Retiring from a family business, and in my case an 80-year old jewelry tradition in our market, is extremely difficult, but the entire staff of Jewelry Advisors Group made this transition a positive and profitable transaction. We are also pleased that Garfield Jewelers will continue its excellent reputation, thanks to Jewelry Advisors Group, who handled this event in a manner that reflected the image we have built over the years.

An event of this size takes much coordination, and my respect goes out to Jewelry Advisors Group’s entire team for its superb ability to manage people, inventory, media, and everything else that was unexpectedly thrown our way, all while exceeding the sales goals.

The additional merchandise brought in played an important role in the success of the sale. We would never have achieved the results we did without the proper merchandise, and our customers were thrilled with the value and quality that we were able to offer.

Bob and John have put together a terrific team that is focused on the client’s needs.

Thanks to Jewelry Advisors Groups, our store closing events in Chicago, Illinois, and Washington, D.C., were extremely successful. Due to the guidance and expertise of Jewelry Advisors Group, we were able to exceed our projections at both locations.

Finding a company that we could trust with handling the day-to-day issues of running a retail operation during a closing event was very important to us. Because of Jewelry Advisors Group’s expertise, our management team was able to concentrate on the day-to-day issues of our ongoing operations. Jewelry Advisors Group did an excellent job of handling the advertising, pricing, merchandising, operational and employee issues at the two closing locations, and the supervisor assigned to the event was a tremendous help. He was very professional and concerned about our image and our staff. Maintaining the image and excellent reputation of the Ross-Simons name was of the utmost importance to us. Jewelry Advisors Group was always concerned about that issue and never compromised our image or reputation.

As Ross-Simons has an exclusive clientele, we were concerned that the additional products brought in would not be of the quality our customers were accustomed to, but the additional products sold extremely well and were priced at an exceptional value, helping to generate substantial cash to the bottom line.

I highly recommend Jewelry Advisors Group to jewelers looking to run a successful sale event.

I highly recommend Jewelry Advisors Group. Their performance as consultants for the Whitehall Jewelers liquidation deal proved that they are a valuable addition to jewelry asset recovery projects.

The supervisor demonstrated an excellent capacity to step into a changing environment and quickly grasped applications and business processes, and in the very difficult situation of our company operating in bankruptcy, Jewelry Advisors Group assumed the key role of securing over $120 million at cost of new merchandise to augment the Whitehall inventories during the “going out of business” sale.

Jewelry Advisors Group was able to team up well with existing management and three other liquidation companies to help achieve the sales and recovery objectives. They also performed well in helping supervise the post “going out of business” sale inventory reconciliation and residual inventory sale.

Closing our family owned jewelry store, which had been open since 1939, was a most difficult decision. After meeting with several liquidation experts, I decided to choose Jewelry Advisors Group.

I immediately felt comfortable talking with Bob Epstein. He had taken the time to learn the history and reputation of my company and was able to offer concrete strategies for maximizing the productivity of the event, even at our first meeting. His knowledge of the merchandising, marketing and logistics of running such an event was impressive.

I had dealt previously with other people in the liquidation business, using them at various times for special promotions, and I was very wary of the prospect of getting involved again with anyone in that field. I found Jewelry Advisors Group, however, to be very different from the others. Their conduct was in all ways straight-forward and professional.

A going out of business sale is the worst possible time for a retailer to try to go it alone. It is a situation where all the hard learned lessons that apply to ongoing businesses no longer apply or work, and a whole new set of skills is required. By the time I signed on with Jewelry Advisors Group to run our sale, I was confident with the volume and quality of merchandise that they were going to bring into my store and of their commitment to help me maximize the results of the event.

At the height of our sale, our store was busier than I had ever seen it or imagined possible. Not since the late eighties, our heyday, had I seen that volume of customers and sales. I would not have thought it possible to achieve or handle, and it wouldn’t have been without Jewelry Advisors Group.

I cannot recommend this company highly enough. Everyone I dealt with was experienced, professional, and forthright, from Bob Epstein’s uncannily accurate projections, to John Jones’s superb buying and merchandising and the on-sight supervision — all worked to make our sale a great success.

I highly recommend Jewelry Advisors Group’s services and would be more than happy to tell future customers that choosing Jewelry Advisors Group may be one of the best business decisions they ever make.

