January 2008
Unique Visits to Jewelry Web Sites Up 22%
Jewelry, luxury goods, and accessories Web sites posted a 22 percent increase in unique visitors for the month of December, when compared with the prior month, according to comScore Media Metrix, a division of ComScore, Inc.
More than 24 million unique visitors entered jewelry, luxury, and accessories Web sites for the month, compared with November’s figure of 19.6 million, the Reston, Va.-based company said. This category placed third among those categories tracked by the company, which details online media usage, visitor demographics, and online buying power.
Unique visitors refer to persons who visit a Web site more than once within a specified period of time.
Fragrances and Cosmetics led all categories with a 30 percent increase (21.5 million unique visitors) in December followed by the Consumer Goods category with a 23 percent rise (35.9 million unique visitors, comScore said.
The remaining categories that posted strong gains are as follows:
Total Unique Visitors (000)
Nov-07 Dec-07 % Change
* Retail - Music 23,846 27,933 17
* Gay/Lesbian 2,043 2,367 16
* Retail - Food 16,629 19,000 14
* Weather 60,132 68,388 14
* Sports/Outdoor 32,244 36,586 13
* Flowers/Gifts/Greetings 39,753 44,594 12
Overall, December saw increased traffic to retail sites, shipping sites, and weather sites.
"While the online holiday shopping promotions begin in earnest in November, the heaviest shopping and online spending actually occurs in December," said Jack Flanagan, executive vice president of comScore Media Metrix. "With shipping date guarantees extending later and in-store pickup options available, online holiday shopping is becoming increasingly conducive to the procrastinator."
Zale to Close 60 Stores; Breeden Ups its Stake
Zale Corp. said Tuesday it will close 60 unprofitable stores in the next 90 days and possibly dozens more by the end of the year, The Dallas Morning News reports.
Chief administrative office Rodney Carter said that the Dallas-based jeweler is also cutting its capital spending to $85 million this year from a planned $100 million, the newspaper reports.
Carter was speaking at the Cowen & Co. annual consumer conference in New York.
Stores closings include Zales, Gordon’s, and Piercing Pagoda kiosks.
In a related mater, Breeden Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Zale to 17.7 percent from 15.9 percent, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing Tuesday.
The Greenwich, Conn.-based investment fund, owned by activist investor Richard Breeden reported owning about 7.9 million shares on 44.6 million shares outstanding as of Nov. 30.
This is the fourth time this month that the fund has reported increasing its stake. Breeden, is the former SEC chairman.
Jewelry sites among top gainers in December
Jewelry sites among top gainers in December
January 16, 2008
Reston, Va.—Retail jewelry Web sites trailed only cosmetics and consumer goods in category growth from unique visitors during the month of December, an analysis by ComScore Inc. reveals.
As consumers rushed to complete their holiday gift lists online, the analysis showed that fragrance and cosmetics sites experienced a 30 percent increase in the number of unique visitors between November and December, followed by consumer-goods sites with a 23 percent increase, and jewelry, luxury goods and accessories sites with a 22 percent increase, to 24 million unique visitors.
Other sites with a significant increase in unique visitors during the month of December included shipping (21 percent), retail-music (17 percent) and gay and lesbian Web sites (16 percent.)
When it comes to individual Web sites, OfficeMax topped the list for unique-visitor growth in December with a 170 percent increase, fueled mostly by its popular, viral holiday-greeting site Elfyourself.com.
Yahoo Sites continued its reign as the top U.S. Web property in December with about 137 million unique visitors, followed by Google Sites with 133 million and Microsoft Sites with 120 million.
Apple Inc. did well in December, moving up to the No. 10 spot due to interest in the iPod and iPhone as holiday gifts.
Other retail sites that posted big gains in December included Sears, J.C. Penney and Best Buy.
ComScore Inc. measures the digital world based on a global cross-section of more than 2 million consumers who have given the company permission to confidentially capture their browsing and transaction behavior, including online and offline purchasing. ComScore panelists also participate in survey research that captures and integrates their attitudes and intentions.
NRF calls on Congress to stimulate economy
NRF calls on Congress to stimulate economy
January 16, 2008
New York—The National Retail Federation (NRF) board of directors is calling on Congress and President Bush to enact economic-stimulus legislation that would put dollars back in consumers’ pockets to fuel and sustain economic growth.
“This action shows how seriously the current economic situation is taken by the CEOs of the nation’s major retail companies,” NRF President and Chief Executive Officer Tracy Mullin said in a statement released yesterday. “Consumer spending and retail sales are the backbone of the nation’s economy. Stimulus that helps consumer spending will benefit all industries in the private sector.”
The NRF board, meeting at the association’s 97th Annual Convention in New York City, unanimously adopted a resolution yesterday afternoon emphasizing that consumer spending represents 70 percent of the U.S. economy and calling on lawmakers to act quickly.
