Oh Subtle, I love that particular Ron White segment. He was here recently and I couldn't go.

I haven't looked at diamonds the same way since I watched Blood Diamond.

This is an interesting site: Stop Blood Diamonds

So few diamonds come from Africa now. And Africa is going to be a blood bath regarding anything that makes money from ivory to diamonds to gorilla hands.

I've long thought a business specializing in conflict free diamonds could be a real money maker for a marketer with an interest in the diamond business.

This is very true. But it would be a lie. They all funnel through Israel or NY and it's hard to guarantee whether it's conflict free or not. This is more on the part of the smugglers who get them out of Africa-- basically diamond laundering so you don't know the resource. Conflict diamonds are hyped as there are so few that come from there under those circumstances.

A dealer who actually says their diamonds are conflict-free is not telling the truth because one of the 50,000 listed might be. The business is intricately woven and I think anyone taking this position would or has found themselves short on supply in about 5 minutes. Most of the online dealers all get their diamonds from the exact same source--they are drop shipped. The diamond database is updated with merchandise from cutters from many different places, but mostly in NY. The only difference is the mark up. Many stores also order from this source to stock their stores. The dealer for whom I do work for doesn't buy from the database but directly from the diamond cutter operations in the diamond district of NY.

The diamond business isn't one you can just waltz into, that's for sure. Try buying some key words for that business on Google adwords.

Michael - your comments here are especially true.

I think you could increase the value of the list from gold to platinum by the following:

I wonder how many of the purchasers, and people in line would willingly give their contact information for "exclusive" offers - via email, postcards, etc. "new arrivals" days, etc.

I know a lot of higher end retailers such as Nordstrom do this - and subsequently announce their sales (mid year men's sale, etc) to their list.

But I'm willing to bet that coach would benefit by sending an employee out with a clipboard and a stack of "discount certificates" for either: 5% today's purchase, or 15% off your second item of equal or lessor value, 25% third item, etc...

I'm sure if they did this, the line would grow even longer; plus those waiting would have something to do besides wait in the hot sun.

Amazing marketing.

And it not just hand bangs and purses. My wife and her friend where going to get in to making dog collars. Guess what is the best selling (last they checked) and highest priced collars on Ebay? Coach of course.

Guess you get the name and everything you put it on turns to gold?

Well, it should be obvious.

People stay and buy something, rush for something,
all in return to get Value.

And, if you can keep their buying temperature long enough...
the picture's what happens as their 'inner volcano' explodes.

Great OP. The reason there is a line is as you described. The men are there to score brownie points with their significant others and the ladies are there for the deal. Same dynamics happened with beanie babies, cabbage patch dolls and what happens at auctions. Build a perceived value, scarcity and immediacy. Whip them up into a frenzy and voila, buyers.

Human psychology is hilarious, guess that's why I laugh at myself so much. People don't like to be last. Not all want to be first, that's another human condition, but they never want to be last. Like the people driving on the freeway will risk life and limb to get one car further off the back in line to get on the off-ramp. It probably has to do with crowd / pack mentality still buried in our brains. The last one in the herd usually got eaten by the lion chasing them.

What do most people say when they're in a long line? If you're in the back you usually say, "Jeez, this is going to take forever." If you're in the middle or up front you probably say, "Wow, we got here just in time."

As for women I know from my musician playing days they check each other out a lot more than men know about or do. In clubs ladies will look each other up and down and have some comment about how her shoes don't match, her dress is slutty and yes, how cheap her purse looks.

I credit Coach for understanding that completely. The dog collar is just pure genius. Not everyone will buy an expensive collar. The niche group that does makes it all worth it.

Thanks for the posts and replies. I'm learning a lot here.