New York: A provocative and informational presentation, entitled “Game Changers! Shifts Affecting Retail”, was moderated by The Plumb Club’s Executive Director, Lawrence Hess on Wednesday, March 16, 2022, in the auditorium of the newly launched Jewelers Resource Center. 

A diverse panel from the publishing, sales training and retail sectors illustrated how reaching and interacting with a customer has changed in the past few decades.  They discussed how the industry seized the pendulum shift from experiential gifting to material giving and how a retailer can reach the new consumer, meet their needs and turn them into a customer for life.

View the Recording of this Presentation Below

Panelists:

Trace Shelton

Trace Shelton: Trace began writing for INSTORE, a business publication for retail jewelers, in 2003, and joined the team full time in August 2004. He was named editor-in-chief of sister publication INDESIGN in 2007 and became editor-in-chief of INSTORE in 2016. Before coming to work for INSTORE, Trace spent six years as a marketing consultant for independent retailers. He has a B.A. and an M.A. in English from Texas A&M University and lives with his wife in the Austin area.

Kate Peterson

Kate Peterson: Kate Peterson has over 40 years’ experience in the business world, in every capacity of sales, management, operations and training in companies ranging in size from 1 to 1000 locations and has held senior operations and training executive positions for a variety of top retailers before founding Performance Concepts in 1998.  Along with her Performance Concepts’ team, Kate provides training and business consultation services to retailers, manufacturers and trade organizations worldwide.

Suzanne Martinez

Suzanne Martinez: Suzanne Martinez a highly credentialed senior gemologist, jewelry appraiser, jewelry historian and co-owner of Lang, which opened in San Francisco in 1969. Under her guidance the company has benefitted from the early adoption of ecommerce, human resource cross training, social media, email and virtual communication, which has resulted in Lang becoming one of the most renowned estate jewelers in the world, growing substantially in the past few years despite the pandemic. The company also donates a portion of every sale to a wide variety of charitable causes that address food insecurity, homelessness and support of diversity.

Alex Hevia Schlindwein

Alex Hevia Schlindwein is a third-generation jeweler who serves as the marketing director for her family business, Kiefer Jewelers, a 2-store chain in Tampa, FL. Over the past few years, under her marketing guidance the company has revamped the website, lowered purchase barriers for e-commerce and augmented the online customer experience. As early adapters to new technology, they have also concentrated on social media tactics across various platforms to develop community and drive sales. The overwhelming result has been a tripling of sales. Prior to joining the family business Alex held positions at Cherie Dori, Diadori Bridal and The Vow.