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
MajorsApr 01, 2026
Foundrae Sues Pandora for Allegedly Copying Its Medallion DesignsFoundrae also accused the jewelry giant of copying its mood board style of marketing.
AuctionsApr 01, 2026
John Jacob Astor IV’s Titanic Pocket Watch Heads to AuctionA Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co. timepiece owned by the American businessman who died on the Titanic will be offered at Freeman's Chicago.
SurveysApr 01, 2026
Consumers’ Outlook Improves Again in MarchThe Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index edged up, with optimism about the present outweighing worries about the future.
Brought to you by
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessYou deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.
IndependentsApr 01, 2026
Zachary’s Jewelers’ Constance Polamalu to Release Children’s BookThe retailer’s Zach Bear gift comes to life in “Zach Bear and the Window Necklace,” which centers on curiosity, bravery, and helping.
Weekly QuizMar 26, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Events & AwardsApr 01, 2026
AGA Opens 2026 Gemological Scholarship, Research Grant ApplicationsApplications are open for the AGA Gemological Scholarship Program through May 15, and until June 2027 for the Gemological Research Grant.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Mejuri Adds Silver to ‘Puzzle’ CollectionMejuri’s popular collection of 18-karat yellow gold vermeil rings debuted in sterling silver alongside new “Puzzle” slider charms.
Brought to you by
Is This You? Every Jeweler Has This Problem; We Have the Solution.Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Buddha Mama, Ashley Longshore to Host Pop-Up in DallasThe Miami-based jewelry brand and the NYC-based artist will be in Dallas from April 9-11.
SourcingMar 31, 2026
NDC Designates April 8 as 'World Diamond Day'The initiative invites those in the industry to share stories on social media highlighting the meaning and impact of natural diamonds.
SourcingMar 31, 2026
GIA VP Jillian Wolk to Take Over at Tracr Wolk’s first day on the job as CEO of Tracr, De Beers Group’s blockchain platform, will be May 1.
EditorsMar 30, 2026
Tom Moses Looks Back on His Decades at GIA Moses, who will leave the lab in May after nearly 50 years, discusses his start in the business, gemstones that stand out, and what’s next.
TrendsMar 30, 2026
Oscar Heyman Debuts First Spring CatalogThe new catalog, which showcases 35 one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry, is a compliment to the company’s popular holiday catalog.
SourcingMar 30, 2026
Rio Tinto Hauls Last Load from DiavikProduction has ceased at the Canadian diamond mine, which has yielded more than 150 million carats of rough diamonds in its 23-year run.
MajorsMar 30, 2026
Tanishq Opens First New England LocationThe store opening marks the 10th United States location for the India-based jewelry retailer.
MajorsMar 27, 2026
Saks Global Has Changed Its Mind About Closing These 3 StoresTwo Saks Fifth Avenue locations, one in Florida and one in California, and one Neiman Marcus store are off the chopping block.
IndependentsMar 27, 2026
Jimmy West, Longtime LJG Executive Director, Dies at 72West, who started in the art department at the Leading Jewelers Guild in 1979, is remembered for his patience, kindness, and dedication.
CollectionsMar 27, 2026
Itä’s ‘Yarí Whirl’ Ring Tells Every Side of the StoryIn the “Tesoro” version of the ring, our Piece of the Week, each side of the gold hexagonal nugget has a unique colored gemstone design.
WatchesMar 26, 2026
Q&A: Citizen Watch America President Jeffrey Cohen on Eco-Drive’s 50th AnniversaryCohen discusses the evolution of Citizen’s light-powered technology, the brand’s cross-generational appeal, and tariffs.
IndependentsMar 26, 2026
Peter Smith Pens Book on Human Behavior in Sales“Essentially Human: On Sales and Salespeople" reveals the underlying human traits and behaviors of the most successful sales professionals.
CollectionsMar 26, 2026
Lionheart Celebrates 13 Years of ‘Cassandane’The collection features symbols of love, luck, and light, based on the story of Queen Cassandane and Cyrus the Great of Persia.
Events & AwardsMar 26, 2026
NAJA, Instappraise Introduce New ScholarshipIt’s the third scholarship to be launched as part of the partnership to help appraisers advance their professional credentials.
Events & AwardsMar 26, 2026
JA Still Accepting Entries for 2026 CASE AwardsThe deadline for entries in the jewelry design competition has been extended to April 3.
SourcingMar 25, 2026
Rob Bates Steps Down as JCK News Director After 28 years with JCK, the veteran industry journalist is launching his own publication on Substack called The Jewelry Wire.
GradingMar 25, 2026
New York’s Natural History Museum, Wiley To Build Minerals DatabaseWiley said the project will give scientists worldwide access to the American Museum of Natural’s History renowned mineral collection.
CollectionsMar 25, 2026
Boochier Turns Flower Friendship Bracelets Into Fine JewelryThe “Flower Puff” collection looks to beaded flower friendship bracelets from childhood, turning the silhouette into nostalgic fine jewelry.
Policies & IssuesMar 25, 2026
Community for Ethical Jewelry to Host Bench Jeweler Shortage WebinarSet for April 2, the webinar will discuss how the jewelry industry can address the workforce gap.
