v8 13th Oct with toc

A Guide to
Jewellery Retailing

By
Shivaram



Preface

Dear Businessman,

The past:

Once upon a time, life was simple and good. Gold values
were rising year on year and jewellers and consumers had a
great time. Profits were good. De-monetisation, GST were
icing on the cake! But that was long ago.

The successful businesses are the topics of newspapers
articles, business meets and even, gossip and rumour,
about - what makes them successful; who or what is behind
their success! More envy, than appreciation.

You and your business may be successful too. Your
business may not be in the limelight …so what!
Congratulations, on all that you have done to make it
successful. Nobody can it away from you.
But do remember that “What got you here won’t get you
there” really well said by Marshal Goldsmith.

The Present:
For some, they don’t want to get there. For them, life is
comfortable, too comfortable to want to make that effort.
They are happy staying where they are today. This book is
not for them!

The Future:

And, if you do you want to get there? More business, more
stores, more profits, even more success?
This book will give you many ideas, surely some challenges
and some confirmation of what you do.

This book is also aimed at some of you who are not
successful today, and want to make that extra effort to be
successful. You can check if you have tried to implement
some of these practices. Remember, if your business is not
successful in the next few years, it will be struggling to even
survive after that.

My vision:

Having worked with multiple businesses, and wanting to
help those who want to help themselves, I set out to write
this book.

It has always been my personal desire to help the 300,000+
small and medium jewellery retailers in India with a guide to
their business.

Rewards and Recognition of your efforts:

We look forward to your feedback, criticisms, suggestions
and improvement to make this book more beneficial to the
Small and Medium Jewellers.

Please leave your feedback on Facebook, Google or other
jewellers!

We have a Rewards and Recognition program for your
efforts.

If you want to help someone, gift them a copy of this book!
They will thank you for sure.

Wishing you all the best! We are just one phone call away.

Shivaram
+91 9036036524
[email protected]

About the author

# Shivaram, #Tanishq, #Jewellery, #Titan , #Watches,
#RetailGurukul, #Consultant, #Trainer, #250+ Clients,
#6000+ Trained.

When Shivaram joined, a then unknown and struggling
brand in 2002 called Tanishq, from the successful Titan
Watch business, his watch colleagues thought he was mad!

Ten years later, he had risen to the role of Head of Tanishq
Merchandising and resigned to set up a consulting
company, his jewellery colleagues thought he had gone
mad again! Why leave comfortable and successful jobs was
their belief.

He then set up Retail Gurukul in 2012. In just six years,
Shivaram and his team of trainers have worked with over
250+ businesses, trained over 6000+ staff all over India,
Dubai and Vietnam.

Clients include home based businesses, single struggling
stores, successful single stores, regional chains, national
chains, Government Skill Council, International Trade
Promotion Bodies, PE Funded businesses in jewellery.

Shivaram has always endeavoured to help businesses who
want to help themselves improve their businesses. As the
business owner, it is lonely at the top!

But, he has always travelled the road less travelled and
gone the extra mile. The extra mile is less crowded!

Acknowledgements

If you are a “reader”, chances are you would want to write a
“book” some-day.

If you are a Consultant, chances are you believe you need
to write a “book”.

Like a book publishing house advertisement says, everyone
has a book in them. Everyone wants to share their
experiences and knowledge with the world at large. But,
finally getting the book out is all out a “just do it” challenge.

In this busy world of FB posts, WhatsApp messages,
Emails, and an occasional face to face meeting with your
clients, writing a book, is no longer a one man toiling away
into the night, but more of a team effort! This too is a team
effort of many decades.

At the outset, this journey of mine from Employee to
Consultant/ Trainer and Entrepreneur, is made possible by
my family – Anantharam, my father; Kausalya, my mother;
Viji, my wife and Apoorva, my daughter and our extended
family as well.

Thanks to every one in my professional life. Customers,
Employers –Titan, Tanishq, my bosses, my colleagues, of-
course my 250 +clients, staff at retail stores. My own

colleagues Rahul , Chandan and all our trainers, who are
part of the RetailGurukul Family.

A special thanks to all my well-wishers for their
encouragement in my journey. An even more special one to
Dr.Eli Goldratt (The Goal, Isn’t it obvious) for helping me in
taking that leap of faith first into Theory of Constraints and
then into entrepreneurship.

This book has seen the light of the day, due to two special
people, my friend Digital Srinath who goaded me to write
the book and Writer Uma who provided the content to my
many ideas.

I have learnt so much from each of you.

Thank you all.

Shivaram

PS: If the idea of writing your book, excites you, happy to
help you.

