EXCLUSIVE: Early sales exceeding expectations

New York--Sales were better than expected for a number of jewelers over the weekend, topping figures achieved in the comparable time period last year, retailers interviewed Monday by National Jeweler said.

Overall, the outlook for the holiday season--which for jewelers normally includes a rush of last-minute gift buyers--is optimistic, even among retailers who reported slower sales this weekend.

National Jeweler publishes a weekly holiday sales roundup every Monday throughout the holiday season. The roundups are comprised of interviews with independent retailers in five regions of the country: Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, South Central and West.

NORTHEAST
Sales were “very good” for David Rotenberg, owner of David Craig Jewelers in Langhorne, Pa.

“When we had the foot traffic, we didn’t have buyers,” he said. “Then foot traffic settled down, and we got buyers. The foot traffic is the lookers, and the single people coming in are the buyers--that’s the way it seems to be working.”

Rotenberg said both Friday and Saturday were busy days at the store, which is “substantially better than last year.” He said he believes people are feeling more confident economically.

“There’s a little bit of good news out there; you get a little bit of cabin fever,” he said of consumers. “They’ve been thinking about shopping and they want to get out and get something done. Business, shall we say, is rebounding.”

Rotenberg said a lot of his customers are busy with their own businesses and careers, so when they do come in to shop, “they aren’t messing around. Typically, the average shopper kicks around for a couple of weeks, and then a few weeks before Christmas starts shopping. I’m not seeing that. They’re serious right up front.”

The jeweler said he doesn’t know if the ready-to-buy attitude will continue through the season or die off in the last weeks before the holidays.

Traffic and sales exceeded expectations on Saturday and Sunday for Evan James Deutsch, president of Evan James Ltd. in Brattleboro, Vt., but “the best days are yet to come.”

“There are definitely people who are enthusiastic but are still at the tire-kicking stage,” he said.

Extra advertising for the store’s “Renovation Celebration,” which will offer customers 20 to 40 percent off merchandise storewide, has helped to get people into the store, Deutsch said. Sales have been across the board, including a number of engagement ring sales.

“It gets progressively better, and that’s what we’re looking to do,” Deutsch said on heading further into the holiday season.”

SOUTHEAST
A fun holiday party created enthusiasm at Goodman & Sons Jewelers in Hampton, Va., for Stuart Goodman.