The Buying Experience

Advanced Jewelry Sales

Diamond Council of America © 2010
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The Buying
Experience
In This Lesson:
• Emphasis on Experience
• The Buying Process
• Typical Behaviors
• Gender and Shopping
• Enhancers and Spoilers
• Crafting Great Experiences

EMPHASIS ON EXPERIENCE
In today’s super-competitive retail environment, the
buying experience is becoming more and more important.
This is true for almost any product or service you can think
of, but it’s especially the case with jewelry.
One reason for the emphasis on experience is that
consumers regard fine jewelry as a special kind of purchase.
People buy jewelry to celebrate happy moments and major
milestones in their lives. Often, they invest a great deal of
time, effort, thought, emotion, and money as well. So, it’s
natural and completely understandable for a customer to
want his or her jewelry buying experience to focus on, be
consistent with, and perhaps also enhance the feelings and
Your customer's buying experiences
ideas that surround the occasion for which the purchase is should fit with the feelings that
being made. surround fine jewelry.

Cover photo courtesy Samuels Jewelers.

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They Buying Experience

The buying experience is complex and multidimensional.

It involves the senses along with inner emotions and personal
concepts. To fully connect in all the right ways, everything about
your store and your entire operation has to contribute to the expe-
rience. This includes your decor, merchandise, and displays. But
it also extends to things like the details of housekeeping, your
company policies, the services you offer – even the music that’s
playing in the background and the scents that are carried through
the air.
When it comes to bringing the buying experience to a successful
conclusion, the most critical factor is almost always going to be
you. Ultimately, you’re the one who’s most directly responsible for
making it enjoyable to shop for and buy jewelry.
In this lesson you will examine the jewelry buying experi-
ence in detail, and from a number of different angles. You’ll start
with a step-by-step analysis of the process customers go through
when they purchase jewelry. Next, you’ll identify behaviors most
customers exhibit during the buying process. You’ll see ways in
which women and men differ in their approaches to shopping.
You’ll also discover steps you can take to elevate the shopping
experience – and things that can spoil it too. Finally, you’ll look
at your own role in crafting great buying experiences for your
customers.
You’ll learn more about these topics in the second half of the
course, in the lessons that deal with specific product categories.

Lesson Objectives
You need When you have successfully completed
this lesson, you will be able to:
to make
• Identify steps customers go through in purchasing jewelry.
jewelry buying • Recognize and respond to typical buying behaviors.
enjoyable. • Understand key differences in how men and women shop.
• Enhance the jewelry buying experience for your
customers.

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 The Buying Experience

THE BUYING PROCESS

When you’re selling jewelry, you work through a series
of steps that begin with greeting and end with following-up.
In much the same way, customers go through their own set
of steps when they make purchases.
A critical difference is that you’re conscious of the steps
you take. At any given point in the selling process, you
know about where you are. In contrast – although they may
give lots of thought to their purchases – most customers
never stop to think about the buying process itself. Thus,
they take the steps without realizing they exist.
But if you understand the buying process and keep it in
mind, you can help customers navigate it more easily, more
Just as you work through a series of steps
enjoyably, and in a more satisfying manner. At the same
in selling, a customer goes through his
time, you’ll also help ensure that the process comes to a own steps in making a purchase.
successful conclusion with one of the choices you offer.
In most cases, the buying process includes six steps
– triggering, pondering, searching, selecting, committing,
and evaluating.

Triggering
Triggering occurs when an event of some kind begins the buying
The process for a particular purchase. On the surface, the trigger may be a

trigger special occasion like an upcoming anniversary, a gift-giving holiday, a

job promotion, or deciding to become engaged. But it can also be less
acts on dramatic – for example, a day of shopping or maybe a periodic sale put
on by your store.
deep-seated Regardless of the exact circumstances, it’s important to recognize
ideas and that the trigger acts on deep-seated ideas and emotions that already exist
in both the person and the culture he or she is part of. For contemporary
emotions. American consumers, the deeper motives connected with purchasing fine
jewelry include the desire to express love, demonstrate success, celebrate
the enjoyment of life, and create or enhance a positive self-image.

