ColumnistsApr 30, 2026
Peter Smith: A Sleazy Salesman and the Case for Regret Avoidance Smith uses a comment he overheard in the grocery store to remind retailers that their job is to inspire buying behavior, not just sell.
IndependentsSep 11, 2017
Squirrel Spotting: Let Your Product Breathe
Peter Smith recently went on a trip with his 16-year-old son. Here’s what it taught him about how young people shop.
A display case inside Alexander Fine Jewelers in Fort Gratiot, Michigan is an example of what Peter Smith talks about in his latest column: the importance of letting jewelry “breathe” instead of overwhelming the showcases--and the customers--with product.
I took one of my sons to Las Vegas for a few days in July. Why, you might ask, would anyone take a 16-year-old boy to Vegas at all, especially at a time of year when the weather averages about 114 degrees a day?
So off we went; Killian, excited about seeing Vegas for the first time--unless, that is, you count the movie “The Hangover”--and me, wondering what I was thinking going back to Vegas just one month after JCK.
We went to see a different show each night, including the highly recommended, and free, lighting and sound demonstration at the LOVE Theatre at The Mirage.
We took the tour of the Zappos headquarters and visited the site of the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop from the TV show “Pawn Stars.” All of this, while marveling at what it’s like to experience 114 degree temperatures.
We also ate at restaurants my son had never previously experienced (he loved Giordano’s deep-dish pizza!) and, of course, we shopped. We went to Caesars and the Venetian shops, Fashion Show Mall and the outlet stores. And, as we did so, I couldn’t help but conduct my own informal observation about the shopping habits and likes/dislikes of a 16-year-old boy.
“Removing SKUs and creating negative space will result in a more compelling and interesting visual, and make it much easier for your customers to engage.”In watching Killian, one of my own instincts about how younger people shop was borne out completely. I noticed, time and again, that he was much more interested in stores where less was more. Whether it was shoes, clothes or even the couple of jewelry stores we visited, he seemed much more likely to take a few moments to look at products when they were displayed with some “breathing room” rather than cases, racks and shelves stacked with stuff.
His attitude and body language seemed
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
to recoil at the prospect of having to work too hard to engage with products that were not tastefully displayed or easily understood.
When I asked him about what kinds of stores he preferred, he described, without really knowing what they were called, shop-in-shops. He was drawn to ease of experience and visual stimulants, not to quantity and generics.
There are two factors in play when we merchandise stores.
The first is the paradox of choice; the idea that while we crave options, the more we must choose from, the greater the likelihood that we won’t make any choice at all. To that end, the more products you have in your cases, the less the customer sees and the more difficult it is to make a buying decision.
The second factor is that we tend to make buying choices driven more by emotions than logic.
B. Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore wrote in “The Experience Economy” that: “The sensory stimulants that accompany an experience should support and enhance its theme. The more effectively an experience engages the senses, the more memorable it will be.” Jamming cases with “me-too” products just doesn’t get it done.
Even if you are overstocked, suppress the temptation to display everything you own in your cases.
Removing SKUs and creating negative space will result in a more compelling and interesting visual, and make it much easier for your customers to engage.
And, speaking of compelling visuals, if you haven’t already done so, when you next find yourself in Las Vegas, check out Cirque du Soleil’s LOVE.
Peter Smith is president of Vibhor, a public speaker and author of “Sell Something” and “Hiring Squirrels.” He spent 30 years building sales teams in retail and wholesale and he can be contacted at dublinsmith@yahoo.com, peter@vibhorgems.com, or on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter.
When I asked him about what kinds of stores he preferred, he described, without really knowing what they were called, shop-in-shops. He was drawn to ease of experience and visual stimulants, not to quantity and generics.
There are two factors in play when we merchandise stores.
The first is the paradox of choice; the idea that while we crave options, the more we must choose from, the greater the likelihood that we won’t make any choice at all. To that end, the more products you have in your cases, the less the customer sees and the more difficult it is to make a buying decision.
The second factor is that we tend to make buying choices driven more by emotions than logic.
B. Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore wrote in “The Experience Economy” that: “The sensory stimulants that accompany an experience should support and enhance its theme. The more effectively an experience engages the senses, the more memorable it will be.” Jamming cases with “me-too” products just doesn’t get it done.
Even if you are overstocked, suppress the temptation to display everything you own in your cases.
Removing SKUs and creating negative space will result in a more compelling and interesting visual, and make it much easier for your customers to engage.
And, speaking of compelling visuals, if you haven’t already done so, when you next find yourself in Las Vegas, check out Cirque du Soleil’s LOVE.
Peter Smith is president of Vibhor, a public speaker and author of “Sell Something” and “Hiring Squirrels.” He spent 30 years building sales teams in retail and wholesale and he can be contacted at dublinsmith@yahoo.com, peter@vibhorgems.com, or on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter.
More on Independents
The Latest
MajorsApr 30, 2026
Claire’s New Summer Campaign Is a Sensory Wonderland for Gen Alpha“A Girl SMR at Claire’s” celebrates girlhood through the five senses with stacked jewelry, slime toys, scented accessories, and ASMR.
