ColumnistsAug 30, 2022
The Power of Collaboration, From All PerspectivesColumnistsSep 07, 2022
Squirrel Spotting: Price Has Nothing to Do With Value
Price is a number written on a tag while value is how good a customer feels when they leave your store, Peter Smith writes.
Peter Smith is an industry consultant, speaker, sales trainer, and author. He can be reached via email at TheRetailSmiths@gmail.com.
Ernest Beaux was a perfumer of some renown, having created the fragrance that became Chanel No. 5.
According to biographer Tilar J. Mazzeo, author of “The Secret of Chanel No. 5,” when Beaux was experimenting with different ingredients in the process of creating the fragrance, he added generous amounts of jasmine from the perfume capital of Grasse in the South of France.
In doing so, Beaux felt it necessary to warn Coco Chanel that a perfume with so much jasmine would be “fabulously expensive,” to which she reportedly replied, “In that case, add even more.”
Chanel’s exhortation to effectively add more cost to the fragrance was uttered in 1920, decades before we would come to understand the effects of pricing psychology on consumer behavior.
Her statement foreshadowed the 2021 words of Shankar Vedantam, who wrote “If you want to heighten people’s expectation of a product, just raise its price,” in his book “Useful Delusions: The Power & Paradox of the Self-Deceiving Brain.”
Absent the subsequent reams of scientific data on pricing psychology available in recent years, it was Chanel’s experience and instincts that convinced her consumers would be more apt to embrace Chanel No. 5 if it carried a premium price.
She believed higher prices were essential to communicating the product as being of exceptional quality, and she was neither wrong nor alone in that belief.
Michael J. Silverstein and Neil Fiske wrote about Ely Callaway (golf) and Jim Koch (Sam Adams beer) doing the same thing with their respective brands in their book, “Trading Up.”
When Koch introduced Sam Adams, he priced the beer at a 100 percent premium to Budweiser, and a 50 percent premium to Heineken, and still became the largest specialty brewer in the country.
But Chanel, Callaway, and Koch didn’t take average products and artificially prop them up by arbitrarily charging more.
They knew their brands had to deliver an exceptional product and experience, so they infused excellence and quality into the very DNA of their brands during the development process, setting the highest bar for customer expectations.
Related stories will be right here …
According to biographer Tilar J. Mazzeo, author of “The Secret of Chanel No. 5,” when Beaux was experimenting with different ingredients in the process of creating the fragrance, he added generous amounts of jasmine from the perfume capital of Grasse in the South of France.
In doing so, Beaux felt it necessary to warn Coco Chanel that a perfume with so much jasmine would be “fabulously expensive,” to which she reportedly replied, “In that case, add even more.”
Chanel’s exhortation to effectively add more cost to the fragrance was uttered in 1920, decades before we would come to understand the effects of pricing psychology on consumer behavior.
Her statement foreshadowed the 2021 words of Shankar Vedantam, who wrote “If you want to heighten people’s expectation of a product, just raise its price,” in his book “Useful Delusions: The Power & Paradox of the Self-Deceiving Brain.”
Absent the subsequent reams of scientific data on pricing psychology available in recent years, it was Chanel’s experience and instincts that convinced her consumers would be more apt to embrace Chanel No. 5 if it carried a premium price.
She believed higher prices were essential to communicating the product as being of exceptional quality, and she was neither wrong nor alone in that belief.
Michael J. Silverstein and Neil Fiske wrote about Ely Callaway (golf) and Jim Koch (Sam Adams beer) doing the same thing with their respective brands in their book, “Trading Up.”
When Koch introduced Sam Adams, he priced the beer at a 100 percent premium to Budweiser, and a 50 percent premium to Heineken, and still became the largest specialty brewer in the country.
But Chanel, Callaway, and Koch didn’t take average products and artificially prop them up by arbitrarily charging more.
They knew their brands had to deliver an exceptional product and experience, so they infused excellence and quality into the very DNA of their brands during the development process, setting the highest bar for customer expectations.
