Nancy Berger

📈 Independent Jewelers Continue to Outperform! While the broader retail market braces for headwinds, independent retail jewelers are charging ahead. Coresight Research forecasted a modest 3% growth in U.S. retail sales this year, factoring in low consumer sentiment and early spending due to tariff concerns. But you? You exceeded expectations once again. 💎 May sales were up 6% year-over-year for independent jewelers! Here’s what’s driving the growth: 🔹 Average retail sale jumped 10%, offsetting a 3% dip in units sold 🔹 Diamond sales up 3%, with units sold up 5% 🔹 Colored stone & pearl sales up 4%, silver up 1%—thanks to strong ARS growth (8% and 11%, respectively) 📉 Consumer sentiment is still shaky, but don’t miss this signal: The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index® just posted its biggest monthly gain in 4+ years. That’s a reason to stay cautiously optimistic. ✅ Now’s the time to double down on what works: Strengthen client relationships through your CRM Personalize outreach Offer exclusive loyalty incentives Focus on retention and repeat business Let’s keep the momentum going strong through 2025. 👏 Here’s to a successful season ahead! #IndependentJewelers #RetailGrowth #JewelryIndustry #ClientExperience #CRMStrategy #LuxuryRetail #SalesMomentum #JewelryBusiness #DataDrivenDecisions #edgeretailacademy

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When price advantage disappears, fast fashion looks for identity. Jasmine Glasheen examines Shein’s unexpected partnership with Alibris and what it signals about the next phase of retail competition. As tariffs squeeze margins and apparel demand softens, product assortment is becoming a branding strategy, not just a sales tactic. Books, beauty, and lifestyle categories are now tools for signaling values, culture, and relevance, especially for Gen Z consumers who buy based on identity as much as price. Read the full article → https://hubs.li/Q03YS3TG0 #RetailInsights #BrandStrategy #GenZ

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Great post Sherry S. Thanks for sharing. When pricing power erodes, scale stops being an advantage. Agility becomes the only real defense. Too often, legacy retail responded to that moment not by rebuilding flexibility, but by leveraging the balance sheet to extend the runway. Debt buys time. ⏰ It does not buy adaptability. Markets are ruthless about this distinction. Interest expense doesn’t adjust for brand equity. Vendor confidence doesn’t survive prolonged leverage. Fixed real estate costs don’t bend when demand volatility increases. What we’re seeing play out isn’t a collapse of demand for retail or luxury in my opinion. It’s the capital market repricing of business models that couldn’t evolve fast enough.📉 This is the uncomfortable truth for boards and CFOs: you can restructure liabilities, but you can’t refinance an inflexible operating system. Chapter 11 won’t answer whether the category is broken. It will answer whether financial resets can substitute for structural change. Capital is already signaling the answer. 📣 In a world defined by demand volatility, cultural speed, and tighter capital, operating-model agility, not leverage is the real margin of safety. The next phase of retail value creation won’t come from balance-sheet engineering. It will come from rebuilding flexibility into how inventory is planned, committed, produced, and replenished. Markets are now repricing that reality in real-time. Kornit Digital https://lnkd.in/e-jfWtg3

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As multibrand retail continues to evolve, the expectations on brands are changing just as fast. A perspective from Alise Trautmane-Uzuner, Founder & CEO of doors.nyc, on what’s driving this shift and how brands can adapt to it.

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Avi & Co. Featured in WWD Bridal Jewelry Report. WWD highlights the rising trend of chunky engagement rings and features insight from Avi & Co. CEO Avi Hiaeve on why clients are embracing bold, expressive designs. “Clients want pieces that make a statement. It’s about celebrating individuality and embracing jewelry as a form of self-expression.” The piece explores how styles like Dua Lipa’s are shaping the future of bridal luxury. Read the full article: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eiW4DX4S #AviAndCo #WWD #LuxuryJewelry #EngagementRings #BridalTrends #JewelryDesign #ModernLuxury #StatementStyle