Table of Contents

1. How to position your store in the Jewellery Market ........1
2. The new 4 C’s of Jewellery Retailing..............................5

3. Ways to have an eye-catching Jewellery Store Signage
.....................................................................................14

4. How to design a Jewellery Outlet with inviting interiors 24

5. Points to improve Parking in a Jewellery Showroom ....29

6. Ways to increase foot traffic to a Jewellery Showroom.34

7. Ways to improve your Jewellery Window Display. .......42

8. Window shopping to worthwhile shopping - how to
achieve this paradigm shift? .........................................53

9. Ways to optimize pricing in a Jewellery Showroom. .....57

10. How are seasonal discounts decisive factors in
increasing Jewellery sales............................................62

11. How Saving Schemes really work for Jewellery Retail .70

12. How to get repeat sales for your best-selling jewellery.74

13. Keeping operational costs in check in a Jewellery
Showroom - some tips..................................................77

14. How to attract customers to your Jewellery Showroom 81

15. How to retain customers at a jewellery showroom .......85

16. Ways to welcome customers to the Jewellery Showroom
.....................................................................................92

17. Tips for training sales staff for Jewellery Retail............ 97

18. Why is OOH advertising an absolute must for Jewellery
Retail ......................................................................... 102

19. Making the most of Festivals for Jewellery Retailing . 107

20. How to promote jewellery gifting to get better returns?
.................................................................................. 118

21. How to ensure that the customer visits your jewellery
showroom again? ...................................................... 122

22. Inventory Management tips for Jewellery Retailers ... 125

23. Best Inventory practices for Jewellers ....................... 132
24. The Do’s and Don'ts of Customer Service for Jewellery

Retailing..................................................................... 136
25. It’s all about execution! .............................................. 140

26. New Idea / Topic / Issue! ........................................... 141

How to position your store in the Jewellery Market

Chapter - 1
How to position your store in the Jewellery Market

From the small corner-store goldsmith to the high-end
boutique jeweller in their own high-rise building, jewellery
retailers come in all forms and sizes. With the Indian
jewellery market teeming with nearly 300,000 players, every
jewellery retailer must position themselves uniquely to make
their presence known in this competitive scenario.

As a jewellery retailer, you first have to decide whether you
want to remain as just a "store" or create a "brand". But
what is the difference?

A "brand" has some definable qualities by which it can be
uniquely identified. These qualities or features form a
perception in the minds of the customer which is called its
brand equity.

As a jeweller, you can project certain aspects of your
jewellery merchandise or customer service as the brand
quality.

Look at how PC Chandra, the renowned Kolkata Jewellers
are trying to position themselves with the help of the famous
creative agency J Walter Thompson (JWT).

Ayan Chakraborty, VP and executive business director,
JWT Kolkata, said, “PC Chandra’s intricate craftsmanship
and the brand’s unique image in the minds of Bengalis all
over the world is something we kept in mind while working.”

Arjun Mukherjee, VP and ECD, JWT Kolkata, added, “The
challenge was to create a philosophy for the brand which
every modern woman will relate to. We went beyond the
beauty space in jewellery and tried to find an emotion that
will resonate with one and all.”

1

A Guide to Jewellery Retailing

You too can position your Jewellery Outlet as a unique
brand by defining its values and expressing your trade
philosophy in the following ways.

Ways in which you can position your Outlet
Jewellery stores fall into certain categories. First try to
identify which category you belong to, and then add value to
it by defining your strengths. You may be a:

1. Personal Jeweller
When a customer looks for jewellery "tailor-made to his
taste", he comes to the personal jeweller. The Personal
Jeweller highlights uniqueness of design, exclusivity and
personalization as his value points. Elite and royal families
of illustrious lineage and social celebrities often prefer to
have their own Personal Jewellers.

As a Personal Jeweller, you must vouch for your
individuality in design and integrity in trust. If you possess
Jewellery design software and have bagged Jewellery
design awards, you really can boast of being a genuine
Personal Jeweller.

2. Ethnic Jeweller
For people who have a taste for traditional and ethnic
designs, the Ethnic Jeweller is the destination. As an Ethnic
Jeweller, you must have profound knowledge in temple
designs and must have the capacity to reproduce them
without even the slightest difference. Polki, Jadau, Tanjore,
Chettinad and Malabar designs feature as ethnic offerings.

3. Modern Jeweller
For the young and trendy, the Modern Jeweller is the
person to call on. The Modern Jeweller must dabble in
fusion and fashion. Rhodium, Rose gold, Platinum and 18k
designs are part of the modern offerings.

2

How to position your store in the Jewellery Market

4. Boutique Jeweller
The boutique Jeweller is the guy who prides himself on his
jewellery range and exemplary service. These artistic
showrooms offer an appealing ambience and a comfortable
customer experience. Boutique Jewellers have several
jewellery lines made by different designers.

5. Estate Jeweller
If you are looking for antique jewellery or vintage heirlooms,
the Estate Jeweller is the guy to go to. As an Estate
Jeweller, you must have the resourcefulness to seek and
procure historic jewellery with sufficient proof. Estate
jewellers are very expensive as they deal with high-end
jewellery collectibles..

6. Main Street Jeweller
The Main Street Jeweller has the sole objective of capturing
the interest of the urban audience. He caters to them with
an eclectic mix of traditional and modern jeweller with their
latest preferences in mind.

7. Chain Store Jeweller
With branches at multiple locations, the Chain Store
Jeweller prides on his wide geographical presence and
popularity. His network of stores may be at diverse locations
but portray the same brand image.

