Retailers Talk Holiday Sales, 2025 Trends
The holiday season has passed nearly as quicky as it came upon us. Now in the new year, we checked in with a number of retailers to see how they fared through the busy 2024 shopping months.
Many retailers reported their sales were up from the previous year, though the results of online versus in-store sales were varied. Weather affected some stores’ growth as well, particularly one retailer who was hit with a hurricane that impacted its holiday sales.
Top sellers this year included engagement jewelry, natural diamonds, as well as earrings and necklaces, along with one-of-a-kind and unique styles. As for retailers’ predictions for 2025—read on for what they think will be the year’s top sellers.
“Sales were surprisingly strong and surpassed the previous year—overall traffic was down, but sales were up,” says Maria Aguierre, owner of Benold’s Jewelers in Austin, TX. “The most popular categories included loose natural diamonds in larger sizes, Simon G bridal and fashion, natural diamond studs, and Vahan bracelets. We are seeing more color as an upcoming trend, yellow gold continues to be strong, and chains and bezels are on everything come 2025!”
“In 2024 we saw year-over-year sales growth in both our retail stores and online channels, with online showing the greatest increase,” says Chau Lui, co-owner of Paris Jewellers in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. “We continue to see increased growth in our engagement ring and wedding band category, in our gold jewelry pieces, and investment jewelry pieces such as diamond stud and hoop earrings, tennis bracelets, and diamond stacking rings. We believe that jewelry is meant to wear, love, and layer, and these are categories of jewelry pieces that our customers will be able to cherish for years to come.
“Going into 2025 we believe that people will continue to invest in pieces that are classic and can be worn with versatility. Diamond earrings, tennis bracelets, and unique stacking rings will continue to be strong. We also see that gemstone jewelry is a category that will continue to grow, as well as more two-tone jewelry that is bold and will make a statement. We are excited for 2025!”
“We had a particularly strong festive period, with jewelry sales double digits up on LY,” says Ruby Beales, buying manager for the London-based Liberty London. “Fine jewelry proved very popular, with necklaces being the most popular category for gifting. Our loyal jewelry customers love to discover something special at the store, so one-of-a-kind pieces, exclusive brands, and capsules are always particularly well received. Signet rings are proving to be a hit across a variety of price points. We are also seeing increased demand for chunky chains where customers are investing in classic styles that will hold their value.”
“This was my second holiday in business and sales grew compared to last year as the word spread about my business,” says Libby Schmitz of Front Street Jewelers in Columbus, OH. “Bracelets did really well for me over the holidays. This made me especially happy because they are my favorite category and tend to not get as much attention as other categories. The ‘forever’ bracelet trend played into that as people are looking to create a stack with their plain chain. Going into 2025, I'm hoping designers incorporate more bracelets into their collections—everything from delicate diamond line bracelets to chunky chains look like they are holding strong into the new year.”
“We were in a unique position this year as a devastating hurricane hit our town in late September—tourism was way down,” says Marty Mittelstaedt of Mora Jewelry in Asheville, NC. “All that to say, our sales were about 10% below last year. Last year we had the best holiday ever, so we were thrilled that we were only 10% down!
“Earrings and necklaces in the $200-$500 price point were by far our biggest category this holiday season—easy and giftable. Our average order value dropped by 16% from last year. More people seemed hesitant to purchase higher price point items in 2024. We have noticed that pieces that are more unique and distinct are often the pieces that sell first. Individuality and one-of-a-kind qualities are important to our customer. We also have seen customers desiring more flexibility, personalization, and concierge services.”