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They Buying Experience

Pondering
For some triggering events (such as becoming
engaged) cultural tradition strongly favors purchasing
jewelry. But for most occasions the list of possible
choices is much more open. So, the second step in
the buying process usually comes down to pondering
whether to invest in jewelry or something else, like a
luxury vacation, home furnishings, high-end electronics,
or maybe new items for the wardrobe.
The amount of time and the activities that are part
of pondering vary from customer to customer. But this
step often involves a great deal of thought and emotion For most buying occasions, jewelry is
– especially when it’s for an important event and a one of many possibilities.
significant amount of money will be spent. Photo courtesy Jean François Albert.

At the searching step, the customer
seeks information about the purchase.
Searching
At the searching step of the buying process, the customer
seeks information about the purchase. This can come from a
variety of sources. Personal references include close family
members, friends, and coworkers. Today many consumers
utilize the internet to find product information. Media adver-
tising can be another influence.
Depending on the customer and the importance of the
purchase, searching can be quick and impulsive, long and
involved, or anywhere in between.
This is the step in which you’re likely to encounter the
customer for the first time. But don’t overlook or underesti-
mate how much has happened up to this point. Remember that
when you say “Hello,” the customer is usually several steps
into the buying process.

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 The Buying Experience

Selecting
Selecting is the step in which the customer care-
fully compares options, identifies the most likely
possibilities, and begins to work toward a decision
about the purchase. Questions regarding quality and
value are now crucial. Which choice is really worth the
money? More importantly, which one can express all
that the customer wants and needs it to? Other factors
include the customer’s trust in both you and your store,
and the overall feeling of the shopping experience.
Selecting is the step in which you are most closely
involved, and over which you have the most control. It At the selecting step, the customer
also encompasses most of your selling process. begins to move toward a purchase
decision.

Committing
Committing – or saying “Yes” and actually making
the purchase – is closely connected with the selecting
step, and it completes the main business-transaction
phase of the buying process. But it’s also a distinct step,
and you’ve got to be careful not to let the process come
to a premature halt.
Customers often hesitate and then fail to take that last
big step – from selecting to committing – simply because
sales professionals fail to resolve final objections and
close effectively. So, always do your best to guide your
customers through the decisive step of committing.

Committing – saying "Yes" and

actually making the purchase – is a
distinct step in the buying process.

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They Buying Experience

Evaluating
The last step in the buying process is post-purchase evalua-
tion. This is when the customer decides if the purchase was really
worthwhile, and whether he or she achieved the desired results.
If the evaluation is unfavorable, the customer may end up
returning the merchandise. Even worse, there may be nega-
tive thoughts and feelings you never know about, but which the
customer carries into the future and expresses to other people in
his or her sphere of influence.
This is why following-up after a sale is essential. A timely and
well-handled satisfaction call can help you identify problems and At the evaluating step, the customer
deal with them. Then you ensure that customers are truly satisfied decides whether the purchase
achieved the desired results.
with what they buy from you, and perhaps transform them into
advocates for you and your store. Photo courtesy Samuels Jewelers

The Bigger Picture

B esides being aware of the buying process and the steps it entails, you need to
remember that there’s a bigger picture. After all, the buying experience is really just
a small part of the much larger experience of giving, owning, wearing, and enjoying fine
jewelry.
An engagement ring is a great example of this larger experience.
As she’s growing up, many a young woman fantasizes about the engagement ring
she’d like to receive. One day this dream may come true when she gasps with delight as
her boyfriend – soon to be fiancé – pulls a small box out of his coat pocket and opens it.
For the man involved, there’s that magic moment when the woman’s eyes light up and she
smiles at him in a way he’ll remember for the rest of his life.
That’s only the beginning, though. The woman may wear her engagement ring for
years. Perhaps it will eventually be traded in; maybe the diamonds will be set in a new
mounting; or the ring might be passed on as an heirloom. In any event, the meanings it
holds will become part of new memories – ultimately forming a tradition that extends far
into the future.
Of course, you won’t be there to see most of these things, but you can be proud that
you got to play a part in making them happen.

