156 - Laryssa and Liz Talk 2026 Trends: Flexibility, Consistency, and What Shoppers Want Now

Summary

Success With Jewelry – Episode 156: 2026 Trends: Flexibility, Consistency, and What Shoppers Want Now

Hosts: Laryssa Wirstiuk & Liz Kantner
Date: January 12, 2026

---

Main Theme

In this episode, Laryssa and Liz dive into the trends shaping the jewelry industry in 2026, focusing on how brands can adapt to a rapidly changing landscape. They draw on nearly two decades of combined jewelry marketing experience to emphasize flexibility, the growing importance of consistency, personal connection, and what today's shoppers truly want. They also reflect on business anniversaries, how AI is changing marketing, and why in-person engagement and brand values are more important than ever.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Milestones and Reflection (00:57–04:44)

• Announcing their 10-year business anniversaries (02:17)
• Gratitude to listeners and reflection on three and a half years of podcasting
• Candid discussion about planning for celebrations and staying transparent with listeners

2. Major Trends for 2026 (05:08–19:26)

A. Flexibility as a Core Strategy (05:10–05:43)

• Liz: “The number one thing to plan for is flexibility… I feel like designers have been kind of needing to be a little nimble in what they’re doing.”
• Both agree: marketers and designers must adapt quickly amidst ongoing changes in the marketplace, scheduling, and digital channels

B. Consistency in Branding & Engagement (06:21–07:08)

• Laryssa: “Showing up consistently is going to be super important. Probably more important than ever before.”
• Consistency and flexibility go hand-in-hand—be open to changes but stay reliable in brand presence and messaging.

C. In-Person Community and Local Presence (07:08–08:05)

• Don’t rely only on digital marketing. Even as online tools evolve, in-person community building and events are crucial, especially for smaller brands.

  • Laryssa: “If that’s not a path you can afford to take, in-person can be a great alternative to just more organically get in front of your audience.” (07:35)

D. AI’s Dual Impact on Marketing (08:05–09:56)

• Search behavior and digital marketing are rapidly shifting due to AI.
• Human connection and authenticity gain value as AI-generated content increases.
  • Liz: “There’s so much more value in human content and handcrafted things and showing up imperfectly because of all of this very perfect AI content that’s coming out.” (08:05)
  • Laryssa: Comments on public doubt when seeing perfect content: “Everyone immediately is not sure... people just doubt everything now.” (08:48–09:24)

E. Clienteling and Personalized Marketing (09:27–10:27)

• Building one-on-one relationships can distinguish high-end and custom jewelry brands.
  • Liz (on clienteling): “It’s really like having a database of people who have purchased from you before or leads and staying in touch with them and building relationships with them.” (10:03)

F. Values-Based Shopping (10:27–11:51)

• Shoppers want to align with brands that share their values.
  • Liz: Cites Bombas and Emily Chelsea as brands that communicate their values effectively. (10:53–11:47)

G. Collaborations and Micro-Communities (11:51–14:51)

• Collaborating with like-minded brands is one of the best ways to grow.
• Micro-communities (small, engaged groups) drive deeper, more authentic engagement than chasing big influencers.
  • Liz: “When you’re looking at influencers... look at a smaller, really engaged group because that’s going to go much further for you than looking for somebody with a ton of followers.” (13:39)

H. The Power of Small Joys (12:00–13:39)

• Self-purchasing and “treat yourself” messaging resonate due to challenging times.
• Leaning into small joys and little luxuries (festive experiences, minor indulgences) can enhance brand appeal.
  • Liz: “It’s such a small thing, but it transported me for, like, an hour... small joys and things like that are something to lean into.” (12:00)

I. Trends in Jewelry Purchases: Personal & Emotional (15:29–17:13)

• Heirloom redesigns, sentimental symbols, birthstones, engravings, and custom work are trending.
  • Laryssa: “All the top bestsellers were ones that were more meaningful and especially involving family sentiments...”
• Custom work is valued for the personal experience and connection to the process.

J. Shift Toward Intentionality in Shopping (17:34–19:05)

• High-end purchases are becoming slower and more considered.

• Consistency in storytelling and engagement throughout the year fosters trust that leads to Q4 sales.

