NEW STUDIES REVEAL CONSUMERS' JEWELRY BUYING HABITS
Two new surveys on consumers' jewelry buying habits took different routes to the same conclusion: independent and chain jewelry stores remain a healthy segment of the industry despite inroads by other types of jewelry retailers.
The first survey, conducted for Jewelers' Circular-Keystone, asked 1,000 people nationwide about any fine jewelry and watches they bought for themselves in the first quarter of 1996.
The second survey, conducted for Jewelers of America, asked 1,204 people nationwide about fine jewelry or watches costing $50 or more that they bought for themselves or someone else in 1995.
Both surveys are nationally projectable, which means the results are statistically reliable enough to be applied on a nationwide basis with a margin of error of ±3% for the JCK study and ±3.7% for the JA study.
Both surveys found tha