NRF: Stimulus bill not enough to spark spending
Washington--The National Retail Federation (NRF) is continuing its strong push for consumers on Capitol Hill, reiterating that boosting consumer confidence is key to curing the nation's economic woes.
The WDN seeks lower taxes, tariffs on watch trade
In an effort to lower taxes and tariffs on watch imports and exports between the United States and other countries and thereby drive business, the head of The Watch Dealers Network is asking a federal...
JCOC: Consumers remain down on economy
New York--Consumers remain pessimistic on the state of the U.S. economy and few have plans to buy jewelry in the near future, according to the latest economic tracking data from the Jewelry Consumer...
Birks and Mayors holiday sales down 26 percent
Montreal--Same-store sales at Birks and Mayors decreased 26 percent for the 2008 holiday selling season (Nov. 2-Dec. 27), compared with the similar period last year (Nov. 4-Dec. 29, 2007), the company...
Tired of negative news, jewelers?
New York--Pull up the Web site of any major, national news organization, and you won't have to look hard to find a story about the decrepit state of the U.S. economy and consumer confidence.
Sales slowdown forces Sterling layoffs
Akron, Ohio--The recessionary economy has forced Sterling Jewelers Inc. to layoff 114 employees at its home office in Akron, Ohio, the company announced on Wednesday.
JewelryBrands.net names new president
Beverly Hills, Calif.--Jewelry Brands dba JewelryBrands.net has appointed Lyle M. Rose as president, where he will be responsible for overseeing and expanding the company's special projects.
Survey: Walmart gains consumer share in downturn
Breckenridge, Colo.--With American consumers reluctant to pry open their wallets for retail spending, a greater percentage plan to spend more at longtime discount giant Walmart than at Target, a new...
Zale comps slip nearly 4 percent
Irving, Texas--Despite its efforts to offer new merchandise and update the look of its stores, Zale Corp. announced that its same-store sales declined 3.7 percent in the first quarter 2009 amid...
Some jewelers downsize as bankruptcies mount
Multi-store retailer Bernie Robbins Fine Jewelers, which closed its store in Short Hills, N.J., in early December, is one of several retail jewelers downsizing to cut costs in light of the worldwide...
NRF: Understanding consumer key to retail success
New York--When the cloud of the current economic recession lifts, it will leave in its wake a consumer who is remarkably different than the consumer of today.
Jewelry price inflation continues to moderate
Only time will tell if Wall Street speculation that inflation is real and here to stay is correct. But we do know this: In the jewelry industry, inflation has been cooling since mid 2008, both at the...
Tough time for watch sales
New York--Watch sales are suffering at the hands of the economic slump like the rest of the luxury market, but more modestly priced and classic timepieces are poised to hold their own better than...
Tourist-spot jewelers adapt to fewer visitors
New York--The sour U.S. economy has had a disastrous impact on many business sectors, but jewelry chains that rely heavily on tourists have been particularly hard-hit over the past year.
Study: Spending plans for wealthy reach record lows
Alpharetta, Ga.--More than two-thirds of U.S. luxury consumers have no plans to make any of eight major expenditures in the next 12 months, and acquisition plans for all of the eight items are equal...