJO members. While a typical reaction to all this whirlwind would be to really push to get things back the way they were, retailers and vendors showed a wonderful amount of courage and ingenuity in making the best of these new normals.

From jumping into online sales, to mastering new communication tools from vendors like Podium and TextMeChat, to taking a leap of faith on our inaugural Virtual Summit, jewelers not only survived difficult financial realities, many were able to quickly thrive in our new environment. I know some have used this time to let go of traditional, yet unproductive business practices, while others have followed through on a lot of long-overdue inventory remixing that had been set aside for “some day.” It’s like spring cleaning, except it has extended into summer and now fall.

Vendors also bounced back quickly, fulfilling orders and dreams with reduced staff, moving factory operations to kitchen tables and garages, and stretching—and I mean stretching—traditional repayment terms, to help jewelers as best they could.

Quality, service, and communication never seemed to

miss a beat. All of our businesses run on financial contracts and agreements—as it should— but when push has come to shove, the human side of our RJO vendor/jeweler relationships has shined brightly.

As I described in our last issue, RJO has been effected by all of this year’s chaos and surprises too. I knew the RJO Board of Directors and the great staff we have here would rise to the occasion(s) and they have. I was less certain of how the annual dividend payments would eventually roll out, but was delighted when all dividend payments were made in good time. While much of the dividend payment schedule was the result of the understanding, commitment, and patience of retail members, an important factor was jewelers were reporting solid sales, better than many of us were anticipating.

The welcome sales continue and so does our planning.

The RJO Board has given the green light to our next Buying Show, this one virtual as well. About all I can share now are the dates: January 24 -26. I’ll share much more in the weeks ahead via email and on our Facebook page. Our first effort in August brought out the good, bad, and the ugly, but knowing we couldn’t be together, we still found it a huge accomplishment, as it met our initial goals and allowed members to provide some much-desired feedback.

My boys are back in school, the leaves are turning, and my Iowa Hawkeyes begin their football season next weekend, so there’s a sense of “returning to normal” going on in my life. I hope it is for you and your family.

Please stay healthy and be well,

Sarah Streb RJO CEO

RJO BOARD NEWS The RJO Board of Directors has voted to postpone Board elections until 2021. All current Board terms will be extended by one year, until the next election cycle.

The RJO Merchandise Review Committee (MRC) initially scheduled interviews for prospective vendors for the first week of October. Due to a COVID-19 exposure prior to our arrival, interviews are now rescheduled as virtual interviews October 27–28. Watch for the announcement of new vendor partners in the coming weeks.

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From RJO’s Facebook Page SERVICES Centralized Billing Patronage Dividend RJO Website (rjomembers.com) Buying Shows (Fall/Spring) In the Loupe – RJO’s newsletter Free Print and Radio Ad Library (on the RJO website) Educational Seminars

THE RJO PAGE ON FACEBOOK hosts a variety of interesting discussions every day. Here is an edited exchange from a posting that appeared at the end of last month: Post: Are independent retailers ready to make it easy for customers shopping, with contactless payments and curbside pickups this holiday season. Will you promote it with signs on your social media and website and on your storefront window or door? I've read more than 50 percent of shoppers will be doing curbside pickups. Your thoughts are welcome on this, as we are three months away to Christmas. Any thoughts on whether it may be more important for major retailers vs. independent retailers?

(at the Buying Shows)

Reply One: I'm always happy to do curbside service, if need be.

Member-to-Member Incentive Program

Reply Two: We do offer curbside service for those who want it, and we encourage appointments. We did have contactless payments, but only two customers used it since May. We have signage on the door, website, and Google and have done posts on Facebook. We also have e-commerce on our website. Customers seem to be very comfortable with the options.

Some just like to come in as usual, so we allow that too, provided they wear masks, since it was mandated by the governor of Ohio.

(Recruitment Program)

Organized Buying Trips to Antwerp and IdarOberstein RJO Directory Travel Vouchers at Shows (offered at varying times)

Reply Three: That will be a cluster[mess] if it’s curbside!

Reply Four: NOT in East Texas, there won’t be curbside.

Free Hotel Room Incentive (at the Buying Shows)

RJO Informational Email Blasts Purchase Vouchers (at the Buying Shows)

RJO Membership Certificate RJO Next Gen and RJO Succession Experiences Private Label Credit Card Service JewelConnect

Does RJO Have Your Most Up-to-Date Email Addresses?

If you’ve changed your email address lately or would prefer to receive RJO communications at a different address, please let us know.

Address updates and changes can be directed to Erin Sharp in the RJO office at: erin@rjomembers.com

Scholarship Opportunities (from the RJO Foundation)

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RJO Foundation Scholarship Winners THROUGH THE GENEROUS DONATIONS of our members and vendors, the RJO Foundation has awarded to-date, nearly 90 RJO members more than $49,000 in scholarships. The Foundation supports the advancement of the jewelry industry by providing scholarships and grants to individuals or programs. This Fall’s winners are: Elizabeth Chamberland Georgetown Jewelers, Wood Dale, IL

Christine Graichen Malloves Jewelers, Middletown, CT

Rebecca Sampson Hobbs Jewelers, Athens, AL

Sierra Dubbeld Haywood’s of Westlake, Hardy, VA

Arron Jones Tammy’s Jewelry, Waynesville, NC

Celina Simon T Simon Jewelers, Sturgeon Bay, WI

Julie Gouldener Nelson Coleman Jewelers, Towson, MD

Alexander Malyszko Your Private Jewelers, Cornelius, NC

Amanda Stuben J Thomas Jewelers, Rochester Hills, MI

For more information about the Foundation and its Scholarship program, contact Foundation Associate Executive Director Connie Miller at: connie@rjomembers.com.