Tim Calkins, a professor at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, wrote about an experiment in which students were asked to estimate the cost of a pair of earrings they’d been shown.
The experimenter asked the students to provide three estimates on the earrings.
The first estimate was based on the presumption that the earrings were generic, the second as if they had come from Walmart, and the third as if they had come from Tiffany & Co.
The students estimated the unbranded earrings at $550. They estimated the Tiffany earrings at $873, an increase of 60 percent over the generic.
Lastly, they estimated the earrings at $81 if they believed they had come from Walmart.
That means the students estimated the earrings from Walmart at a reduction of 91 percent versus Tiffany and 85 percent versus generic.
The results of the experiment prove Hermann Simon’s point in “Confessions of the Pricing Man,” in which he states: “Price is likely to serve as an indicator of quality when buyers are uncertain about a product’s underlying quality. This happens when they are confronted with a product that is entirely new to them or one which they rarely buy.”
The students, knowing very little about jewelry, made their estimates based on the association, good and bad, with two retailers at the opposite ends of the pricing/quality continuum and the unknown entity of generic.
The perceptive value demonstrated by the students, however, does not tell the whole story. Believing that a product is worth more has been shown by scientists to actually register neurologically, to the point that you really do enjoy it more.
Your perception, as it happens, becomes your neurological reality.
Supposing that customers are all driven to find the best price when they enter a store defies both logic and consumer psychology.
First of all, a significant number of customers spend considerably more than their stated budgets when they shop. That alone should put to rest any notion that all, or even most, customers are looking for the lowest price.
Secondly, as Simon wrote, “The key challenge in premium pricing is the balance between value and costs. The emphasis here is on high value to customer, which includes not just the core product itself, but also the extensive envelope of other benefits that surrounds it.”
Building value is not a mathematical equation, but it does require consideration of key elements, such as what is most important to customers (and if you believe that it is always low price, you’re probably not listening) and how quality plays into the customer’s decision (I would always default to quality as an important consideration).
As you present options to your customer, treat your products with the deference and respect that befits a superior quality. Convey the benefits of exceptional quality now, and in the months and years ahead.
One of the most insidious elements of sales is when a salesperson spends from their own pocket; they decide what the customer can or cannot afford to spend. They believe price to be the single most important factor for the customer and all too often, that self-delusion becomes self-fulfilling.
Value is not price. Value is when a customer leaves your store feeling like a million bucks, no matter what they spent.
More on Columnists
The Latest
CrimeDec 01, 2025
Fourth Man Charged in Louvre Jewelry HeistThe man, who has a criminal history, is suspected of being the fourth member of the four-man crew that carried out the heist.
AuctionsDec 01, 2025
Christie’s Presents ‘Splendor & Style’ CollectionThe single-owner collection includes one of the largest offerings of Verdura jewels ever to appear at auction, said Christie’s.
IndependentsDec 01, 2025
Lustig Jewelers’ New Owner Is a Fellow Chicago JewelerMichael Helfer has taken the reins, bringing together two historic Chicago jewelry names.
Brought to you by
Impacting Tomorrow TodayHow Jewelers of America’s 20 Under 40 are leading to ensure a brighter future for the jewelry industry.
MajorsDec 01, 2025
PGI Debuts Platinum-Filled Holiday Gift GuideThe guide features all-new platinum designs for the holiday season by brands like Harwell Godfrey, Ritani, and Suna.
Weekly QuizNov 20, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
FinancialsNov 26, 2025
Movado CEO Talks Tariffs, Growing Interest in Accessible Luxury WatchesDuring its Q3 call, CEO Efraim Grinberg discussed the deal to lower tariffs on Swiss-made watches, watch market trends, and more.
TrendsNov 26, 2025
Piece of the Week: Rosior’s Pumpkin RingRosior’s high jewelry cocktail ring with orange sapphires and green diamonds is the perfect Thanksgiving accessory.
