Going beyond the jewelry box - jewelry organizers - Apparel

Discount Store News, April 1, 1991

Going Beyond the Jewelry Box

In 1990, costume jewelry sales reached about $2.2 billion. Thankfully for the jewelry and accessory organizer producers, consumers needed a place to put all the loot.

Including hanging and boxed organizers for the home, as well as travel cases for those on the go, the market for organizers is estimated at $500 million and growing. The sales potential is even greater, since jewelry sales show no signs of waning.

"The worst of times for the economy are often the best of times for costume jewelry. It is a time-honored approach to renewing a wardrobe through accessorization," said David Weiss, president of Packaged Facts. He anticipates the jewelry category will continue to grow 5% annually.

This growth has already spurred growth in the number of companies marketing organizers, although at retail they are still looking for an identity.

Stores featuring closet and storage shops may include organization boxes. Established companies such as Caboodles are found primarily in the cosmetic area. Even newcomers like Bangel-Hangall, despite being specifically a jewelry accessory, are included in retail cosmetic sections.

Cheryl Meyer, a graphic designer who developed the Bangel-Hangall earring organizer, noted that her product has done well in the cosmetic area because that customer is already used to the idea of organizing boxes and trays.

With the advent of specialty retailers such as the Closet Shop and the Container Store, more categories are targets for the organizationally minded.

Meyer noted that stores that show the product fully assembled do better in sales. She believes the category will grow as consumers become more educated about what is available.

Sassaby, another newcomer to the scene, is also finding some crossover business. The company offers both jewelry and cosmetic boxes. Sassaby was launched in the fall of 1990, and by early 1991 had already posted $40 million in sales.

Leonie Mateer, president, was substantially responsible for that success. Formerly the products marketing manager with Caboodles, the most visible company in cosmetic organizers, Mateer developed Sassaby into a line of boxes that include more custom compartments with swivel trays and lift-out dividers.

The line is already in major drug and discount stores including Wal-Mart and Osco. According to Mateer, there is some cross-merchandising, with Sassaby products in both cosmetic and costume jewelry areas. The addition of new companies such as Sassaby and Bangel-Hangall illustrates the market's competitiveness.

Bangle-Hangall was introduced in 1988. A number of drug and specialty chains now sell the expandable organizer.

According to Meyer, the company is currently in the throes of a lawsuit. She claims an importer copied the design and is selling it through a number of mail order catalogs.

Sassaby's introduction appears to have expanded the market. "Since the introduction of Sassaby, the size of the market has doubled. Now consumers have a choice," said a company spokesman.

Marketed primarily as a cosmetics holder, the Caboodles line has expanded to include large and small boxes to hold items as large as a hair dryer or as small as post earrings.

Caboodles was created in 1988. The first prototypes were fishing tackle boxes colored in more feminine tones. Since then, the boxes were made from plastic and continued to be issued in fashionable colors.

These new companies also hope to expand the selling time for the area beyond the holiday season. Caboodles had already made progress using some end-cap displays at stores such as ShopKo. Meyer at Bangel-Hangall also noted that "stores willing to invest in some amount of co-op advertising find we sell well year round."

Already, these organizers are available in fashionable colors and prints. With new competition in the market, the next generation of organizers is likely to go the way of costume jewelry and become more fashionable as well as functional.