Edge Tracking Growth in Channel Trends and Sales EDGE RETAIL ACADEMY’S September issue of The Vibe offered growth news for their independent channel trends, specifically: • Growth in year-over-year sales of 24% • Overall average retail sale continues to grow • Diamond categories show growth in all areas • Sterling silver is showing growth in gross and unit sales The Edge Retail Academy is the single largest aggregator of independent jewelry retailers in the U.S., collecting $2 billion in annual fine jewelry sales data. It is also the only authorized aggregator of data from The Edge.

For more information about Edge Retail Academy or their publication, The Vibe, visit www.edgeretailacademy.com

RJO European Branding Opportunity Trips Canceled for 2020 SINCE THE LATE 1980S RJO has been hosting fall trips to Europe in order to distinguish our members as Direct Diamond Importers. Members not only benefit from their store’s distinction in their community, but also build upon lifelong friendships. To keep up-to-date on next year’s trip, stay in touch with RJO trip coordinator Connie Matsen at: cmatsen@rjomembers.com

RJO Next Gen Experience Postponed Until 2021 THE NEXT GEN EXPERIENCE, rescheduled for September in Oak Brook, IL, has been postponed until May 15 – 17, 2021.

The Experience features an up-to-date curriculum, and attendees work with other stores preparing for the future, through receptions, group dinners, roundtables, and curriculum sessions focusing on personal and business development.

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RJO's Digital Advantage “I THINK, SOMETIMES, people forget just how web-savvy the RJO members are,” says Andy Boundy of VRB Internet Solutions. “In a world full of tech, RJO continues to be not only open to new tech, but at the sharp end of its development. I write web-based systems for a living. These can be company-specific—like a website for a business—or multi-user systems, where people use an online tool to do something. RJO jewelers will probably know a few of them already.”

Boundy’s VRB provides websites and web-based solutions to RJO jewelers, operating the services JewelConnect.com, Repair.Jewelry, and RJOCustomHatch.com. He says it’s worth taking a minute to talk about these systems as they are primarily designed to compete with the e-commerce sellers on their own turf—the Internet. It’s particularly timely now, as these services provide a competitive advantage without risking COVID19 exposure. He notes for the last ten years, RJO has been supporting the idea the Internet is a place retailers can mine for clients; it’s not a place to lose sales.

JewelConnect, now in its tenth year, was built for this exact purpose, says Boundy. With a catalog of around 15,000 items of what Boundy calls “shiny bait cast into the Internet ocean to attract online shoppers,” he says JewelConnect “reels users into the RJO member store and away from the ‘Buy Now’ button.” Since JewelConnect’s inception, the RJOexclusive service has repeated this approach on millions of pages for hundreds of thousands of users in the United States. Boundy says it’s a totally different approach to product marketing.

RJOCustomHatch.com provides a unique way for jewelers to quickly and simply get vendor quotes on a custom piece “apples to apples.” The quote provides the price, the details, the delivery—all from multiple vendors bidding for your business.

An effective way for jewelers to work for their customers without unnecessary human contact.

Repair.Jewelry has gone from being unknown a little more than a year ago, to having a pretty remarkable 320 keywords among the top 500 in Google searches nationally. Nearly 30 of these keywords appear on the first page of Google search results, organically including “jewelry repair by mail” and “online jewelry repair.”

A year ago, no store in the country ranked on that first page for these keywords and now, through the system, more than 120 RJOmember stores do.

So, what’s next for RJO members?

“Well, there’s quite a lot coming to be honest,” says Boundy. “With a pond the size of the Internet, there’s room for any amount of marketing and opportunity. We’ll be bringing RJO members some pretty innovative systems for custom-designed jewelry as well as estate jewelry in the coming few months. There may be a few other things coming too—some very cool ideas.”

These services and their innovation come to members due to the initiative of RJO leadership, says Boundy. He says the techs write them, and the web people manage them, but it’s the leadership of the group that makes it all work. He says they connect the membership to the tech and the tech to the opportunities.

COVID-19

Paycheck Protection Program Loans The Small Business Administration (SBA) published an FAQ regarding Paycheck Protection Program Loans earlier this month, clarifying that lenders must comply with new extended deferral rules. The FAQ may be viewed here.

According the SBA, because the first PPP loans were awarded in April, some PPP borrowers have recently received notices from lenders that payments on their PPP loans were due. The new guidance, found in question No. 52 in the SBA’s frequently asked questions document for the PPP, clarifies that the deferral period extension automatically applies to all loans, with no requirement from the SBA of a formal modification of the promissory note.

Additionally, it was announced on October 9 recipients of PPP loans of $50,000 or less will be able to apply for forgiveness using a simplified application released by the Treasury and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The form may be found here.

The SBA recommends all loan recipients to address questions and concerns with their financial institution or their accountant.

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Recap: RJO Virtual Summer Buying Show

RJO’s first-ever virtual Buying Show launched at the end of August, and the result was high-attendance, many sales, re-connections among friends, and ... successes inspiring enough to do it again.

