Walking into the jewelry store to make that special purchase for yourself or a loved one used to be quite daunting. In the midst of the array of fine and expensive jewelry pieces stood the expert jeweler with all the facts about the quality of the craftsmanship and the true value of the products on display. When sharing this information with you the customer they sometimes made you feel that without their expert knowledge and advice you could not possibly be expected to make the right choice.

Not only did the jeweler have all the facts on the best value for money products, he was also the only outlet where you could make your purchase. Although there was an element of competition with other jewelry stores, most of it was centered round the layout of the store and the uniqueness of the goods on offer rather than on price only. The profit margins on the retail price could be as much as 75% but it was virtually impossible for the customer to negotiate any price reduction.