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Selling Trust
A handheld device lets customers see a diamond’s brilliance for themselves and drives sales at Newton’s Jewelers in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
By Joyce Kauf
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| Simon G. |
Show-and-tell goes high tech at Newton’s Jewelers in Fort Smith, Arkansas. “Our job is to introduce customers to diamonds and we have the most amazing tool to do it,” explains owner Kelly Newton, describing ASET® — Angular Spectrum Evaluation Tool — developed by the American Gem Society (AGS). Designed to measure the diamond’s light performance that contributes to the stone’s brilliance, this handheld device empowers customers and enhances the bottom line. “It’s a fun little tool to help make a sale,” says Newton.
The user-friendly ASET uses color codes to indicate the diamond’s light performance based on intensity. A customer simply places the stone in the center of the device and then looks through the opening. Within seconds, a combination of red, green and blue lines can be seen. Red is the most intense and the most desirable since it is light that comes directly from the source. Green represents light that is reflected, which is less intense than direct light. Blue signifies those areas where light is obscured. To further ensure accuracy, the AGS assigned light performance standards specific to the cut. For example, there are different standards for round brilliants and fancy cut diamonds.
“All you have to do is tell the customer what to look for,” says Newton, who has used the ASET in his store since its introduction six years ago. “The moment she sees the red and green lights, she immediately recognizes the quality of the stone.” Newton points out that he will often show the customer a second stone that does not have great light performance so the customer can compare the diamonds. “She can see what mediocre looks like and what fine looks like,” Newton explains.
The color codes also reinforce the quality of the diamond in the mind of the consumer. Newton, who serves on the International Board of Directors of the AGS, encourages customers to get American Gem Society Laboratories (AGSL) grading reports, but is realistic about what makes the most impact with the consumer. “You don’t buy a cert, you buy a diamond and have the cert to back it up,” he says.
The ASET offers many advantages to retailers. “It is not intimidating,” says Newton, adding, “It is so much easier to explain than standing over a customer while she looks through a microscope.” While the ASET also comes in a desktop model, the handheld tool expedites seizing spur-of-the-moment opportunities in the store, such as inviting a customer to look at a stone in her own ring while waiting for a purchase to be wrapped. “It is an off-the-cuff way of initiating a sale,” Newton explains. “Sometimes it lights a little fire under them.”
The ASET tool appeals to Newton because it expedites his goal of educating the customer. A third-generation jeweler who learned to set diamonds when he was in grade school, Newton has always been active in the family business. His grandfather opened the family’s first jewelry store in neighboring McAlester, Oklahoma, and bought the Fort Smith store for Newton’s father when he returned from World War II. In the 1940s, Fort Smith, located in the western part of Arkansas, was a bustling hub. Today it still caters to customers from many neighboring states. The current two-story, 7,000-square-foot store is just four doors down from its original site.
While Newton proudly notes that the company will celebrate its one-hundredth anniversary this spring, he advocates a very different sales mentality from that of his grandfather and father, who insisted on doing “everything to make the sale.” Describing his sales approach as “more laid back,” Newton does not send out reminder cards or telephone customers.
Yet he is insistent on keeping the family tradition of quality alive. “It all starts with diamonds,” Newton notes, adding, “Maintaining that standard trickles down to all other products.” In addition to jewelry, Newton’s Jewelers sells watches and giftware and offers custom bridal designs with “Newton’s Diamonds” featuring a hearts and arrows pattern. Forevermark, Rahaminov, JudeFrances, Simon G. Jewelry, Spark Creations, Roberto Coin, Simon G. Bridal, Sylvie, Memoire, Precision Set and Coast are among the jewelry brands carried, while Rolex is a leader in the watch category.
Newton emphasizes his goal of “show, tell and educate” as a point of differentiation from other retailers that has contributed to his store’s success. He cites the fact that there is a jewelry store on every corner and online shopping is open seven days a week. “We want to talk to customers and clarify what misinformation they may get on the internet. This lets us put our best foot forward,” he says. For Newton, it is all about establishing a relationship. “We sell trust and then we sell jewelry,” he concludes. “Even if they haven’t bought anything, customers leave here more educated. And a lot of them come back to buy.”Article from the Rapaport Magazine - April 2014. To subscribe click here.
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