2020 RJO Vendor of the Year Awards Allison Kaufman Ostbye

2020 RJO Lifetime Achievement Award Bob Disinger Disinger Jewelers of Jasper

Finished Goods

RDI Loose Goods

Citizen Watches & Clocks

Abbott Service/Specialty

Pranaya Shah Sales Rep A PDF program about the winners may be downloaded here.

Bob has always stated joining RJO was one of the best business decisions he made in his 30 years with the business. Invited to join other buying groups Bob stayed loyal to RJO. In his words, “This buying group is my ace in the hole!"

A PDF program about Bob's life and the award may be downloaded here.

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Exhibit Hall

Information Desk

Learning Center

Learning Center II

Lobby

Networking Lounge

Networking Lounge II

Vendor Booth

Awards & Recognition

Fun & Games & Happy Customers

Get in the Game Attendees earned points by completing different tasks within the Show platform, such as “Visit a New Vendor” (20 points) or “Attend a Webinar (10 points).

Prizes included Apple devices, travel packages and vouchers, and other unique items. The winners were: 1) Andrea Heredia, Cornerstone Jewelry; 2) Mike Sherwin, Bella Jule Fine Jewelry; 3) Delbert Olesen, Gold and More Jewelers; 4) Jennifer Zermeno, Rinehart Jewelry; 5) Erika Godfrey, Hawthorne Jewelry; 6) Brittany Olesen, Gold and More Jewelers; 7) Billy Smith, Cornerstone Jewelry & Repair; 8) Elise Rose, Grace Marie; 9) Raigan Nickle, Sayers Jewelers & Gemologists; 10) Jason Braden, Jewelers Workshop Inc.; and 11) Debbie Brasfield, Brasfield's Jewelry Store

Virtual Show Feedback Retailers: • You guys did a fantastic job. The site is very easy to navigate and I am already having a very productive time with the new vendors.

• I loved having finger-tip access to my vendors w/ ready to go zoom links or open chats. I love seeing resources that were designed for us in an easy to access folder.

Vendors: • I’ve done several virtual shows; I can say this one is the best so far. This actually feels like a show!

• We had a great day, lots of retailer traffic. We had a few appointments and were able to close a few. Overall the platform is great, really user friendly!

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Vendor Profile

Évocateur: Art-driven, Handmade Gold-Leaf Jewelry Before Barbara Ross-Innamorati founded her company, Évocateur, in 2009, she had a long career in corporate finance, specializing in mergers and acquisitions. She likes to say she went from spreadsheets to line sheets.

“My background gives me a better perspective and understanding of the business and the needs of our retailers,” says Barbara. “The company was founded based on my passion for 22K gold leaf.”

“There was no book I could read nor class I could attend that would have helped me invent our fabrication processes,” she says. “It took me 18 months of trial and error to come up with our proprietary techniques. I am entirely self-taught. I had a clear vision in my mind for the look of the jewelry, but no blueprint for getting there. As a result, we have created a brand-new jewelry category—gilded jewelry.

I wanted to offer a category between plated jewelry and fine karat jewelry. To this day, we continue to blaze new trails, as well as evolve and innovate to meet new challenges.” Évocateur’s line includes cuffs, bangles, pendants, and earrings, and pieces retail from $148 to $448. Barbara is proud her jewelry is designed and made in the USA, and she’s also proud Évocateur is 100 percent women owned and operated.

“Gold leaf is a magical material that has been around for centuries; they even found gold leaf in King Tut’s tomb,” says Barbara. While it has been used extensively in the decorative arts, it hasn’t been widely used in jewelry design. Gold leaf starts out as a bar of gold. Turning a bar of gold into the thinnest of leaves—a few microns thin—requires five work stages and roughly ten production hours. Our gold leaf is sourced in Florence, Italy, from a supplier that has been in the same family business for over 400 years.

Both gold leaf and silver leaf are quite delicate, and handling it takes some training. Some of our fabrication methods were adapted from an 18thcentury Italian hand-gilding technique.”

Barbara says each piece is made by hand in Évocateur’s Connecticut studio. Layers of 22K gold leaf or sterling silver leaf are applied onto a base, and each layer is sealed with enamel, which has to air cure for 24 hours. An image is transferred, and then artists hand-embellish the print with paint and gold leaf or

silver leaf. Everything is sealed with a final layer of enamel. The production time can take anywhere from 5 to 7 days.

“Our name means ‘evocative’ in French,” says Barbara, “or more accurately the person who is doing the evoking. I found whenever I wore my jewelry, it would evoke conversation and connections. Our creations are uniquely beautiful and would garner a lot of comments.

It would also evoke memories or favorite pastimes. For example, our Humphrey’s Safari line conjures up memories of a safari in Africa.

Our jewelry also has a strong narrative. We don’t have a tagline, but one of our positioning statements has been ‘art-driven jewelry’ because we collaborate with several fine artists to create our designs.” Évocateur launched its Skyline collection in February, and despite the pandemic, Barbara says this collection seems to have universal appeal to retailers. The collection features bold color and gold, and retailers seem to love the elegance of the design. They also launched their William Morris Collection this Fall, with three different designs, which is doing well in many regions. Last, but not least, she says their custom designs have been growing by leaps and bounds each year, especially around gift-giving times. Évocateur recently joined RJO as a vendor, and they participated in the Virtual Buying Show online this past August.