Closing our family owned jewelry store was the most momentous decision I ever made. After struggling for decades to keep the legacy alive we finally decided to conduct a going out of business sale. I decided to call Jewelry Advisors Group to assist with the event.

You cannot run a Going Out of Business Sale alone. It is foolish to try. Even in the best situation, if your business has A1 credit and no debt and a store full of merchandise, a skilled liquidator can bring in more merchandise, bought right and on consignment to help your own products reach a sustained “critical mass” that will net a much higher yield than just clearing out your own goods, even after all expenses are paid.

Working with Bob Epstein and John Jones was great from the start. Even before we met, they had already learned the reputation and history of Wagers Jewelers, and had prepared strategies to make the sale the greatest success possible. Their experience and knowledge was extremely helpful, from best practices in merchandising and marketing to how to handle the actual running of the event. In terms of day to day operations, I feel I really lucked out when they assigned David Woolsey as our full time in-store supervisor. His experience, confidence, and incredible energy absolutely made our sale. He provided more guidance and real hands-on help than I thought I had any right to expect from
someone coming in to do his job.

The sale was an unbelievable success! We had customers waiting at the door for us to open in the morning, and lined up at the cash register all day on the weekends.

I cannot recommend Jewelry Advisors Group enough. Our Going out of Business sale would not have been nearly as successful without their help.

Dear Bob,

Our Going Out of Business Sale was just completed yesterday and I have to report that I am very pleased and satisfied with the success of this campaign. When I first spoke to you in September and you gave me estimates of the revenue that could be produced, I must admit that I was skeptical. After all, business levels had fallen off and sales had gradually dropped to the point where I felt compelled to seek your services for liquidation. Well, we started our sale only 58 days ago and in this short time my expectations were far surpassed and my fears proven needless.

The strategic advertising placement was extremely effective in bringing in buyers-a crowd of customers from our 45 year history and a multitude of brand new ones. In the first 3 days of our sale I saw so many familiar faces that prior to this sale I would have seen those same customers over a one year time span…truly amazing. Best of all, they were buying! Actually, it was a buying frenzy for the first week.  It was very heartening to have such willing buyers after struggling for a while.

The marketing plan arranged by Jewelry Advisors and followed by your consultant, Shane Haapala, was key in making our small business GOB a success. The price decreases were timed perfectly to hold our profitability while keeping buyers excited and buying. Sales were strongest for our own inventory and we happily sold off quite a bit at the best possible margins. Of course, over the time prior to the sale, holes had developed in our offerings and Jewelry Advisors asked me for a list of missing items so that we would not lose customers. The merchandise that was brought in was of the appropriate quality to satisfy our typical customer. That was important to me- I did not want to leave my customers with lower quality goods than they were used to buying from me.

I can’t say enough about the positive impact our Jewelry Advisors consultant, Shane Haapala, had on this whole GOB process. Shane rallied my staff, had them prepare the inventory and store for the sale, and he directed and informed them with very professional staff meetings that he led with a well prepared agenda, encouraging communication. Shane has a lot of valuable jewelry liquidation experience that is essential to get the most out of such a sale.

He worked mad tiring hours: 9:30am to 9pm Monday through Saturday and 12 to 5 on Sunday. He never complained and kept the whole gang motivated with coffee & doughnut treats and little sales competitions that made the long days fun for the staff.

As we approach the last days of having Shane with us, we are all sad at the thought of him leaving us. He got my somber, sedate staff to come back to life and enjoy their jobs once again. It’s a great note to leave on.

I want to thank you, John Jones, and Shane Haapala for helping me realize the full potential of this GOB sale. I am entering my retirement happier and more financially stable than I have been in a very long time.                                                              Sincerely, 

Jewelry Advisors Group has our sincere gratitude for their extreme professionalism and for the incredible results attained through our reorganization and liquidation sale. Jewelry Advisors Group’s staff, management team, and partners treated us with respect and professionalism.

Jewelry Advisors Group displayed an uncanny ability to bring in the exact inventory we needed, whether it be designer, generic, price point, or one-of-a-kind pieces, and this is what truly enabled us to deliver results of $11 million in only 18 weeks within a very difficult retail environment.

