I hear you too. And I agree.
If we could get C&CM/FO onto shop channels, positioned as a (the) top fine jewel, and selling higher priced pieces, and without any emphasis on "this is the lowest price ever !", and with an emphasis on C&CM/FO being worth high prices (including being in better heavier designer gold/platinum settings), and with emphasis on our M being great value without the need to discount, (and other such arguments)......then maybe we could get good impressions via shop channels.......and it would be better than just having C&C itself doing marketing via social media (especially with that being lame and unproductive). If we need, for the time being, a source of revenue until we can get into the large (B&M/online) retailers in a big way, then I could see that shop channels done right, might at least be better than C&C's/suzanne's social media plus online marketplaces approach (which is not producing big enough growth, not even close.......and which is counterproductive to getting into B&M retailers).
But I am not sure any shop channels would be interested in trying to sell M at the high end, based on better jewel/jewelry for high end prices. Shop channels pretty much emphasize "great low price" on everything, don't they ?
I agree that shop channels would most likely produce more awareness than C&C can do via social media. And we still need even basic awareness. But for me, either approach (shop channels, or C&C social media) is not very good for communicating that C&CM/FO is THE BEST FINE JEWEL. I really think our jewel being in all (most) the large retailers with fine jewel/jewelry reputations, is what is needed to communicate that ours is a worthy FINE jewel.
The other thing is that if C&C did shop channels again, they would probably plan to do it with the lower grades of our jewel, and the C&CM brand name instead of FO. And the shop channels might also want that (because prices could be lower). And that is the opposite of what I, IMHO, think C&C should be emphasizing now. We need to put our very best M, FO (colorless), front and center.....and have all the impressions generated around that, communicating THE BEST FINE JEWEL anyone can get. (As you know, I have always been a proponent of C&C only selling the best M they can make, from the best SiC Cree can make. At least until after M is established at the top. For now, keep it simple. And make every impression they best impression possible. And that meaning it will be our most expensive jewels is a GOOD thing, as it communicates quality. And once we get that message rolling, we will sell MORE of just the best FO, then we will ever sell of a mix of grades, while trying to establish M, but with some lower grades confusing the message of best fine jewel. And we will make more money, despite the lower "yields" from not selling lower grade SiC/M. JMHO.)
<<<I still believe that large chains should be the number one priority. >>>
And I also still wholeheartedly believe that. It is the most important factor. As I say, it is the pass/fail mission. I am glad we are on the same page about that (and most things). I wish we could get leadership at C&C that understands. Part of that is that they don't really believe in the jewel. Part of it is lack of talent to get the job #1 done. But probably a lot of it is they are incentivized to just keep tiny sales (and maybe small gains) going, and their shares/options will make them plenty of money even if the PPS never gets above $2 or $3...and they can make a killing without getting the PPS out of single digits, let alone above the baseline of the $25 previous high. People work to the incentives. When the incentives are way too low, their aim is low.