“We were impressed by the genuine curiosity and interest in our collections at that Show,” says Barbara.

“The retailers were intrigued by our line, and those who placed orders were enthusiastic to try something new and different. In this uncertain environment— when many retailers are retreating—we found this to be refreshing.”

“My favorite aspect of being a member.” she continues, “is the exposure to retailers from across the country who we might not have met otherwise, and the opportunity to build longstanding relationships.” Évocateur is located at 30 Osborne Avenue in Norwalk, CT Phone: (203) 956-0705 Website: www.evocateurstyle.com

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Jewelers Mutual Group

Business During a Pandemic: Resources for Jewelers THE HOLIDAYS ARE QUICKLY approaching, and many jewelers have questions about the safety and security of their store, staff and customers during this busy season—a holiday season unlike any other due to COVID-19.

Educating staff, selling with security and shipping procedures are all concerns, and Jewelers Mutual® Group has you covered.

Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic we have been supporting the jewelry industry by providing loss prevention tips, store resources, transportation for jewelry stock, and much more.

Here are a few safety and security tips to help you feel confident and safe while continuing to run your business in this new climate.

Have enough staff on hand; only allow a few customers in at a time.

Customers have been feeling more comfortable leaving home and supporting their local jewelers.

With holidays approaching, prepare your store for anticipated traffic and take precautions on the number of customers to allow in at a time, for everyone’s safety.

Be sure health and safety signage is visible to your customers.

It’s important to communicate health and safety-related messages to your customers while they shop. Jewelers Mutual provides free, downloadable signage available to print for jewelry stores. These signs can be found on our dedicated business page.

If you have an exterior camera, ask customers to momentarily lower their mask in view of the camera before entering your store.

We understand many customers will continue to wear masks while going out in public, after/if the mask mandates are loosened. If it’s possible—before they enter your store—have security cameras set to get a view of their face, just in case anything may happen after they enter. Once inside your store, don’t ask customers to remove their mask, as it’s a safety measure for customers and staff.

If an outdoor camera isn’t available, ask for a driver’s license before showing products.

Be open and honest with your customers, and let them know that due to heightened security risks you are obligated to check everyone’s IDs as an additional security measure. If a crime is committed, you now have their information.

Review your security/alarm system to make sure it’s functioning correctly.

Whether in the store or away from the store, it’s important to keep an eye on surveillance footage.

Make sure your staff is healthy before returning.

Stay on top of health requirements from the CDC. For now, at the very least, we recommend checking in with employees before they report to work – making sure they know to stay home if they are ill.

Temperature tests are also an option for employees before their shift begins.

Brush up on your loss prevention knowledge and share information with your staff.

This is easy to do with the help of the JM University® resource. It’s the jewelry industry’s preeminent online training resource and features education courses to help you run a well-protected and successful jewelry business. This resource is available at no cost to the entire jewelry industry.

Stay top of mind with your customers.

By sharing this information on your social pages as you ease into the holidays, you can remind customers you are open and ready for their business. Find shareable videos, social media images and posts created especially for jewelers by Jewelers Mutual.

Looking for additional resources or updates on information related to COVID-19? Check out our dedicated business page or sign up to receive email updates.

To learn more about Jewelers Mutual’s programs, including JewelPac, contact Jewelers Mutual at 800-336-5642, ext. 2118 or email: sales@jminsure.com

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COVID-19 Check-In: Reports from WEST

MIDW

Stores Checking In

Stores Checking

Bonaci Fine Jewelers, Kent WA Cline Jewelers, Edmonds WA Fox Fine Jewelry, Ventura CA S.T. Kluh Jewelers, Olympia WA The Jewelry Source, El Segundo CA Yarnal Jewelers, Castro Valley CA

Becker Jewelers, Bree Christensen Jewelry, Hellberg's Jewelers, M James Martin Jeweler Mississippi Diamond Rapids MN Spritz Jewelers, Cham The Jeweler Ryan, Ce

All but one store temporarily closed, ranging from 6 weeks to 10, starting in March.

All but one store t closed, ranging fro starting in March.

Most Significant Change - Been working by appointment since we re-opened.

- Hustling more than ever.

- Tightening up the loose spending and quantifying payroll.

Lesson Learned - Spend a large part of your time online, developing a robust and content-heavy website.

- Use Podium for texting clients and payments.

- Working by appointment has increased our closing ratio while spreading out clients throughout the day.

- If you can get through this, you can get through anything.

- Cut the hours you are open; clients have adjusted.

- We must be flexible and willing to modify our business plan.

SOUTHWEST Store Checking In Bullock's, Roswell NM

Closed temporarily for 7 weeks starting the end of March.

Most Significant Change - Re-thinking the entire business.

Lesson Learned - We don't have to do things the same as we have done for the last 20 years.

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Most Significant C - Increase in custom sales.

- We find potential cl more sentimental, s 9-11. Clients, both n seem to be wanting ones they love on a normal.

- In addition to COVI community's downt tornado in July and August.

Lesson Learned - Use technology tha that clients are requ - People can learn to - It is easy to get soft times; keep an edge so you will be stron times.

- Any time business i case non-existent— work on the busine and those things lef burner.

- Taking care of your priority one.

