Prestige Jewelers Inventory Clearance Shows, L.L.C. (PJICS), has created a new jewelry clearance show open to the public. The inaugural show, which will feature between 50 and 100 prestige retail jewelers from across the United States, will debut Oct. 22-24 at the Osceola Heritage Park Exhibition Building in Kissimmee, Fla. Exhibiting retail jewelers will be able to sell their outdated inventory to the public at wholesale cost or below to help make room for fresh inventory and boost their bottom line.

“This event is geared to clear out merchandise that has been in the store for a long time; merchandise that is no longer viable for stock-balancing,” explained Howard Hauben, PJICS president. “This is merchandise that is seen by the store’s sales team as ‘dead;’ that hasn’t sold even when it’s in the half-off case, marked down, or been ‘spiffed’.”

Hauben, a veteran jewelry industry event organizer, is the president of the Centurion Tucson Show. He is also the pioneer of the by-invitation-only show format in the United States, having created, launched, and managed the Couture Collection & Conference show from 1995 to 2001.

The Osceola Heritage Park Exhibition Hall was selected because the retail square footage of discount outlet shopping centers in the Orlando metro area ranks number one in the United States. Further consumer research indicated that almost 60% of consumers aged 18 and up responding were either “very interested” or “interested” in attending such a show, and the state of Florida had the highest percentage of those interested.

PJICS will borrow from the business model created for the Centurion show, where designers and manufacturers who exhibit have been given collectively half the shares in the company and equal say in its operation with day-to-day management. For PJICS, retail jewelers who exhibit at the debut 2004 show will likewise be given half the shares in the new company and equal control.

Research also indicated that the consumer likely to shop this show is not a typical customer of the prestige retail jeweler. Interest was close to equal among all consumer income levels—from less than $25,000 to more than $100,000 annually. “Thus, PJICS will attract consumers who might aspire to buy at a prestige retail jewelry store but hasn’t yet done so due to perception of her ability to afford such a purchase,” Hauben says.

More information about the show, contact Howard Hauben; (516) 377-5909 or HH@h2consult.com. Or visit www.h2consult.com/PJICS.htm.

JCK