Jewelry Advisors Group’s staff was not only attentive, but they also interacted and integrated themselves among our team with ease. We especially appreciated the constant communication from the management team throughout the sales process to ensure that Jewelry Advisors Group was meeting our needs.

As consultants ourselves in the jewelry industry and having worked with other liquidators over the years, we can honestly say that few can “hold a candle” to the experts at Jewelry Advisors Group.

Thanks to Jewelry Advisors Group, my “going out of business” sale was a huge success. After 84 years in the jewelry business, it wasn’t easy to say good-bye to the many loyal customers and friends that had become a part of the R&A family. Hiring Silverman to assist me with the closing of my business may be one of the best business decisions that I have ever made.

Not only did Jewelry Advisors Group exceed my annual volume during the sales period, but they were also instrumental in helping me acquire a substantial amount of additional inventory to assure success. I was concerned that the inventory would not be of the quality that my customers were accustomed to, but the quality was much higher than my expectations and the pricing was right. I was able to exceed a 40% margin, while offering values that my customers were thrilled with.

Jewelry Advisors Group’s supervisors also played an instrumental role in the success of this sale. They always had my best interests in mind and were concerned that my customers were treated with the integrity and honesty that they were accustomed to at R&A Jewelers. Since my health issues left the store short staffed, they immediately placed another supervisor in the store to provide adequate sales coverage. These two supervisors worked as if they were five people, and the advertising campaign was highly successful. The concept supported our image, and we were able to stay within budget, reaching our annual volume in only 90 days. I never could have done this amount of business without their help.

My decision to work with Jewelry Advisors Group has allowed me to leave the industry with my head held high. My image has stayed intact, my suppliers were paid in full, and the cash realized from the sale will allow me and my family to enjoy a comfortable retirement. I highly recommend Jewelry Advisors Group’s services to other companies looking to run a successful sales event.

After 52 years as Lavonia’s leading jeweler, I decided to close my store and retire. I interviewed a number of different companies to assist with the sale event, ultimately deciding upon Jewelry Advisors Group. Now that the store closing event is over, I can honestly say that my choice to hire Jewelry Advisors Group was the right choice.

Jewelry Advisors Group’s ability to support the sale with vast amounts of unique inventory at exceptional pricing was key in making our sale successful. We were able to maintain margins of nearly 50% throughout the sale and exceeded our sales projection. Jewelry Advisors Group’s supervisor was instrumental in the day-to-day activities to make sure we would maximize our potential. She treated my customers as if she was protecting her own reputation and business.

Due to Jewelry Advisors Group’s hard work and efforts, I have closed my store in the most effective way possible. We generated more sales than expected, and I received the highest return possible on my inventory. I do not feel as if I left anything on the table. I would greatly recommend Jewelry Advisors Group’s services to others and inform them of the importance of hiring professionals such as Jewelry Advisors Group to effectively run a sales promotion.

I want to thank you and the Jewelry Advisors Group team headed by your lead consultant Craig Allen for a job well done in the IDG receivership. As the court-appointed receiver in connection with the IDG liquidation of eight retail stores located in Ohio and Washington, I had many responsibilities to handle. Jewelry Advisors Group’s was charged with consulting, management, supervision, budgeting and implementation in connection with recommending a liquidation plan as well as implementing the plan on a daily basis.  Your team was able to take control of many of the day-to-day issues of running the business so that I was free to concentrate on the myriad of legal and management issues which arose over the eight month liquidation period from May 2009 through January 2010.

Your team of consultants was very quick to make changes and adjustments with all of the different challenges which we confronted in the Ohio and Washington stores.  Craig Allen was instrumental in the success of the extended going-out-of-business sale and the liquidation of the residual jewelry after the stores closed daily operations at the end of 2009.  He was fastidious in his monitoring of expenses and the other activities connected with the daily operation of the business, and put in many long hours as if he was running his own business rather than liquidating the business of others. He acted as a liaison with the primary secured creditor and the equipment lessors, often providing the necessary information to them regarding the financial and general status of the receivership.  He acted quickly in instances where for reasons outside of our control the security of the stores and jewelry inventory was put in jeopardy (e.g. – when the utility providers surreptitiously terminated electric service; when weather conditions terminated utility service; and when one of the Washington stores was targeted for a fraudulent credit card scam and robbery).  He was instrumental in the critical transition of the IDG business to a liquidation receivership, and developed a bonus plan which motivated and encouraged the former IDG employees to continue in the employ of the receivership.  He always had the best interests of the receivership, all creditors, and the IDG employees and other consultants in mind and kept me informed of the status of the liquidation and he anticipated many of the various issues we were confronted with.