- Should have retired

m RJO Members from Every Region of the Country

WEST

NORTHEAST

In

Stores Checking In

ese & Highland IL Hampton IA Marshalltown IA rs, Dubuque IA d Jewelers, Grand

Family Jewelers, Plainville CT Raimie Weber Jewelry, Avon CT Both stores closed temporarily, ranging from 8 weeks to 13, starting in March.

mpaign IL entral MN

Most Significant Change - Multiple customers wanting to come in the store at the same time.

- No-shows increased.

temporarily om 6 weeks to 14,

Lesson Learned - Don't be fearful of change. Adapt, Adopt, Adjust.

- Be open to change.

hange design and online

lients are feeling similar to after new and long term g to celebrate the a grander scale than

Stores Checking In

ID-19, our town was hit by a d then a derecho in

Kiefer Jewelers, Lutz, FL Milano Jewelers, Pembroke Pines FL R&N Jewelers, Margate FL Vaughan's Jewelry, Edenton NC

at is available to you, uiring. o have patience. t and lax in good e in the good times nger in the tough

is slow—or in this —it is a great time to ess plan, marketing, ft on the back

r customers in

d a year ago.

SOUTHEAST

All closed temporarily, ranging from 4 weeks to 8, starting in March.

Most Significant Change - Morale is lower.

- Limiting the number of people in the store.

- Increasing disinfecting times.

- Reduced staffing.

Lesson Learned - Even 20-somethings want 2-carat diamond engagement rings.

- Become more and more digital.

- Breathe. You can only control you.

Frustration gets you nowhere.

- We can do more with less.

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Jeweler Profile

Tradition in a Digital Age: Sugar Plum Fine Jewelry Katelynne Eslick has fond memories of growing up in the jewelry world. The owner and designer of Sugar Plum Fine Jewelry in Glendive,MT, Katelynne says her grandfather and her parents ran a small store in another small Montana town.

“My job was to clean the glass on the showcases after school,” she says, “and I relished that. Dad would let me go through his scrap pile as a reward, which is how I ended up with a .50 DTW cluster ring as a five-yearold!” She opened her Sugar Plum Fine Jewelry as a brick-and-mortar store in 2013. The store’s name comes from Katelynne’s childhood nickname— Sugarplum—a name her mother calls her to this day.

“I never thought I’d take this path professionally!” she says. “When people find out I’m third-generation in this business, many times the assumption is I took over the family business, but that’s not how it happened.” Sugar Plum is a family business, but with Katelynne as the lead.

“In 2017, my husband Jayson joined our team, and we love the family aspect of working together!” she says.

“Jayson works in repair services, alongside my father, Jamie, who brings nearly 40 years of experience in the industry, while I spend the bulk of my time getting to know clients on a personal level and designing beautiful, modern, functional pieces for them.” The family connection includes sister Talia, whom she calls her “right hand” when it comes to social media, while sister-in-law Marian serves as the store’s “website guru.”

Katelynne says she takes nearly all of the photos and manages most of the social media. Talia, who is also her co-host on the store’s Shop Live with Kate and Talia!

Facebook Live shows, oversees social media posts and manages many of the customer interactions that come through social media. Jayson, while being her business partner, prefers to stay out of the limelight as far as social media goes, while Marian ensures their social media-to-website connection creates a smooth transaction for customers and removes the barriers between “Oh, I like that” and “Buy now!”

“Social media is of upmost importance in our business!” says Katelynne. “We’re really aware that in order to be successful, we have to sell our customers on ‘us,’ not things. Social media allows us to let our clients feel like they know us, even those we’ve never met—and most likely never will meet in person. These

platforms allow us to mix the presentation of jewelry for sale with really personal tidbits, and customers love that. Through social media — especially the Facebook Live Sales — we’re really letting our customers feel like they’re in the living room with us. It feels really intimate and especially while businesses were shut down and Katelynne and Jayson Eslick people were quarantined, all of us were craving interaction. These platforms allowed that to happen, while cultivating closer relationships and really endearing us to our customers.”

Katelynne says having a social media presence really helped during the pandemic.

“We like to joke that I’m a workaholic!” says Katelynne. “Many people took time during the pandemic shut-downs to take a ‘staycation,’ reassess their work/life balance, or spend time doing hobbies at home. My brain just doesn’t really work that way, so I decided to get creative in selling — and it’s been really successful for us. Our physical location was closed for about six weeks, and because of our Facebook Live shows, we had some of our highestgrossing weeks of the entire year.”

Sugar Plum is a recent member of RJO. “I love the small, tight-knit family feel of RJO,” she says.

“Aside from the business perks, I think that’s the best part. Our first RJO Show as members was the Virtual Show, and I’m really looking forward to our first inperson RJO Show, whenever and wherever that is!”

Sugar Plum Jewelry is located at 107 W. Bell Street in Glendive, MT Phone: (406) 377-5788 Website: www.sugarplumfinejewelry.com

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COVER STORY

Oh, Oh, Oh! Preparing for the Holiday Season Amidst Supply Chain Disruptions Hurricanes have flooded the Gulf Coast on several occasions this year. A derecho (a land hurricane of sorts) appeared out of nowhere in the Midwest this past August and in New England more recently. The nation's retailers shuttered their doors in March and April, as the COVID-19 pandemic gained a foothold in the country.

These events certainly affect RJO retail jewelers, by stopping the in-person flow of customers, by sending employees home for weeks on end, and in some cases, forcing stores to close due to no electricity or internet service. While recovery from severe weather happens slowly, still unknown is how long and to what extent businesses can rely on improvement in pandemic conditions.

