Sales Strategy
Jewelry Retail in 2026: What’s Changing and What Isn’t January 13, 2026 (0 comments)
Springville, UT--Jewelry demand remains strong, but customer behavior is shifting. Growth is no longer the challenge; adapting to how consumers research, decide, and purchase is. As the article notes, the category is resilient, but buying patterns are changing faster than store formats.
[Image via iStock.com/Panuwat Dangsungnoen]
According to an article by Jewel360, the global jewelry market reached $348 billion in 2025, with the U.S. market projected to approach $98 billion by 2030. Jewelry is also cited as the fastest-growing fashion category by unit sales and the top category for perceived long-term value, indicating demand remains healthy.
How Consumer Behavior Is Shifting
The article outlines several changes shaping jewelry retail in 2026. Shopping is increasingly experience-led, with customers expecting personalization, clear storytelling, and guided decision-making rather than transactional sales. Ethical sourcing and sustainability have become baseline expectations, with lab-grown diamonds, repairs, trade-ins, and resale options now standard parts of the offer.
Hybrid shopping is the norm, with customers moving between online research, in-store visits, social media discovery, and digital checkout. Gen Z buyers, the article notes, expect fast, mobile-first experiences, authentic brand communication, and designs suited to everyday wear. Retailers are also relying more on data to guide assortment, pricing, and inventory decisions, replacing intuition-driven buying.
Payment flexibility has become part of the sales experience, with digital wallets and buy-now-pay-later options influencing conversion. Social platforms now function as direct discovery and sales channels, particularly for younger consumers.
What Remains the Same
Despite these shifts, the article emphasizes that fundamentals have not changed. Trust, craftsmanship, and knowledgeable personal service continue to drive jewelry purchases. Technology is most effective when it supports human expertise rather than replaces it.
Read the article by Jewel360 here.