Steps to position your Jewellery store
1. First identify yourself with a particular Jeweller
category among the ones listed above.
2. Outline your strengths in stock, service, range ,
design etc.
3. Zero in on your "unique selling points" - is it
affordability, service, repair facility, cost savings…

3

A Guide to Jewellery Retailing
4. Crystallize your brand persona as a brand image with
the help of expert consultants like Retail Gurukul who
can bring to light hidden values of your brand.
5. Position your brand with this persona by forming
unique brand image and taglines.
6. Popularize your brand using these brand messages
and establish your brand.

Your brand is as precious as your jewellery. Position it
with perfection to reach the pinnacle of success.

4

The new 4C’s of Jewellery Retailing

Chapter - 2
The new 4 C’s of Jewellery Retailing

Jewellery is a precious commodity to purchase and every
customer wishes to take a cautious decision. Most of the
purchase decisions of the jewellery customer is dependent
on her "perception” of the brand or the jeweller. Keeping
this in mind, certain parameters can be defined to help the
customer make a quick and correct decision. For example,
while buying diamond jewellery, 4 factors were considered
as the "C"s- cut, carat, colour and clarity of the diamonds.
Likewise, the present customer's buying behaviour rests on
the 4 new "C"s of Jewellery Retail. What are these 4 new
"C"s ? Let us take a look.

The 4 new "C"s
Today's customer's mind-set has undergone a huge
transformation due to the accessibility to international trends
and markets (maybe due to travel or just social media) and
a wide range of designs and services are now available at
jewellery stores. The buying behaviour of the current
customers is governed by certain factors which are depicted
below.
Observing the rankings (see Figure “Factors considered
while selecting a Brand”), we can conclude that a jewellery
customer's purchase decision is based on the 4 new "C" s -
Cost, Confidence, Convenience and Customer Service.

5

A Guide to Jewellery Retailing
6

The new 4C’s of Jewellery Retailing
1. Cost- the first "C"
Every customer wants to have the full value for his money-
“Full paisa vasool / Good Deal” This is more so in the case
of jewellery retail due to the high costs involved in the
purchase. Cost is thus the dominating factor in the
purchase decision of a jewellery customer. This cost of
jewellery includes the making charges and the cost of the
gold paid out as wastage. If this final cost looks affordable
and justified to the customer, you, the retailer can make a
sale.
So the first "C" in purchase decision is COST and as a
jewellery retailer, you must position your brand rightly with
respect to "cost".
Lalithaa Jewellery Mart at Chennai has managed to capture
the customer's pulse by positioning its brand with respect to
"cost".

7

A Guide to Jewellery Retailing

“I will strive to reduce prices even
further while making the best jewellery.”

Kiran Kumar
CMD, Lalithaa Jewellery Mart (P) Ltd

Their clever marketing strategy has made maximum use of
"cost savings" in their brand positioning and it has worked
well for them.
There are other “brands like a Malabar Gold or Tanishq,
which may not be the cheapest in pricing but will want to
offer Value for Money for their set of customers. These
customers might be very different from the customers for
Lalithaa, but their customers also believe that the cost is
worth it.

8

The new 4C’s of Jewellery Retailing

2. Confidence- the second "C"

A customer's confidence in the jewellery brand is reflected
in his repeat purchases and referrals. Word-of-mouth
referrals and relatives' recommendations still form some of
the influencing factors of jewellery purchase.

Trustworthiness of a brand is a mark of the confidence the
customer has in the jewellery retailer and this is an
aggregate of several factors which include purity, pricing,
discounts, after-sales service etc. A customer, who feels
that the jeweller can give him the best in all the above
factors, is the most trustworthy. Example: Take the case of
Kalyan Jewellers.

Ramesh Kalyanraman, Executive Director, Marketing and
Operations said, “Over the years Kalyan Jewellers has built
a strong bond with customers, based on our credo of Trust.
Our brand tagline is not some marketing gimmick. It came to
us because it was often mentioned by our customers who
related the word ‘trust’ with our brand. And the reason for
this could be manifold - from the campaigns we run to
educate customers about purity of gold called ‘Fight against
Impure Gold’ or the ‘My Gold My Right’ campaign which
tackled the malpractices in the Industry to the revolutionary
step of ‘No Offer’, ‘No Discount’ and ‘Rate Tags for every
Ornament’. The brand has always made a conscious
decision to enlighten the customer about Gold. This has
resonated well with our customers across India and the
brand has become synonymous with Trust. Through this
campaign we have attempted to further cement this bond by
appealing to the emotional sensibilities of people.”

This leading pan-India brand has used "Trust" and
"confidence" as its positioning factor in its recent
campaigns. This is what Kalyan Jewellers Executive
Director says on the second "C" - CUSTOMER’S
CONFIDENCE.

9

A Guide to Jewellery Retailing

This clearly shows that "confidence" of the customer in the
brand is emerging as the second “C” and it is the most
important factor in brand perception and purchase decision.

