Malia O'Brien

🔥 Hot Off the Press! 🔥 Dive into my latest column in TJC's Summer Issue! "9 Strategies to Elevate Your Customers' In-Store Experience." Running a successful jewelry retail business requires continuous innovation and strategic approaches to attract and retain customers. Here are effective ways to expand your business by enhancing your overall customer experience: 1. EMBRACE VIRTUAL SELLING: Explore virtual selling options by offering virtual appointments and creating sales videos. Even post-COVID, virtual selling remains a successful method to connect with customers. 2. PROVIDE FREE WATCH BATTERIES WITH A TWIST: Offer free watch battery replacements while customers wait. This low-cost service allows customers to explore other items in your store while their watch is being serviced. This simple gesture can lead to additional sales. 3. COLLABORATE WITH INFLUENCERS: Partner with social media influencers or local celebrities who align with your brand. Hosting influencer events generates free content for your store and expands your reach to their followers. Influencers can help promote your products authentically and engagingly. 4. HOST EVENTS STRATEGICALLY: Hosting events can contribute up to 10% of your annual sales. Collaborate with local businesses, offer targeted marketing based on past purchases, and invite vendors to showcase their full lines or pieces created exclusively for your store. 5. DEVELOP A LOYALTY PROGRAM: Implement a loyalty program to reward customers for their ongoing support. Exclusive discounts, early access to collections, and special perks create incentives for repeat purchases and build long-term customer relationships. 6. EXPAND INTO CUSTOM JEWELRY DESIGN: Differentiate your store by expanding into custom jewelry design. Find a supplier that offers unique customization options and set yourself apart in the market. 7. PARTNER WITH WEDDING AND EVENT PLANNERS: Establish partnerships with wedding and event planners to become their preferred jewelry provider. Offer promotional discounts for their clients, provide custom jewelry for special occasions, and collaborate with florists to display fresh flowers in your store. 8. COLLABORATE WITH LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHERS: Partner with local photographers to offer free or discounted engagement sessions. This collaboration not only attracts potential customers but also positions your store as the go-to destination for wedding-related jewelry. 9. ENHANCE THE IN-STORE EXPERIENCE: Focus on personalized service, knowledgeable staff, and aesthetically pleasing displays. A positive in-store experience encourages customer loyalty and word-of-mouth referrals. Stay innovative and adapt to your target audience’s evolving needs and preferences. Creating memorable experiences will contribute to building a strong and loyal customer base. Ready to take your jewelry retail business to the next level? Let's elevate your customer experience together! 🌟

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Read What's New on the Stuller Blog!✨ Top Jewelry Gifts for Father's Day 2024: To make shopping for Dad even easier, we asked a few of our merchandising experts to share their favorite piece for Father’s Day!

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Lotsa directors, LPs, Art Directors, Stylists keep hollering for meetups 🤙, but meetings are a straight-up time suck ⏳. Half the day gone, poof 💨. We'd rather grind and get more work 💪. And guess what, that work can come to you! 📈 Don't get it twisted though, not meeting doesn't mean we ain't checking your work 👀. We're always on the lookout for dope directors, our database is popping 📚. We've shot big-budget films and only met the director after winning the job 🎥💸. Now, you might be like, "But meetings help me vibe with the person I'm working with" 🤔. Here's the thing: we've gone into shoots knowing the director's a total asshole 😈. Why? 'Cause the agency loves 'em and we can make bank 💵. So, what do you do to stay on our radar? 📡 Keep sharing your work 📬. Call if you wanna chat 📞. And the time you save not meeting us, use it to hype yourself on social media 📲 or call a few Creative Directors who actually make the decisions. #directors #protip #filmproduction #adfilm #hustling #agencylife #creative #advertising #filmmaking #filmmaker #scriptwriting

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In this Expert Analysis #3E's Cassidy Spencer stitches together the details of the Fashion Environmental Accountability Act, a.k.a. the New York Fashion Act. What does the Met Gala have to do with supply chain best practices for sustainability? Read our blog to find out: #supplychain #nycfashion #NewYorkFashionAct

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💎 💍 COMING TOMORROW! In this week's episode of From the Corner Office, Mark Gordon speaks with Mark Loren, founder of Mark Loren Designs, as he shares how he has learned to ride the waves of setbacks — and success in his 40-year career in jewelry design. Catch up on the latest episodes before this one drops tomorrow at: https://lnkd.in/enkWWb4C #businesspodcast #entrepreneurship #jewelrybusiness

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“Most of my time today is spent on non-core issues not relating to the brand. I need to be able to fully focus my attention back on retailing and building the brand." Superdry founder and CEO Julian Dunkerton tells TheIndustry.fashion why he is taking the company private. And many others are following in delisting from the Stock Exchange. We take a look at this trend and examine the reasons why and whether it will lead to greater success for the companies concerned. #fashionnews #delisting #stockmarket #retailnews #retailing https://lnkd.in/emQzMYCM

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From sketching sneakers as a kid to revolutionizing footwear design, Omar Bailey is forging paths and breaking molds with FCTRY LAb. This founder is reshaping the industry from LA, championing diversity and creating opportunities for minority designers. Omar's ethos? Don't wait for permission—create your own opportunities. Check out this article by Essence to get an in-depth look into his world of design and how he’s transforming the future of footwear, one shoe at a time: https://lnkd.in/gYccRXWB 

