ColumnistsMay 16, 2023
PR 101: What Editors Want (and Need) in a Press KitColumnistsJun 07, 2022
3 Keys to a Successful Retailer-Brand Partnership
Guest columnists Kendra Bridelle and Ashley Davis Sigman break down the importance of familiarity, story-telling, and intention.
Guest columnist Ashley Davis Sigman, left, is vice president of Davis Jewelers in Louisville, Kentucky, while co-author Kendra Bridelle serves as vice president of sales for Judith Ripka.
The jewelry industry is evolving, the landscape is forever changing, and there are concepts necessary to ensure brands and retailers succeed when partnering together.
Retailers cannot invest in a brand and expect it to flourish all on its own. Like children or a garden, a brand must be tended to and nurtured.
Brands, no matter the level of consumer awareness, rarely sell themselves. Successful sell-through comes from a multidimensional strategic plan that includes buying, merchandising, training, marketing, organization, communication and clienteling.
The retailer/brand relationship takes a significant investment of time and money at the onset.
Once product arrives at the store level, a well-developed plan will allow you to avoid “failure to launch.” That plan should involve the following steps.
Induce Familiarity
Collaboration is key! After ensuring the best assortment/price points are selected, bring together the retailer’s internal teams: inventory, merchandising, marketing, and sales.
If the retailer has multiple doors, include the owners and store managers.
Utilize the corporate brand training and incentives that are offered. Get the team excited about the product. They sell what they are familiar with so create brand ambassadors from within.
Train the staff on the brand’s history, collections, inspiration, materials and construction, warranties, and repairs. Encourage staff to have fun, touch the product and try it on. If they wear it, they will sell it.
When introducing a new brand, demonstrate how to style customers, including layering and incorporating the new line with existing brands that clients already own and wear. Get creative and role play to best understand the selling advantages.
Include members of key departments, not just sales associates. Do not underestimate the power of cross-training departments.
Everyone who works at the retail level is a potential brand ambassador so include the service department, merchandisers, buyers, inventory, administrative and marketing teams.
In peak selling times, non-sales team members become auxiliary sellers. Get to know these silent sellers!
Also, don’t forget to tap into sales incentives and employee discounts.
Many brands offer programs, discounts, and spiffs. View these as an extension of compensation to maximize pay and benefits.
If sellers make self-purchases through store or brand discounts or winning and wearing the product, a natural brand champion is born.
Related stories will be right here …
Retailers cannot invest in a brand and expect it to flourish all on its own. Like children or a garden, a brand must be tended to and nurtured.
Brands, no matter the level of consumer awareness, rarely sell themselves. Successful sell-through comes from a multidimensional strategic plan that includes buying, merchandising, training, marketing, organization, communication and clienteling.
The retailer/brand relationship takes a significant investment of time and money at the onset.
Once product arrives at the store level, a well-developed plan will allow you to avoid “failure to launch.” That plan should involve the following steps.
Induce Familiarity
Collaboration is key! After ensuring the best assortment/price points are selected, bring together the retailer’s internal teams: inventory, merchandising, marketing, and sales.
If the retailer has multiple doors, include the owners and store managers.
Utilize the corporate brand training and incentives that are offered. Get the team excited about the product. They sell what they are familiar with so create brand ambassadors from within.
Train the staff on the brand’s history, collections, inspiration, materials and construction, warranties, and repairs. Encourage staff to have fun, touch the product and try it on. If they wear it, they will sell it.
When introducing a new brand, demonstrate how to style customers, including layering and incorporating the new line with existing brands that clients already own and wear. Get creative and role play to best understand the selling advantages.
Include members of key departments, not just sales associates. Do not underestimate the power of cross-training departments.
Everyone who works at the retail level is a potential brand ambassador so include the service department, merchandisers, buyers, inventory, administrative and marketing teams.
In peak selling times, non-sales team members become auxiliary sellers. Get to know these silent sellers!
