ColumnistsApr 18, 2023
Email Marketing for Mother’s Day: How to Create a Campaign That ConvertsColumnistsApr 25, 2023
6 Customer Myths That Might Be Holding Salespeople Back
Peter Smith shares some misconceptions about consumers as well as his belief that product information should be treated like a condiment.
Peter Smith is an industry consultant, speaker, sales trainer, and author. He can be reached via email at TheRetailSmiths@gmail.com.
Competent salespeople are the lifeblood of any business, and competency means they consistently drive profitable sales for the business.
In order to do so, they need to understand what customers want when they come into a jewelry store and what they don’t want.
Here are six myths about jewelry customers that might be holding some salespeople back from performing at their peak.
1. Customers often come into stores just to browse.
When customers enter your store, they are not there to kick tires. They are signaling they have an unfulfilled need that should be satisfied.
I’m not a fan of the oft-used expression, “They have a problem that needs to be solved,” but there’s definitely a need.
That need may be conscious and easily articulated. It may be conscious, but not so easily communicated.
It might even be unconscious, meaning the customer has a low awareness of what their real motivation is.
But make no mistake, there is a need, and it should be uncovered by a curious sales professional asking relevant and open-ended questions in an empathic and caring manner.
2. Customers will let you know when they are ready to buy.
Nobody wants to be “sold” but customers want to be inspired to make a purchase, and it is a fundamental obligation for a salesperson to trigger that impulse.
Believing the customer always will spell it out for you is naïve.
Top salespeople know a satisfied customer is one who is leaving the store with a new piece of jewelry in hand and a skip in their step.
3. Customers don’t want to be pestered by salespeople.
On the contrary, your customer wants to have a relationship with you.
This is particularly true in a luxury retail environment, where there can be a good deal of anxiety and stress for customers when considering purchases.
Investing in customer outreach efforts is a gift to customers and makes it a whole lot easier for them to think about your business when it comes time to mark important moments in their lives.
In order to do so, they need to understand what customers want when they come into a jewelry store and what they don’t want.
Here are six myths about jewelry customers that might be holding some salespeople back from performing at their peak.
1. Customers often come into stores just to browse.
When customers enter your store, they are not there to kick tires. They are signaling they have an unfulfilled need that should be satisfied.
I’m not a fan of the oft-used expression, “They have a problem that needs to be solved,” but there’s definitely a need.
That need may be conscious and easily articulated. It may be conscious, but not so easily communicated.
It might even be unconscious, meaning the customer has a low awareness of what their real motivation is.
But make no mistake, there is a need, and it should be uncovered by a curious sales professional asking relevant and open-ended questions in an empathic and caring manner.
2. Customers will let you know when they are ready to buy.
Nobody wants to be “sold” but customers want to be inspired to make a purchase, and it is a fundamental obligation for a salesperson to trigger that impulse.
Believing the customer always will spell it out for you is naïve.
Top salespeople know a satisfied customer is one who is leaving the store with a new piece of jewelry in hand and a skip in their step.
3. Customers don’t want to be pestered by salespeople.
On the contrary, your customer wants to have a relationship with you.
This is particularly true in a luxury retail environment, where there can be a good deal of anxiety and stress for customers when considering purchases.
Investing in customer outreach efforts is a gift to customers and makes it a whole lot easier for them to think about your business when it comes time to mark important moments in their lives.
“Product information in a luxury sales environment is like a condiment. It should be applied sparingly, lest it spoil the meal.” — Peter Smith
4. Customers crave your product expertise.
Customers mentally will check out when you make the interaction about you. Talking too much about everything you know is the quickest route to creating the brick-and-mortar equivalent of cart abandonment.
Product information in a luxury sales environment is like a condiment. It should be applied sparingly, lest it spoil the meal.
Your role is to engage the customer, not educate them.
5. Customers readily will share their budget.
Believing a customer will share their budget with you misses the point on two important levels.
First, it suggests they actually know what their budget is or should be, an assumption I would not recommend a salesperson make.
The customer may or may not know what their budget is at all, believing, as they should, that the salesperson is there to help inspire and influence their decision on what to spend.
The second consideration is that even when your customer does share their budget with you, it should never be taken as gospel. It is, more often than not, merely a reference point, not an end game.
If the customer volunteers their budget, know that you can work within a framework that ranges from half to double that number. Presenting those two extremes (high and low), plus an option in between, can be an effective strategy.
6. Customers always want the best price.
Your customer wants good value, not the best price.
More than that, they want to feel good about themselves when they walk out the door, and that means the salesperson helped them make the best selection, not the cheapest option.
Long after they have forgotten the price, your customer will remember how they felt about the choice they made.
Happy selling!
More on Columnists
The Latest
EditorsNov 07, 2025
Piece of the Week: An MVP’s Sapphire Tennis Necklace At the 2025 World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto sported a custom necklace made by California retailer Happy Jewelers.