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 The Buying Experience

TYPICAL BEHAVIORS
As customers work their way through the buying process,
Most jewelry
they tend to exhibit typical and predictable behaviors. In order customers
exhibit
to sell fine jewelry at an advanced level, you need to understand
these behaviors, and know how to respond appropriately.
For most customers and most buying occasions, typical predictable
shopping behaviors include setting a budget, deciding where to
shop, comparing options, and seeking the best possible deal. behaviors.

Most customers are willing to spend
more than they’ve budgeted if you help
them find the perfect choice.
Setting a Budget
Very early in the buying process (usually at the pondering
step), customers set a budget for the purchase they’ve decided
to make. Even impulse shoppers – customers who make
purchases they haven’t planned on in advance – have an upper
limit on what they’re willing to spend.
A budget isn’t an exact or fixed amount, however. Instead,
it’s a range of prices that has a certain degree of flexibility.
It can change as the buying process moves forward – for
example, in response to information that’s gained in the
searching step. Most people are also willing to spend more
than they’ve budgeted if they find a choice that’s “absolutely
perfect.”
Budget flexibility is one reason why you should never ask
customers how much they plan to spend. Once a limit has been
put into words and stated aloud, it becomes less flexible. Then
both you and the customer may be stuck with it.
Also remember that surveys show jewelry customers often
spend less than they’re willing to, simply because they aren’t
offered more expensive choices. So, don’t hesitate to suggest
any item that fulfills the needs you identify in profiling –
regardless of price. Just be ready to explain why you think it’s
the right selection, and to support your recommendation with a
convincing list of features and benefits.

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They Buying Experience

Deciding Where to Shop

All consumers today know they’ve got lots of options for
where to buy jewelry. Most of them also have at least a general
idea of the merchandise that’s available from different sources
(including traditional stores as well as alternatives such as internet
retailers). On the basis of this information, another thing that
happens fairly early in the buying process is that the customer
decides where to shop.
The main factors in this decision are the type of jewelry the
person wants to buy and the amount of money he or she plans to
spend. Other considerations include the customer’s knowledge,
perceptions, or expectations regarding:
• The quality of merchandise a store offers.
Early in the buying process, customers
• The size of the selection. decide where they’re going to shop.

• The presence of popular styles or brands.

• The store’s reputation.
• The knowledge and helpfulness of its professional team.
• The amount of personal attention that will be received.

As a result of this behavior, when a customer walks

Customers through your doors it’s likely that he or she has already
actively identified your store as a possible place to shop.
usually don’t Customers usually don’t simply wander in with no idea of

wander into
what to expect. But any opinion they’ve formed up to that
point is also tentative, conditional, and iffy. It can switch to a

your store negative very quickly.

with no idea
To keep that from happening, you need to make “selling”
your store a top priority with every customer and every inter-
of what action. This effort should start early in the selling process.
Long before you begin showing merchandise – in fact, from
to expect. the moment you initiate your greeting – it’s essential to do
everything you can to make the customer feel certain he or
she has indeed chosen the right place to shop.

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 The Buying Experience

Comparing Options
Comparing options – often called comparison shopping
– is the most intense buying behavior for most customers.
It essentially involves assessing the features and benefits of
multiple possible choices, and this can become very compli-
For some
cated. The comparison-making begins during the searching customers,
step of the buying process, and extends through selecting
and committing all the way to post-purchase evaluation. (At comparison
the final step, the question becomes “Would I have been
happier with something else?”).
shopping
is fun.

For some customers, comparison shopping is fun.

