– Sunjoy Hans, Founder, Lalchnd Jewellers, Odisha
In my decades-long journey in the jewellery business, I have witnessed profound transformations in consumer behaviour, industry practices, and marketing strategies. One persistent challenge that continues to trouble me is the lack of transparency surrounding making charges—a critical issue that demands industry-wide attention.
Making charges are an essential component of jewellery pricing, yet they have transformed from a straightforward cost element into a manipulative marketing tool. What should be a transparent pricing mechanism has instead become a means of creating ambiguous and potentially misleading offers.
The most egregious practices include advertisements claiming “50 per cent off on making charges”, which often conceal a more insidious reality. Some retailers surreptitiously inflate the original making charges before applying the discount, creating an illusion of savings that exists only on paper. When you claim to offer a 50 per cent discount on making charges, you should not quietly double the original charges and then apply the discount, giving trusting customers the impression that they are saving their hard-earned money. These tactics not only erode customer trust but also damage the reputation of the jewellery industry as a whole.
When you claim to offer a 50 per cent discount on making charges, you should not quietly double the original charges and then apply the discount, giving customers the impression that they are saving their money. These tactics not only erode customer trust but also damage the reputation of the industry as a whole.
– Sunjoy Hans, Founder, Lalchnd Jewellers, Odisha
To cite another instance, brands may promote enticing offers such as flat-rate discounts per gram, but these are frequently limited to outdated or slow-moving inventory, machine-made jewellery only, or purchases exceeding a specific bill threshold. Such conditions are typically buried in fine print, deliberately obscured from the customer’s immediate view. If such conditions exist, they should be clearly conveyed in the promotional material itself. Transparency in promotions is key.
We must ask ourselves: is this the kind of relationship we want to build with our customers? Trust is the cornerstone of any business, especially one as personal as jewellery.
At Lalchnd Jewellers, we decided to take a stand against this ambiguity. With the help of the press, broadcast news channels, and social media, we were able to raise awareness of our stance on this issue. Our strategy is unambiguous: we offer flat making charges with no hidden conditions. When we advertise a discount, every detail is meticulously and transparently communicated across all promotional channels. No customer enters our showroom to discover anything about our offers that they did not already know from the advertisements and promotions we put out in the press, on social media, or via hoardings. There are no unpleasant surprises, no fine print, and no confusion.
Our awareness campaign about making charges was not aimed at attracting new customers or attacking our competition. The objective has always been to fight against malpractice, fostering a transparent jewellery market in our state—one that serves its people with the integrity they deserve.
Our journey of transparency began in the late 1980s and early 1990s. At that time, consumers were largely uninformed about the importance of gold purity, transparent pricing, the variety of designs available outside their local markets, and the unfair gold exchange systems prevalent in those days. By launching public awareness campaigns, we educated consumers and gradually built trust. We were pioneers in Odisha, introducing BIS-hallmarked gold and setting new industry standards.
During the recent Dhanteras-Diwali season and Akshay Tritiya, we witnessed record-breaking sales and achieved the highest revenue in Odisha. More importantly, customers walked into our showrooms with confidence, knowing they would receive exactly what was promised.
Today, our initiatives continue to resonate. Transparency has become our biggest differentiator. Customers appreciate honesty and reward it with loyalty. Over the years, we have built a reputation as one of Odisha’s most trusted jewellery brands—not just by selling high-quality jewellery, but by being ethical in how we price and market our products. It is not just about business; it is about respecting our customers and their hard-earned money. By addressing these issues head-on, we have not only gained customers’ trust but also inspired positive change across the industry.
The jewellery industry is built on relationships, trust, and tradition. Misleading practices may offer a temporary edge, but they ultimately damage the very foundation of our business. As industry leaders, we must set an example by prioritising transparency and fairness. Let us view making charges not as a tool for manipulation but as an opportunity to offer genuine value to our customers.
As told to Pratyasha Kumari
