Articles and News
Brand and Industry News: New Vahan Website; Christopher Designs’ Training; Wright’s Jewelers Closing December 18, 2019 (0 comments)
Vahan Re-Launches Website With Retailer E-Commerce Partnership Capability
New York, NY—As part of its milestone 50thanniversary celebration year, VAHAN Jewelry has re-launched its website with a brand-new look and functionality, including an e-commerce capability designed to partner with the brand’s existing retailer accounts.
The new homepage greets people with a featurette that introduces the consumer to the VAHAN brand and what it stands for, including interviews from the family who created it. The site also offers a digital look book, new collections, 360°rotating product shots, and details about what makes VAHAN jewelry different and so desirable.
The most significant new feature of the website is the e-commerce shopping cart, which offers a variety of new features centered around VAHAN’s retail partners. Included are in-store pickup incentives and generous revenue-sharing on purchases. For more information, visit www.vahanjewelry.com.
Wright's Jewelers Closing; Owners Set To Retire
Lincoln, NE--Wright’s Jewelers, founded by husband-and-wife team Tom and Mary Wright in 1979, is closing its doors at the end of the year. Mary and Tom both worked for another jeweler at the time, but after several years of planning and exploring different business ideas, Wright’s Jewelers finally came to fruition.
The original Wright's store was located in downtown Lincoln for 28 years. In 2007, responding to changes in the Lincoln shopping market, the Wrights moved the store to its current suburban location at Pioneer Woods Centre.
Christopher Designs Launches Interactive Online Sales Training Program
New York, NY--Christopher Designs announces the launch of an interactive online sales training program for retail associates. The goal of the program, two years in the making, is to provide an educational, entertaining, and interactive learning experience that ultimately assists sales professionals close the deal and augment both personal performance goals and store sales.
Christopher Designs tapped not one, but two of the industry’s top experts, Kate Peterson and Pat Henneberry to develop the training program using the newest educational/retention methods, while catering to individualized learning preferences. The program combines easy tips and tools to incorporate into everyday customer interactions with compelling visuals, videos, and fun interactive quizzes to maximize a participant’s engagement and retention of information. One of the most touted aspects of the new platform is that it allows participants to work at their own pace, starting and stopping to accommodate their busy schedules. It also allows participants to review and revisit information at their own convenience.
“We’ve had this program in the works for quite a while after hearing many requests for improved brand education. We feel very lucky to have partnered with Kate and Pat on this project, two of the most prominent industry sales training authorities,” says Christopher Slowinski, president and CEO.
Peterson adds, “Our primary goal with Christopher Designs is to provide a memorable learning experience that energizes the retail sales associate into greater sales performance. We’ve built special training modules specifically for Christopher Designs’ retail partners, including progress reviews and a comprehensive knowledge assessment to keep you on track. Our experience has shown that sales professionals who take advantage of our trainings, have increased brand knowledge and confidence in their product, which results in selling 20-30% more than those who did not.”
The training not only covers the story of Christopher Designs, but it also gives sales associates new and modern insights into today’s bridal consumer. It explains how Christopher Designs and the L’Amour Crisscut answers all consumer desires in the engagement ring purchase process. Additionally, it provides sales associates logical and easily actionable ways to assess customer response and close a successful sale.
“We’re very excited about our new online sales training program and have already received great feedback. The new platform provides our retailers with easy-to-learn tools, step-by-step examples and the key messages they need to enhance their ability to speak to the benefits of the Christopher Designs proprietary cuts. Once the training is complete, sales professionals will be ready to maximize sales and know how to create a loyal and returning customer,” says Slowinski.
Kate Peterson is president/CEO of Performance Concepts. She has designed and executed training courses for some of the biggest names in jewelry, including Diamond Council of America courses and Diamond Producers Association's “Behind the Brilliance of Diamonds.” Pat Henneberry is an industry training professional and president of the Jewelry Coach. She also has implemented proven sales training programs for many national luxury jewelry brands.
The training will launch in January 2020 and will be accessible on the Christopher Designs Rewards Program site for all retail partners. As an added incentive, for 60 days after training completion and a passing grade, the brand will double the eligible commission on all Christopher Designs sales made during that time period. To access the training, please visit: https://cdrp.christopherdesigns.com/
Jewelry Industry Summit West Coast Responsible Sourcing Event Set For March
New York, NY—The Jewelry Industry Summit will again host a responsible sourcing event in Los Angeles, CA on March 27, 2020. This event promises to be an opportunity to connect, collaborate, learn, and effect positive change and support sustainability in the jewelry supply chain.
The one-day interactive conference features programming from the jewelry industry’s leading experts, combined with shared learning and interactive discourse. Attendees will gain a better understanding of pressing ethical and sustainability issues and learn the practical strategies and actions that can be implemented now to improve their impacts. Sessions will include a review of sustainability claims made by mined diamond and lab grown diamond companies, the circular economy in jewelry, and regulatory trends.
“We are thrilled that the following organizations have agreed to speak at the event: DeBeers Group, Gemological Institute of America (GIA), and Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC),” says Rebecca Shukan, a board member of the Jewelry Industry Summit. Additional participants, event details, ticket information, and sponsorship opportunities will be available before January 2020.
All in the trade are invited to attend and share their perspectives, experiences and ideas to advance responsible sourcing goals for the jewelry industry. Further information and updates will be published on www.jewelryindustrysummit.com.
Formula One Heiress Reports Theft Of $66 Million in Jewelry
LONDON (AP) — London police are investigating the theft of a large cache of “high value jewelry,” the Associated Press reports. The jewels were reported stolen from the palatial home of heiress Tamara Ecclestone, the daughter of former Formula 1 chief Bernie Ecclestone.
The Sunnewspaper said the stolen jewelry was worth about 50 million pounds ($66 million) and included precious rings, earrings, and a Cartier bangle Ecclestone received as a wedding present. London’s Metropolitan Police said officers went to the home on Friday evening after receiving reports of a burglary. No arrests had been made at press time.