karen
Jewelry as a form of expression is how I define the majority of my work. My inspiration comes from global issues to small details, always looking to find a different perspective on everyday things and share this vision with the world. I want to make people aware and if possible, plant a thought –big or small- that can grow into something bigger depending on the different experiences every individual has throughout their lives.
Karen Kriegel develops jewelry for those who seek unique and original designs, while stirring away from mass-produced and commercial products.
Promote appreciation for handcrafted jewelry and create awareness towards jewelry processes.
Handcrafted Original Unique Aesthetic Excellent Quality
Low Exposure Very Small
Small business Appreciation Quality Over Quantity
Small Marketplace Very Small Assortment
High Price
After analysing competitors through the price/accessibility matrix, it is clear that at the moment, Karen Kriegel is right in the middle of most of the competition price wise. Prices are average in the low price section of the matrix. As far as price goes, it is in a good spot at the marketplace. In the accessibility department, Karen Kriegel is very low. It has one of the fewest retailers, e-commerce or brick and mortar of all the competition. In order to strive as a bussiness, this aspect of the brand nees to be improved. Brick and mortar stores need to be added, such as galleries and retailers to sell in their stores throughout the world. Also more than one e-commerce retailer to add to sales would also be good exposure. Low Accessibility
High Accessibility
karen
minusOne
Low Price
Karen Kriegel features rings, bracelets, earrings, and pendants. The majority of the products are made through the process of lost wax casting but some things are hand fabricated. Most of the jewelry is made in sterling silver but there are some bronze and brass pieces to offer a more affordable option to customers.
Sold locally in savannah through trunk shows and bazaars. Sold online through online store.
lifestyle/psychographic:
Jessie
Advertising
Transportation: Bike
Adventure Seeker
Guilty pleasure: Chocolate
Experiencers are motivated by self-expression. Young, enthusiastic, and impulsive consumers, they quickly become enthusiastic about new possibilities, they seek variety and excitement, savoring the new, the offbeat, and the risky. Their energy finds an outlet in exercise, sports, outdoor recreation, and social activities. Experiencers are avid consumers and spend a comparatively high proportion of their income on fashion, entertainment, and socializing. Their purchases reflect the emphasis that they place on looking good and having “cool� stuff.
Primary VALS type is Experiencer and secondary type is Innovator. The primary VALS type represents the dominant approach to life and the secondary type represents a particular emphasis you give to the dominant approach.
Innovators are successful, sophisticated, take-charge with high selfesteem. Because they have such abundant resources, they exhibit all three primary motivations in varying degrees. They are change leaders and are the most receptive to new ideas and technologies. Innovators are very active consumers, and their purchases reflect cultivated tastes for upscale, niche products and services. Image is important to Innovators, not as evidence of status or power but as an expression of their taste, independence, and personality. Innovators are among the established and emerging leaders in business and government, yet they continue to seek challenges. Their lives are characterized by variety. Their possessions are recreation reflect a cultivated taste for the finer things in life.
innovative jewelry brand initiatives:
Growth in the U.S. jewelry market continued to slow down in 2013, after the rising prices of previous years. Value, the combination of high prices and demand during the economic downturn, rose 10% in 2011 and 6% in 2012. Rise of gold and silver forced companies to raise prices of jewelry, decreasing customers’ desire to buy jewelry. Jewelry sales have been slow since the recession.
“Know How” videos on the Cartier website shows customers the processes of working with certain materials and how to make some pieces of jewelry. They also show the different techniques used in watchmaking and take you on a step by step process.
No single company controled more than 6% of sales in 2012, the jewelry market in the U.S. is very fragmented. The jewelry leader in 2012 was Sterling Jewelrers, which owns two of the leading jewelry brands, Kay Jewelrers and Jared the Galleria. Sterling Jewelrers maintained the lead in the market because of its large store base and huge investment in marketing. Kay Jewelers and Jared the Galleria both heavily advertise in television prior and during Christmas and Valentine’s Day. The chains offer a lifetime warranty option, which independent jewelry ratailers are usually not able to offer. “Achieving Perfection” videos shows some processes in making the trademark Loius Vuitton bag but doen’t take you step-by-step like cartier does. Their videos show mood more effectively than processes. Demand for jewelry is expected to increase with the improvement of the U.S. economy. Fashion trends emphasizing the retro look are on the rise and is expected to lead to a good demand for jewelry. Consumers are expected to purchase flashy statement pieces as well as retro glamour looks. Value sales of jewelry are expected to increase 14% between 2013 and 2018, to reach $67.3 bilion U.S. Dollars. Costume jewelry sales is expected to increase 7% and sales of real jewelry are expected to increase by 15% between 2013 and 2018. Constant value sales are expected to increase by 17% to reach $57.4 billion U.S. dollars by 2018.
innovative website initiatives: Esther Johnson from Est. 2035, had an interesting approach in her “About me Section”, instead of having a boring paragraph talking about what she does and who she is, she had an animated section. She tells you her life story frame to frame in a simple but effective animation. Like her, I would like to create interesting and interactive approaches in my that draws a bigger audience to the website. Unmarked, a shoe company, had an excellent “Process” section with great images that showed details of how to make a shoe and all the processes that go into it. It is clean, simple, and effective and shows people exactly what they need to know.