Brought to you by
Roseco Releases New Full-Line CatalogRoseco’s 704-page catalog showcases new lab-grown diamonds, findings, tools & more—available in print or interactive digital editions.
IndependentsNov 26, 2025
Greenwich St. Jewelers Launches Colorful Holiday CampaignThe “Embrace Your True Colors” campaign features jewels with a vibrant color palette and poetry by Grammy-nominated artist Aja Monet.
MajorsNov 26, 2025
Serafino Consoli Names New VP of Sales, Brand Development for the AmericasLuxury veteran Alejandro Cuellar has stepped into the role at the Italian fine jewelry brand.
Events & AwardsNov 26, 2025
Grandview Klein Presents 4 Scholarships in NamibiaThe company gave awards to four students at the Namibia University of Science & Technology, including one who is a Grandview Klein employee.
IndependentsNov 25, 2025
Pearl Stringer Margaret Hoisik DiesShe is remembered as an artist who loved her craft and was devoted to her faith, her friends, and her family.
SourcingNov 25, 2025
Finestar Opens Diamond Manufacturing Facility in JohannesburgIt joins the company’s other manufacturing facilities globally, including in India, Botswana, and Namibia.
TrendsNov 25, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Polka DotsThe polka dot pattern transcends time and has re-emerged as a trend in jewelry through round-shaped gemstones.
CrimeNov 25, 2025
Former Arizona AG Official Charged With Trafficking Stolen JewelryVanessa Hickman, 49, allegedly sold a diamond bracelet that was mistakenly sent to her home.
Events & AwardsNov 25, 2025
GIA Awards Susan Jacques With Its Highest HonorGIA’s former president and CEO was presented with the Richard T. Liddicoat Award for Distinguished Achievement.
Recorded WebinarsNov 24, 2025
Watch: Top Tips for Social Media EtiquetteSocial media experts spoke about protecting brand reputation through behaving mindfully online.
WatchesNov 24, 2025
Breitling Reveals Plans for Gallet, Universal GenèveIn 2026, the three will come together as “House of Brands,” with Gallet sold in Breitling stores and Universal Genève sold separately.
CollectionsNov 24, 2025
Muse Debuts a Wicked 'Have a Heart x Cynthia Erivo' SequelThe second drop, which includes more Elphaba-inspired pieces from additional designers, will continue to benefit nonprofit Dreams of Hope.
IndependentsNov 24, 2025
J.R. Dunn Jewelers Names New PresidentSecond-generation jeweler Sean Dunn has taken on the role.
MajorsNov 21, 2025
Natural Diamond Council Names New CEOAmber Pepper’s main focus will be on digital innovation and engaging younger consumers.
SourcingNov 21, 2025
De Beers’ Branded, Traceable Diamonds Roll Out to 19 Retailers Called “Origin by De Beers Group,” the loose, polished diamonds are being sold in a total of 30 stores in the United States and Canada.
CollectionsNov 21, 2025
Piece of the Week: Melissa Kaye’s ‘Rocky Infinity’ NecklaceThe lariat necklace features a 4.88-carat oval-cut Zambian emerald in 18-karat yellow gold.
AuctionsNov 20, 2025
Vanderbilt Jewels Shine at Phillips Sale, Pink Diamond WithdrawnA 43-carat sapphire brooch from the Vanderbilt collection was the top lot of the Geneva sale.
CollectionsNov 20, 2025
Rebecca Rau Jewels Debuts With ‘Then & Now’ CollectionRau is a fourth-generation art and antique dealer from M.S. Rau gallery whose first jewelry collection merges artifacts with modern design.
Policies & IssuesNov 20, 2025
RJC Names New Executive DirectorFormer De Beers sustainability leader Purvi Shah will take over the role in February 2026.
WatchesNov 20, 2025
LVMH Takes Minority Stake in Citizen Group-Owned Movement Maker La Joux-Perret is based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, and makes solar quartz as well as mechanical watch movements.