As retail regains its footing with customers, both in-store and online, the back end of retail jewelry is a bigger unknown, as supply chain disruptions are sure to have an impact on the upcoming holiday season.

Before the holiday rush is in full swing, let's look at supply chain issues and hear from RJO Vendors about their ideas of how to best mitigate the issues before and during the holiday season. We'll start with the vendors who supply product, then throw it over to a service vendor to show how technology can do some heavy lifting, and we'll wind up hearing from our marketing vendors about how to move the product.

Rajeev Pandya ASHI Most of our systems to combat the COVID-related supply chain issues are from the supplier/vendor viewpoints, so I will list those and also what I think the retailers can do:

From the supplier (our) viewpoint: - We planned early and started to manufacture our top sellers and holiday marketing merchandise way ahead of schedule to combat the supply chain disruptions.

- We have manufacturing capabilities in USA, China & India—and are moving and allocating production to factories and areas that can handle the production accordingly.

From the customer (retail jeweler) viewpoint: - Speak to suppliers and order their top sellers and holiday marketing merchandise way ahead of schedule to combat the supply chain disruptions.

- Promote styles they have in stock and styles for which they have commitments from their suppliers it will be delivered in time.

- If any styles are out of stock in the store, show the customers closely related styles - a good Sales Associate will do this very effectively.

- If a customer has their mind set on a particular style, reach out to other retailers in the RJO Group and see if they have it in stock and purchase from the retailer.

- If a customer has their mind set on a particular style, reach out to the supplier and see if they have sold this style to another retailer that might want to ship it to you.

FAMILY. DIVIDEND. SUPPORT. BUYING POWER.

COVER STORY - Offer another product for the time being and offer exchange in 60 days when the other product is received—a double surprise to the receiver.

Prashant Mehta Diamond Expressions In order for the retailers to be more efficient with their holiday delivery schedule, jewelers need to do the following: - Clearly communicate their requirements to the supplier including their absolute last deadline.

Clarification of expected delivery in the store should be made if the piece is made overseas, as there are current delays in getting overseas imports.

- If the pieces can be made locally in the US for a little higher price but in a more timely fashion, they need to let their customers have that option (most US manufacturers take 2-4 weeks for delivery) to work with vendors who manufacture locally.

- Retailers should also try to work with their vendor partners who stock inventory on the shelf.

https://diamondhunt.com/d/D58545-04

Ellen Short GN Diamond Even through the pandemic, jewelry sales have been very strong. People always feel good when buying jewelry that can be celebrated for many years to come. During this worldwide crisis, GN Diamond is seeing an extremely high demand throughout the country for upgrading jewelry as well as diamond studs and bracelets. In addition to a major disruption in the economy, diamond mines have been shut down and cutters and polishers have been quarantining in places like Africa, Russia, Israel, and Belgium. This has resulted in a very limited inventory of loose diamonds.

We recommend jewelers to educate the end consumer to shop early and hand select the perfect diamond as this major shortage will continue throughout the holiday season.

We are encouraging everyone to stock up early and make sure they have their fast sellers in inventory for both finished diamond jewelry and loose diamonds. In addition, with GN Diamond’s 100% guarantee we make it very easy for the retailer to accomplish this task and have the confidence to easily switch out items that may not perform well. We urge jewelers to ask about our free and easy-to-use light performance report cards, which have tripled closing percentages.

Insurance discounts also help close the gap when consumers negotiate, and sets retailers apart from their competition. Click on this example of our easy-

to-use links on all of our diamonds that may be shared with end consumers.

Brian Howard Shah Luxury I'm able to look at this from a national perspective, so I can tell you most manufacturers have, over the past year or so, learned to work smarter and not harder.

Many are focusing less on mass producing and more on limited runs.

- Jewelers can do several things during this unpredictable time, including reordering very fast as stock is reduced and focusing on having in stock the essentials and basics. For instance, we’ve seen a huge increase in studs—from 1/2 to 1 ct. But if you don't have them in stock, you can't sell them. My grandfather used to say, “If you're going to sell apples at the fair, you better have apples.” It doesn't do you any good to take orders.

- Another thing jewelers should know is brands are not as important as they once were, but trends are. This is because social media, such as Instagram, are both influential and driving trends, not brands.

- Another tool extremely beneficial to retailers in uncertain times is the use of alloy systems. Instead of investing in purchasing the complete product, alloy systems allow jewelers to provide try-on pieces that look and feel the same, but at around 5 percent of the cost. Certain items—such as engagement rings— almost always need to be sent in for adjustments for things like size and stone. Keeping an engagement ring collection in alloy can satisfy the customer, while significantly reducing a store's capital.

Andy Boundy VRB Internet Solutions While the "buying cycle" is often the primary focus for those of us in marketing, the product supply chain is where the money is often made. It is as important timely deliveries are available (and fulfilled) as it is for the pricing to be on-point. RJO Custom Hatch knows this and from day one, a timeframe for delivery was second only to price in importance for quotes.

You'll know RJOCustomHatch.com as a place to get multiple quotes on custom items from RJO vendors, but remember it's not always just about price. The best-priced product is only useful if it can be delivered to the customer on time. Thus, you can enter a required lead-time/delivery requirement into your Custom Hatch requirement post and ensure you not only get the price advantage from "apples to apples"

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bids, but a commitment for delivery as well. The best of both worlds for your custom pieces.