When you're presenting choices, link
important features with meaningful benefits.
Photo courtesy Samuels Jewelers.
It evokes a game-like “thrill of the hunt” feeling. But
for others it can call up an assortment of unpleasant
emotions, including anxiety, frustration, isolation, vulner-
ability, and suspicion. Such responses are most likely
to occur with important and expensive gifts, and with
customers who have not previously purchased jewelry in
the category for which they’re shopping.
For best results with both kinds of customers – those
who enjoy shopping and those who don’t – you need
to build strong rapport up front in the selling process.
Profile thoroughly to identify the deeper motives that are
driving the purchase. Also find out what concerns the
customer has about the purchase, and anything specific
he or she needs to know in order to make a confident
buying decision. Then, when you’re presenting choices,
select features that will matter to the customer, and link
them with benefits that have personal meaning. Take time
to address concerns and supply all the information that’s
required.

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They Buying Experience

Seeking the Best Deal

This behavior is frequently connected with comparison-shopping. For example, during the
searching step of the buying process, customers identify stores where they believe they’ll receive good
value, and at the selecting step they decide who’s really offering what they consider to be the best
combination of quality, cost, and other factors.
In seeking the best possible deal, many customers look for sales and discounts. This is particularly
true with women who make large numbers of self-purchases, and with men who regularly buy fine
jewelry as a gift. For those to whom comparison shopping is a game, buying an item on sale or for a
discount can equate with winning. It adds tremendously to the emotional satisfaction of the purchase.

Another common form of deal-seeking behavior is

bargaining – sometimes called haggling. Many sales profes-
sionals find this hard to deal with, but there are effective

In seeking ways to respond.

the best
When you follow the steps of the selling process, you’ll
answer questions about value along the way, and minimize

possible deal, the urge to haggle. But you’ll still hear “Is that your best
price?” or something like it fairly often. When this happens,
many customers you need to know and follow your company’s policies and
procedures with regard to price reductions.
look for If a price reduction isn’t possible, be firm and polite –
sales or but not apologetic. Never say “I’m sorry” or “I’m afraid so.”
That only sounds as if you think the item really isn’t worth
discounts. the price.

Others bargain Do let the customer know you empathize with his or

about price.
her concerns. Then treat the question like an objection:
“I understand you want the most for your money. That’s
completely reasonable. But when you consider the quality of
the diamond and the workmanship of the ring, I’m sure you
can see this is an excellent value. And – as you said yourself
– you know your future fiancée will love it.”
Sometimes a little financial analysis also helps. For
example, if a customer spreads $5,000 over 10 years (which
is only a fraction of fine jewelry’s lifetime) the cost is about
$1.37 per day. What else could someone buy that offers so
much meaning and enjoyment for so long – and yet will still
be every bit as beautiful and valuable as the day it was new?

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GENDER AND SHOPPING

In Lesson 2 you learned that gender is one of the most impor-
tant distinctions that exist among customers for fine jewelry.
Women buy more jewelry measured in units, and they most often
make self-purchases. Men make the biggest purchases value-wise,
and they usually buy jewelry as a gift.
These fundamental differences in demographics and behavior
– women and self-purchasing versus men and gift buying – have big
impacts on the buying process.
Here are some examples:

Triggers
When women make self-purchases, what they’re really doing
is buying themselves a gift or reward. To support this underlying
motive, you need to develop a strong “You deserve this!” theme in
your presentations to women.
Men mostly buy jewelry for special romantic occasions, but
choosing the right gift can be a challenge. Therefore, in most cases
your message to men should be “I can help you find the perfect
choice for this unique celebration.”

Budget Setting
Women tend to be more cost-conscious than men. One reason
is that many women feel guilty about splurging on themselves. The
“You deserve this” message helps to overcome this reluctance. Then
Women you need to join the customer, be on her side, and work with her in

tend to
the buying process. Assist her in getting the “biggest bang” for her
budget, and maybe find ways to justify spending extra for something

be more special.

cost-conscious
When they’re buying gifts, men know that how much they spend
is part of the message they send. The importance of the occasion

than men. is also a major factor in budget setting. Thus, the amount for a gift
needs to be appropriate for both the message and the occasion. Your
task is to help male customers work through this mental calculation
– and make revisions if necessary – without losing touch with the
emotions that led them to make the purchase in the first place.

