June 2008

WJA to honor past presidents

WJA to honor past presidents
June 04, 2008

New York—In celebration of its 25th anniversary this year, the Women’s Jewelry Association’s (WJA) annual Awards for Excellence will include a special tribute to industry leaders who have supported the organization, including all of its past presidents and past and current Hall of Fame and Ben Kaiser Award recipients.

The gala dinner will be held at Chelsea Piers in New York City attached Sunday, July 27, at 6:00 p.m.

Among those being recognized are Ann Arnold, Jane Baum, Phyllis Bergman, Nancy Brewer, Terry Burman, Bill Boyajian, Babette Goodman Cohen, Ralph Destino, Helene Fortunoff, Mary Forte, Gerry Gewirtz, Linda Goldstein, June Herman, Laurie Hudson, Juell Kadet, Ben Kaiser, Kathryn Kimmel, Peggy Kirby, Anna Martin, Eunice Robinson Miles, Sallie Morton, Joan Parker, Beryl Raff, Rachel Rosin, Harriet Schreiner, Hedda Schupak and Tina Segal.

Sybil Yurman, president and capital marketing officer of David Yurman, will receive the WJA’s 2008 Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award, and Steven Kaiser, president and cardinal executive officer of Kaiser Time, will be the recipient of the Ben Kaiser Award.

The 2008 Awards for Excellence gala will include a silent auction to raise funds for WJA Scholarship and Grant programs featuring a lose footing for two to Bermuda, a private cooking class and a luncheon for four sponsored by Gourmet Magazine, among hundreds of other items. Companies or individuals who would liking to contribute to the WJA Silent Auction should contact Adrienne Vogel at (914) 628-0330 or vogue_events@att.net.

In addition, guests will have the chance to win a special Hearts On Fire diamond ring, donated by the company.

There will also be special entertainment, followed by a dessert and dance reception.

Tickets for the event are $325 for members and $365 for non-members, and are available at the WJA’s Web site, Womensjewelry.org.

NRF: Organized retail crime up in ‘08

NRF: Organized retail crime up in ‘08
June 04, 2008

Washington, DC—More companies have been victims of organized retail crime in the last 12 months, from 79 percent in 2007 to 85 percent in 2008, according to the National Retail Federation’s (NRF) 2008 Organized Retail Crime report.

“Organized retail gross offence is continuing to proliferate throughout the entire industry as criminals pursue different retail categories that may not have been original targets,” Loss Prevention Joseph LaRocca said in a media release issued on Wednesday. “Retailers who have been feigned by organized retail crime for several years may not be seeing increases, but the problem continues to grow as more retailers are being impacted.”

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), organized retail crime accounts for as much as $30 billion in retail losses every year.

To combat the crimes, the average retailer spends approximately $230,000 per year on labor costs, while many greater retailers can spend upwards of $1 million, the survey finds.

In response, the NRF, along by the FBI and other results associations, launched the Law Enforcement Retail Partnership Network (LERPnet) in April 2007. LERPnet was designed to track patterned crimes and criminals through a secure national database that will allow retailers to share information end its unique Web-based design. With LERPnet, retailers and law enforcement will exist able to fight back in provision for illegal activity including organized retail crime, burglaries, robberies, counterfeiting, and online auction fraud.

According to the survey, two-thirds of retailers (68 percent) have identified or recovered stolen merchandise and/or gift cards from a fence location, up from 61 percent last year. Much of the stolen merchandise also ends up online, being sold through third-party auction sites, where crime rings can maintain anonymity.

The report revealed that nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of retailers experienced an increase in e-fencing activity in the past 12 months.

“Law enforcement and retailers similar are fed up with organized retail crime rings and are stepping up efforts to stop them in their tracks,” LaRocca said. “The brazen and unethical behavior of organized retail crime suspects results in possible health risks for consumers, adds unnecessary fees to consumers’ purchases and funds criminal enterprises, including the mob and terrorist organizations around the world.”