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Exciting news: TERRASYS Capital has invested in ALES GREY™. “TERRASYS Capital is excited to back ALES GREY™, a footwear innovator redefining sustainable, U.S. made comfort shoes for frontline and everyday wear. Their commitment to green materials, circular design, and local manufacturing aligns with our mission to invest in companies that deliver both performance and positive impact.” — Kevin Teng, Managing Partner at TERRASYS Capital. At ALES GREY™, we are pioneering a new category: Circular Economy Product-as-a-Service. Through our web-based platform, we transform footwear into a traceable, carbon-negative service that drives recurring enterprise value, reduces waste, and delivers measurable climate impact. While creating profit through circularity. We are the only company making Made in USA work shoes that are safety certified, affordable, carbon negative, circular, and Optic AI traceable. Designed for the largest employers and workforces in the country ( 112M+ frontline workers ) who keep our world moving, our shoes redefine comfort and sustainability at scale. Our seed round is in final allocation and closing soon for this Blue Sky Opportunity! A huge thank you to Kevin Teng, Adham and the TERRASYS Capital team for their partnership and vision. #ALESGREY #TerrasysCapital #SeedRound #MadeInUSA #FootTech #ClimateTech #CircularEconomy #ProductAsAService #FrontlineWorkers #CarbonNegative #Impact

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The jewelry industry doesn't have an "Amazon problem." It has an "adaptation problem." 💎 For years, we’ve blamed the giant for shrinking margins and saturating the market. But in 2026, the data tells a different story: the jewelers winning today aren't the ones fighting the platform—they’re the ones owning it. In my latest video, I dive into how the "Amazon Effect" actually created a massive opening for high-quality, authentic brands to dominate. Key takeaways: 🔹 Logistics as a Moat: Using FBA isn't just about shipping; it’s about instant customer trust. 🔹 The Brand Shield: Brand Registry is now a jeweler's best defense against copycats. 🔹 Data > Intuition: Why "Movers & Shakers" lists are the new trend forecasting bible. The era of the "Amazon Victim" is over. The era of the Optimized Jeweler is here. 🚀 Are you leveraging the platform or still viewing it as a competitor? Let’s discuss in the comments. 👇 #JewelryIndustry #B2BMarketing #AmazonStrategy #EcommerceGrowth #JewelryDesign #RetailInnovation

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The latest Bloomberg Businessweek cover story reveals a counterintuitive retail success story worth reading, especially for understanding how American consumer behavior is evolving outside major metro areas. The Core Insight: While SEPHORA pursued premium mall locations and upscale urban districts, Ulta Beauty quietly grew into America's largest beauty retailer by revenue—now exceeding $11 billion annually—by positioning itself in suburban strip malls next to PetSmart and Target. They recently opened their 1,500th US location, more than double Sephora's footprint, with stores averaging 10,000 square feet—twice the size of a typical Sephora. Why This Matters: The company operates on a fundamentally different thesis than its competitor. Where Sephora concentrates on the premium end, Ulta carries everything from drugstore products to CHANEL perfume, betting that beauty consumers shop across price points rather than staying in a single lane. The model works: 95% of Ulta's revenue comes from its 44 million loyalty program members. The Leadership Angle: CEO Kecia Steelman is from Mediapolis, Iowa, and began her career at Target rather than in consulting firms or Ivy League MBA programs. Her career path through Target, The Home Depot, and Family Dollar gave her insight into how Americans actually shop for everyday essentials—insight she's applied to beauty retail with remarkable results. Strategic Takeaway: Ulta positions beauty shopping as a convenience stop—something you do on your lunch break or when picking up dog food—rather than an experiential destination. It's a bet on accessibility and utility over aspiration, and it's working in markets where Sephora doesn't bother to compete. Worth thinking about for anyone working on geographic market strategies, retail positioning, or understanding where Middle America actually spends. Bloomberg: How an $11 billion beauty company built a suburban empire https://lnkd.in/ePvh_rg3

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Proud to partner with DL1961 on the Taylor and other collections — premium denim produced by Artistic Denim Mills Ltd, using sustainable materials and responsible processes.

