42 RETAILER HALL OF FAME 2018 “We continue to learn,” Green says. “Sometimes, it’s just about the words we’re using. Things are changing so fast.” Singer runs a different kind of jewelry business. There are no brands in his store except Steven Singer. “I don’t believe in memo,” he says. “I don’t believe in having the vendor finance your business. They’re not in the banking business; they’re in the jewelry business. Profit margins are so thin and every- thing is so flat and transparent in today’s world, you really have to buy and pay for the goods and replace them quickly to be a good partner.” COMPETING FOR TURF Problems with sharing turf are almost always about e-commerce. Jewelers large and small say competing with online sales, espe- cially when vendors sell direct, is one of the biggest hurdles of the retailer-supplier relationship today. Many suppliers now sell direct and some big-name brands and designers exercise more control over e-commerce than others. Many luxury watch brands, for example, prohibit jewelers from selling online but allow them to show the pieces on their websites to lure customers into the store. There are also jewelry brands that restrict retailers from selling di- rect from their websites. A few brands allow select department stores to sell their products online but restrict independent jewelers from doing so, and sometimes won’t even allow them to show it online. Shops that focus on less-established designers of unique goods have less of an issue with this. Williams says most designers carried by Be On Park do not sell direct. If a customer in their area approaches Penny Preville or Eliz- abeth Locke directly, for example, they are directed by the supplier to Be On Park. But Be On Park also carries Roberto Coin, Ippolita, and David Yurman, all of which do sell direct. It all comes down to exceptional customer service, Williams says. She and co-owner Janice Blumberg work hard to make the shop- ping experience special, from the friendly, informed sales staff to beautifully wrapping every piece that leaves the store. “It’s very hard to compete with online sales,” Williams says. “People are quick to check to see if they can get something online at a better price. Fortunately, many people still want to be able to touch things and try them on.” Singer does not deal with suppliers who sell direct and if he discov- ers they are (sometimes under an alias), he drops them. As president of the Leading Jewelers Guild, he helped ensure that restriction made it into the buying group’s official guidelines. “If a vendor wants to be a retailer, God bless ‘em. They want to sell direct to the public? Let them. But you can’t do both,” he says. “I don’t try to manufacture everything myself. I don’t want to become a diamond dealer. We know our place in the food chain.” Ben Bridge’s Lisa Bridge agrees. “Competing with vendors who sell direct is a tremendous chal- lenge,” she says. “I think it takes total focus to be really successful in the retail environment. I don’t know the business of the suppli- er and I imagine most suppliers don’t know the retail business. We want people who want to be our partner. We don’t [need] people who want to be our competitor. We want to be playing for the same team.” She believes any jeweler trying to land customers for life should be looking at suppliers the same way. “Having a long-term relationship with our customers means we have to have long-term relationships with our suppliers,” Bridge says. “They are going to be there to take care of those customers when they come back. We need suppliers who see the big picture and want to join with us and build that success together.” WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO RETAILERS: A CHECKLIST • CONSISTENCY IN SUPPLY AND QUALITY. Retailers have to be able to trust that the merchandise is what it’s represented to be in terms of origin, carat weight, etc. • GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY. It’s of supreme importance in today’s social media-driven world. • CO-OP DOLLARS. These funds help retailers looking to do traditional advertising, like print ads and billboards. • FACE TIME. Suppliers should meet with store owners and staff in person regularly. • TRUE PARTNERSHIP. Jewelers say they want suppliers who view themselves as a partner in the business today and in the future. “If a vendor wants to be a retailer, God bless ‘em. They want to sell direct to the public? Let them. But you can’t do both.” – Steven Singer, Steven Singer Jewelers