IndependentsNov 07, 2025
Foundrae’s New Palm Beach Location Is a ‘Golden Solarium’The brand’s seventh location combines Foundrae’s symbolic vocabulary with motifs from Florida’s natural surroundings.
FinancialsNov 07, 2025
Watches of Switzerland’s H1 Sales Up 8%The retailer also shared an update on the impact of tariffs on watch customers.
Brought to you by
Jewelers of America Aligns New Mission to Create Meaningful Impact for MembersFrom educational programs, advocacy, and recent MJSA affiliation, Jewelers of America drives progress that elevates businesses of all sizes.
SourcingNov 06, 2025
Pink Tourmaline Bracelet, Emerald Suite Take Top Spectrum Honors Pink and purple stones were popular in the AGTA’s design competition this year, as were cameos and ocean themes.
Weekly QuizNov 06, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
IndependentsNov 06, 2025
Greenwich St. Jewelers Hosts Raffle Supporting Food RescueAll proceeds from the G. St x Jewel Boxing raffle will go to City Harvest, which works to end hunger in New York City.
IndependentsNov 06, 2025
Cornell’s Jewelers Names New PresidentCourtney Cornell is part of the third generation to lead the Rochester, New York-based jeweler.
SourcingNov 06, 2025
De Beers’ Production, Sales Increase in Q3 De Beers also announced more changes in its upper ranks ahead of parent company Anglo American’s pending sale of the company.
WatchesNov 05, 2025
Shinola President Steps Down Just as He Starts Former Signet CEO Mark Light will remain president of Shinola until a replacement for Ulrich Wohn is found.
AuctionsNov 05, 2025
Taylor Swift’s Engagement Ring Designer Makes Her Auction DebutKindred Lubeck of Artifex has three rings she designed with Anup Jogani in Sotheby’s upcoming Gem Drop sale.
FinancialsNov 05, 2025
Pandora Posts Modest Q3 Sales Growth Amid ‘Weak’ Consumer Sentiment The company focused on marketing in the third quarter and introduced two new charm collections, “Pandora Talisman” and “Pandora Minis.”
FinancialsNov 05, 2025
Brilliant Earth’s Q3 Sales Climb 10%The jewelry retailer raised its full-year guidance, with CFO Jeff Kuo describing the company as “very well positioned” for the holidays.
Policies & IssuesNov 04, 2025
Supreme Court to Hear Tariffs Case WednesdayAhead of the hearing, two industry organizations co-signed an amicus brief urging the court to declare Trump’s tariffs unlawful.
MajorsNov 04, 2025
Danny Clark to Become Stuller CEO, Succeeding Matt StullerStuller COO Belit Myers will take on the additional role of president, with all changes effective at the start of 2026.
TrendsNov 04, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Fall Colors for November BirthdaysCitrine and topaz are birthstones fit for fall as the leaves change color and the holiday season approaches.
IndependentsNov 04, 2025
Weston Jewelers Heads to Fort LauderdaleThe family-owned jeweler will open its fourth store in Florida in late 2027.
CrimeNov 03, 2025
Men Dressed as Construction Workers Burglarize Jeweler’s Home The NYPD is looking for three men who stole a safe and jewelry valued at $3.2 million from the home of a jeweler in Jamaica Hills, Queens.
MajorsNov 03, 2025
Matthew Rosenheim Takes Over as JA Board ChairThe trade organization also announced its executive committee and five new directors.
CollectionsNov 03, 2025
Muse’s ‘Have a Heart’ Collab Returns, Now With DDGThe “Have a Heart x Diamonds Do Good” collection is championed by model and humanitarian Flaviana Matata and will benefit her foundation.
AuctionsNov 03, 2025
Kashmir Sapphire Ring Tops Christie's Online AuctionThe ring, set with a nearly 17-carat Kashmir cabochon sapphire, sold for $1 million.
TrendsOct 31, 2025
Piece of the Week: A Spinner Fit for ‘Frankenstein’This “Mother Father” spinner necklace from Heavenly Vices Fine Jewelry draws inspiration from Victorian Era jewelry.
CrimeOct 31, 2025
5 More Arrested in Louvre Heist, Jewelry Still Missing The suspects were rounded up in Paris and its suburbs on Wednesday night, but none of the stolen jewels were recovered with them.
Recorded WebinarsOct 31, 2025
Watch: How to Master Google Reviews for Your BusinessExperts share top tips on how to encourage positive reviews and handle negative feedback.
Supplier BulletinOct 30, 2025
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessSponsored by the Gemological Institute of America
CrimeOct 30, 2025
29-Year-Old Man Charged in Multiple Seattle-Area Smash and Grabs The suspect faces charges in the August robbery of Menashe & Sons Jewelers and is accused of committing smash and grabs at two pawn shops.
Lab-GrownOct 30, 2025
Alison Lou’s New Collection Uses Lab-Grown Diamonds and ResinThe “Lumière Fine” collection was born from designer Alison Chemla’s interest in the transformative power of light.