Making jewelry takes a very specific skill set that comes with complicated and unusual processes that most people have never heard of. A question I hear very often from customers is:
I made it in wax and cast it.
Explaining can be tough if someone is not familiar with jewelry terms. I came to the conclusion that the best way to solve this problem was by making informational videos and posting them on the website. This way, more people will become aware of different processes and techniques and it will also draw attention to the website, leading to more sales.
Inspired by Grain, a brand dedicated to social and environmental responsibility, packaging for the jewelry will come in a matchbox-inspired custom package with the logo laser cut in the lid of the box.
budget for execution 2014 - 2015
Revenue: eCommerce: Trunk Shows: Total Revenue:
Expenses: Squarespace: Stripe: Trunk Shows: Packaging Total Expenses: Earnings:
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
$470
$350
$310
$310
$310
$310
$1,000
$300
$310
$300
$300
$470
$350
$310
$310
$310
$310
$1,000
$300
$310
$300
$300
$16 $16 $13.93 $10.45 $0.00 $0.00 $20 $20 $50 $46
$16 $9.29 $0.00 $20 $45
$16 $9.29 $0.00 $20 $45
$16 $9.29 $0.00 $20 $45
$16 $9.29 $0.00 $20 $45
$16 $29.30 $0.00 $20 $65
$16 $9.00 $0.00 $20 $45
$16 $9.29 $0.00 $20 $45
$16 $9.00 $0.00 $20 $45
$16 $16 $9.00 $29.30 $0.00 $150.00 $20 $20 $45 $215
$265
$265
$265
$265
$935
$255
$265
$255
$255
$420
$304
Yearly Earnings:
sales projections
$1,000 $1,000 $2,000
$1,785 $5,531.57
2014
2015
2016
2017 Notes
Earrings
25
30
36
43.2 Yearly 20% increase
Rings
35
42
50.4
60.48 Yearly 20% increase
Bracelets
30
36
43.2
51.84 Yearly 20% increase
Necklaces
15
18
21.6
25.92 Yearly 20% increase
Earrings
$40
$40
$40
$40 Consistent prices throughout years
Rings
$60
$60
$60
$60 Consistent prices throughout years
Bracelets
$120
$120
$120
$120 Consistent prices throughout years
Necklaces
$45
$45
$45
$45 Consistent prices throughout years
$850.00
$1,020.00
$1,224.00
$1,468.80 Yearly 20% increase
Rings
$1,785.00
$2,142.00
$2,570.40
$3,084.48 Yearly 20% increase
Bracelets
$3,060.00
$3,672.00
$4,406.40
$5,287.68 Yearly 20% increase
$573.75
$688.50
$826.20
$991.44 Yearly 20% increase
$6,268.75
$7,522.50
Unit Sales
Unit Price
Revenue by Category Earrings
Necklaces Total Projected Revenue
$9,027.00 $10,832.40 20% increase in revenue per year
Competitor
Low
High
Average
Karen Kriegel
$30
$300
$180
Catbird
$32
$3,000
Kristen Baird
$20
Free People
Competitor
# Brick and Mortar
# Online Retailers
Total
Karen Kriegel
0
1
1
$1,532
Catbird
1
1
2
$2,495
$1,268
Kristen Baird
5
1
6
$48
$898
$497
Free People
90
5
95
Paris Market
$50
$400
$250
Paris Market
1
1
2
Moon Raven
$35
$275
$173
Moon Raven
0
1
1
Roundabout
$22
$38
$41
Roundabout
0
1
1
Edor
$14
$36
$32
Edor
0
1
1
Freshly Fig
$19
$164
$101
Freshly Fig
0
1
1
minusOne
$5
$105
$58
minusOne
0
1
1
Anthropologie
$18
$248
$142
Anthropologie
180
1
181
Elizabeth Knight
$94
$550
$369
Elizabeth Knight
1
1
2
$150
$400
$350
Mary Suki
0
1
1
In God We Trust
$40
$790
$435
In God We Trust
3
1
4
Better Late Than Never
$42
$13,300
$6,692
Better Late Than Never
0
1
1
Nettie Kent
$42
$600
$342
Nettie Kent
0
1
1
Bjorg
$60
$483
$302
Bjorg
0
1
1
Need Supply
$18
$385
$211
Need Supply
1
1
2
Gabriela Artigas
$70
$930
$535
Gabriela Artigas
5
6
11
Aimee Petkus
$70
$200
$170
Aimee Petkus
2
1
3
Archer Skinner
$14
$112
$70
Archer Skinner
2
1
3
Mary Suki