have received many calls and emails regarding this amazing light. Since then we decided to give you an update.

The pendant has three options for installation. You can order for replacement of a recessed light (the light works with the can and a simple cover over the recessed can). You can also purchase this light as a track fixture that hangs down from your existing track, and we can manufacture this light so that it is installed traditionally.

With such versatility, our new LED pendant is available for just about everyone. We look forward to working with our customers so that each of you can benefit from this powerful LED.

The owner of twelve new pendant lights in Houston was very pleased with his lighting. These lights were placed about 3 feet from the top of the showcase. The jeweler was so happy with the

On February 18th Eastern Lighting installed the new LED pendant light for the first time.

After the last issue of “Jewelry Lighting News” the interest in our new pendent is tremendous. We

result that he decided to change other lights to LED as well.

At the current time Eastern Light-ing is not keeping the pendant light in stock. However, since the reac-tion from customers has been so strong we are planning to keep a small stock for immediate sale. For now this is a special-order item. Eastern Lighting knows you will want to see the light before you purchase so we have designed a plan that will allow you to sample the pendant. Just give us a call at 1-800-839-3604 and we can ex-plain how the sampling program works. Samples are limited and on a first-come first-serve basis. So hurry and order a sample today and see how amazing these lights really are.

Call Darrin or Brent at Eastern Lighting at 1-800-839-3604 dial 1 for sales. Or email Darrin at: d.davis@easternlighting.com

Walking through large home improvement stores, and other big-box retailers it has been apparent over the past few years that customer service is more about taking one’s money then offering any service. Some large anchor store retailers have even replaced the traditional wrap stand with a multi-terminal cash register centrally located, with rope lines, and a large sign hung overhead read ing “Customer Service.”

These changes came during the upward swing in our economy. As we face a downturn, the fo-cus needs to shift to providing a service instead of just standing behind a counter to collect money. As each of us looks to what can make us stronger this year, we must look at what our customer service is like. Are we really taking care of the cus-tomer and going above and beyond? In times like this com-petition is fierce and the compa-

nies that take care of their cus-tomers will win.

Even walking through a do-it- yourself big box retailer. I no-ticed for the first time being asked if I needed help. Small retailers need to go above and beyond to keep their customers and gain new ones.

Upcoming Events

Want to see us? Come to our booth at the following shows and visit with us and see what all the fuss it about.

SJTA Atlanta 2/28-

3/1

Global Shop Vegas

3/23-3/25

JCK Vegas 5/30-6/2

JA NYC 7/26-7/29

If you are in the area of one of these shows and would like us to come visit your store please call us and schedule a day and time to visit with you. 1-800-839-3604.

Volume 1 Issue 2 March 2009

Customer Service … One key to this economy!

LED Pendant: A Milestone in Jewelry Lighting

Actual Cree™ diode

Stores are closing, the stock market is down, and you turn on the television with more grim news everyday. If you are like me, you get home at the end of a long day and look for anything but the news to entertain you. How-ever, when you talk to your friends the econ-omy is on everyone’s mind. Will 2009 be bad or really horrible?

There is no crystal ball to see into the future. Yet, there are many things a retailer can do to prepare to weather the storm.

The key to surviving any storm is getting into a

safe harbor. As business owners you wear many hats, and the hat that fits today may be your least favorite. It is the hat of accountant.

As you are looking around your store, here are a couple of recommendations to look for ways that you can beat the competition. What will bring them into your store over the other stores in your area? As business people this question should always be on our minds. As we look at our business models it should al-ways include comparing our store or business to the competition. Customer service, store appearance, prices, and location, are among

the areas at which we must always be looking. In many cases it is easy to look at the competi-tion and judge them and think you are doing better. So I encourage you to find help. If you are in a retail center or mall and you know another owner of a business that does not sell jewelry, have him secret-shop your store and another competitor’s store. This will allow you to have the best view of what a customer sees and feels and hears when they walk into your store.

As you do this “inventory”, keep in mind that most everything can be changed.

Many of you will find that your sales staff are doing a great job. They offer extraordinary customer service , they are greeting your cus-tomers immediately upon arriving, and they are finding ways to use the customer’s name as many times as possible.

Introspection can sometimes be hard. Your business is your child . It takes up a tremen-dous amount of time and if you did not love it you would not do what you do. So be open minded as your “secret shopper” confesses your weaknesses. Don’t get defensive, and listen carefully. Getting defensive will not help anyone. It will actually hurt you in the long run. Know that your store is not perfect and may need improvement in some areas.

As you go through the process of looking at your store, keep in mind that in today’s econ-omy you do not want to re-invent the wheel.

When you look at your store compared to other stores, look at your merchandising, and your showcase lighting. Does it look better than your competition? Will you store attract people better than your competition? If your store was right next door which door would a potential customer enter from looks alone.

As you do this, there will surely be some-thing that you will need to improve. As you are listing the improvements keep in mind that you may not have to buy new show-cases to get better lighting, You may not need to rebuild your store. You can up-grade .

As you assess your company’s staff, your merchandise, and your pricing, think of dif-ferent options so that you can get the same effect at a lower cost. Instead of buying new showcases to get LED lighting, consider buying aftermarket LED and putting it in yourself . If you need new overhead light-ing, call a lighting consultant and discuss what best suits your needs.