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Why Richemont Blueprint Leaves LVMH and Kering in the Shade? With 34 years of business experience in luxury fashion industry I contend that. What is Richemont secret? A jewellery first empire, DTC mastery and unbreakable digital trust geared for Gen Z dreamers and Ultra High Net Worth Individuals connoisseurs alike. Jewellery Centric Powerhouse Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Buccellati and Vhernier Group drove €15.3 billion in FY 2025 72% of revenue with a 31.9% margin. Hard luxury sales outperform fashion peers, banking higher resale values (Cartier commands a 10pp premium vs Tiffany & Co.)and insulating profits from cyclical swings. Direct to Client and “Luxury New Retail” 76% of sales now flow through boutiques and e‑commerce (vs 60% a decade ago). The Farfetch Platform Solutions and Tmall Luxury Pavilion alliances deliver full price control, rich first party data and +12% online growth in 2025 offsetting gold price headwinds. Digital Trust as a Competitive Advantage. Arianee blockchain passports and the Aura Consortium embed immutable provenance in every watch. Enquirus global lost and stolen database (175+ brands) crushes counterfeits, preserving exclusivity and premium pricing in a booming pre‑owned market. Operational Agility and Financial Discipline An 86.7 bargaining power rating, 48% revenue per employee surge and €8.3 billion net cash position fuel opportunistic growth even amid China’s watch slowdown. Sustainable Edge Top 4% ESG ranking (Sustainalytics), 46% Scope 1‑2 by 2030, 97% renewable power, PVC free and certified pre‑owned channels bolster Richemont ethical allure. Sustainability now drives 73% of luxury purchases. Founder Led Craftsmanship Johann Rupert’s 51% voting control enables patient capital and rapid pivots. Craft schools in Europe secure tomorrow’s artisans. Scholarly Insights Professor Michel Chevalier argues that “Luxury’s resilience hinges on relentless heritage reinvention through digital artisanship¹. In contrast Professor Jean Noël Kapferer affirms that “Symbolic capital “accrues fastest when cultural rituals fuse innovation with tradition”². Conclusion Richemont jewellery obsession, DTC dominance and traceability fortress yield superior returns and unassailable brand equity. How will your Luxury Maison reinvent its value engine in this new luxury paradigm? #LuxuryLeadership #DigitalTrust #NewYorkCo1888paris References ¹ Michel Chevalier, Luxury Brand Management: A World of Privilege (2nd ed, Wiley, 2015). ² Jean‑Noël Kapferer, The Luxury Strategy: Break the Rules of Marketing to Build Luxury Brands (Kogan Page, 2009).

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Discover how artificial intelligence is transforming the jewelry industry with Megan Crabtree on Episode 145 of The Rapaport Diamond Podcast with Joshua Freedman. Learn how technology is reshaping traditional jewelry retail practices and creating new opportunities for connecting with customers in meaningful ways. #AI #JewelryIndustry #RetailInnovation https://lnkd.in/eQ2HMFXr

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Corporate apparel is often mistaken for branding or fashion. In reality, it functions as operational infrastructure that drives clarity, consistency, and long term usability. This piece explains why uniform programs succeed only when designed for real world use, not visual appeal, and how Blossoms PPC approaches apparel as a system https://lnkd.in/gb9vSBR4

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Luxury brands understand that quality always outweighs quantity. In day-to-day business, less is often more—especially in footwear, where staying narrow and deep in styles builds clarity, consistency, and long-term value.

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Becka Johnson Kibby, CEO of Edge Retail Academy, recently joined Punchmark’s 'In the Loupe' podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on what drives stronger performance inside independent jewelry stores. The discussion covers: • What Edge Pulse tracks across the industry • Inventory health and thoughtful exit strategies • Vendor partnerships and sell-through performance • The origins and vision behind Edge Retail Academy • How we match coaches to retailers for accountability and growth For those who want a clearer look at our data, services, and approach to building disciplined retail businesses, this episode offers a helpful overview. Grounded in real numbers. Focused on practical growth. 🎧 Listen here: https://zurl.co/w7S9d #IndependentRetail #JewelryIndustry #RetailLeadership #EdgeRetailAcademy #GrowthMindset #Punchmark Punchmark

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⚠️ Luxury and apparel brands, your biggest competitor isn’t another label. It’s your own past inventory. As The Wall Street Journal put it this weekend, “Luxury brands’ stiffest competition is the stuff they’ve already sold.” Secondhand luxury is outpacing new sales. ThredUp projects the global secondhand apparel market to reach $367 billion by 2029. The RealReal is up 10%+, FASHIONPHILE is surging double digits... but European houses have seen six straight quarters of flat results. And this shift isn’t confined to high-end fashion. January Digital’s report "The New Era of Calculated Consumption" found that 58% of shoppers are now more open to resale or rental than a year ago, with nearly 70% of Gen Z leading the charge. Meanwhile, ThredUp reported last week that 40% of holiday budgets will go to secondhand gifts this year. Consumers still love luxury. They are still buying clothes. They’re just buying it differently. They’re defining value by access, sustainability, and smart spending, not price tags. 🚨My take? Resale isn’t a threat to manage, but a movement to join... right now! Brands that still don’t recognize that there is an entire economy - and meaningful brand experiences - happening outside of their direct control through resale risk being left out of the very wardrobes they built. 🔗Links to all reports and articles I reference above in the comments. Read for yourself! #fashion #resale #luxury

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