Tiffany Gonzalez Keep Me Connected This topic got me thinking on some things retailers could do or offer, and it also got me creating! So I worked up a correlating gift certificate template RJO members could edit for the idea below, and I've also listed some Dos and Don'ts for a virtual Ladies' Night event. Here are my thoughts: - Prepare your customers to shop a little differently this year. Everyone has had to make changes and this is no exception, but let's make the changes fun! Buying luxury goods should still be enjoyable. You might not be able to have your Ladies' Night extravaganza the same way you have in the past, but there should be a big focus on getting ladies to fill out their wish lists this year. You could host a virtual Ladies' Night with a Facebook Live event and prizes for those in attendance. You could even sell tickets through the event and then give them a gift card or store credit for that amount as a part of their swag bag or reward for coming.

- Wish lists will be essential because as you near Christmas and those husbands or partners who have waited come shopping, with a wish list, you can guide them toward a purchase you know you can get faster. Pushing gift cards can also help, but who really wants to get a gift card from their spouse or partner?

We want to feel like they took the time to buy us something we would love, so I'd recommend selling more than just a gift card. Make it an experience.

- Millennials already love experiences, and so do most consumers. So, why not make them look good for forgetting to shop early? Offer a VIP Shopping Experience. Print up a gift certificate, or buy one from us and order them from a local printer. Sell them a gift card, champagne for two, and dinner afterward as a purchase experience. You could even put together a list of some local experiences (spa, florist, museum, etc.) they could add on and have a menu for purchasers to choose what they want to include.

Consider adding a 10% charge on top of the cost to cover your time and effort putting it all together. Now his wife can open a little box on Christmas morning that tells her she gets to shop like a VIP with you, in a one-on-one (COVID-friendly) shopping trip.

- Don't be afraid to put it out there that they need to shop early because of COVID-19. People know it and have felt the shortages at times already (hello, toilet paper!). But if you avoid saying it, they'll likely blame you when they wait until the last minute and it will

leave a bad taste in their mouths. You can say it in a way that is cute like, "Don't let Corona keep Santa from bringing you what you want this Christmas!"

Special Offer from Keep Me Connected Any RJO jewelers looking for support with the Keep Me Connected ideas, a VIP Shopping Experience Gift Certificate Template has been created, as well as two graphics that can be used on social media to promote it. RJO members can get it at no cost, but only if they make a $100 donation to the RJO Foundation. Keep Me Connected also has a Virtual Ladies' Night Checklist, which is free to any RJO members who'd like it. Just send an email to: tiffany@keepmeconnected.net and mention the Ladies' Night List.

Mike Buley Jewelry Ads That Work Marketing approaches which could be used during times like this are a little mysterious, of course, as we've never seen times like this.

Wish Lists. These are often missed by jewelers as a key way to get probably the easiest sales they can get. A lot of jewelers collect wish lists, though not all do. It’s what I think of as the low hanging-fruit. You have the woman come in. She finds something she likes. Either while she’s there, or after she leaves, you (the jeweler) write it down on a form you keep—paper or computer. She’s married. You send the fellow a note, a card. I’ve designed quite a few different ones through the years. You let him know she was here, she found something she loved, and basically, wouldn’t it be cool to surprise her with it?

I have a current example: I have a jeweler client in Kansas—Luke and his wife Blanche—and they’ve been with me for quite a few years. Really nice couple, I think they’re all of 40 or so now. A female customer comes in recently and sees something she likes. After she leaves, Luke makes a note of it. He sends the husband one of those cards I’ve created. The front says, “Your wife was in the other day.” Inside, Luke signs, writes a few words, says feel free to come, call, or text any time. He mails it off. A few days later, he gets a text from the fellow. Basically saying, “How much do I need to bring with me?” The price was around $1,500.

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COVER STORY Now, does that sale happen without Luke sending the card? We’ll never know. Odds are very low it would have, because women very seldom tell their men, “Honey I found something I really love, would you buy it for me?”. Multiply that by all the women who come in, who find things they love, and walk out without purchasing anything. Millions of them. Some jewelers do work the wish lists. They do contact the men. I think I’m safe in saying most don’t. And there are countless sales which are lost because there’s no follow-up.

Now, this couple had bought before. But Luke said it had been several years since they had been in. The experience for both husband and wife was positive.

They liked Luke and Blanche. Luke and Blanche are awesome themselves, and they treat everybody with kindness and respect. Just really good people.

Capitalizing on Canceled Trips. What’s happening right now, and has been since all the lockdowns, is anniversary and family trips have been canceled.

Jewelers have had a lot of business because of that, I'm hearing from a number of jewelers.

Bill Becker at Becker Jewelers in Burlington IA, just called, said he needs more ad materials along those lines, talking about the canceled trips. Bill said this year, he has sold more 3 and 4 carat diamonds — because of the canceled trips — than he’s ever sold. And more large diamonds — 1 carat and up — than he can remember selling. More engagement, for sure. Bill said a lot of these canceled trips are exotic overseas trips, some are for the whole family. And now it’s not happening. And here’s a lot of money which is sitting there, and the anniversary, the occasion, is still happening. And jewelry is a beautiful way to celebrate it.

Trips have always been competition for jewelry sales.

