SurveysJul 06, 2022
A Recession Is Unlikely, Says NRF EconomistSurveysJul 15, 2022
Signet Moves Up NRF’s List of ‘Top 100’ Retailers
Plus, a look at what shoppers want from retailers and why a remodel may not be in the cards.
A 14-karat two-tone gold engagement ring set with a lab-grown diamond from Pnina Tornai’s new collection ($16,999) at Signet Jewelers-owned Jared. The jewelry giant landed a spot on the National Retail Federation’s most recent “Top 100” retailer list.
New York—Signet Jewelers has again made the National Retail Federation’s Top 100 Retailers list, advancing a dozen spots to land at No. 66.
The jewelry giant was No. 78 last year.
The list, compiled by market research firm Kantar Group, ranks the largest retail companies in the United States, based on 2021 annual retail sales.
The NRF says it uses “a variety of estimation techniques” to calculate its figures, so the sales figures on its list may differ from the companies’ official public filing reports.
This is the case with Signet, which reported total sales of $7.8 billion last year.
The NRF, however, has Signet’s total retail sales at $6.95 billion in 2021.
Signet’s U.S. sales, according to its calculations, totaled $6.14 billion in 2021, a 31 percent increase year-over-year.
The company’s strong performance can be attributed in part to several trends, said David Marcotte, senior vice president for Kantar.
Shoppers had more disposable income, due to lockdowns and an inability to travel, and were able to afford luxury items like fine jewelry.
Signet was the only specialty jeweler on the list, with the top spots taken by big box stores and retail titan Amazon.
In the No.1 spot on NRF’s list, once again, was Walmart, with U.S. sales of $459.51 billion, a 7 percent year-over-year increase.
Amazon took the No. 2 spot for the second year in a row, posting U.S. sales of $217.79, a 13 percent year-over-year increase.
The No. 3 spot went to Costco, with U.S. sales of $140.41 billion, a 16 percent year-over-year increase.
The jewelry giant was No. 78 last year.
The list, compiled by market research firm Kantar Group, ranks the largest retail companies in the United States, based on 2021 annual retail sales.
The NRF says it uses “a variety of estimation techniques” to calculate its figures, so the sales figures on its list may differ from the companies’ official public filing reports.
This is the case with Signet, which reported total sales of $7.8 billion last year.
The NRF, however, has Signet’s total retail sales at $6.95 billion in 2021.
Signet’s U.S. sales, according to its calculations, totaled $6.14 billion in 2021, a 31 percent increase year-over-year.
The company’s strong performance can be attributed in part to several trends, said David Marcotte, senior vice president for Kantar.
Shoppers had more disposable income, due to lockdowns and an inability to travel, and were able to afford luxury items like fine jewelry.
Signet was the only specialty jeweler on the list, with the top spots taken by big box stores and retail titan Amazon.
In the No.1 spot on NRF’s list, once again, was Walmart, with U.S. sales of $459.51 billion, a 7 percent year-over-year increase.
Amazon took the No. 2 spot for the second year in a row, posting U.S. sales of $217.79, a 13 percent year-over-year increase.
The No. 3 spot went to Costco, with U.S. sales of $140.41 billion, a 16 percent year-over-year increase.
Analysts had predicted problems for retail in 2021 as COVID-19 continued to take its toll, but the year wasn’t all that gloomy.
“Overwhelmingly, retail came out ahead for a variety of reasons,” said David Marcotte, senior vice president for Kantar. “But it’s undeniable that everybody, except for those in apparel, did much better than anyone expected.”
The strong turnout had a lot to do with changing attitudes in 2021 compared with the lockdown period of 2020, said Marcotte.
“Almost any trip was driven by need, but not necessarily a desperation need. It was a need for entertainment, a need to get out, a need to find something. And in both going online and into stores, finding things was, I wouldn’t say an adventure, but a challenge.”
Shoppers weren’t as interested in promotions or merchandising, he said, with retailers backing off ad dollars and promotion.
“What retailers were dealing with was a shopper who was trying to find what they needed and was willing to overlook all other flaws,” Marcotte said.
Retailers like TJ Maxx, Ross, and Burlington, known for their wide selection rather than their merchandising or curated experience, saw strong growth in 2021.
Today, however, shoppers’ mindsets have shifted, regaining an interest in promotions and loyalty points.
“We’re seeing a surge in frequent shopper programs and electronic coupons,” he said. “And we’re seeing the introduction of retail media to engage shoppers trying to squeeze every last dollar.”
In March, Signet said it had been testing out a new loyalty program, Vault Rewards, at select Jared stores and could roll the program out to all its banners.
Looking to the current year, a labor shortage has been affecting retail, with most retailers operating with a 20 percent reduction in workers, said NRF.
Issues affecting the supply chain and trucking only add to the problem.
“That’s been a re-education for most retailers,” said Marcotte. “For the past 40 years, the story has been, ‘I can get by with less labor, and in an ideal situation, I can pay them less.” And that’s not true.”
From Amazon to Starbucks, workers have been unionizing across the country, advocating for a living wage and better working conditions.
The labor issue also spells trouble for experiential retailing, said Marcotte, which takes more than just merchandising.
Significant shortages in both labor and materials may mean stores looking for a remodel, or a whole new location, are out of luck.
“I’m starting to refer to 2023 as, ‘the year you come as you are,’” said Marcotte.
“The labor picture will probably change slowly, but not quickly. The commercial real estate picture will also change slowly and it’s not going to get cheaper. On a global basis, it’s going to be a challenge for retailers to really change their stores’ physical footprint.”
Retailers looking for success in 2022 will have to “re-engage with shoppers in the same way they were with them in 2019.”
“We all wanted to go back to normal,” said Marcotte. “We’re back to normal. We have to be competitive, we have to invest, we have to create. But we really, really have to get involved with frequent shopper programs, electronic coupons and digital tools. The retailers that do that are going to do well.”
Read the full “Top 100” list on the NRF’s website.
More on Surveys
The Latest
ColumnistsMar 31, 2026
Q1 Clues That Reveal Where Your Jewelry Store’s Sales Are Heading These customer behavior patterns say a lot about how successful your jewelry store is going to be this year, Emmanuel Raheb writes.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Weekly QuizMar 26, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
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.
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.
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.
IndependentsMar 24, 2026
Lisa Bayer, Illustrator and Beloved Member of the Muse Family, Dies at 64Bayer, founder of Lisa Bayer Designs, is remembered as “a bright light in every room.”
AuctionsMar 24, 2026
White Diamonds Shine In Christie's Jewels Online SaleThe highest-grossing lot was a Tiffany & Co. ring set with a flawless, emerald-cut diamond of 10 carats.
SourcingMar 24, 2026
AGTA Solidifies Tucson Dates For 2027-2029The next three editions of AGTA GemFair Tucson will feature a five-day show that includes Sunday.
WatchesMar 24, 2026
Christie’s Names New Senior Specialist, WatchesFormer Sotheby’s executive Tom Heap has taken on the London-based role.
