The NAJ’s Consumer Focus steering group will this month launch a survey to understand why people buy – and do not buy – jewellery.
The group’s mission is to stimulate demand for the industry, with the end goal of a joined up industry campaign to inspire more consumers to buy more jewellery, more often.
Adam Jacobs, of Jacobs the Jewellers in Reading, chairs the group and said: “We are extremely thankful to both the CMJ and the Goldsmiths’ Company for supporting this important research activity for the good of the industry. Within the group we’ve been calling the project the jewellery ‘census’, due to its significance.
“The research is part one of our two-part plan. After the research has been carried out and reported we will then move to driving two key campaigns; for those who buy jewellery to buy more, and those who don’t currently buy jewellery to start to.
“The Association’s number one strategic objective is sourcing, monitoring and sharing consumer insights to help members make better decisions. This objective was born out of the future leaders event we hosted in 2018, and discussions have been on-going since that point.”
All three organisations and the steering group itself will be calling upon jewellers to share the survey with their own customers, to increase the number of responses and ensure that the data produced is the most significant to have taken place to date.
Helen Dimmick, Interim Business Leader at the Company of Master Jewellers, said: “Our mission is to support the fantastic businesses in our membership right now but also to provide insight and development for the future of the industry. We strongly believe independence in the jewellery sector is vital, however we can’t expect to survive long term if we don’t work as a collective, identifying common problems and barriers to sale as well as supporting growth opportunities. This syndicate activity fits centrally into this mission and we’re delighted to be supporting the delivery of key research for the industry.”
Sarah Jurado, Director of Communications of the Goldsmiths’ Company, said: “One of the aims of the Goldsmiths’ Company is to invest in the skills of our trade – jewellers and silversmiths – and increase demand for its work. This exciting new research partnership will provide us with vital knowledge and understanding about what jewellery people buy, why, and what influences them in their choices. This will enable us to better support the growth of the industry – which we have done for nearly 700 years – and raise awareness of the significant contribution that it makes to the UK economy and society.”
The Consumer Focus group is made up of representatives from across the jewellery community, including retailers, suppliers, designers, trade press and representatives from associated organisations.
Ben Massey, Director of Marketing at the NAJ, who is project managing the activity, said: “CMJ jewellers can share the questionnaire with their customers by using the link (https://masterjewellers.co.uk/jewellery-census) in newsletters, across social media and even in store. We have produced a media pack which has copy ready to go, which you can lift and drop into your campaigns. The survey will open on Thursday 21st November and stay open for 2 weeks, closing on 8th December.”