3. Convenience- the third "C"
Jewellery is still a “touch and feel" market where purchases
are made in person. But of late, convenience in jewellery
shopping is emerging as one of the decisive factors in
jewellery purchase.

Today's customers want to be well-informed about the price
fluctuations, making charges, wastage, and design options
etc. prior to the actual physical purchase at the shop.
Presence of a website or social media like Instagram/
Facebook etc. with a design gallery and price estimates is
often appreciated by customers as it helps them in planning
their purchase. Such convenience-driven model of business
with knowledge-empowerment is the call of today for
jewellery retailers.

This is why Convenience is emerging as the third C in brand
positioning or purchase decisions.

Customers look at "customization" as part of the
convenience offered by a jeweller. The convenience of
customization is greatly accorded by personal and
traditional jewellers. Convenience also means service
benefits that the jewellery outlet offers like “home delivery"
or '"gifting options".

Example : Take the case of Caratlane which in partnership
with Tanishq is offering many convenience like

1. Returns / Exchanges at any of the Caratlane stores
2. Endless try-ons of jewels before buying
3. Free jewellery cleaning for their jewels
4. Free order pick up etc.

10

The new 4C’s of Jewellery Retailing
11

A Guide to Jewellery Retailing

4. Customer service -the 4th C
Jewellery purchase is an emotional decision for most buyers
as they attach great sentimental and personal value to the
jewellery they purchase. This is why customers look for a
"positive shopping experience" when they come to buy
jewellery. This positive shopping experience is founded on
the 4th C -customer service.

Customer service involves not only hospitality and friendly
greetings but also expertise from the staff. Customers
expect well-informed staff to guide and advise them on their
jewellery choices.

Ganesh Jewellers of Mumbai wish to position themselves
with respect to their customer service. Look at what they
say -

Customer Service

As customer comes in store, we have them with good
service like offering tea, coffee or water so that they feel
home friendly. Customer are happy with small-small such
things, this also helps an organization to earn a better
from customer pocket, understanding customer
requirement and fulfilling the requirement is also one of
the method of customer service, more we understand the
customer need better we have a changes to grow and
more business are expected from them. Also we
celebrate our customer birthday in store which is the
unique way to sustain our customer so that they do not
get diversified to other competitors. Celebrating customer
birthday in stores and sending them birthday wishes card
makes them remind them of us.

Right from the marketing communication, the entry to the
store/ website, the warm welcome, the store atmosphere,

12

The new 4C’s of Jewellery Retailing
the hospitality gestures, the offers on the merchandise
including the range, the price, the design etc. to the
customer-handling, everything in your jewellery outlet
should enrich the 4th C - the customer service.
The Jewellery industry may see its ups and down
regularly, but if you keep these 4 Cs in mind and
position your brand or jewellery outlet, you are sure to
be the champion of jewellery retail in your market and
beyond.

13

A Guide to Jewellery Retailing

Chapter - 3

Ways to have an eye-catching Jewellery Store Signage

Jewellery has a lot to do with signs in India. Yes, most of the
jewels are purchased in India during festivities and for
auspicious occasions which are mostly based on "good
signs". This is why "signs" or "signage" is very vital for your
jewellery store.

Why is Signage important for your Jewellery store?
1. Indian customers entering the shop look for auspicious

omens and good luck signs. These signs give them a
feeling of positivity that the jewellery purchased from that
shop will promise good fortune ahead. Keeping in mind
this sentiment, jewellery retailers must design their shop
signage to exude a feeling of good luck and good
fortune.
2. From the visibility point of view too, signage is very
crucial. Jewellery retailers must design the shop
signage creatively to attract the attention of prospective
customers and even passers-by on the street.
3. Importantly, the shop signage is its core identity. It
portrays the logo of the jewellery brand or store with its
name and sometimes the tagline. It is the symbol of the
shop's character and integrity and the values the brand
or store stands for.

Types of jewellery store signage
Under the umbrella of jewellery store signage, we have

1. Shop name board
For a jewellery store, its shop name board is its "lottery
ticket" .Yes, walk along the streets of any Sarafa markets or
jewellery bazaars and you will see jewellery stores vying
with each other to outdo themselves in displaying their shop

14

Ways to have an eye-catching Jewellery Store Signage

boards "bolder

and bigger". Even

for a small

jewellery store,

the name board

has BIG letters! In

short, jewellery

shop name

boards are

usually designed
to be ‘BOLDER,

BIGGER and BRIGHTER!’
2. Outdoor Signs

Outdoor signs are those sign boards placed outside the
jewellery shop in close proximity to it but at heights to offer
visibility even at the farthest viewing distance. This outdoor
signage must be attention grabbing with bold lettering and
are hence most often printed in bright, fluorescent or
contrasting colours with night illumination.

15

A Guide to Jewellery Retailing
The outdoor signage for jewellery shops housed in malls is
placed outside on pedestals like this.

3. Directional/Navigational signs to the shop
In a Sarafa market or jewellery bazaar, shops are lined up
neck-to-neck jostling for space.

