DNR Diamonds continues to focus on their customer’s needs by introducing GIA certified stones to their inventory. The almost 20 year old diamond cutting and wholesale company previously carried only European Gemological Laboratory certified stones in an effort to help retailers increase profit margins. But savvy consumers who compare Internet pricing against brick and mortar pricing continually request an “apples to apples” product review, making it clear that DNR had to help their customers stay in the game by offering GIA certified stones.
Robby Nochimowski, owner of DNR Diamonds, discussed the reason for the expanded product line:
“We’re doing this because there is a lot of competition from websites and Internet competitors who sell only GIA stones, and we’re trying to help our customers compete with the Internet sales. We’re happy to expand our inventory to include GIA certified stones in order to increase the competitiveness of our clients. Adapting to our client’s needs is a part of our business procedure – it is what we do.”
DNR originally chose to carry EGL certified stones because of the laboratory’s reputation. EGL USA is one of the largest and oldest independent gemological institutions. It provides a certification with state-of-the-art technology, fast service, cutting edge research and a world-wide recognized research department.
When their customers struggled to compete without access to GIA stones, DNR immediately sought to incorporate them into their inventory. Today 25% of all DNR stones are GIA certified.
Providing their customers with every tool possible to close the sale is the primary focus of DNR. Refusing to ignore or run away from Internet competitors like Blue Nile isn’t an option. Instead, they are willing to go head-to-head with Internet competitors because they are confident not only in their product, but in the pricing they pass on to their retailers.
“We’ve become well known for our honest evaluations of our products,” states Robby. “We accurately represent our stones when we describe them over the phone. Otherwise it is a waste of time and money to ship our customer something different than what they thought they were getting.”
Robby learned first-hand about the US jewelry industry by spending several years on the road selling loose diamonds before he decided to open his own business. Once he started DNR out of Chicago in 1994 he spent the next six years investigating how the US diamond industry operated while learning as much as he could about diamonds.
“I discovered that understanding the book knowledge about diamonds and jewelry was important, but really comprehending how the industry functions, what retailers need and what the market is doing are far more important than even book knowledge.”
Robby has approached each business decision from a “what’s best for my retailer” perspective. Two years ago DNR joined the Independent Jewelers Organization in order to gain more face-to-face time with their customers. They also knew their volume and pricing would be appealing to IJO members.
“We hope to grow our business in the southeast and the southwest,” states Robby. “Our business last year was exceptional and we hope it continues. We’re optimistic and hope for an even better year in 2012.”
DNR Diamonds has an enormous range of diamonds in all shapes from .05 carat and up. They buy directly from the source, download inventory to their retailers’ websites and ship overnight.
For more information on DNR Diamonds contact their toll-free number at 877-248-5090 or check out their website at www.dnrdiamonds.com.
