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“Basel is very important for us,” one retailer says. “We also do a lot of our Asian buying in Basel because we don’t go to Hong Kong or Vicenza.”

Why Basel? Not because it’s convenient, that’s for sure. It’s not their favorite show experience. And it’s not just the expense and the unwieldy expanse. “It’s sometimes difficult to deal with European companies, many of whom require upfront purchase of jewelry that you may not receive for months,” one retailer explains. “But for finding out-of-the-box resources, there’s nothing better than Basel.”

In the U.S., the show most often mentioned is Couture, followed closely by Premiere/Luxury and Centurion. Retailers enjoy shows like these because they can meet, chat, and compare notes with other jewelers, especially during lunch and other events. The networking element adds tremendous value to the buying experience. All complain about the difficulty of shopping JCK Las Vegas despite the fact there are good finds there. It just takes too much time to maneuver, they say. Only a few mention JA New York and SIHH.

One pet peeve is the huge volume of calls that top retailers receive during the week before a show, particularly the invitational shows which distribute an attendee list to vendors before the show. “Just imagine what it’s like to receive hundreds of calls from vendors, all asking for appointments, in a single week,” says one retailer. “It’s overwhelming and very disruptive in the store.” Vendors should plan ahead and call earlier for a better reception, many say. Of course, in addition to attending shows, many retailers also enjoy buying from vendors who visit their stores.

VENDOR RELATIONSHIPS

The best stores have a word for their vendors. That word is “partner.” Almost every retailer says they are looking for a “true partnership” and “a relationship that works for both of us.” What does that mean when it comes to the contentious issues of any vendor-retailer negotiation?