Considering the general economic downturn in general and in Ohio in particular, as well as the limitations imposed upon the receivership by the Ohio and Washington courts, Jewelry Advisors Group’s expertise in managing the expenses of the business and the liquidation played the most significant role in the ultimate success of the receivership.  Jewelry Advisors Group’s ability to obtain private buyers for the “higher-end” jewelry allowed the estate to recover more from this jewelry than would otherwise have been recovered through retail marketing and sale of these same items.  As well, Jewelry Advisors Group’s ability to bring in much needed augmented jewelry was a key factor to generating substantial additional cash for the receivership estate.  Jewelry Advisors Group’s marketing and subtle negotiation with the potential buyers of the residual jewelry subsequent to the closing of the stores at the end of 2009 and during the due diligence and bidding process resulted in increased recovery for the receivership estate.  Based upon my dealings with the primary secured creditor, the recovery they have obtained is beyond all of their prior projections, thus benefiting IDG and guarantors of the IDG debt as well.

I highly recommend to others in need your consulting services in connection with similar liquidation projects.  It has been a pleasure working with you on this project.  If I can provide additional information or be of additional service to Jewelry Advisors Group’s, please do not hesitate to call or have others contact me in this respect.

Dear John,

James A. Bertsch had been in operation for over 65 years. When I decided it was time to retire, a good friend of mine told me to speak with Jewelry Advisors. It is very difficult closing a family business. The entire staff of Eaton Hudson made this transition as positive a process that could be made under the circumstances we were dealing with. I am so pleased with the final results of James A. Bertsch’s Going Out of Business Sale. I was a little skeptical at the beginning that we would be able to achieve the results that you projected. Not only did we achieve those results we far surpassed them. Every aspect of the sale was handled in a very professional manner. The advertising was extremely effective and the additional merchandise they brought in was incredible. I generated enough profit from the sale of the additional merchandise to more than cover the expenses of the sale. At the onset Jewelry Advisors handled this event in a manner that reflected the image that we have built over the years. Doing right by our customers and our vendors was our main objective and the Jewelry Advisors staff helped us to achieve that.

An event of this size takes much coordination. My greatest respect goes out to the Jewelry Advisors Management team for their superb ability to manage people, inventory, media, and whatever else that was unexpectedly thrown their way while still exceeding sales goals. Your supervisor treated my employees and customers as if he was protecting his own reputation and business and assisted in closing a tremendous amount of sales.

I would definitely recommend Jewelry Advisors to other jewelers. Their excellent vision and leadership assures success and is focused on their client’s needs. It has been a pleasure to work with such a professional organization.

Very truly yours,

Dear John and Bob,

Thank God I found you! I contacted several companies, trying to find the best one to represent our family business. The Erickson family has been here since 1911.

All the companies we contacted were nice on the phone. I kept going back to Jewelry Advisors and thank God I did. We used another company for our moving sale 7 years earlier, and what a difference there was.

Thank you for listening and caring about what we needed. You sent the most beautiful jewelry. The diamond jewelry was high quality, the color was beautiful, and the silver was fun. Our customers loved the merchandise. The advertising you sent was also high quality. The mailers and the newspaper ads all protected our image and made us proud and grateful.

The supervisor you sent was very professional. His vast knowledge of the jewelry industry was beneficial to the sale. He worked harder than I did. He opened and closed the store, redesigned the showcases, sold jewelry, put up the signs, created radio spots and even did our books. He made it so easy for all of us. Because of him we had no stress, he made it fun and profitable.

Thank you for doing what you did for our family. We can never thank you enough for guiding us through this difficult time. Our store is now closed, and it will never stop hurting, but because we chose Eaton Hudson, we closed with dignity and honor and the reputation we built over 108 years still intact.

You will forever be part of the Erickson family, because only someone who is like family could have done what you did.

Sincerely