A wiki is a website where users can add, remove, and edit every page using a web browser. It's easy for people to jump in and revise pages that wikis are becoming known as the tool of choice for large, multiple-participant projects.

Wiki’s are tools that are popularized by sites such as Wikipedia, allowing visitors to write and edit Web sites' visible content. Small businesses are most likely to use wikis either as a Web site content management system or as a tool for internal documentation and project flow. Wikis let your customers or readers edit select pages or sections and thereby help you build a community around your site and your brand.

Do any jewelry store owners out there have a Wiki? Use Wiki’s in-house for multiple-participant projects? For customers?

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When it comes to loose diamonds I do much of the training myself. I have the trainee read a particular GIA book and then we go over questions as well selling techniques—only because GIA doesn’t teach selling techniques and I don’t want my employees to get bogged down with the technical lingo but instead how to romance the selling of a diamond.

Eventually, when going over how specific characteristics of a diamond can affect price—fluorescence came up. Unfortunately, when I was at GIA fluorescence was not emphasized and is really not explained in my books. Everything I know about fluorescence has come from wholesalers and learning as I go—how do I explain fluorescence to a staff in training? The only way I could explain it was to show a few diamon...Read More

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Consumers are willing to accept grading reports from unfamiliar labs, according to a World Gemological Institute study…read the whole JCK articlehere. I definitely find this true in my store. Many of my customers are even confused between an appraisal and a grading report. The question many of my customers tend to ask is, “Does the ring or diamond come with papers?” I have to then explain the difference between an appraisal and a grading report.

In my store I carry diamonds that are graded by GIA andEGL—once in a ...Read More

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The bridal designer lines we carry have their own displays as well as their own boxes and so forth. Of course, I represent their pieces on the given displays as well as place designer items in the specified boxes because it helps people to identify with their brand. I love having the different colors that display specific brands because customers seem drawn to those cases more. I’ve seen some stores use the displays but not the fabric which lines the floorboards and some use the liner as well as the displays. I tend to move merchandise around often so I would hate to line the floorboards with a designer’s fabric and then have to reorder new floorboards—this can be very expensive. Is there any way to line the floorboards with a designer’s fabric but in a way that I can pull off their liner without ruining my floorboards?

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This is the first year in a long time I’ve had a zillion customers’ come in looking for yellow gold. I guess because all the models, actresses, and so forth are wearing it—women are pulling out their old yellow gold pieces from their drawers and sporting them with style. Unfortunately, styles change and those yellow gold cocktail and cluster rings from the 80’s have still not come back.

Because it’s on TV and in the movies I had to stock up on some styles if I wanted to be seen as fashion forward store of course. I did buy and am looking for classy yellow gold necklaces, bracelets, few earrings—and then I cam across yellow gold rings. I bought a couple—take a look.

...Read More

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I’ve done the trunk shows, private events, introducing of new designers, but never a

Trade Up Event. Meaning bring in your studs and trade them in and up for a new pair. Have you ever tried an event like this? Offer customers to trade in old pieces—which most of us know we can scrap to give them incentive to buy something new.

You thoughts…

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We all know every employee wants to be recognized by their employer for their contributions. Besides a simple, “nice job” or “way to go” how do you acknowledge, support, and promote, them to perform their best?

1. Do you have an employee of the month? Acknowledge an employees success with a small plaque or something that would be displayed in the store for everyone to see.
2. Do you get everyone working together? Provide monthly breakfasts (I think most jewelry store owners do this at meetings) or something that everyone shares together. Depending on the type of business, give awards for the numbers of team sales or the number of repairs taken in.

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My employees and I change clients watch batteries quite often and have informed customers that anytime the seal is broken the watch is not water resistant anymore—though we tell them—sometimes we all forget to print it onto the receipt when ringing up the sale.

Two weeks ago, one of my employees changed a battery on an Ironman Timex. The customer returned with water in the watch. She was extremely upset and unfortunately the watch could not be fixed. I explained to her how these types of watches are water resistant and not water proof—but she didn’t care so I searched for the exact model on the internet and found that it was more cost effective for her to go and spend 30 bucks for a new one than for her to even come back to the store, but of course I...Read More

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So I think I’ve finally caught up after Vegas. As soon as I returned back to the store not only did I have mounds of paperwork to sort through but unfortunately two of my staff members had quite a bit of a tiff while I was away. Now, I hate to say it but I did call the store while I was away to check up on everything. Sometimes I wish I hadn’t because I know I can’t do anything over the phone or while I’m in Vegas and it would just have to wait until I returned. Do you call your stores while you’re away on vacation or at trade show? Does your manager handle the store and all that comes with it?

I know my staff works hard and I’m not too worried about sales while I’m away. I have an unbelievable sales manager who is always willing to lend a hand. I do have a new staff member...Read More

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Yesterday was the last day of the show and the day David and I flew back home. Our last day was Sunday. David was “jewelried out” so we decided to sleep in on Monday and sit at the pool. We were so tired we actually slept in until noon then headed down to the pool. The pool was freezing so we ended up eating like pigs and watching TV. It was nice to have one day to relax before working at the store again. I did notice the show floor was a little slower on Sunday than it was on Friday and Saturday. Exhibitors told me Sunday and Monday was slow.

I hope all of you accomplished your intended missions. Our goal was to acquire another bridal line and I am happy so to say we did—but the road was not so easy. We visited many bridal booths at Luxury/Premiere so that by the time JCK started we had hoped to ...Read More

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By today, my husband and I were so tired we couldn’t help but sleep in a little. We ate breakfast downstairs at the Café and made it to the show by about 11:30ish.

We headed up stairs next to the Italian Pavilion where we looked for one of my Hong Kong vendors. Should’ve looked at my pocket planner (by the way I love these little pocket planners) before we walked up here because my vendor was now downstairs in the basement with all the other Hong Kong vendors. I think this year’s show has fewer vendors because last year many of our Hong Kong vendors were upstairs because of an overflow in the basement/World’s Fair area—at least I’m guessing that’s why they were not upstairs in the hotel area. As soon as I finally realized where they were we headed to the escalator&m...Read More

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