Hi Mongol,
Its funny you say this,..
I rarely come and visit retail stores and I don't know much about their pricing at all,.. however I supply several of them with diamonds and other precious stones. While I was christmas shopping few weeks ago, I stopped at my buddy's store waning him to join me for lunch. He needed a couple of minutes to make him self available and asked me to go and take a peek at his competitors store across the mall...
It was a chain "high end" store no name will need to be disclosed,... I know I had no chance to supply this chain so I have decided to play stupid,...
Clerk:..Hello Sir,..
How can I help you?
Me: Well,... I am just looking at some diamonds you have here on display,...
Clerk: For your self or your wife? ....
Me: Well,... I am just looking, for now, don't wish to buy realy,...
Clerk: Oh Sir, you should buy a diamond for your wife we are having a BIG promotion!! You can't misss it!! Diamonds will never be cheapper than today!!
Me: Oh??,,. well... ok so how much are they?? ,...
Clerk: Well sir, depending on quality and color! Here is a chart I need to show you, and explain you the properties and value of a diamond,... You can trust me I have been in this business for long time and never seen prices as low as today and we have some top quality still available!
Me: Well,... What is the highest quality diamond you have here??
Clerk: Well, I have one that's nearly Flawless!!
Me: Well,... ok and what color?
Clerk: "G",colorless!...
Me: Well,...OK,... Can I see it?
He pulls out an emerald cut diamond set in Platinum solitaire setting 1ct stone
of decent cut, uncerted,... I imedietely knew, the color is not "G" tough Emerald cuts are hard to colorgrade in the setting,... I have also spotted some inclusion with my trained eye , on the side of the stone 1/2 of it was covered with a prong!!...
Me: Well,... It's a nice stone,... What did you say the color and clarity Was?
Clerk: Sir, I told you its almost Flawlwess! and color "G" - Colorless!
Therefore Perfect gift for your Wife!! We have great interest free payment plan would you like to apply for it? Not a penny down 12 months interest free!!
Me: Well,... I think I can see an inclusion on the side!
Clerk: Sir, there is no way you can see the inclusion with your naked eye!
This stone is SI1!!!
The guy was looking at me, like I was going to set the store on fire!
Me: Geeeee,... SI1?? I thought you said it's Flawless!?
Glerk: Well,... Sir,.. this is the highest quality we have in this store and I was told It's so clean it's nearly flawless!,.. because the inclusion is so small it's soooo clean, the best we have at the store!There is no way you can see the inclusion Sir!! Unlees you use this 10X jewlers microscope!
He hands me 10X loupe and I was ready to blow up, but instead I told the guy not to be missleading buyers this way, since it does not say much about the reputation of the store he is working for,.. I used the loupe and told him what I thing the grade was, SI1 and I-J color,...
The guy turns bright RED and wants to call the manager!,... To help him out!
That second by buddy appears to pick me up at his competitors store!...
Him and the manager knows each other realy well, so here the introduction starts,..
Me: Hi my name is George,... I had the opportunity to chat with one of your sales people and I was very "Impressed"!!
Store manager: Well,...John is our TOP sales representative for the month of November! Ask him anything you wish to know about Diamond!! He is considered an expert in that field!!
My buddy is loughing,.. clerifying the whole situation,...
My Buddy: George and I are friends, and I forgat to mention that George is one of our suppliers of fine Diamonds and Sapphires,...
Manager: Ohhh so you are a member of trade??...
Me: Well,... Yes,.. I have allways wondered what retail is like a days and I also wonder how many Flawless diamonds has John sold last month, the way he sells is somewhat unusual for such high end store?!
Manager: Flawless diamonds?
Clerk: Well I said almost flawless! There is a difference!
Manager: George, please understand that John is our best salesman with a long experience in sales he works for us almost a year and the reason I hired him he moved in our area with great reputation in retail sales! Last year he was the top salesman in Pontiac dealership (no named)!
The manager talked proudly about his sales staff , and I can understand the difficulties theese stores are going thorough,... Good diamond people who are actually directly involved in sales, are hard to find....
I think this is the reason why Interenet sales are so helpfull, you will get all the information you need,... plus you will get to talk to experts who buy and sell all the time! Internet is the only way Diamond sales can be done with minimum proffit margins also so internet seems to be the way to go today!
George
GLE Gem Imports