Not very much right now, and probably not very much in the near future. So there will be Christmas vacations which probably aren’t going to happen, too. Things long planned, and now canceled.

What do canceled vacations have to do with manufacturer shortages? Wish lists. The wish lists can be worked any time. And should be. Consistently.

These are the easiest sales to make. But it does need to be personal.

Make it Personal. I think sometimes jewelers think they can automate stuff like this. A generic postcard, or something like that. But this stuff is personal. These fellows, women, they have money. They don’t like being automated. They like a personal touch. Personal cards. Personal phone calls. Individual contacts.

Sincere, warm, genuine.

I’ve heard for years, for most jewelers, their customer count is going down, and often sales volume is going up. Fewer people are spending more money.

Independent jewelers serve the upper end of the income group. That’s a huge advantage. But they need to be loved, made to feel special. You have to know them as individual people. Families. Love them. It’s a lot of work to do these things. But it pays. Because the more you love them, the more special you make them feel, the more they return that attention with money.

It just works that way for all of us. Those who make us feel special and important, smart, cool, beautiful, wanted … we are drawn to those people. And if they happen to run a business, we’ll give them more of our money.

I would take time to write a note to my top 25 to 200 customers, clearly and personally explaining what’s happening. Putting it to their advantage that, if possible, they come in early. But you have to be careful, because it can sound pretty self-serving — which it is, of course. But when it’s obvious that service, and happy customers, and taking care of people are the focus, that comes across, too. The key is how it’s written, what it says. And most people have trouble putting stuff into writing, or into radio scripts.

Not sure why, but they do.

I would send out a note like that. I would include a $10 gift card to Starbucks, or a local coffee shop. $20.

Whatever. The amount doesn’t matter too much. Just something along with the note. Open up the wallet a bit. Do something unexpected. And the note has to be nice. Then I’d follow up with a phone call. A week later, not much longer.

If jewelers analyze their sales, their top 50 to 100 customers may account for 80% of their business. I don’t think you have to go beyond 250 customers, for most stores, to get to that top 80%. If 250 account for 80%, then probably 25 account for the lion’s share of that 80%. The numbers always play out.

Focus on the top 250, and things will be just fine. But there’s more focus on EDDM to thousands of homes.

“Saturation campaigns” on you-name-the-medium.

Flyers to 25,000 homes, and so on. All the while, these 250 customers sit there … with tons of money.

Needing some love, attention, affection, appreciation, admiration, respect, kindness. And they’ll spend. They need to be charmed, courted, lifted up … and they’ll delightedly spend more money. Lots more, in a lot of cases.

FAMILY. DIVIDEND. SUPPORT. BUYING POWER.

CALENDAR October 2020

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November 2020

23 All invoices must be received in the RJO Office

1 Daylight Savings Time ends

31 Halloween

3 Election Day — Cast your ballot!

10 All payments must be received in the RJO Office 11 Veterans Day 23 All invoices must be received in the RJO Office 26-27 RJO Office closed —Thanksgiving

NEW MEMBERS Adams Jewelers Tom Adams Ridgecrest, CA

Diamond Classics James Stinson McMinnville, TN

Referred by Tom Vetlesen, Allison Kaufman, Van Nuys, CA

B&E Jewelers & Gemologists Shari & Mark Altman Southampton, PA

Referred by Matt Murdock, Arney Guess Goldsmith, Hixson, TN

Forever Young Fine Jewelers Megan Young, Mike Nixon St. George, UT

Referred by Rembrandt Charms, Williamsville, NY

Bill French Jewelers Bill French Copperas Cove, TX Referred by Greg Greffin, 24 Karat Rose & Loyalty Co., Wayzata, MN

Blackmon’s Jewelry Repair & Mfg. Will Blackmon Newberry, SC

Futer Bros, Inc. Debbie Ashway York, PA Referred by Barry Ouellette, Gems One, New York, NY

Germani’s Jewelry Kimberly & Joe Cioffi New Castle, PA Referred by Mitchell K Jewelry, San Diego, CA

Referred by Rembrandt Charms, Williamsville, NY

Golden Dreams Jewelry Paulette Embrey Belmont, MS Referred by Bill Warren, Gold Mine Fine Jewelry, Hudson, NC

Holliday Jewelry Ray Holliday Medford, OR Julz by Alan Alan Rodriguez Canton, OH Khan Diamonds Iqbal Khan Boston, MA Referred by Kathleen Spagnolo, Stuller, Lafayette, LA

Lizzy’s Jewelry/ Marysville Pawn Kathi Rabel, Jimmy Metz Marysville, WA Referred by JD & Co., A Trung Do’s Goldsmith Co., Tacoma, WA

Lodan Jewelry Design Studio Thomas Rhinerson Owensboro, KY

Mountain Song Jewelers Robert Sherman, Jonita Ashley Greenville, TN Omega Diamond Jewelers Mike & Melissa Weaver Cumming, GA Skaneateles Jewelry (2 Locations)

Chip Davis Fayetteville, NY Skaneateles, NY Victoria Marie Jewelers Theresa Hawkins-Garcea Parker, CO Referred by Missy Wiggs, Stuller, Lafayette, LA

Referred by Bill Warren, Gold Mine Fine Jewelry, Hudson, NC

Thank you to the jewelers referring new members to our group. These jewelers will receive a $1,000 finder’s fee for their referral, payable after a new member has been in good standing for at least six months.

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