Would you spend $83 to see a movie for 2 people?

Just last year people were saying "Can you believe it? Almost ten bucks to see a movie? Popcorn is about 5 bucks and OMG! $4.00 for a can of soda that's 85 cents at the grocery store? Who can afford to go to a movie nowadays?

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Who in their right mind would do that?

Much less paying $39 to size a ring, a silver ring at THAT? $500 to just carve & cast a wax? No one would pay that, would they?

The answer is If the experience and satisfaction level is there, THEY WILL!

By the way, I paid $83 for 2 people to go see James Bond's Skyfall this weekend. How is that possible?

New experience.

A group of 8 of us went last night to see the new James Bond movie. Here in Atlanta and all over the country there are theaters that serve food. I took the picture below in the theater, sorry its not the best.

You can see folks looking over the menu and whats not clear is they are sitting is a comfortable leather rocking type chair with a side swinging arm that is your table.

The theater itself I assume hold a few less patrons. They don't use a projection screen, its a real TV type screen up front, the picture is beautiful.

Servers come and get your orders, collect your money and pay for it with credit card right on their hip and add in an 18% tip for all of the servers. Then other servers bring the drinks and food just as the movie is starting.

My friend and I ordered two dinners and shared. Ribs (and they were GOOD) and Philly cheese steak sandwich. We also split a pitcher of beer.

Movie Tickets: $14 each x 2 = $28.00

Beer, 2 entrees, with 18% tip = $55.00

TOTAL EVENING $83.00

The movie theater was packed, of course it was the new James Bond movie. Did I mention over the weekend it took in 87 million dollars!

So what do this have to do with jewelry?

Hey, if we'd spend $83 for dinner and a movie can you get $39 to size a ring smaller? $25 extra for check & tighten stones? How about express service on the ring sizing for $58.50?

YES YOU CAN! Plenty of jewelers have told me they need to charge more and charge my EXPRESS prices from the book and still get it 80-90% of the time.

(Express service is while you wait or within 24 hours in my mind. We then charge 50% more.)

Its all in the experience.

The movie staff were not dressed in blue jeans and whatever they had on. Everyone had a company black shirt and wore their own black slacks. The staff were wonderfully polite and nice. When they brought our picture of beer they had a pedestal that stood between us and rested there-not to take up table room.

In your store how is your staff trained in the ways of the shop? How are they dressed? How are your cooks (jewelers) dressed? What's your take in procedure? Do you handle their jewelry with kid gloves? Do you handle their jewelry on a pad or just lay it on the glass?

Do you take a picture on intake and give it to the customer? Inspect prongs and wear in front of them? have a camera hooked up to a small monitor so you can show the customer? Do you have pictures readily available of your work? Even "before & after" pictures?

Its all in the presentation. You'll get the money. Act like it.

David Geller

Director of Shop profits

P.S. Go see James Bond Skyfall. Good ending as well