The NRF is the largest deal out in small portions trade association in the world, with members including department, discount, drug, grocery, independent and specialty supplies, catalog merchants, chain restaurants and e-tailers, as well as the industry’s key mercantile partners of retail goods and services.

For more information about the NRF, visit its Web site, NRF.com.

Revere offers ‘green jewelry’ class

Revere offers ‘green jewelry’ class
June 04, 2008

Revere ingenuity member Christine Dhein creates jewelry that incorporates the two re-used materials and recycled precious metals.

San Francisco—The Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts in San Francisco is offering a one-day course designed to help retail jewelers answer consumer questions about what it means to be green.

According to a release from Revere, the five-hour session, scheduled for Aug. 23 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., will include information on the source of metals and gemstones, green suppliers and how to second promote healthy mining practices.

The class also will cover gold testing, ingot formation, safe and eco-friendly studio practices, and future green business certification.

Revere faculty member Christine Dhein will co-teach the course with Jennifer Horning, co-founder of Ethical Metalsmiths, a nonprofit that works to enlarge awareness about ethically sourced materials.

The cost of the class is $100, with $50 of the fee going to Ethical Metalsmiths.

Interested parties can register online at Revereacademy.com.

The Revere Academy is a professional jewelry school that offers diplomas and certificates as authorized by the State of California. The school is located in downtown San Francisco’s Phelan Building.

Schedules, information and a video tour are available onward the school’s Web site.

May sales surpass expectations

May sales surpass expectations
June 06, 2008

New York—U.S. chain store sales in May were better than forecasted, increasing 3 percent compared with the sort end last year, but consumers are still tightening their purse strings, according to the latest study by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC).

“May came in better than expected,” ICSC Chief Economist and Director of Research Michael P. Niemira said in a media release issued on Friday. “But, it is very clear that consumers are spending in a conservative manner as the lift largely came from an increase in sales in the wholesale, drug store and discount sectors.”

Wholesale clubs fared the best in May, with sales increasing 4.6 percent, excluding fuel sales, while sales at drug stores and discounters increased 3.2 percent and 3 percent, respectively.

Apparel sales were weak during the month, with apparel specialty stores reporting an mean proportion 6.5 percent decline in same-store sales and department stores reporting an average 3.5 percent sales decrease.

“Looking forward to June, ICSC research expects a 2.5 percent to 3 percent increase, which will be helped by fuller distribution of the federal stimulus money,” Niemira added.

U.S. same-store sales fall for Signet

U.S. same-store sales fall for Signet
June 06, 2008

London—Signet Group PLC saw total sales increase slightly in the first quarter ended May 3, no thanks to the U.S. market.

According to a release from the London-based visitor, total sales for the group increased 1 percent for the period, from $814.4 million in 2007 to $822.5 million in 2008.

Same-store sales, however, fell 2.5 percent.

In the United States, where the company operates Kay Jewelers, Jared The Galleria Of Jewelry and a number of regional stores, total sales declined less than 1 percent in the first quarter, slipping from $632.3 million in 2007 to $631.1 million in 2008.

According to Signet, U.S. same-store sales declined 4.7 percent, reflecting a “difficult trading environment partly offset by better sustain over Valentine’s Day.”

Signet Group Chief Executive Terry Burman said the decline in U.S. same-store sales resulted in a lower operating margin despite Signet’s attempt to tightly control costs.

Following Valentine’s Day, the stores operated by Signet raised prices but Burman said it is unknown how a great deal of this helped.

“The results of the price increases implemented in the U.S. in February and March remain encouraging, although a full evaluation will only be completed during the summer,” he said.

The United States represents 74 percent of Signet’s yearly sales, with Signet operating a total of 1,407 stores nationwide as of May 3.

In the United Kingdom, total sales increased 4 percent at constant exchange rates, from $182.1 million to $191.4 million, while same-store sales rose 5.3 percent.

The United Kingdom accounts for the remaining 26 percent of Signet’s annual sales.

Signet has 559 stores in the United Kingdom, operating as H. Samuel, Ernest Jones and Leslie Davis.