I HATE Steven Singer!!!!

Factual Questions
1

Been intrigued for years by these “I Hate Steven Singer” ads you may have heard on the Howard Stern show and if more local the Philadelphia radio markets. This guy has only ONE jewelry store at 8th and Samson in Philadelphia, and seems to spend countless dollars on radio contests and ads where he preaches chain stores like Zales and Jared sell “crap”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mA4Uw-dEIo

Is jewelry that high a profit industry that a guy can make money from one jewelry store? He’s been doing the “I Hate Steven Singer” ad campaign for about 20 years now, and sadly reminds me of another 8th and Samson jeweler who had a blowout ad campaign in Philly 30 years ago:

I have the questions:

  1. How can a guy with a single jewelry store in hard to get to center city Philadelphia afford all these ads? Is he not on the up and up? Is it high pressure sales (Im told when you visit his store they pour you a drink and wait on you hand and foot which makes me think it is). Or does he really sell great jewelry at a fair price?

  2. Generally speaking, what is the quality of diamonds and gold found at a Zales, Kay, Littman etc etc.

  3. How are the salespeople paid at these chain stores? I imagine its $28,000 + commission based on profit.

I noticed when I go to a chain jewelry store, the next available salesperson is on me like a vulture, especially if they see Mr Sucker before Valentines or Christmas, and seems to follow me around as I inspect case to case. Is there any “sales tricks” I should keep a wary eye out for beside the “salesperson pulls out the calculator and comes up with a magical discount” scam?

It seems as if a lot of chain jewelers take advantage of the fact that most men feel uncomfortable and even ashamed if its too close to the holiday to negotiate for a better price, and take the first “calculator” deal offered.

Or am I totally wrong about the jewelry business? Im always willing to learn more!

2

I don’t know any answers to your question. Among other things I have lived in Philly since 1962. I did have a relative who owned a jewelry (and appliance) store and if it wasn’t at 8th and Sansom, it was in that general area. De Wolfe’s it was called (his daughter Rose was an Inquirer columnist for many years). He went broke a long time ago and is long since deceased in any case.

My sister used to work as a saleslady at Caldwell’s in King of Prussia mall (also out of business) and with commissions, she made well over $100,000. But she could sell refrigerators to Eskimos and that was not typical. Still it was possible.