Sales Strategy
Jimmy DeGroot: Enjoy the Moment, Why Jewelers Should Stay Positive Through December December 04, 2025 (0 comments)
Appleton, WI--If you’re anything like most jewelers we work with, this December feels…different. Not doom-and-gloom different, just “Where did the middle go?” different. Kyle and I have been digging into our clients’ numbers nationwide, and there’s a very clear shift happening: those comfortable midline sales — that $500 to $1,500 sweet spot — have been shrinking. Fewer transactions are coming from the middle, and inflation plus high gold pricing makes those products harder to stock anyway.
But before you hit the panic button — don’t.
Data tells a story, and right now the story simply says: things have changed, not collapsed. If you’re looking month-to-month, hold off on the meltdown. We don’t worry until a trend lasts three months, and what we’re seeing doesn’t point to a disastrous future — just a shifting one.
So what should retail jewelers do in December?
Don’t make reactionary decisions.
If you didn’t prep for Q4 already, the ship has sailed — and that’s okay. December isn’t for re-merchandising, restructuring, or reinventing anything overnight.
If you’re a leader — plan for 2026.
Yes, you read that right. Work ahead. Set sales targets smartly based on what the numbers are already telling you.
If you’re on the sales floor — be fully present.
This is a season of emotions, good and bad. Some guests are celebrating life; others are grieving or stressed. We meet them where they are — with empathy and joy.
Push into bigger ticket items.
Double your average retail — and show those pieces boldly. If they’re in the safe, they’re not selling. Curate a “center-stage” display with WOW factor. Your best items deserve your best spotlight.
Create a bright memory for your team.
A chair massage, sushi lunch, surprise caroling telegram — something fun. Happy salespeople make magic happen.
Most importantly:
Support your people.
Let them sell while you wrap, clean, greet, fetch, and fuel their fire. Like Danny Meyer teaches in Setting the Table, take care of your people first — then the customers, the profits, and your investors will be just fine.
This holiday season, let’s not let negativity narrate the story. We get to work indoors, help people celebrate love, and deliver joy wrapped in a box. Lean into that.
Enjoy the season. Enjoy your people. Enjoy the privilege.
Happy holidays, my friends!
James (Jimmy) DeGroot is a professional jewelry sales and operations trainer from the jeweler’s side of the counter. Having been in management and the jewelry business for over 20 years, Jimmy offers weekly training to jewelers nationwide via the Train Retail website. Jimmy and his partner Kyle Bullock help jewelry stores grow their profits and their people to fulfill their greater purpose! We do it through one-on-one business coaching, sales training, and leadership development. Contact Jimmy at jimmy@trainretail.com or call 920-492-1191.