16

Ways to have an eye-catching Jewellery Store Signage
How to spot a particular shop among the crowd?
This is where directional signs come in. They may be placed
at an angle perpendicular to the shop, jutting outside. Or
they may be placed with arrows at the end of the street
pointing to the shop location.

Such directional signs are common within malls and help to
locate the jewellery store quickly.
4. Informational signs (usually placed within the shop)
Enter a jewellery store and you are in paradise. Yes, the
dazzle and sparkle of gold and diamonds combined with the
bright lighting make you feel awed and dumbstruck. To
make sure that you do not lose yourself in the sea of jewels,
every jewellery shop must have informational signs like
“billing", “delivery", "estimation" etc. Informational signs are
often used within shops to indicate the counters too like

17

A Guide to Jewellery Retailing
"Chains", "Bangles" etc. To help the customer to easily
navigate through the store, you can have navigational signs
like "Parking", "Exit", "Repair Section", "Restroom" etc.

5. Persuasive signs

See the above signboard within the jewellery store. Isn't it
just beckoning the consumer to buy that mangalsutra? This
is the prime example of persuasive signage.
Persuasive signage is used to lure the customers, draw
their attention to the display message and persuade them to
make a buying decision.
18

Ways to have an eye-catching Jewellery Store Signage

6. Floor signs
Floor signs are the
latest forms of signage.
This is yet to be
experimented in India
but can have a
massive impact, if
done so. This signage

is in the form of lettering
or messages on the
floor. Found commonly
on landing spaces, this
is ideal for multilevel
jewellery stores or
jewellery stores within
malls.

Points to keep in mind while designing jewellery store
signage
All the signage used in or outside a jewellery showroom
should follow these basics

1. The lettering must be bold and bright and in contrast to
the base colour of the signage.

2. For a shop name board, stick to a white base. Avoid
using black as it is considered inauspicious by some.

3. Directional signs are usually "white with red or black
lettering" or sometimes "yellow with black".

4. Informational signs should have the lettering in big size
even if the plate size is small. They may even be in
multiple languages, depending upon the consumer
profile.

19

A Guide to Jewellery Retailing

5. Always use contrast for readability in the text and
graphics for foreground and background colours.

6. Bigger letters look better and are easily read from a
distance.

7. Follow a uniform typeface for store name and logo in all
signage.

Size of the lettering in a jewellery shop signage
The thumb rule for sizing the letters for a signage is 10:100
i.e. 10" of letter height for 100' of visibility.
So for an in-store informational sign board, the letters
should be at least 2" high to be seen 20' away.
Calculate similarly for outdoor and shop name board
signage.
Pointers for persuasive signage
● Use arresting images and creative punchlines for

signage
● Use readable fonts and avoid scripts like Mistral or

Comic Sans
● Limit your message to 15 words.

Type of signage boards used for jewellery stores
1. Painted boards
Painted boards are common in Sarafa markets and
jewellery bazaars. They are ideal for small outlets wanting
to economize the cost.

20

Ways to have an eye-catching Jewellery Store Signage

2. LED Sign Boards

Illuminated brightly with striking
colours, LED sign boards, are
the popular among jewellery
stores today.

3. 3D Sign Boards
Here, the 3 -dimensional effects, given to the lettering,
arrests the attention of the passers-by. With the letters
projecting outside, the 3D sign board is the one to give a
stunning effect to the shop exterior. 3D letter sign boards
may come with acrylic letters, steel letters or brass letters.

21

A Guide to Jewellery Retailing

4. Digital signage
Digital signage is the latest “in-thing" in jewellery store
signage. It uses LCD or LED screens with video streaming
options to create a dynamic content that appeals to the
audience infinitely.

22

Ways to have an eye-catching Jewellery Store Signage

Having taken a look at the pointers and options listed
above; create your jewellery-shop signage to be as
scintillating as your jewellery.

23

A Guide to Jewellery Retailing

Chapter - 4

How to design a Jewellery Outlet with inviting interiors

Like the dazzle of your diamonds and the glitter of your
gold, the inviting ambience of your jewellery showroom must
attract and welcome every customer. The moment a
customer steps into your showroom or store, he/she must
feel invited, inspired and above all, interested. To achieve
this, you must design your jewellery showroom both
artistically and functionally.

Why does ambience matter for the jewellery store?
● Big or small, every jewellery store must be designed to

maximize the use of both space and appeal.
● The aura of a jewellery store creates an auspicious

sentiment in the mind-set of the Indian customers.
● Jewellery display must be prominent and eye-catching

and for this, clever design of the interiors is a must.
● Every customer who enters must find the interiors of the

jewellery store both comfortable and convenient in terms
of seating, display, access to the counters etc. This
requires a keen study of the ergonomics of the
showroom to create a functional design.
● The interiors must also be designed keeping in mind the
type of customers. A 1 Star jewellery audience must
experience say a 3 Star atmosphere and not a 5 Star
atmosphere. If the difference is too much, then the
customer might become uncomfortable in even stepping
in and shopping.