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They Buying Experience

Shopping Styles
For many women, shopping is a form of entertainment
and browsing is a favorite pastime. Often called recre-
ational shoppers, these customers prefer helpful – but not
pushy – assistance with the buying process. When you
hear “just looking” from a woman who’s thoughtfully
surveying your showcases, let her know you’d be glad to
help her find something she might like. But if she declines
your offer at that point, assure her that you’ll be available
whenever she’s ready. Then remain nearby and attentive
(but not hovering) and let her control the tempo of the For many women, shopping is a form of
entertainment
interaction.

Unlike their female counterparts, most male

jewelry customers shop for a specific purpose – not
fun. They want to find the perfect gift, and they’d like
to do so quickly and easily. However, many men feel
anxious about making the proper choice. As a result,
they appreciate a helpful and informative sales profes-
sional who can guide them through the buying process
while providing whatever might be necessary in the
way of encouragement, coaxing, correction, confirma-
tion, or validation.

Many men appreciate helpful and

Decision Making
informative professional guidance when When they buy clothing and accessories, women
buying jewelry for a gift.
focus on fashion, style, and design. This is also true
with jewelry. The overall look and feel of a piece is
often the deciding factor in a self-purchase. Women
also know what they like, and they naturally think in
terms of wardrobing – how a new purchase will mix or
match with jewelry and apparel they already own. This
can make the buying process relatively straightforward.
You just need to facilitate the customer’s decision-
making by supplying any informational details that
may be needed, reinforcing benefits she recognizes,
and highlighting any she might have missed.

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 The Buying Experience

Men want
What men want most of all is for the jewelry they give
to be loved, worn, and enjoyed. A gift that disappears into
a jewelry box is a failure. But while most men can do an
adequate job of working through an analysis of cost versus
the jewelry
quality and carat weight for a diamond, many are almost they give
to be
completely clueless when it comes to the designs and styles
preferred by the women for whom they’re buying. In such
cases, it’s your responsibility to save the day with skilled enjoyed.
profiling and expert input on selecting the right piece.

ENHANCERS AND SPOILERS

During the in-store part of the buying process, there are a
number of ways to enhance the shopping experience and increase
the chances that the customer will make a purchase. However,
there are plenty of potential spoilers too.
Experience spoilers can have an immediate impact. They may
prompt the customer to say something like, “I need to do a little
more looking around” – which is a polite excuse to leave. Other
spoilers cause delayed reactions. The customer might go ahead
with a purchase that day, but he or she won’t return in the future,
or give favorable reviews of your store to others.
If you want to increase shopping enhancers and eliminate
spoilers, you have four main areas to look at, think about, and
work with – the store environment, your merchandise and
displays, company policies and services, and your professional
team.

An attractive store environment sets Store Environment

the stage for the positive images and
emotions you want customers to have. At the most basic level, your store environment is made up of
all the sights, sounds, smells, and touch sensations that surround
the customer while he or she is shopping. To enhance the experi-
ence, these diverse sensory inputs need to work together to create
an environment that’s attractive and inviting, interesting and stim-
ulating – even exciting and entertaining. This sets the stage for
and helps to inspire the positive thoughts, feelings, mental images,
and fantasies you’d like for your customers to enjoy while they’re
deciding among the beautiful products you offer.

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They Buying Experience

Achieving this multifaceted dramatic effect takes imagina-

tion, planning, and lots of work. You also have to recognize and
incorporate specific features that appeal to various customers. For
example, many men feel a need for private space when they’re
considering an important gift purchase. Women want mirrors
so they can see how they’ll look when they wear the jewelry
they buy for themselves. Thoughtful extra touches like serving
beverages and snacks can pleasantly surprise customers of both
genders. (This also adds the dimension of taste to the other
sensory elements.)
A dull store environment is a major experience spoiler, but
research indicates that this is a common problem. In one survey,
only half of customers said their first impression of the jewelry
store they most recently visited was that it’s aesthetically pleasing.
Many complained that most stores are boring and look alike. Always remember that the
details of housekeeping count
To avoid this pitfall, try to identify strategic adjustments that – especially to female shoppers.
can be made within your existing store setup (without renova-
tions). Maybe develop and implement a plan for changing the
“scenery” periodically throughout the year. Then do your part to
make it happen. This includes taking care of all those chores that
are part of the store’s physical maintenance and cleaning. For
women shoppers especially, housekeeping details matter.