The nice people at Eastern Lighting will be more than happy to assist you. We will give you the best lighting to keep you selling more jewelry.

When you assess the level of your cus-tomer service find ways to train your staff so that they can self-evaluate. One easy way is use your current surveillance equipment to critique a sales person’s approach. You may also allow the sales people to watch themselves and see where their mistakes are with out ever saying anything. Some-times they will find things that you did not even pick up on. Do this to yourself also. Make sure you are treating the customers with the utmost respect. As economic is-sues arise it puts the customer in the driver seat. The customer we turned away a year ago may be the one we invite in for a private showing today.

As you look to the future, make sure you understand the customer’s perspective. What you think sounds and looks perfectly ok, may in fact be what your customers would like to see changed. As competition gets stronger we must all take a long look in the mirror. This allows a store to weather any storm. Being able to react quickly can sometimes make the difference between a good year or a downward spiral.

Page 2 Jewelry Lighting News

Being able to react quickly can sometimes make the difference between a good year and a downward spiral

“ “

Jewelry Market Watch (don’t bui ld new—UPGRADE)

The n

ew LT8

Eastern Lighting, Inc. just com-pleted its annual two week trip to Tucson, AZ. The primary reason we go to Tucson every year is to sell lighting to the exhibitors at the many shows that run simultaneously. How-ever, during the stay in Tucson we were afforded the opportu-nity to meet with many of the wholesalers of precious, semi-precious, and colored gem stones. One dealer at the GJX show said he likes incandes-cent light the best on his ru-bies. The warm glow of incan-descent is best at bringing out the red in the stones. At the

other end of the spectrum are gems like sapphires and tan-zanite. They undoubtedly look their best under high color temperature light such as metal halide or LED. Another dealer at the GJX show really liked the effect of the 5300k (cool white) LED on his alex-andrite. As we moved the alexandrite from warm light to cool light, we could see the different hues become vivid. The opal is another tricky gem when it comes to lighting. Lightning Ridge opals with more blue color do better with cool white light while the Mexi-

can fire opals look their best with halogen or lower color temperature LED. Fortu-nately, it’s not that complicated when lighting finished jewelry in a retail store. Most of the time , cool white metal halide and/or LED is the way to go. If you want to learn more about colored gemstones, a trip to Tucson in February is a must. If you want more information about lighting your colored stones please call 1-800-839-3604, ext 102.

This not only can be a prob-lem, but it is in some ways a waste of money.

The experts at Eastern Light-ing recommend that you see this for yourself by re–lamping one fixture and comparing it to your current fixtures.

Eastern Lighting would like you to call in for a sample and to see when you last bought your metal halide bulbs.

You walk into a room and switch on a light. Pop! A burst of light, and then darkness. For years we understood this to mean our light bulb had burned out. However, with new lighting technologies such as Metal Halide, the bulb’s life doesn’t end so precipitously.

Metal halide for instance will begin to lose its color and light output long before the bulb itself stops producing light.

Many small retailers remem-ber buying light bulbs just a few months ago. However when we check our records, it turns out that bulbs are two or three years old. Call Eastern Lighting at 1-800-839-3604 and find out when you last bought bulbs. If it has been a while, have us send you a sample and see if your lights are losing their punch.

Today’s product focus is on the New LT-8. The LT-8 is a retro-fit bulb made specifically for replacing fluorescent tubes. It comes in a number of different sizes and will fit a two pin con-ventional T-8 or T12 fluores-cent fixture.

This new light replaces our existing FL-8 that was the first of our line of retrofit LED bulbs. Eastern Lighting believes this

is the light of the future. Using only 1 watt of power per diode this bulb uses minimal power and gives a high output of 5500k white LED light.

The LT-8 currently replaces T-8 and T-12 bulbs. Give East-ern Lighting a call at 1-800-839-3604 and order them today!

In our newsletter we take the time to focus on a product that Eastern Lighting has released, or is working on. We will even re-visit products that have been around for a while.

This is provided so that you can keep up with what is in the market, and, hopefully, know what will best suit your lighting needs.

Page 3

Tucson 2009

Product Profile LT8

Metal Halide Re-Lamping

Official distributer of EYE™ Color Arc Par36 Metal Halide Lamp

Part of Eastern Lighting Company for new LED products Visit at: www.LEDnow.net

Eastern Lighting, Inc.

13004 Murphy Road #212 Stafford, TX 77477

13004 Murphy Road Suite 212 Stafford, TX 77477 www.easternlighting.com

Phone: 800-839-3604 Fax: 281-980-7215 E-mail: d.davis@easternlighting.com

Lighting jewelry for 15 years.

With 3 watts per diode displayed

LED Pendant Light

ver fifteen years ago, Eastern Lighting was born through the efforts of

our President and founder selling our fixtures and bulbs at jewelry

trade shows. Today, we’ve grown into a multifaceted company with a

diverse staff and a customer base that spans the globe. In addition to

our professional growth, our office has expanded from a small one-

room operation to a large business office attached to thousands of square feet of

production space.

We thank you, our customers, for making the past fifteen years so successful. We

have thoroughly enjoyed helping you grow your business and in turn you have

helped us grow ours. We look forward to working with you to grow your sales with

our lighting.

Please visit us if you are ever in the Houston area.

O