AuctionsApr 30, 2026
Vintage Cartier Watch Crashes Through Records, Selling for $2MBelieved to be one of three made in 1987, the Cartier London Crash was hot at the “Shapes of Cartier” sale at Sotheby’s Hong Kong.
Brought to you by
Discover Timeless Treasures: A Showcase of Antique Jewelry & Timepieces in Las VegasGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
CrimeApr 30, 2026
Masked Group Uses Hammers, Pepper Spray in Texas Jewelry Store RobberyOfficials are looking for a group that robbed Marc Robinson Jewelers at an outlet mall in Round Rock, Texas, in broad daylight on April 21.
Weekly QuizApr 30, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Supplier BulletinApr 30, 2026
OROAREZZO 2026: The B2B Event for Italian Excellence in Goldsmith, Jewelry and Silver ManufacturingSponsored by OROAREZZO International Jewelry Exhibition
MajorsApr 29, 2026
The Thought Process Behind the Mother's Day Email Opt-OutSome retailers are taking a nuanced approach to marketing what can be a difficult holiday for many.
Brought to you by
Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show: Showcasing the Most Collectible Merchandise from Across the GlobeGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
SourcingApr 29, 2026
De Beers’ Production Rises, Market Remains ‘Challenged’De Beers’ diamond production was up 17 percent in Q1, boosted by increased output at its mines in South Africa and Canada.
AuctionsApr 29, 2026
This'll Be the Day You Own John Wayne's RingA signet ring belonging to the Western film star of Hollywood’s Golden Age will be up for auction at Elmwood’s next month.
Policies & IssuesApr 28, 2026
Tariff Refunds: How to File, What to Expect Importers can submit claims now to receive money back for the IEEPA tariffs they’ve paid, with refunds expected to take up to 90 days.
SourcingApr 28, 2026
Doug Hucker Retires From ICAThe colored gemstone industry leader is heading into retirement after four years as the association’s CEO.
SourcingApr 28, 2026
NDC Hires Tapestry Exec to Head Global Marketing Susie Dewey joins the Natural Diamond Council as its new chief marketing officer.
AuctionsApr 27, 2026
12 Years Later, the ‘Ocean Dream’ Diamond Resurfaces at Christie’sThe largest known fancy vivid blue-green diamond could fetch more than $12 million at its second auction appearance.
ColumnistsApr 27, 2026
Stop Treating Mother’s Day Like an AfterthoughtEmmanuel Raheb says jewelers need to start marketing early and make it easy for customers to pick a gift for mom.
IndependentsApr 27, 2026
Longnecker Jewelry Celebrates 30 YearsIn honor of the milestone, the Nebraska jeweler has debuted Leslie & Co., its new in-house jewelry brand.
MajorsApr 27, 2026
JBT Re-Elects Jeff Corey as Board ChairThe trade organization, which held its annual elections earlier this year, also added five new board members.
SurveysApr 24, 2026
Mother’s Day 2026 Jewelry Spending to Top $7B, NRF SaysNRF’s annual survey found that 45 percent of consumers plan to purchase jewelry for a loved one this Mother’s Day.
TechnologyApr 24, 2026
TwentyFour’s Digital-Age Locket Is a Virtual VaultThe “Vault” charm, our Piece of the Week, expands on the memories that can be stored in a locket by connecting to your phone.
Events & AwardsApr 24, 2026
Hamptons Jewelry Show to Return in JulyThe open-to-the-public luxury jewelry and timepiece show, in its second year, is slated for July 23-26.
IndependentsApr 23, 2026
Meet the Real Moms of Day’s JewelersThe jeweler’s Mother’s Day campaign highlights the women who work there—mothers, grandmothers, women who want to be mothers, and dog moms.
Supplier BulletinApr 23, 2026
JM® Shipping Solution: Smarter Shipping for High-Value GoodsSponsored by Jewelers Mutual
Lab-GrownApr 23, 2026
Charles & Colvard May Sell Assets for $1.5MThe proposed agreement follows the moissanite maker’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing last month.
AuctionsApr 23, 2026
John Jacob Astor IV’s Titanic Pocket Watch Fetches $1MThe Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co. timepiece Astor brought aboard the ill-fated ship sold for double its estimate at a Freeman’s auction.
CollectionsApr 23, 2026
Adam Neeley’s High Jewelry Collection Steps Into Salvador Dalí’s GardenThe “Dalí’s Garden” collection was inspired by a surreal dream Neeley had after cooking a recipe from Salvador Dalí’s 1973 cookbook.
IndependentsApr 23, 2026
Windsor Jewelers Names New Buying DirectorNatalie Feanny has been appointed to the role.
CrimeApr 22, 2026
New Mexico Couple Pleads Guilty to Selling Fake Native American JewelryThe pair falsely claimed their jewelry was made by Navajo artists, but it was imported from Vietnam.