Designing the jewellery showroom

Layout
The layout and floor plan of the jewellery store must be
designed keeping in mind the optimum usage and sales

24

How to design a Jewellery Outlet with inviting interiors

potential of the floor space. Be it straight or geometric, the
floor plan must be convenient to the customers and the
operating staff.

Narrow entrances, circular staircases etc. can be avoided
as they are cumbersome for customer movement,
especially the ageing woman consumer. The flooring too
should be of preferably anti-skid type to enable safety for
one and all.

Displays

Precious and high-end jewellery like diamonds, heavy gold
sets and platinum must be displayed in wall shelves or
cabinet displays positioned securely at eye level. Small
value offerings like earrings, nose rings and finger rings,
anklets, brooches etc. may be placed in display trays on
counter-top tables. All cabinet displays, countertop tables
and wall shelves are fitted with glass for the "see-through"
experience. It is also convenient to have samples of each
category of jewellery in the counter also, so that customers
can see the range at short distance inside the glass
counters as well.

Raise all counters to a height of 42" to give the customer an
eye-level view which is easy for browsing the display. Many
jewellers tend to have counters of higher height which
forces the customers to stand and shop. While this type of
an arrangement might be “ok” for very busy stores, or
traditional stores, it does not provide a “great customer
experience” for someone spending thousands or lakhs to
stand and shop.

Unique or eye-catching signature jewellery or the best
sellers can be showcased in separate counters at the centre
of the store. This will draw the customer's attention instantly
being the focal point.

25

A Guide to Jewellery Retailing

Counters

The placement of counters is very important in the design of
a jewellery showroom. The sales counters are usually at the
shop entrance itself, in small jewellery stores. If there is a
reception desk or lobby, then this visitor’s lounge is placed
right at the front and the sales counter is located at the
centre or towards the far side of the showroom. The point to
note here is that the sales or billing counter must be at a
central and prominent place which is easily accessible to
both the staff and the customers.

If the store has multiple levels, each level can have its own
billing counter. In some stores, the weighing or estimate
counter is placed elsewhere, most often near the jewellery
shelves to enable easy estimation.

Repair counters can be placed at the back of the shop along
with the administrative desk and inventory storage.

Flooring

Depending upon the type of audience you would like to
attract, the type of flooring can be a big indicator of the
positioning of the brand. Whether it is imported Italian
Marble, Indian Marble, Vitrified Tiles, Regular tiles or even
polished stones of different varieties, care to be taken to
choose them, both for their cost as well as their durability in
maintenance. Normally, managing white marble floors is
difficult apart from them losing their white colour over many
years of use and turning yellow.

Lighting

Lighting is the main attraction in a jewellery store as it helps
to draw the customer's attention to the jewellery display.
Different types of lighting can be used at the jewellery
showroom depending on the position of the counter, type of
display, viewing distance, nature of jewellery and above all,
budget constraints. Some of the lighting options are
26

How to design a Jewellery Outlet with inviting interiors

ambient, accent, case, focus, shelf, perimeter and valance
lighting.

The lustre of jewellery and the sheen of gold is enhanced by
using focus lighting on them. Case lighting is ideal for
highlighting the special features of the jewellery at close
proximity.

Keep in mind too, that some of the lighting generate a lot of
heat and can add to the air conditioning costs. Latest
technologies in LED lighting are now available which
produce less heat, though their upfront costs might be
higher.

Seating
Ample seating arrangement is the most desirable factor in a
jewellery showroom. Have some plush sofas at the front
lounge for customers to wait for their relatives to join them in
the jewellery purchase. Provide cushioned stools or sofas in
front of the counter tables. Keep extra chairs ready to
manage extra customers during rush periods.

Do bear in mind that customers are most often
accompanied by elders while making jewellery purchases.
Provide comfortable seating for the elders to enable them to
have an enjoyable shopping experience.

Furnish your upholstery in colours that contrast the wall
colours.

Painting
Be it wallpaper or paint, use appropriate colours so that the
jewellery gets all the attention. Jewellery showrooms
should be brightly lit and painted in vibrant hues. Paint the
shelves or modular displays in contrasting colours to draw
attention to the jewellery that is displayed on them. Typically
for gold, dark colours of background materials are used.

27

A Guide to Jewellery Retailing

Posters and Pictures

Of late, the use of pictures and posters within the store has
increased to highlight the latest collection or a range of
jewellery, rather than have blank walls or pillars.

Mirrors

In the jewellery business, mirrors are more than just a way
of interior design. They can help the consumer evaluate if
the jewellery is suitable for them or not. They can also get
feedback from other members of the group too from the way
it looks in the mirror. For the store, appropriate usage of
mirrors can help the store look bigger. They can also be a
security device for monitoring too.

