The JAA board and representatives from some of Australia’s major jewellery retailers, buying groups and organisations.
The Jewellers Association of Australia last week met with executives from major jewellery retail chains, buying groups and organisations to discuss ‘hot topics’ facing the industry.
At the meeting, JAA executive director Amanda Hunter and JAA board director Colin Pocklington told the executives, who collectively represent over 1700 stores, buying groups and retail organisations, about the JAA’s new accreditation program and “the ways it will benefit the jewellery industry” while Australian Retailers Association executive director Russell Zimmerman and Shopping Centre Council of Australia executive director Angus Nardi discussed the GST threshold, rental negotiations and future trends.
The meeting also included an open ‘question and answer’ session hosted by JAA president Selwyn Brandt as well as a presentation on “jewellery robbery trends” and the JAA online armed robbery prevention course. According to Hunter, the “very worthwhile” meeting concluded with talk about future meetings and how all parties can work together for the greater good and growth of the industry. She added that although it was “only the second meeting of its kind, and the first where every major chain attended”, the JAA holds high hopes that the meeting will now be held every six months.
“Bringing executives together from a variety of major jewellery chains, buying groups and brands representing multiple hundreds of outlets across Australia to discuss national issues and hot topics that affect them all, partners and competitors alike, is just so valuable for all involved,” she said.
“We hope this is the beginning of a great information exchange as the access the JAA has to industry and government contacts provides valuable channels to raise industry issues and of course the retailers have great intelligence through their consumer contact so it makes absolute sense to share ideas and jointly find solutions to emerging challenges and to leverage any opportunities for industry wide benefit where possible.”
The following organisations were represented at the meeting:
1. Wallace Bishop/Hardy Brothers
2. Bevilles
3. Shiels/Grahams Jewellers
4. Hoskings Jewellers
5. Prouds/Angus & Coote /Goldmark
6. Salera’s
7. Michael Hill Jewellers
8. Zamels
9. Pandora
10. Swarovski
11. Leading Edge Jewellers
12. Nationwide Jewellers
13. Showcase Jewellers
14. Australian Retailers Association (ARA)
15. Shopping Centre C