Mastering Inventory & POS Skills for the Holiday Rush

October 30, 2025

The holiday season is retail’s Super Bowl, and in jewelry sales, preparation is everything. A well-trained sales associate who knows their inventory inside and out—and can navigate the POS system with confidence—can turn every customer interaction into an opportunity, leading to a profitable December.

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Let’s discuss: Email your response to hhauben1@gmail.com. All submissions will remain anonymous. Here are a few ideas/questions to get started:

1. What tool or training do you think helps sales associates know their inventory better than others?

2. How can your team make the daily “inventory drill” more fun and engaging?

3. What’s one POS feature or shortcut that could make your sales process smoother this season?

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Know Your Inventory

Once a month, sales managers can run a quick “inventory drill”. A short, five-question quiz to keep associates sharp on what’s currently in stock and how to find items in the system.

For example:

What is your lowest-priced 1-carat diamond?

What are your 2-carat diamond studs selling for?

Which three engagement rings offer the best value under $5,000?

Which vendors do we use to supply complete rings set with center diamonds?

What’s your go-to gift suggestion for a $1,000 budget?

These daily drills create confidence and agility on the sales floor. When a customer asks a specific question, especially during the busy holiday rush, your team can respond instantly and with accuracy. No one wants to wait while an associate scrambles to find the right case, locate a specific carat total weight, or verify a price. Instant answers build trust and momentum in the sale.

To make things more engaging, tie these drills to friendly competition. Track sales connected to the featured items or categories throughout the season and reward top performers with weekly prizes or a grand holiday bonus. This gamifies training and keeps spirits high while reinforcing the importance of preparedness.

Mastering the POS System

The Point of Sale system is your gateway to product details, availability, and customer history. It’s especially critical for multi-store operations. With the right know-how, associates can see exactly what’s in stock across locations right at their fingertips, instead of calling vendors for memos. When a customer walks in asking about a piece they saw online or at another store, being able to check availability and request a transfer on the spot can make the difference between closing a sale and losing it.

Beyond inventory lookups, associates should know how to:

• Search by SKU, vendor, or category.

  
  

• Locate all the carat total weight variations of a piece. For example, if a customer asks for ½ ctw studs but only ¼ ctw appears in stock, the associate should be able to search for alternate sizes or variations within the system.

• Access items with separate components, like engagement rings, where the center diamond and the setting have individual prices.

• Look up customer profiles and wish lists.

A little extra time spent learning system shortcuts now will pay dividends during peak season when every second counts.

Understanding the Components of a Piece

Product knowledge goes deeper than just knowing what’s in stock. Associates should also understand the individual components that make up a complete engagement ring, especially for bridal or custom jewelry.

For example, in a live engagement ring, the diamond (the “live piece”) and the setting are often priced separately. If a client wants to swap in a family diamond from their grandmother’s ring, you’ll need to know how to look up both components in your system and provide an accurate quote for just the semi-mount. This flexibility helps save the sale and strengthens your reputation as a trusted, solution-oriented jeweler.

Every moment with a customer this season is a chance for your associates to prove their expertise and earn clients’ trust. Take 10 minutes today to quiz your team: Do they know approximately what your retail prices are for basics like 1 ctw diamond studs? Do your associates know how to find the best value options for clients with a set budget in key holiday categories? If not, make that your training goal before the doors open tomorrow.

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Our Mission: The Diamond Dispatch column is crafted to inspire and equip retail sales associates and store managers with practical tools to elevate the in-store experience. Each edition blends proven sales training techniques, creative merchandising ideas, and real-world customer engagement strategies, helping teams deliver memorable, personalized service. By focusing on the art of storytelling, effective communication, and hands-on product knowledge, this column aims to empower professionals to build lasting client relationships and drive store success from the sales floor.