“The nation’s economy is in a slowdown,” the resolution said. “Consumers will be under continued financial stress in 2008 as a result of high energy costs, the fallout from the housing slump, sluggish employment and income growth.”
Yesterday’s vote came after the U.S. Commerce Department announced that retail sales for December (excluding automobiles, gas stations and restaurants) increased just 1.7 percent unadjusted over 2006 and decreased 0.4 percent seasonally adjusted from November. Combined November-December holiday sales totaled $469.9 billion, a 3 percent increase that fell short of the NRF’s earlier prediction of a 4 percent increase. The increase was the lowest since 2002, when holiday sales rose 1.3 percent.
On Monday, the NRF issued its 2008 economic forecast, calling for a 3.5 percent increase in retail sales over 2007. The NRF expects the housing slump and slow job growth to restrain sales.
The NRF is the largest retail trade association in the world, with members including department, discount, drug, grocery, independent and specialty stores, catalog merchants, chain restaurants and e-tailers, as well as the industry’s key trading partners of retail goods and services.
For more information about the NRF, visit its Web site, NRF.com.
JIC honors elite trio at Gem Awards
JIC honors elite trio at Gem Awards
January 16, 2008
New York—Taking a break from its efforts to promote fine jewelry, the Jewelry Information Center (JIC) turned the spotlight on three of the industry’s finest on Friday night, paying honors to Bulgari, Signet Group CEO Terry Burman and writer Roberta Naas at the JIC’s Sixth Annual Gem Awards.
More than 600 industry leaders and professionals attended the gala, held at Cipriani 42nd Street in Manhattan. The awards are designed to recognize the outstanding achievements of individuals and companies whose work raises the visibility and status of fine jewelry and watches. Retailer, manufacturer and media award recipients must meet stringent criteria and be deemed leaders in their field to receive the award, according to the JIC.
This year’s honorees were honored in the following categories: Bulgari for corporate communications and excellence in marketing; Burman for lifetime achievement; and Naas for excellence in jewelry and watch writing.
Hall of Fame football star Dan Marino introduced and presented Bulgari’s award to Francois Kress, CEO of Bulgari North America, who accepted the award on the company’s behalf.
Marino has had a longstanding relationship with the luxury brand.
Other presenters for the evening included Mark Light, president and CEO of Sterling Jewelers, who introduced Burman, and Jason Binn, founder and CEO of Niche Media, who presented the award to Naas.
For the sixth consecutive year, Inside Edition anchor Deborah Norville, a seasoned journalist and author of several books, served as mistress of ceremonies.
PK Time names new sales VP
PK Time names new sales VP
January 16, 2008
New York—PK Time Group, the North American distributor for Swiss manufacturers Dubey and Schaldenbrand, Clerc, Aquanautic and Volna, has named Michael Lockett as vice president of sales for North America and the Caribbean.
Locket replaces Harold “Buddy” Newell, who recently left the company to pursue other interests.
Locket’s initial strategies for the company include refocusing the brand within the current retail market and expanding retailer relationships into Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean, areas that are showing increased business for the luxury watch industry.
Lockett is certainly no newbie to the watch industry. He has more than two decades of experience, most recently serving as managing director for Luxury Brand Management, a consulting company for luxury watch brands looking to enter Canada and Mexico.
Prior to that post, Lockett served as executive vice president for Fendi timepieces. He entered the watch industry in the mid 80s as a sales representative for Citizen watches.
“Michael’s expertise in sales and strategic planning is exactly the support PK Time Group needs, as we continue to expand both our distribution and network of retail partners,” PK Time Group Managing Director Ken Grazi said in media release. “Under Michael’s leadership, PK Time Group looks forward to providing more resources to Swiss timepiece manufacturers looking to enter the North American market.”
For more information on PK Time Group, contact Lilian Raji at (404) 806-9948 ext. 75 or via e-mail at lilian@pktime.com.
Dubey and Schaldenbrand benefits breast cancer research
Dubey and Schaldenbrand benefits breast cancer research
January 16, 2008
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| Dubey and Schaldenbrand will donate sales of its Spiral Venus timepiece to benefit breast cancer research. |
New York—PK Time Group, the North American distributor of Dubey and Schaldenbrand wristwatches, will donate sales of its limited-edition Spiral Venus timepiece with pink mother-of-pearl dial to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
The timepiece’s dial is accented with applied hour makers and the brand’s exclusive “sweep second with vintage spiral.” In addition, an anti-reflective domed sapphire crystal covers the front of the dial, while a flat sapphire crystal on the back allows the wearer to view the exclusive, gold-finished vintage Caliber II Venus 220 movement from the 1950s. The movement also includes hand-engraved doves and stars to symbolize the peace and serenity imparted to the wearer and is encased in stainless steel, highlighted by a cabochon crown and a pink Louisiana alligator strap.