Merchandise and Displays

Effective displays can enhance
the buying experience.
Photos courtesy of Harry Kotlar Jewels
Fine jewelry is among the most glamorous and romantic
of all consumer products. It’s also the focus of the buying
experience – the star of the show – in your store. So, you need
to keep your merchandise looking its best, and be sure that
everything around it adds to the appeal. Remember that effec-
tive displays are a vital part of this effort. They can suggest or
reinforce the reasons for purchasing your jewelry.
Monotonous merchandise is a shopping spoiler, and – like
boring stores – customers regard it as a common problem.
Many complain that jewelry is much the same from one store
to another. Frequent shoppers often say the stores they visit
never seem to have anything new.

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 The Buying Experience

To deal with these issues, many jewelry retailers offer branded lines and
designer collections. Others create custom jewelry. Such options give customers
choices that are unique and distinctive. Inventory purchases can also be coordi-
nated to keep a steady stream of new merchandise flowing into the store.
But these tactics don’t do much good if the overall look of a store’s showcases
and displays never changes (or doesn’t change often enough). For this reason,
it’s essential to give attention to this aspect of the problem, too – to produce a
constantly moving storyline that shows and tells how the jewelry you sell relates to
and enriches your customers’ lives.

Policies and Services

A store’s policies and services can enhance the shopping
experience by giving customers comfort and confidence,
letting them know they’re truly valued, and demonstrating
that the company stands behind its products. This is espe-
cially important for building repeat business and long-term
relationships.
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buying jewelry, and don’t ask for details about store policies
and services at the time a purchase is made. So, problems
with these things may not turn into spoilers right away. But
a bad experience with a return or repair down the road will
almost certainly cost you a customer – and quite possibly
transform him or her into a crusader who seeks revenge by
bad-mouthing your business at every opportunity.

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They Buying Experience

Also keep in mind that service is one area in which

traditional jewelry stores excel over alternatives like
internet retailers. To capitalize on this competitive advan-
tage, make customers aware of the policies and services
you offer – always highlighting benefits – and be sure to
include reminders when you make follow-up contacts.

Professional Team
A store’s professional team can “make or break” the
jewelry shopping experience. One reason is that nearly
all customers require some degree of expert assistance in
making their selections. The assistance can range from When you make follow-up calls,
concise tips on current styles to extended explanations of remind customers of the special
what the 4Cs really mean in terms of beauty, quality, and services you offer.
value. Whatever its nature and however much is needed,
customers must have accurate and adequate information to
make educated buying decisions.

Individuals on the sales team are also the frontline

Members of the sales team are
frontline representatives of the store
and all it stands for.
representatives of the store and all it stands for – in other
words, the store brand. If you’re friendly, helpful, sincere,
and competent, customers are more likely to see your entire
operation as being that way too.
To make the shopping experience the best it can be for
your customers, you need a combination of superior quali-
ties:
• In-depth product knowledge.
• Excellent personal relations and communications
skills.
• Understanding of both the buying and the selling
processes.
• Lots of creativity and imagination.
• Friendly, genuinely caring attitude.
• High energy and loads of enthusiasm.
• Ample patience.

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 The Buying Experience

A weakness in any of these traits or skills can hamper

your ability to create great shopping experiences, but there
are a couple of surefire spoilers.
One is what’s frequently described as a “snooty” atti-
tude. Many customers – especially women who like to shop
recreationally – complain that jewelry sales professionals
act annoyed and dismissive if they don’t think a person is
going to make a purchase that day. This is a mistake because
customers often pay more than one visit to a store during
the selecting step of the buying process, before ultimately
deciding to commit and make the purchase. Acting impatient
or pushy only tells customers that your store isn’t the right
place to shop.
Having a friendly attitude is one of
Another certain spoiler is lack of product knowledge the top things you can do to provide
– or an inability to use that knowledge effectively. Many great shopping experiences for your
customers.
consumers don’t believe that jewelry sales associates truly
have much expertise regarding the products they sell. This
opinion may come from things the customers have heard
or read, but it can also be the result of direct personal
experience. An extra hurdle for male professionals is that
many women shoppers don’t believe most men adequately
comprehend matters of fashion and style.

