American couples might be trading down slightly when it comes to carat size, but even in this tough economy, they are still buying diamond engagement rings.
When it comes to an engagement ring, people will still want what they want. They are going to slightly smaller sizes but staying with the same quality.
Whatever size is selling these days–whether it be a small three-quarter-carat sparkler or a 5-carat rock–retailers say there are two key ways to keep engagement ring sales on target in a turbulent year: partnering with other bridal-focused businesses to offer special promotions and keeping up the tradition of top-notch customer service.
After all, when a couple decides to spend their lives together and start planning a wedding, the goal is to make it the event of a lifetime, whether it happens in the midst of an economic crisis or not.
“I know that for people that are in love and want to get engaged and want to get married, it’s supposed to be a one-time experience,” a storeowner says. “It’s not the area where they really want to cut back.”