Brand Loyalty or Loyalty of Brands

Not my usual area but there are things afoot that I feel people should realise. Not a new thing, but its getting more silly.

If you whizz back in time to 50 years ago, there were very few jewellery and watch brands. The likes of Tiffany, Rolex and a few of their contemporaries stand out of course, but generally the shop was the brand and it stocked a variety of products from various manufacturers. Of course this has all changed now. Manufacturers, designers and importers have all become so "important" they feel the need to be a "Brand".

When Rolex first entered the UK market, early last century, they made watches for jewellers to sell (still do, but not in the same way). I have a watch supplied by a local, "small time" town jewellers that has been around since the 1860's with their name on the dial and a Rolex movement inside. Rolex provided watches for own branding as did Zenith, Omega and a few others. Omega for example was set up by a guy buying bits and pieces from farmers making parts and put a few together. I think it was about 30 years before Omega became Omega. Don't quote me on that as its tricky information to find out as they don't shout about it. Louis Vuitton a luggage manufacturer who now "makes" watches and jewellery.

Most brands are constantly reminding us of their history and heritage, but neglect to mention that they weren't always the powerful brand they are now. The UK trade is experiencing possibly its worst re-organisation of agents for brands that it has ever had, with many independent jewellery shops being abandoned by the companies that they have supported and nurtured from the beginnings through the bad times to their current success, only to be cast aside in favour of the shiny new shop, often a large national retailer with a high staff turnover and a worrying gap in their knowledge.

Just as an example. Where I work day to day, we stock a variety of brands, some of which we have supported from the beginning, some for longer than living memory and some fairly recently. If the range hasn't sold well, more effort has been made in promoting it and educating the customer about it. We ask advice from the supplier of how things could improve and generally "ride out the storm". I personally make it a mission of mine to try and have the answer for any query ready. I know the ins and outs of a particular brands watches that were made 70 years before I was born! And I'm not alone. Most people in an independent jewellers choose to be there as they are interested. This is a knowledge base that gets lost each time a brand adopts a fickle attitude to their agents.

I would like to end this with me asking for a big favour. Many brands use volume of sales and targets as criteria for closing an account and when one brand goes, it acts as a cascade for other brands to follow suit, harming the local jeweller you use when you need help. Many of my friends have been put in this situation. Wherever you are in the world, please don't be tempted by the Internet, the shiny new shop or buying abroad, help out your local jeweller if they have what you want. If its price, the taboo subject with branded goods, ask if they can get nearer to your budget.

Finally to the brands. Think about where you have come from and who helped you get there. Multiple jewellers don't tend to take a chance on something they go for tried and tested and where was it tested? Remember that. History and heritage? Keep agents going if you can. Its no good if your new agent turns something away as fake because they haven't seen and early piece of yours. It destroys your heritage.

Thats all,
Take care.