<Engagement ring purchase process.
JCK conducted two focus groups of engaged couples. They observed 14
couples discussing their shopping experiences for diamond engagement
rings.
Independent jewellers were more highly rated than high-volume stores.
Critical issues were trust, education, intimidation and style.
Men wanted hard information such as what makes one diamond better than another.
Women were more interested in the kind of cut and the design of the setting.
Men tended to shop alone or with a friend. Most did not discuss style
preferences or shop as a couple.
Brides tended to window shop on their own and drop hits or tried to
show examples of the style and type of rings they liked.
Some of the men found that the sales pressure was greater when their
fiancés were present.
Men started their research in the following ways:
Asking a recently married or engaged friend or relative for advice.
Visting local jewelry stores alone or with a friend
Reading brochures from retailers
On the internet
Browsing their fiancee?s magazines.
http://print.google.com/print/doc?articleid=73xba2mZIyD
97% of proposals were made by men, 3% by women.
Rings were given in 95% of engagements.
In 85% of cases rings were given at the time of the proposal.
In 84% of cases the man bore the cost of the ring.
Women participated in the selection of the ring 42% of the time.
Men selected the ring alone 52% of the time.
No ring was given in 5% of marriages.
When women were involved in the selection of the ring an average of
$133.34 more was spent.
61% of males and 73% of women were in their twenties at the time of the proposal.
Mean ring cost was $3,867.55 ? 11% of the man?s annual income.
(Source: Engagement Rings as Signals by Lee Cronk and Bria Dunham.)
http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:2AU4qgRq6tMJ:anthro.rutgers.edu/faculty/cronkdunham.pdf+%22engagement+ring%22+survey+percent&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
70% of women did not want their partners to propose until they had
saved enough money to buy the ring of their dreams.
48% of women prefer their partners to use their initiative and propose
spontaneously.
Over two thirds of women expect their suitors to ask their fathers for
their hand in marriage before proposing.
28% of women would turn down a proposal if the ring wasn?t to their taste.
Over half of men prefer to have their fiancé with them to choose the ring.
17% of men are prepared to work overtime to pay for a ring. Nearly 50%
saved money from the wages each month, 15% took out a loan or extended
their overdraft.
(Source: Clerical Medical.)
http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:5cEQNRlKDhAJ:www.offshore.clerical-medical.com/docs/PRelease2004_02.pdf+%22engagement+ring%22+survey+%22buy+the+ring%22&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
60% of brides are involved in picking out their engagement ring and 3%
pick it themselves. (Source: Random Musings.)
http://macg.metcorp.com/index.php?p=342
According to the book How to Buy a Diamond, 70% of men shop alone for
an engagement ring.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/02/03/earlyshow/series/main539189.shtml
According to Steve Robbins of Robbins Bros, the world?s biggest
engagement ring store, six years ago approximately 30 percent of women
accompanied their fiancés to purchase engagement rings. Now more than
60% of women shop for an engagement ring with their partner.
http://www.womenswallstreet.com/topics/Topic.aspx?aid=758
58% of women prefer to help their partner choose an engagement ring.
(Source: Men Take The Upper Hand When Choosing The Ring. By Sandra
Chapman.)
http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:vl-Ws52fyy0J:www.newsletter.co.uk/story/19722+%22engagement+ring%22+survey&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
45% of men do not research before they buy an engagement ring.
(Source: The Baltimore Sun.)
http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:ysktvs8NtBAJ:www.amarillo.com/stories/021203/fea_timeto.shtml+survey++%22buy+an+engagement+ring+before%22&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
45% dated one to three years before proposing.
54% chose to propose locally, with the remainder proposing on a
specially planned trip.
59% consulted with friends when planning the proposal.
21% planned the proposal on their own.
54% were confident their partner would say yes and 46% were unsure.
(Source: Fairmont survey.)
http://www.travellady.com/Issues/January05/1194LifesMostImportantQuestion.htm
45% of men do no research before buying.
57% of men describe jewelery shopping as stressful.
75% of men don?t feel knowledgeable about jewelry buying.
51% agree that if you aren?t educated on the subject you?ll get taken.
(Source: Bluenile.com.)
http://www.bluenile.com/pressreleases/08_16_2000.asp
Education.
78.9% of engagement ring shoppers have heard of the main criteria for
judging a diamond.
Where buyers get information from.
Read the JA brochure, What You Should Know About Buying a Diamond ? 73.7 %
Jewelers ? 34.8 %
Advertisements ? 19.3%
Friends ? 18.5%
17.8% of respondents were influenced by De Beers? two months? salary
spending guideline.
53.7% of first-time buyers and 57.4% of second time brides remembered
choosing the ring together. Just over 50% of men said they chose the
ring together with their partner. (Source: JCK.)
http://jck.polygon.net/archives/1995/07/0795dir.html
According to Unity Marketing, 54% of all jewelry sales come from
independent jewelry stores.
http://www.jinglebank.com/newsletters/news_0104.htm
About 20% of jewelry shoppers use non-store channels either internet,
mail order or television shopping. Department stores are the most
favoured channel. (Source: Unity Marketing.)
http://www.unitymarketingonline.com/reports2/jewelry/pr1.html
According to the Jewelry Information Center, over 60% spend between
$1,000 and $5,000 on an engagement ring. Five percent of grooms spent
more than $10,000. The average amount spent is $3,700. (Source:
Diamond engagement rings are increasingly colourful. By Renee
Garrison. Media General News Service.)
http://www.insidenova.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=ISN/HTMLPage/ISN_HTMLPage&c=HTMLPage&cid=1031780473491
56% of people who buy engagement rings don?t return to the same store
for their wedding rings. (Source: Professional Jeweler.)
http://www.professionaljeweler.com/archives/articles/2001/dec01/1201i1.html
Six percent of men propose over the phone. (Brides, grooms and
honeymoons. By Spc. Jennifer Stutsman.)
http://www.dcmilitary.com/army/pentagram/7_06/local_news/14217-1.html
18% of people use the Yellow Pages to find a jeweller. (Source: DexOnline.com.)
http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:9wRTxszNF80J:https://www.advertisewithdex.com/Dex/CDA/Products/Vertical_Detail_Page.jsp%3Fpid%3D44+jewelers+%22yellow+pages%22+internet+percent&hl=en&ie=UTF-8>
<Additional links:>
<National Association of Wedding Ministers ? engagement statistics.>
<http://www.aweddingministers.com/wedding/statistics.htm>
<Search strategy :>
<"engagement ring" survey "buy the ring">
<://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&rls=GGLD%2CGGLD%3A2005-17%2CGGLD%3Aen&q=%22engagement+ring%22+survey+%22buy+the+ring%22>
<"engagement ring" survey "the proposal">
<://www.google.com/search?q=%22engagement+ring%22+survey+%22the+proposal%22&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2005-17,GGLD:en&start=60&sa=N>
<"purchase engagement rings" percent>
<://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=%22purchase+engagement+rings%22+percent>
<"engagement rings" criteria respondents>
<://www.google.com/search?q=%22engagement+rings%22+criteria+respondents&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2005-17,GGLD:en&start=10&sa=N>
<Hope this helps.> |