When A good way to avert attitude issues is to let your

recreational customers set the pace of the buying process. When recre-
ational shoppers want to look, let them look. Join them in
shoppers the fun – and encourage them to do lots of trying on.

want to look, To settle doubts about your expertise, find tactful ways
of showing what you know. (Just be careful not to overdo
let them look. the technical stuff.) And if you’re a “guy,” demonstrate your
fashion savvy with positive and observant remarks about the
clothes your women customers are wearing.

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They Buying Experience

CRAFTING GREAT EXPERIENCES

In this lesson you’ve seen that there are many variables
in the jewelry buying experience. As a retail sales profes-
sional, you play a critical role in bringing them all together
and crafting great experiences for your customers.
The goal is to create encounters that are memorable
in lots of good ways, full of little (or big) surprises that
go beyond what’s demanded, normally expected, or even
dreamed of. These experiences also need to extend over time
Work with members of your team to find
– from the moment a new customer first lays eyes on your
ways of elevating the shopping experience
windows, through the buying process, past clienteling activi- for customers.
ties, into a future that holds a permanent relationship. Photos courtesy Bremer Jewelry.

Achieving that kind of ambitious, long-range goal starts with a tremendous amount of background
preparation, which really never ends – learning about your products; staying plugged-in to contem-
porary fashion and style; familiarizing yourself with every aspect of the store in which you work;
mastering all the skills of sales and service; doing your part to make things run smoothly and keep the
store and its merchandise looking their very best.
The most intense and rewarding part of the effort comes when
you’re interacting person-to-person with customers. That’s when the
jewelry buying experience – or the experience of being in a place
where timeless beauty and lasting value are offered for possession
Allow each – comes most fully within your grasp. It’s then that you have to be
at the “top of your game.”
customer The secret is to remain relaxed yet focused, alert, and respon-
to work through sive. Allow the customer to work through the buying process in
the buying use your skills to keep the interaction moving in the right direction
his or her on way, and at his or her own pace. At the same time,

experience –ingly
toward a purchase decision with which the customer will be last-
happy. Along the way, watch for opportunities to add those
in his or her extra personal touches that elevate the experience from just good to
truly great.
own way. If you achieve these things, the buying process will become
a positive part of the much bigger story of owning, giving, and
enjoying jewelry for your customers. Then they will remember you,
tell others about you, and return to you time and again for more.

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 The Buying Experience

RECAP OF KEY POINTS

• In today’s jewelry retailing, the buying experience is critical. Customers regard
fine jewelry as a special kind of purchase, and they expect the buying experience
to match up with the feelings and ideas that surround the occasions for which
purchases are made
• In most cases, customers go through six steps in the process of buying jewelry
– triggering, pondering, searching, selecting, committing, and evaluating. Most of
these steps involve gathering and evaluating information, and then making a deci-
sion that guides the next step. By the time you see a customer, he or she is usually
several steps into the buying process.
• As customers work their way through the buying process, they tend to exhibit
typical and predictable behaviors. These include setting a budget, deciding where
to shop, comparing options, and seeking the best possible deal. Responding appro-
priately to these buying behaviors has a decisive impact on the outcome of shop-
ping activity.
• Men and women are very different in their goals and approaches to buying fine
jewelry. These differences arise mainly from the contrasts between gift buying
and self-purchasing. As a result, you need to make fundamental changes in your
presentations, based on the gender of the customer.
• During the in-store phase of the buying process there are ways to enhance the
shopping experience and increase the chances of making a sale – but there are
potential spoilers too. To enhance the experience, the overall store environ-
ment needs to be as appealing as possible. Merchandise and displays have to
tell a compelling story. Policies and services should be presented in terms of the
messages they send and the benefits they offer. You and your professional team-
mates have to provide needed assistance and effectively represent the store brand.
• You play a central – and critical – role in bringing everything together and crafting
great jewelry buying experiences for your customers. The goal is to go beyond the
usual, ordinary, and expected. Achieving it starts with a great deal of background
preparation, but the climax comes when you’re working one-on-one with your
customers. At that point, you need to remain relaxed yet focused, alert, and respon-
sive – allowing the customer to work through the buying process the way he or she
prefers, but skillfully directing the interaction toward the ultimate goal of a satis-
fying purchase.

