Where should I advertise?

Hi Orchidians ,

Its been a while since I posted on Orchid , hope to be a active
participant in the days to come.

I am at the stage in business where I need to advertise and spread my
wings far and wide. 100 % of my sales are on-line and my main market
is US based retail jewelers, gem Collectors and re sellers (people
who do gem shows)

Advertising on the Orchid web site is my first preference. ( yes
thats going to happen) but What are the other options available for
me. Also thinking of Google and MJSA that’s really Expensive) , Is
MJSA magazine cost effective ?

Anyone who has gone over this path , Please Email me your experience
also would like “do” and “dont`s” in advertising…

Whats the Cost effective way? advertise On-line (other web Sites) or
off line (magazines)

NO ! I am not going to do shows (Tucson) as it will clash with my
buyers. ( sadly I will miss the orchid dinner - (cry) )

Thanking you in advance
Ahmed Shareek - from Sunny Sri Lanka
Discount Superstore

Mr. Sharek,

I emailed you twice during the summer concerning business. You never
returned my emails.

You are doing the right approach by not coming to the USA yourself
and selling your products where ever you can. I will not do business
with suppliers that sell directly to my customers in the USA.

I am actively looking for suppliers of finished goods and lapidary
services from SriLanka, Thailand, China, Africa, and Brazil. Long
term relationships are what I am after.

Gerry Galarneau
gggemswcr@cox.net

100 % of my sales are on-line and my main market is US based retail
jewelers, gem Collectors and re sellers (people who do gem shows) 

You should definitely have an advertisement in the hard copy version
of the yearly Tucson Show Guide (Colored Stone Magazine).
http://www.tucsonshowguide.com/tsg/

And also listings in the Dealers section.
https://www.lapidaryjournal.com/listingtest/tsg_listing.cfm

Two listings are free - the rest you have to pay for, if you want
more. You do not have to be an exhibitor to have listings in the
Tucson Show Guide. You can pay extra and also have the listings
available on the Tucson Show Guide website (Product & Dealers
searchable database) http://www.tucsonshowguide.com/tsg/dealers.cfm

Make sure you get your company data very legible for them. Three
years in a row they got my e-mail address wrong in my listing which
doomed me to no new contacts. This year besides mailing and faxing
in the filled out listing form, I also sent it in by e-mail.

Best regards,
Robert Lowe
Lowe Associates - Brasil
Gemstones, Rough, Specimens
Tucson - February 2 - 7, 2005 - GJX # 205
e-fax: 1-240-757-6022
e-mail: USA < robertplowejr@juno.com >
e-mail: Brasil < @Robert_P_Lowe_Jr1 >

But Gerry you will find all the people from the source and selling
things directly to our customers, an unlevelled playing field tilted
in their favor and hurting us both in the process.

It is a very serious issue. I play by all the rules in book and they
have none to play.

Last year one Srilankan sold sapphires for half million in first
three days of the show(they were sold out), and some to our (Kris
Gem) customer who visited us with the stones, at the Tucson. We were
at loss as to how to explain the price to our customer.

Prices were at 80% what you and I would in Sri Lanka and still would
have apply all what we have to secure the transaction in our
favor.

I just do not understand how the people do not understand that they
are hurting themselves in the foot.

Thanks for letting me off my chest
Anil

Hi Anil,

Glad you took it off your chest ,

Yes! , you are right, there are a few traders who do sell below the
normal price at Tucson, from the view point of the Sri Lankan
trader, he has traveled 12000 miles and he has to cover his cost ,
he tries to sell it at what ever price and cover. little does he
realize he is digging his own grave. This year ( 2005 ) will be worse
as most of the Sri lankan merchants will be at the tent.

Our Company ( crescent gems ), we did display at Tucson a couple of
years back , for Wholesale prices we did request a Re-sale Licence .
Even our web site has a form to fill and Fax. , our site also has a
Dealer Area protected by passwords. We have decided not to attend
Tucson and to concentrate on the WEB because we belive in volume
sale through out the year. We are planning to be the next Thai Gem
(definitely with better Quality Of Stones and cuts) already our
prices are lower than them for Most stones .

On the net , Our average ticket is around US $ 350 , I dont think I
will ever sell 5ct - 10ct Fine Natural Blue Sapphires on the net
on a daily basis, this is where you come in. For high value sales
you need the personal touch.

Regards
Ahmed Shareek - from Sri Lanka