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Why Won’t Rap Do Anything?December 10, 2007We lost a diamond sale to another local store in town and my sales associate wasn’t too happy about it so I told her—there is a lot to learn and after the holidays we will begin more diamond training—but before I train any of my sales associates I send them to the other local stores in town to diamond shop. I find that this tactic allows them to learn how others are selling in the market, learn tactics they might want to add to their presentation, and/or learn things that maybe we don’t cover in a diamond presentation that we might need to expand upon.
Before I could tell her we’d start this after Christmas, she ended up going to store to whom we lost the sale too. She came back with a blue folder—inside was two designer’s brochures, an education booklet stating info regarding the 4C’s, a brochure titled the 10 biggest mistakes when choosing a diamond, and finally a copy of RAP embedded into their propaganda (booklet)—rounds and pears of course.
When she came back we went over how to answer consumer questions regarding them being handed a copy of RAP—What to say? How to say it? And how to keep them interested in our product? You can find info regarding this in a blog I wrote last year titled, “The Jewelry Store that Hands Their Customers RAP!”
I went a little further and contacted Sherri Hendricks at Rap, and asked her, “What do you do about retailers handing out RAP to their customers?” Her answer, “We cannot control what people do with the list and if they choose to show it to a customer, we cannot act against them. However making copies is a breach of copyright and if we know of anyone breaching copyright, we will act against them. We would need some sort of confirmation of this before instituting action.”
Wasn’t RAP created for wholesalers and retailers—can’t they institute something so that retailers don’t copy it into their catalogs for their customers? Another jeweler killing our industry and another creator not willing to protect their clients. Posted by Shanu Singh Guliani on December 10, 2007 | Comments (10)
December 10, 2007
In response to: Why Won’t Rap Do Anything? Jen commented: That response from Rap sounds similar to what Ebay said when confronted by Tiffany about counterfeit Tiffany goods for sale on Ebay. I believe Ebay is now being sued bc of it ...
December 10, 2007
In response to: Why Won’t Rap Do Anything? Rob Bates commented: Hi Shanu ... Isn't people printing out Blue Nile lists (which anyone can access) more of a problem than people coming in with Rap? Or am I wrong on that?
December 11, 2007
In response to: Why Won’t Rap Do Anything? Shanu S. Guliani commented: Rob--Nope! Blue Nile is an online retailer with lower prices. Just yesterday my customer looked on there to educate herself but bought from me because she could see the stones and compare them next to one another--my prices are higher because of the service in house that we offer--it just doesn't end with the sale--its about my store helping her maintain and care for her diamond. The local store is telling consumers Rap is used to buy diamonds--and for many it is--that store is using Rap to show selling strategies--personally I can answer any question related to Rap and have sold diamonds to their customers as well--but the point is that is created for wholesalers and that stores gimmick is "we sell below wholesale prices to the public." I'm angry that they are creating a bad image of our entire industry. This is a classic example of a jeweler hurting us all. Our industry needs to change--we all can make money and sell the product we all love so much--what's the need for hurting us all (this is just telling consumers that jewelry and diamonds are overpriced and can always be sold for less).
December 14, 2007
In response to: Why Won’t Rap Do Anything? Homer commented: Shanu, rather than complaining about this pernicious practice in your blog, you (and other retailers who have to compete with it) need to be much more proactive and aggressive in countering it. Part of your sales presentation needs to address the existence of Rap and what it is, that "wholesale to the public" is an oxymoron, that claiming to sell at or below wholesale is illegal (an FTC violation), that the prices in Rap aren't what they appear to be, that stores using Rap like this are behaving unethically, and do you really want to buy from a store that's deceiving you like this? If more jewelers took this approach, I guarantee the problem would go away eventually. Unfortunately, too many are too terrified of even admitting Rap even exists, and that just lets the few unethical stores pretend to be giving their customers access to "secret industry price lists."
December 26, 2007
In response to: Why Won’t Rap Do Anything? Mervyn Cohn commented: When "Not for profit" and "Open to the Public" became the montra of the jewelry "Trade". Then Follow the money came next.
December 27, 2007
In response to: Why Won’t Rap Do Anything? Alan commented: I have been out of the diamond business for many years but as a wholesaler and then a retailer, this problem has existed for years (Rappaport) and will continue to exist. It's what the industry brought onto themselves. I started selling diamond to Jewelers in 1980 at the height of the certificate market. 1ct D-FL with cert for $40,000.00 p/c. Crazy. As a retailer I did not lose to many sales as I spend the time to educate the consumer. Most jewelers dont know enough about diamonds and the most important "C" which is CUT. Jewelers who hand out price lists are doing harm to themselves and the industry.
January 12, 2008
In response to: Why Won’t Rap Do Anything? C2 CLOTHES commented: CALL US TOLL FREE
January 14, 2008
In response to: Why Won’t Rap Do Anything? La Shawn Bauer commented: Greetings Shanu Singh Guliani:
January 14, 2008
In response to: Why Won’t Rap Do Anything? Jules Lester Rabalais commented: There is a way to cure this from a selling standpoint.
March 9, 2008
In response to: Why Won’t Rap Do Anything? wow power leveling commented: Buy wow gold, Welcome to wow power leveling website! we offer wow powerleveling
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