The do and don'ts of jewellery interior design
● Design the interiors of your store keeping in mind your

target audience. For the elite audience, the showroom
must have a plush and luxurious environ with a little
grandeur. For the affordable audience, the store must
look warm and welcoming.
● The objective of designing your jewellery showroom is to
create a customer-friendly atmosphere. Do not use the
interior design to “shock the consumer” which they are
not used to. This might make the customers feel that you
are "too costly a store to visit".
● If your store has a predefined interior design that you do
not want to change or if you have some budget
constraints, making minor yet mindful modifications can
create a major difference in the store's outlook. An easy
way to give a new look to the showroom is typically
changing the Visual Merchandising items

Designing the interiors of a jewellery showroom is a
challenging task that can be easily done by keeping the
above points in mind.
28

Points to improve Parking in a Jewellery Showroom

Chapter - 5
Points to improve Parking in a Jewellery Showroom

What's that bustle out there? Oh, it's the crowding of cars
struggling to locate a parking lot outside a jewellery shop.
This is a common sight outside most jewellery showrooms.
Jewellery showrooms are housed in multi-level high-rise
buildings with cramped parking spaces. Or the jewellery
stores sit without elbow space at Sarafa markets or
Jewellery bazaars where parking is in conceivable.

Why is Parking such a pain for the customer?
Most customers feel that searching for a parking spoils the
shopping experience. A lot of time allocated for shopping is
spent in hunting for parking lots and the customer ends up
feeling frustrated and this often “eats” into the time allotted
for shopping.
In India, people come to shop for jewellery with their entire
family. From elders to tiny tots, the entire lot is bundled into
a big car to go jewellery shopping for a wedding or
engagement. Imagine the driver depositing them at the
entrance of your shop and parking the car a mile away due

29

A Guide to Jewellery Retailing
to lack of parking space. This is cumbersome, isn't it? But
this is what happens most often in Indian cities.
Take Kochi for instance.
A person who wants to shop for jewellery on MG Road will
have a tough time searching for a parking lot.
Parking vehicles is a perennial problem at jewellery
showrooms. But some jewellery retailers have taken the
effort to include parking as their priority when they build their
multi-storeyed complexes.
Take Kalyan Jewellers for instance

The above ad reveals the importance the jewellery retailer
has given to providing parking at this high-rise jewellery
store.
Following this example, jewellery retailers must take parking
as priority and include it as part of their customer service.

How to make jewellery shopping a pleasurable
experience, if there is no parking?
30

Points to improve Parking in a Jewellery Showroom

This is what we are going to address in this chapter.

Ways to improve shopping at a jewellery showroom

1. Provide your own parking lot
Jewellery retailers must try to allocate some parking space
in the front of, behind or to the side
of their store. Jewellery stores with
their own individual basement will
not find this a problem as they can
provide front parking and
basement parking too.

If your jewellery shop is located in
a busy area, allow parking in the
front at least. Have a security
guard posted outside your show
room to guide the customers to the
parking lot.

Provide parking free of cost to your customers. It is the first
sign of showing your hospitality and customer service.

2. Have parking space nearby
If you own a jewellery showroom on the main street of a
busy metropolis, it is very difficult to have a parking space
right in front of your shop. Busy hours and festive times are
even more rushed. So try leasing or renting a parking lot a
few block away or on a side street. Post security guards at
both that parking area as well as your shop entrance to
guide your customers.

3. Have an arrangement with your neighbouring shops
If you enjoy a good rapport with your neighbours in the
bazaar, you can have an arrangement with them whereby
thy can allow your customers to park in front of their shops
for specific periods.

31

A Guide to Jewellery Retailing

4. Guide them to nearby paid parking

If you are a small jewellery retailer who cannot afford
parking services, the least you can do is guide your
customers to a nearby paid parking lot. You can refund the
parking fees for your customers. This thought will be
appreciated by the customers too.

5. Parking pool

Jewellery bazaar and Sarafa market retailers can opt for this
great idea. Jewellers on a small street can join together and
rent a common space to have a "parking pool". Demarcate
the area into sections for the shops and guide your
customers to park at your section. This is a pocket-friendly
but proactive idea for parking.

6. Mall Parking

If your jewellery store is within a mall, assign a security to
lead the customers to your designated parking space. Place
directional boards that help your customers in getting there.

7. Valet Parking

Customer oriented Jewellery
houses (big or small) must
offer Valet parking as part of
their differentiated customer
service. All customers will
feel relieved when they are
offered valet service.

Parking Provisions at Jewellery showrooms
Providing Parking facility at your jewellery store or
showroom is a must in order to give the customer

32

Points to improve Parking in a Jewellery Showroom
● The joy of worry-free shopping
● More time to shop than park
● The genuine feel of customer service

Parking facility at jewellery showroom
● Enhances your business image
● Is a definite benefit that influences the
customer's shop selection for jewellery
purchase
● Increases the number of customers to your
store.

"A customer well-parked at your jewellery store is a
customer who is well-marked as a definite buyer".
It also offers peace of mind to the customer that his
vehicle is unlikely to be towed away or damaged.
Provide ample parking facilities at your jewellery outlets
to promote your business and make jewellery shopping
pleasurable.

33

A Guide to Jewellery Retailing

Chapter - 6

Ways to increase foot traffic to a Jewellery Showroom.