Also, don’t forget to tap into sales incentives and employee discounts.
Many brands offer programs, discounts, and spiffs. View these as an extension of compensation to maximize pay and benefits.
If sellers make self-purchases through store or brand discounts or winning and wearing the product, a natural brand champion is born.
Tell the Story
Tell the story of the brand and its collections across multiple touchpoints—in store, online and through outside entities.
Use visual displays and merchandising, website, email, digital and in-store signage, events and get creative with editorial content creation, all synchronized for the official brand launch as well as future collection announcements.
Retailers need to regularly and consistently introduce each new brand and collection to existing clients, and they need to think beyond the showroom to do so.
Forge partnerships with local lifestyle or fashion magazines that need editorial content.
Collaborate with your community. Form alliances with regional businesses or charitable organizations, which can identify a potential new customer base for the brand and retailer.
Host an in-store or offsite event to generate buzz and create a unique experience for guests for the brand’s debut. Brands should send a representative to participate in these events.
Be Intentional
For retailers, case space is too valuable not to perform.
For brands, they need to ask themselves, how much does it cost to do business with specific retailers? When will there be a profit?
At the end of the day, both retailers and brands are looking for their return on their investment.
Often, it is the smaller stores that are most nimble and can better implement the above initiatives. Larger, multi-door regional or major chains more often have a more difficult time meeting these challenges.
It is the store owner’s and buyer’s responsibility to ensure all parties are working together to build a successful partnership. One cannot succeed without the other.
Today’s lesson: take the time to create a rollout plan, engage your entire team, and make it a priority to shine a light on the new brand.
If these steps are taken, both businesses will grow and flourish.
For retailers, case space is too valuable not to perform.
For brands, they need to ask themselves, how much does it cost to do business with specific retailers? When will there be a profit?
At the end of the day, both retailers and brands are looking for their return on their investment.
Often, it is the smaller stores that are most nimble and can better implement the above initiatives. Larger, multi-door regional or major chains more often have a more difficult time meeting these challenges.
It is the store owner’s and buyer’s responsibility to ensure all parties are working together to build a successful partnership. One cannot succeed without the other.
Today’s lesson: take the time to create a rollout plan, engage your entire team, and make it a priority to shine a light on the new brand.
If these steps are taken, both businesses will grow and flourish.
More on Columnists
The Latest
MajorsSep 10, 2026
Lagos Founder Steven Lagos Steps Down as CEO Keith Rolfe, CFO and COO of Lagos, is now at the jewelry brand’s helm while Steven takes on the role of executive chairman.
CrimeSep 10, 2026
FBI Offers $50K Reward for ‘Most Wanted’ Fugitive in $1M Jewelry HeistAlberto Perez-Elias is one of four men charged in the armed robbery of a Cape Coral, Florida, jewelry store and remains at large.
AuctionsSep 10, 2026
Massive Matched Pair of Paraíba Tourmalines Head to Sotheby’sThe “Kat Florence Luminas” will be offered together as one lot and could fetch up to $637,000.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
SourcingSep 10, 2026
AGTA Announces 4 Newly Elected DirectorsFour directors were elected to the AGTA board and will serve three-year terms beginning in February.
Weekly QuizSep 10, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
AuctionsSep 10, 2026
Former Sotheby’s, Christie’s Exec Appointed CEO of Julien’s Auctions Ken Citron joins the celebrity memorabilia-focused auction house ahead of its first week-long series of events in Abu Dhabi.
FinancialsSep 09, 2026
Signet Jewelers to ‘Double Down’ on Blue Nile Amid Strong SalesThe jewelry retailer said it sees opportunity at higher price points, particularly in natural diamonds for bridal and fashion.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
IndependentsSep 09, 2026
Sarah Leonard Fine Jewelers Closes After Nearly 80 YearsThe Los Angeles-based, family-owned jeweler was founded by Lenny and Sunny Friedman in 1946.
