Have your local jewelers heard of Pricescope?

[kenny]

Ughhhh how depressing!

I wonder how much the sales structure at brick and mortar jewelry stores factors into this. I honestly don’t know how PS vendors structure things, but I think most B&M jewelers are on a commission structure (at least judging by how sales associates at some stores sprint to greet you at the door). It seems that commissions might incentivize making a sale NOW as opposed to selling the best product even if it takes a bit longer to find.

Vendors likely vary.

 

[WinkHPD]

Vendors likely vary.

Absolutely!

I know many B&M jewelers across the country and often break bread with them when I am able to go to the JCK show or a Polygon conclave. Hmmm, seems like a long time since I have actually made the time to go one of those, must fix that one of these years...

My Polygon friends all seem to know about PS. I even attended workshops given at a Polygon Conclave on how to compete with PS. I wanted to know what the B&M stores were doing so I could develop a strategy to beat them with the strategies that they were developing to keep me from making the sale. (Seeing a trend here?)

I can tell you many of the B&M jewelers I know are wonderful people who provide great service and sell great products at a fair price, even though it is more than what you would pay on PS. Their expenses are very high on a per square foot basis, and there is a price to be paid for the convenience of walking into a store with great inventory and well trained staff.

I can also tell you that there are some who cling to the past and want the Internet genie put back into the bottle so they can make a big profit without having to earn it. Fortunately, I find these people to be far less in numbers than the good jewelers.

Still, I believe that the number of jewelers, good and bad, going out of business will continue to rise. It is just too hard to capture new clients, especially among the Internet savvy youths coming into the market as they start to think about getting married.

I also believe that some of the few that survive, will indeed know of PS and will have developed strong ways to compete with PS that do not include bad mouthing the service and education that is offered here.

I sincerely wish them well, and will continue to respect them for who they are and what they are doing, while doing my very best to out educate them and taking away every possible sale that I can.

Wink

 

[AprilBaby]

Yes, and I have seen John Pollard there. I don’t think they believe in the HCA as when we talk about cut they try to sell me inferior diamonds. Once I wanted an ideal cut and they told me D color and VVs quality was much more important. I lost a side stone on my 3 stone ering and replaced both with WF ACA stones. The jeweler gave me a new appraisal for insurance and lowered the value because he said the new stones were not as good as the previous “good” cut stones. I went from H to I color and that trumped cut.

 

[Smith3]

Nope and no one IRL either, I’m in the Midwest. I often wonder if there is other jewelry forums I jut haven’t discovered

 

[Dancing Fire]

Nope, We are a secret society.....

 

[KristinTech]

Try this link for the article—I just went back and tried through the thread I posted and I couldn’t access it that way either—that link must be broken.

A jewelers guide for how to get along with Pricescope.

Pricescope represents an amazing opportunity for jewelers who are willing to take the plunge but it’s a difficult step to take. Quite a few industry pros have asked for advice […]

www.pricescope.com

Amazing that your local jeweler is so awesome. I am laughing about that giveaway. WOW. It is definitely nice to have a bench you trust locally!

I’m sure you’re right that some PSers can be difficult. I remember one thread not too long ago where a CS vendor said he would no longer sell to PSers. But PSers can also be fantastic people who can write glowing reviews that can be an enormous source of business. It seems like a no-brainer to me. If I were in the trade I would prefer an educated consumer.

I didn’t realize Neil was so funny! He needs to write a 2020 version. I wonder what would be different, if anything?

 

[yssie]

PS is both wonderful and dangerous.

PS is an incredible resource. Starting the site was a bold, anachronistic, and unpopular decision - and thousands of people have benefitted. I've met so many amazing people through this forum!!

One downside - there is a lot of misinformation here that's perpetuated by the combination of online (hands-off) medium and lack of formalized education. PS zeitgeist originally demanded simplifications to make up for the inability to see stones in-person, and over time, as those simplifications were propagated without context, they became oversimplifications. Worse, at some point those oversimplifications became more important than in-person inspection and personal education.

We occasionally see new posters denigrating local jewellers for having never heard of HCA. We occasionally see statements like "platinum is stronger than gold" - without any pause to consider what precisely is being produced... We occasionally see vendors highly recommended on PS make mind-boggling manufacturing decisions. The best tools, the tools that matter most, are the eyes, and the most valuable opinion is one that is both educated and tested by personal experience. The medium that PS exists on has made it possible to share vast amounts of "book learning" without corresponding "real world hands-on", and we've certainly seen how this disparity can lead to inconsistencies and frustration...

In my opinion every single person who takes an advisory role on PS has a personal obligation to go find ways to put their "learning" to the test in-person before giving others recommendations. PSers should be careful to put real world first, and in my opinion should be able to make real-world recommendations outside the manufactured ecosystems that tools like HCA, IS, ASET, checklists, James Allen's fantastic photography, etc. create.

None of the local shops I've worked with have heard of PS. I don't consider this a bad thing - for me, PS has been an incredible window into what's possible, if I can find it! That's where PS is invaluable, I think - sharing what can be. As long as a local place treats me well, their designer(s) make time to understand my tastes and preferences, and they have a good bench - I'm happy

 

[KristinTech]

Now I want Neil to write a blog post to PS regulars and lurkers.

 

[Matata]

It is just too hard to capture new clients, especially among the Internet savvy youths coming into the market as they start to think about getting married.

This is off topic but what are your thoughts about whether or not these internet savvy youths are interested in traditional diamond jewelry rituals and if not, where are their tastes trending. My millennial stepson, his wife, and their peer group all chose colored stones and bands from meteorite or other less common materials.

 

[WinkHPD]

This is off topic but what are your thoughts about whether or not these internet savvy youths are interested in traditional diamond jewelry rituals and if not, where are their tastes trending. My millennial stepson, his wife, and their peer group all chose colored stones and bands from meteorite or other less common materials.

To go back to Kenny's comment:

Vendors likely vary.

I would answer your question with this comment, Clients likely vary.

 

[bright&shiny]

@yssie, well said. I’ve used the info here to purchase from PS vendors who could allow me the opportunity to compare, IRL, stones with various attributes. Those have been invaluable leaning experiences that led to happy purchases.. But they aren’t local (closest is a ferry ride and 6 hours away)

Locally, and while traveling, I’ve also been able to use that real life knowledge and the tremendous learning opportunities here to inform my local, non PS B&Ms purchases. My eternity ring, while not full of ideal cut diamonds, performs like a son of a gun - and I know why. I chose it among many because I am able to discern the difference with my eyes and know the technical considerations because of what I learned here on PS. I’m so grateful we found it and this great community!

For me, Jewelry selection is a matter of the heart & mind.

 

[Girlfriday17]

I asked and they recently changed from having a store in the local mall (family run business) and are doing private consultations and matching online prices so I thought maybe someone would be on here. They have as late been upping their social media presence but I don’t think They have joined. I checked their IG account and they don’t even follow many other jewelry related places.

 

[fiona00004]

I have yet to meet anyone in the trade who knows about PS. I think those of us PS members have maybe a bit of obsession? (Well, I admit so myself). Whenever I ramble on about jewelry education, I lose the person that I am talking to (whether it's family, friends, jewelers etc)....

Unfortunately I rely on my local jeweler for minor adjustments, setting stones, repairs. But for custom, I don't yet trust him... He has asked me though...lol

 

[Polabowla]

I feel like it's similar to doctors who don't like their patients bringing in any knowledge & just want to be know it alls