Look Book

s On the eve of the first Vegas market week since May 2019 - as we slowly emerge from the interminable hibernation of Covid - we are understandably curious about what the residue of a global pandemic might look like. Buoyed by an unusually strong year, we must remain optimistic that business conditions will remain favorable, even as we harbor a little angst about what the coming months might bring. As of writing, our experience at Mémoire and Hearts On Fire is that many retailers are planning to attend the August shows looking, no doubt, for some semblance of normalcy in the familiar faces of vendor and retailer friends. While we are almost guaranteed to see some reminders of the pandemic, most of us are grateful to have the opportunity to visit with our industry colleagues in person and experience real human engagement again. Susan David wrote in her book Emotional Agility, Get Unstuck, Embrace Change, and Thrive in Work and Life, "Humans evolved as a social species that always needed to be part of the family or the pack for survival. This means that, even today, feeling cut-off from our tribe is still life or death scary." The litany of people postulating on what the lasting business effects of the pandemic might be, often point to the preponderance of online commerce as an accelerant in the decline of the physical store experience. They'll argue that customers – many of whom became online shoppers for the first time during lockdown – are unlikely to return to stores after enjoying the convenience of online com- merce. Despite the incredible disruption to business last year, physical stores still accounted for 86% of all business in the US. The results for brick and mortar retail were, quite frankly, stunning – as many retailers recovered from their losses in the early part of the pandemic to match or even exceed 2019 sales. People need to be around people. It is hardwired into our genetic makeup, and it won't change because of interrupted shopping habits, or because of the efficiency of online commerce. Robin Lewis and Michael Dart wrote in their 2014 book The New Rules of Retail, "So how do we think the business model of neuro-connectivity works? The busi- ness model is designed to drive the entire experience of three things: the dopamine rush in anticipation of shop- ping, compelling the customer to visit the store; the joy of the actual shopping experience itself; and the final satisfac- tion of consuming or using the product or service. This is the neurological connection with the customer on all conscious and subconscious levels." While retail customers have cautiously experienced the joys reference by Dart and Lewis as they visited retail stores, the opportunities for interaction between vendors and retailers have been less common. Let's hope Couture, JCK and Luxury signal a welcome change in that regard and the promise of better days ahead for all. I'll toast that! Peter Smith is the president of Mémoire and Hearts On Fire (Chow Tai Fook, North America) and a columnist for National Jeweler and The Jewelry Book, where he writes about the retail experience. He is also the author of three books, The Sales Minute – 101 Tips for Retail Salespeople, Hiring Squirrels – 12-Essential Questions To Uncover Great Retail Talent and Sell Something, Principles and Perspectives for Engaged Retail Salespeople. 46 www.thejewelrybook.com A Return to real Human Connection By Peter Smith Peter Smith The Vegas S hows

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