SourcingSep 09, 2026
Fura Gems Notes ‘Remarkable’ Interest in Larger Rubies at Latest SaleThe auction, held in Bangkok, was 96 percent sold by lot, with nearly 411,000 carats of Mozambiquan rubies sold.
MajorsSep 09, 2026
Stuller’s Latest Catalog Includes Its New Demi-Fine CollectionFine Jewelry 2027-2028 has more than 900 new styles, including silver, gold-filled, gold-plated sterling silver, and vermeil jewelry.
Policies & IssuesSep 09, 2026
8 Key Changes the FTC Made to the Jewelry Guides: A Refresher Learn more about the new terms for lab-grown diamonds and composite gemstones, and the major changes in store for precious metals jewelry.
IndependentsSep 08, 2026
Ricky Bromberg, Longtime President of Bromberg & Co., Dies at 67 Bromberg is remembered as a Southern gentleman who always wore a suit and tie and treated others with kindness.
TrendsSep 08, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: A Hot Take on September’s Birthstone With high durability and a wide range of colors to choose from, sapphires may be the ultimate birthstone, Gizzi claims.
MajorsSep 08, 2026
Former Tiffany & Co. Exec Joins Exemplar Luxury GroupGretchen Koback Pursel is the new chief people officer at the company formerly known as Saks Global.
IndependentsSep 04, 2026
Orloff Jewelers Will Soon Unveil a Bigger, Better LocationThe California jeweler is renovating its store in Fresno, with plans to show off the new space in December.
CollectionsSep 04, 2026
Chelsea Gabrielle Transforms Pilates Reformer Springs Into Ring A lifelong practitioner of Pilates, Gabrielle looked to the springs’ tension and suspension when creating this ring, our Piece of the Week.
Events & AwardsSep 04, 2026
JCK Industry Fund Accepting 2027 ApplicationsThe deadline to apply is Nov. 13.
AuctionsSep 04, 2026
Christie's Names New Global Head of WatchesThe auction house has promoted Remi Guillemin, formerly its head of watches for the Americas and EMEA, to the role.
EditorsSep 03, 2026
Q&A: Simon G.’s CEO on Why He Won’t Use AI for Jewelry DesignZaven Ghanimian discussed the value of human craftsmanship and where the implementation of artificial intelligence does work.
Events & AwardsSep 03, 2026
Here Are the First Recipients of Nina Pugliese Memorial Scholarship Jewelers of America also revealed the recipients of the Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship and its own scholarship programs.
WatchesSep 03, 2026
Robert Pattinson Joins Jaeger-LeCoultre as Brand AmbassadorThe British actor, known for his roles in “Twilight” and “The Odyssey,” will star in a campaign for the Master Control Chronometre.
CollectionsSep 03, 2026
Sydney Evan Celebrates 25 Years With 4 New CollectionsThe “Confetti Disco,” “Champagne Cheers,” “Tuxedo,” and “Classic Punk” jewelry collections each capture a distinct spirit of celebration.
CrimeSep 02, 2026
CA Jeweler Gets 5 Years in ‘Phantom Rolex’ Ponzi SchemeNelson Holdo of Newport Beach pleaded guilty to multiple counts of felony grand theft and writing bad checks and was sentenced Monday.
AuctionsSep 02, 2026
If You Love Cats, This Jewelry Auction Is for YouCat ladies of the jewelry world, unite. Sandy Lerner’s “significant” collection of cat jewelry and other objects is going up for auction.
MajorsSep 02, 2026
Messika Names Former Omega Exec as New President, CEO of AmericasArnaud Michon, the former Omega USA President, will now lead Messika’s Americas region during its international development.
Events & AwardsSep 02, 2026
Emerald’s New Owner Introduces ‘Glitter in the Grove’The branding references the back-to-back jewelry shows that new parent company Forge will host in Miami's Coconut Grove this November.
