Pandora shuts 100 stores
this story first appeared on jewellery world
pandora has told “around 100” retailers in australia and new zealand that they can no longer sell the company’s jewellery.
in a letter e-mailed to all local pandora retailers, pandora managing director karin adcock said that after six years in the market it was time for the company “to part ways” with some stores that have not wanted to “move along” with its “retail concept”.
speaking to jewellery world after the email was sent out and followed up with phone calls to the affected store owners, adcock said that it wasn’t “easy” but the decision to close accounts had to be made as the company was now an international brand.
“we have reached the point where it is crucial that pandora is presented in a properly branded environment because pandora is no longer just a brand here in australia,” she explained.
“it is now a brand in many countries across the globe so there is a very high expectation from the end-customer that there is a certain brand experience when they walk into a jewellery store and want to buy pandora.
“we have tried over the past four years to introduce a properly branded presence in the retail concept and we have had a lot of stores who have really embraced it but then we have some stores who just do the quick sale of charms over the counter and aren’t really investing in the brand – that’s not really fair to the stores who are doing a fantastic job and are working closely with us to develop the brand.
“we think to a large degree the end customers are voting with their feet. they are the ones who are saying ‘i’m going to the store where i can get the proper pandora experience’ because the savvy pandora customer expects more than charms when she goes into a store. she wants to see rings and all the other lines too,” she added.
adcock said that all the stores that will be closing have two months to “sell-through”.
“we will then buy any leftover stock so they can go and find other products to put in.”