However big your billboards, press or TV ads may be,
unless customers actually walk into your jewellery
showroom, all your marketing efforts go waste. Does this
mean that your ad spend is futile? No. Your advertising is
to create awareness of your jewellery brand or store.

But what is it that gets customers to your door? Let us take
a look.

Foot traffic

Foot traffic is a measure of the actual number of walk-in
customers to your jewellery store every day. This may
include

● Customers who wish to just look around before making a
purchase decision

● Customers who have come specifically to your shop to
purchase.

The former is a sales prospect or future customer while the
latter is a sales opportunity or current potential customer.
Both are important to increase the sales of your jewellery.
The former has not yet made a decision to purchase at your
store but you can convince her to do so. The latter is
definitely going to purchase at your store, so it's up to you to
make her feel that it is the right decision.

Importance of Foot Traffic for jewellery showrooms

● 90% of the customers still believe in shopping from
brick-and -mortar stores. This is basically because the
in-store shopping experience has a level of personal
service that is unmatched by online shopping. This is

34

Ways to increase foot traffic to a Jewellery Showroom

especially so in the jewellery industry, where the regular
customer is a typical middle aged lady, who has a
passion for jewellery. Sure, there are both younger and
old lady customers too, but it is the middle aged lady,
who performs the bulk purchase. Typically aged
between 30+ to about 65 + years, this is the time they
shop for themselves, their daughters, their
granddaughters etc.
● Jewellery shopping is mainly a "touch, feel and try" type
of shopping that requires physical presence. So
customers prefer to come to jewellery shops directly.

But is it your jewellery shop they come to? This is what you
have to ensure. And this is done by implementing these
measures to increase foot traffic to your jewellery
showroom.

Methods to increase foot traffic to your jewellery showroom.

1. Make your shop frontage attractive

One look at your shop and
the passer-by should be at
your door. This is how
impressive your shop
frontage should be. This
can be done by having an
eye-catching shop façade
like Malabar Gold, or
Khazana Jewellers

35

A Guide to Jewellery Retailing
2. Using eye-catching signage
Signage can have a
strong effect of drawing
customers to your
store. The location of
the signage is very
important to improve its
effectiveness. Take a
look at some options

Create an arresting or
signage outside your shop to
attract passers-by even at a
distance.

Even if its shop is within a mall, Malabar Gold has ensured
that it will attract customers on all sides with signage like
this -

Even parking signage or signage on the road makes people
stop, stare and march towards your store.

36

Ways to increase foot traffic to a Jewellery Showroom
37

A Guide to Jewellery Retailing
3. Extremely attractive window display
Make your window display exceptional that none can pass
by without stopping to look at it.

4. A tableau outside your jewellery shop
This is a totally unique concept that has been implemented
in India by JJ Diamonds at Chennai. Outside their shop,
they have a huge well-lit tableau with pieces of jewellery
figures rotating around. This beautiful sight captivates
everyone who passes by and is a tremendous success.
(There is a video on the internet but it has a copyright. It is
also mis-aligned. Please check if you can get pictures of this
tableau with the owner's permission.)

5. Offer some extra-attractions outside your shop
Be innovative and put up something extra outside your door
to attract the passer's attention.. It could be anything from a
blackboard message to a digital signage with multimedia
streaming of your wares.

38

Ways to increase foot traffic to a Jewellery Showroom

6. Offer extra amenities at your shop
Give something extra and gain more in return. The extra
amenity offered could be a free makeover studio or wellness
spa for customers.

7. Complimentary services are the call for now
Complimentary services like free cleaning for the jewels
purchased at your shop can be offered like Caratlane does.
Services offered can be

1. "free repairs"
2. “stone polishing" for diamonds -
3. “Checking the stone settings”-
These are some value additions that make the customer
feel that is worthwhile to make a repeat trip to your shop.

8. Devise some attractive "walk-in" offers
Foot traffic can also be increased with a little marketing
strategy like this.

● The first walk-in of the day gets a gift
● Customers who shop that day get a discount on their

next purchase and so on.

39

A Guide to Jewellery Retailing

9. Host some promo shows
Promotional events are prominent crowd-pullers. Try
organizing some promo event around our latest collections
to entice the crowd. Another option is broadcasting a radio
channel live from your store. Even more attractive will be a
reality or fashion show conducted at your premises by a TV
channel and anchored by prominent VJs.

10. Use online and social media platforms to lure customers
Harness the power of social media platforms. Offer
exclusive offers on your FB or Instagram pages or on your
website which can be availed only by visiting your store.

11. Team up with social celebrities and influencers
Arrange for a local celebrity or a social influencer in your
locality to visit your store and create ad big hype around this
event. this will draw more customers and fans to the store.

12. Do live video-streaming of customers
Get customers to narrate their shopping experience and
post these live on social media. This is bound to draw some
attention.

13. Provide discounts for loyal customer and for referrals
Loyal customers are bound to be pleased if you offer them
special discounts and are bound to refer you to others,
bringing in more foot traffic.

14. Evolve memorable moments for your elite customers

40