Reading Time: 8 minutes
Key Takeaways:
• December accounts for over 80% of annual profits for many jewelry stores, making early preparation essential for yearly success.
• Jewelers should focus on four key areas before December: reviewing inventory, optimizing staff scheduling, organizing marketing campaigns, and preparing store displays.
• Edge Retail Academy provides tools, insights, and a 2026 Holiday Tips series to help jewelers prepare effectively prior to the holiday rush.
You might still be thinking about summer holidays and getting through the next few months, but if you own a jewelry store, there’s one month you should already have firmly in your sights: December.
For many jewelers, December isn’t just another month…it can make or break the entire year. In most stores, more than 80% of annual profit comes during the Christmas trading period. That makes December far too important to leave to chance.
The good news is that December success rarely comes down to what you do during the month. It comes down to what you do before December ever begins.
So, here are four areas worth getting under control now.
1. Review Your Inventory
Start by taking an honest look at what is sitting in your showcases right now.
You probably know which pieces sell quickly, but what about the product that has been sitting there for months? Or years? Not only is this unappealing, but it’s utilizing cash that would be better spent on other alternatives or fast sellers you are out of.
Go through your inventory now and identify what you want to clear before December. That might mean markdowns, special offers, bundled promotions or simply reticketing or moving older stock into more prominent positions. Every dollar you release from slow-moving inventory can be reinvested in something with a better chance of selling during the Christmas rush.
Then identify what you need more of. Look at last year’s December sales and the products that have sold well recently. Which categories disappeared fastest? Were you short of popular price points? Did you run out of particular styles? Were customers asking for products you didn’t have?
Work with your vendors now rather than waiting until December when everyone else is trying to do the same thing. Order spares of items you know will go quickly and can’t easily be restocked in time.
Work out how you’ll fund that new inventory. You don’t want to discover in November that you’ve got the perfect buying opportunity but not enough cash available to take advantage of it.
2. Get Your Staffing Sorted
Look at your sales history and identify your busiest days and times. Then build your roster around those peaks.
Who are your strongest salespeople? Who is particularly good at selling higher-value pieces? Who is great with customers who aren’t quite sure what they want? Who can handle the pressure when the store is packed? You want the right people on the floor when it matters most.
Also think beyond sales. Who is handling gift wrapping? Who can unpack and replenish stock? Who is responsible for answering the phone? Who is watching the security side of things when the store is busy?
And don’t forget your team needs to eat and take breaks. A twelve-hour day standing on your feet dealing with customers is exhausting. A tired salesperson isn’t necessarily going to deliver the great customer experience you want.
Get your December roster discussed well before December. It gives everyone certainty and gives you time to fill any gaps.
3. Get Your Marketing Plan organized.
Your marketing shouldn’t begin when the first Christmas decorations go up. By then, many customers will already have started thinking about what they are buying.
What is your special offer? Which products are you going to feature? Are you targeting existing customers? Are you using email? Social media? Local advertising? Google? Direct mail? More importantly, have you actually got a plan?
Think about your customer database. December is the perfect time to remind previous customers that you’re there. Someone who bought an engagement ring from you five years ago might now be looking for an anniversary gift. Someone who bought a watch last December may be looking for something completely different this year.
Don’t leave all your marketing until the last minute. Map out your key messages, campaigns and deadlines now. Decide what you’re going to promote, what you’ll spend and when you’re going to promote it.
And remember that good December marketing doesn’t necessarily mean discounting everything. Gift ideas, price-point campaigns, personalization, services, and great advice can all be powerful reasons to visit your store.
4. Prepare Your Displays
Your store needs to look like the holiday season is coming — but it also needs to look like a jewelry store customers want to buy from.
Start planning your festive displays early. Review your ticketing. Are prices easy to see? Are promotional messages clear? Are your best gift ideas obvious? Can someone walk into the store and immediately identify products at different price points?
Consider creating clear displays that create add-on opportunities. Now is a great time to be lifting your average sale while making the buying decision easier for your customer. Think about your presentation. Festive doesn’t have to mean covering every available surface with tinsel. A tasteful, well-planned display can create an atmosphere without distracting from the jewelry.
December is too important to leave until December. If you’re relying on this period to generate a huge proportion of your annual profit, treat it as a major business project rather than just another busy month…then do something else that is easily forgotten: make sure your team knows the plan.
Your staff should understand what you’re trying to achieve, which products you’re focusing on, and what great customer service looks like when the store is busy. If they know the plan and goals, they will perform better.
For more practical ideas to help prepare before the holiday rush, visit Edge Retail Academy’s 2026 Holiday Tips for Retail Jewelers series at https://ift.tt/sO9k5Q4. The series features short, practical tips throughout the weeks leading up to the holiday season.
The rush will come whether you’re ready or not. The jeweler who starts preparing in November is already behind. The organized one can focus on enjoying the fruits of their effort.
Becka Johnson Kibby is CEO of Edge Retail Academy, a business coaching and data intelligence firm dedicated to advancing the jewelry industry. With decades of hands-on industry and coaching experience and powered by Edge Pulse – its $4B+ proprietary data platform – the organization delivers real-time insights and customized strategies that drive growth in sales, inventory, profitability, recruiting, team performance, and long-term/retirement planning. Edge Retail Academy’s mission is simple: to transform capable jewelers into industry leaders. Your success is our mission.
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