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They Buying Experience

LESSON 3 FOLLOW-UP CHECKLIST

____ Next time you make an important purchase, pay close attention to the steps you
go through. Note the kinds of thoughts and feelings you have at each step, as
well as the shopping behaviors you exhibit. From your own perspective as the
customer, analyze any sales personnel connected with the transaction. What did
they say or do that helped or hindered the buying process? Then think about
how you can apply these insights to selling fine jewelry.
____ With coworkers discuss ways in which you might assure customers that they’ve
chosen a great place to shop. Remember that this affirmation needs to start
early and be reinforced at key points throughout the interaction.
____ Also talk about experiences you’ve had with customers who exhibit deal-
seeking behavior. Share techniques that you’ve used successfully in responding.
Then develop and role-play a couple of selling scenarios that involve a
customer who “haggles.”
____ Make sure you know your store’s policies and procedures on making price
reductions for individual customers. If this is an option you can use with deal-
seeking customers, role-play a scenario along these lines.
____ In the coming weeks, pay close attention to the differences (and also similari-
ties) in the way men and women work through the jewelry buying process.
Discuss your observations with coworkers and make notes. You’ll be getting
deeper into this topic in the second half of the course – especially Lesson 6
“Bridal Jewelry” and Lesson 7 “Fashion Jewelry.”
____ One at a time, analyze each of the four areas discussed in the “Enhancers and
Spoilers” section of the lesson – store environment, merchandise and displays,
policies and services, and professional team. Try your best to look at things
from a customer’s perspective. (It might help to team up with coworkers on
this.) Are there any changes you can make that will increase enhancers and
either eliminate or at least minimize spoilers? If you come up with ideas that
you think are good, but which are “over your head” in terms of job responsi-
bility, discuss them with management.
____ In the weeks ahead, begin identifying and acting on ways in which you can
improve the quality of the buying experiences you craft for customers. After
each interaction, analyze what you did well and what you think you might
be able to do better in the future. Seek input from management and close
coworkers. When you have the opportunity, also observe coworkers who are
especially strong in this area.

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LESSON 3 SELF-TEST

T his lesson also includes a Self-Test that’s designed to help you gauge your comprehension of the
lesson material. The test is an important part of the learning process, so be sure to complete it.
When you're ready to take the test, go to the Course Materials page (the one that lists all the
lessons) and click on "Take Self-Test." Make certain you select the test for this lesson.
All questions in the test are based on Lesson 3. More than one answer for a question might seem
correct, but you should select the one best answer based on the lesson discussion.
As you take the test, you may refer to the lesson. To do this, you’ll need to have the lesson loaded
in a separate window of your browser.
If you feel certain about a question, try answering it without looking at the lesson. But if you’re not
sure, check the lesson before answering.
After you answer a question, you'll receive immediate results and feedback. You'll find out whether
you answered correctly, what the correct answer was (in case you missed it), and also the page
number in the lesson where the information can be found. Take time to review any material you're not
completely clear on.
At the end of the test, you’ll receive your overall results. Then you’ll be able to continue to the next
step in your coursework.
If you have questions or need help, please contact us. You can use this website – just click on Help.
You can also email studenthelp@diamondcouncil.org or phone 615-385-5301 / toll free 877-283-5669.

Advanced Jewelry Sales 3 21