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Longtime friends, David and Grant had often discussed trends in apparel. David, a prominent dentist, had been frustrated by the lack of options in the medical apparel industry. Despite advances in materials and fits, David still found premium options to be lacking true innovation. Premium materials, fashionable silhouettes, and lightweight protection were nonexistent. David was constantly tailoring and modifying existing brands to fit his needs, a pain-point shared by many of his colleagues. Grant, with his 30+ years of global apparel experience leading brands like Nike and Levi’s, saw the opportunity to treat medical professionals like elite athletes. By using superior materials, elevating performance, and using silhouettes borrowed from sportswear, they could cater to the specific needs of medical professionals. Together, Grant and David created Penna: premium, performance, stylish healthwear for the modern medical professional. After incubating the brand alongside industry professionals, Penna is here. - #Penna #Scrubs #Healthcare #Healthwear #Sustainable #Fashion

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DTC children’s clothing brand Hanna Andersson named former Apple executive Grace Wong as its new brand director, according to a company press release. The global children’s clothing industry has grown steadily and is projected to increase at an annual growth rate of 2.6% from 2024 to 2028, according to Statista. The US market is considered the largest in the world in terms of revenue, with estimates of 54 billion dollars by 2024. OptimaRetail.EU: Experts in worldwide #Retail #maintenance and #repairs - SMART FACILITY MANAGEMENT  #RetailInnovation #FutureTrends #OptimaRetail #facilityManagement #PreventiveMaintenance #ReactiveMaintenance #NewsOptimaRetail

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For those of us working in Sustainability in fashion it can feel lonely. When I worked at Theory 19 years ago, one of my responsibilities was to develop all the trims. I insisted that all metal trims be "nickel free" Nickel is a hard silvery-white metal that may cause irritation to the skin. Exposure can harm the lungs, stomach, and kidneys. Exposure to nickel may lead to cancer. Workers may be harmed from exposure to nickel.This was not popular because nickel finishes are super shiny and appeals to design sensibilities and cheaper. Luckily I had the authority to insist that we only use nickel free products. Eight years ago when I was heading up production at 3.1 Phillip Lim we were faced with the dilemma of a coating on a fabric that would make it waterproof but contained PFAS, versus a coating that would only be water repellent that did not contain PFAS. Again I insisted we should proceed to not use the waterproof coating despite sales would like it to be waterproof. PFAS is a forever chemical that has health effects on immunological, developmental or reproductive, hepatic, hormonal and carcinogenic – basically everything from asthma to testicular cancer. There is now the beginnings of a ban on them. Often there may not be regulations or awareness of the harm many of the materials or substances used in the production of clothing. Sustainability at a fashion company is not a department that drives revenue, your actions are often not popular like turning over rocks in the supply chain. But your work is important and vital. As I reflect on actions I made in the past this week, I am grateful that I insisted and that they had impact for both people and the environment.

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The topic of innovation is top of mind in the performance running shoe market – especially if you ask Nike, which has been widely criticized for having a lackluster product pipeline by analysts and the Street in recent months. But for Deckers chief executive officer Dave Powers, this isn’t an issue for its star running brand Hoka. Indeed, on the product front, Hoka is driving growth and consumer acquisition through innovative updates and new introductions across a diverse assortment of footwear. Footwear News Deckers Brands HOKA Nike Dave Powers #running #hoka #runningshoe #earnings #sneakers #nike #marathon

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Private label footwear is an interesting discussion. I was surprised to hear REI getting out of making their own footwear. It looked good and I think offered a well-branded, unique approach offering some good value and performance (Vibram outsoles, etc.). There seemed to be an authentic story and reason to exist. Often private label is synonymous with cheap. Footwear in particular can be hard to execute well when it's at a very competitive price point, often with a large SKU offering and has the realities of tooling costs and technical development. Most commonly private label footwear is pawned off to a trading company to stick a logo on "knock-off" designs with open tooling produced at a questionable quality and performance standard. But I think private labels can compete. My first experience in footwear was with Power Footwear, possibly the largest global private label - a "house brand" of Bata Group. It showed me it is possible to craft real performance with value in mind and we did so with design as a strength. Original tooling, original technology, original design. Decathlon is also doing it really well. Some of the latest KIPRUN products I think can go head to head with Nike, Adidas, etc. Amazing design and cutting edge performance and sponsored top athletes. They have turned in-house resources and brands into a showcase for products that bring consumers into the stores. The whole point of private label in the first place. What do you think? Can private label footwear exist in today's retail landscape where a brand is more than product and needs to be supported by marketing, social, and the full experience? Do consumers want private labels? Do they know/care they aren't "real" brands? --- I’m the owner of The Directive Collective footwear design consultancy. We make great footwear, not just great sketches. #design #footwear #footweardesign

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A small 1.3% rise in sales at US jewelers in April. The increase in revenue was fully spurred by a 2.5% increase in the average consumer expenditure per unit purchased. A few of the figures: Natural diamond jewelry sales rose 1%, Prices of LGD-set DERs declined, Loose LGD was 57% of loose diamond sales, but just 25% of revenue. Here is an issue: LG prices are down, but gross margins and unit sales are up. What does it impact gross profits? Our team took a look at that and have some findings. https://lnkd.in/d2i8fHUv

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"Effective photography oftentimes means capturing white space, especially in design." — VP of Brand Strategy, Kevin Balzer Kevin Balzer, Bekah Wilkinson, and Lauren Larocca from "Med Spa Marketing Group Chat" discuss some of their favorite photos from the Holden Timeless Beauty San Diego shoot in this week's episode. In this clip, the three emphasize the importance of white space in photography and how it plays a key role when it comes to design. Check out their full conversation here! 🎧 Apple: https://lnkd.in/d-zPUaiE 🎧 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/daeKnkE3

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