“As the only watch company in the world owned exclusively by a woman, it was only a matter of time that Dubey and Schaldenbrand produced an exquisite timepiece to benefit the fight against one of the most common causes of death in women,” PK Time Group Managing Director Ken Grazi said in a media release. “We are honored by this opportunity to work with the National Breast Cancer Foundation and look forward to making contributions toward a cure.”
The Spiral Venus may be purchased at select fine-jewelry and watch retailers across the country. To guarantee authenticity, the Spiral Venus is not sold online but may be purchased by phone order through an authorized Dubey and Schaldenbrand retailer. To locate the closest one, call (888) 919-8463.
Zale to close 60 underperforming stores
Zale to close 60 underperforming stores
January 16, 2008
Irving, Texas—Zale Corp. plans to close 60 stores in the next 90 days, National Jeweler has confirmed.
Zale Chief Administrative Officer Rodney Carter didn’t identify the stores, but said the Irving, Texas-based jeweler would be closing unprofitable Zales, Gordon’s Jewelers and Piercing Pagoda stores and “several dozen more” stores later this year.
Zale Vice President and Treasurer David Sternblitz told National Jeweler that the company is not planning on exiting any geographic markets and that “there is the potential that the people impacted get placed at other stores or other brands.”
Zale is one of many large retail chains to announce store closings following a dismal holiday shopping season.
In its earnings call last week, Zale reported same-store sales fell 9 percent in November and December, and total revenues for the two-month period were down 10.1 percent, from $804 million in 2006 to $723 million in 2007.
Speaking at the Cowen and Co. Annual Consumer Conference in New York, Carter also said Zale would cut capital spending from $100 million to $85 million.
Other retail stores to announce closings following weak holiday sales include home furnishings retailer Ethan Allen Interiors Inc., which is closing 12 stores; Liz Claiborne Inc., which is closing its 54-store Sigrid Olsen chain; and Macy’s Inc., which announced three days after Christmas that it was closing nine additional stores, various news sources have reported.
Gem Research Conference Scheduled for 2009
The 2009 Gemological Research Conference will take place Aug. 21-23, 2009, in San Diego, Calif., It will focus on a variety of technical issues of relevance to anyone working with gemstones, and will have applications for educators, earth/materials scientists, and those studying objects of cultural heritage. The 2009 GRC will be hosted by the Gemological Institute of America.
The 3-day event will include world-renowned speakers, cutting-edge oral and poster presentations and panel discussions; international, multidisciplinary participation; including a session organized by the Mineralogical Society of America; and field trips to gem pegmatites in San Diego County
The following session topics are being considered, in two parallel tracks:
Track 1: Gemology
* Gem Treatments and Synthetics
* Gem Characterization Technology and Instrumentation
* New Gem Localities
* Geology of Gem-forming Environments
* Diamond Identification
* Colored Stone Identification
* Gemstone Inclusions
* General Gemology
Track 2: Jewelry/Business Issues
* Gem Market Research, Economics, and Legal Issues
* Fair Trade and Environmental Issues in Gemology
* Jewelry History and Gems in Cultural Heritage
* Jewelry Manufacturing Technology
* Pearls and Organic Gems
* Color Description and Grading
The inaugural Gemological Research Conference, held in August 2006, drew more than 700 participants from 32 counties. Summaries of the 2006 GRC presentations were published in the Fall 2006 issue of Gems & Gemology and can be reviewed online (http://lgdl.gia.edu/pdfs/grc_2006.pdf).
A call for abstracts will be released later this year on the conference Web site. As in 2006, limited funds for reimbursement of travel/hotel expenses will be available to selected conference presenters who demonstrate appropriate need.
Zultanite Gems Names Global Sales Director
Zultanite Gems, LLC has named Jim Fiebig global sales director. He will be responsible for all marketing and sales for Zultanite as the company attempts to expand the popularity of this gem throughout the world.
He began buying colored gemstones abroad for his family jewelry store in 1988. After he sold his Michigan-based store in 2005, he and his wife JoAnn moved to Madagascar to establish a gemstone tourism business that still continues.
Fiebig returned to the U.S. to live in North Carolina where he founded SellMoreColor.com to teach retail jewelers to sell colored gemstones more effectively. He has been a featured speaker about colored gemstones for AGTA and is a frequent contributor to many magazines.
After several months of global exposure with GemsTV, Zultanite Gems, LLC is now committed to selling only to retailers and maintaining a transparent supply chain that will insure integrity in pricing and availability. Zultanite is mined at one place, in Turkey, with social and environmental responsibility, the company said.
Zultanite is a transparent Type II gemstone that registers 6.5-7.0 on the Mohs hardness scale with a refractive index of 1.70-1.75 and a specific gravity of 3.39. Depending on the light source, Zultanite can shift from kiwi green to champagne and all the way to a delicate watermelon pink. Each Zultanite has its own range of colors and wearers are encouraged to wander around and watch the various colors appear.