  • Liz: “Trusting that the work you’re doing now is building trust... so that by the time we get to December 2026, somebody is like, I know that brand. I know their values. I know their story.” (18:37)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Liz: “The number one thing to plan for is flexibility.” (05:10)
• Laryssa: “So much has changed, and it’s been super difficult as a marketer to keep explaining things to clients… digital marketing is changing so quickly, especially as it affects online search behavior with AI.” (05:43)
• Liz: “There’s so much more value in human content and handcrafted things and showing up imperfectly because of all of this very perfect AI content that’s coming out.” (08:05)
• Laryssa: “When I scroll on Instagram now... everyone immediately is not sure. There was even a video... but there were still people... is this AI? It was real, but people just doubt everything now.” (08:48–09:24)
• Liz: “Clienteling... is really like having a database of people... and building relationships with them.” (10:03)
• Laryssa: “If that’s not a path you can afford to take, in-person can be a great alternative to just more organically get in front of your audience.” (07:35)
• Liz: “Collaborations—that’s the best way to grow.” (11:51)
• Liz: “Lean into connection in 2026—and small joys.” (17:27)
• Laryssa: “The higher the price point, the more you have to plant the seeds and trust that work will pay off maybe months from now.” (18:21)

---

Important Timestamps

• 00:57–04:44: Reflections on podcast longevity and 10-year anniversaries
• 05:08–05:43: Flexibility as 2026’s essential attribute
• 06:21–07:08: The new level of importance for consistency
• 07:08–08:05: Building in-person connections overtakes digital for some brands
• 08:05–09:56: AI’s effect on search, marketing, and the rise of human authenticity
• 09:27–10:27: Defining and practicing clienteling
• 10:27–11:47: Values-led shopping and standout brands
• 11:51–14:51: Collaborations and micro-communities as the best growth channels
• 12:00–13:39: The emotional importance of small joys and self-purchase
• 15:29–17:13: Emotional and personalized jewelry purchases dominate trends
• 17:34–19:05: Intentionality, trust, and the long sales funnel

---

Wrap-Up: Key Takeaways

• Lean into personal connection and small joys.
• Balance flexibility with consistency—adapt, but show up reliably.
• Double down on your unique values and communicate them.
• Embrace both online innovation and in-person engagement.
• Know that building relationships and brand trust is a slow, long game—especially for higher-end purchases.
• Consider micro-communities and meaningful collaborations as more effective than big influencer partnerships.

[19:26]
The episode ends with encouragement to the community: “Are you planning on leaning into personal connection this year? Let us know!”

---

Listeners can find more tips and community resources at successwithjewelry.com.

Transcript

[A]

Welcome to the Success With Jewelry Podcast. Your go to source for real conversations about business marketing and what it actually takes to succeed as a jewelry brand Today.

[B]

I'm Larissa, the strategist systems queen and the one who finds joy in turning big marketing challenges into step by step plans that actually work. Email marketing and generating revenue through it is the specialty of my agency, Joy.

[A]

Joya and I'm Liz, your creative compass and advocate for designers doing things differently. I live for brilliant brand storytelling, beautiful visuals and helping designers confidently show up and shine. I founded the Stagold Collective to create community and support for independent jewelry brands.

[B]

Together we bring you nearly two decades of jewelry marketing experience and on this podcast we're pulling back the curtain on everything we've learned. Whether you're just starting out or scaling to your next big milestone, you'll get honest insights, helpful tips, and maybe a few giggles along the way.

[A]

This is episode 156. In this episode we're diving into the trend shaping 2026. From what and how people are buying to how marketing is rapidly evolving with AI shifting search behavior and the growing need for flexibility. We also reflect on our upcoming 10 year business anniversaries and the importance of consistency, personal connection, meaningful jewelry and in person community building as shoppers become more intentional. If you want clarity on where to focus your energy this year, this episode will ground you in what truly matters. And for insiders, we're talking about change and how you can embrace it. Let's get into it. Okay, so it feels appropriate to be talking about trends in the beginning of the year and we're going to touch on trends in terms of what people are buying, how people are buying. But also let's talk about marketing trends too, because that's really what you and I are for the most part paying attention to, right?

[B]

Definitely. One thing I wanted to say though, before we get into it, while I was reading my part of the intro, I was thinking, well, 2026 is it your 10 year business anniversary and my 10 year business anniversary is it.

[A]

For me it is.

[B]

I don't know about you, I guess it is.

[A]

I mean, I guess I launched my business in 2016, so.

[B]

So that would be 10 years. So we can say two decades of jewelry marketing experience rather than nearly two decades.

[A]

Wow. I feel like, I feel like it's hard to be recording this still, even though we're in January, because I'm still feeling very like coming out of last year. So there are a lot of things that I need to plan in terms of celebrating that 10 year anniversary and then I guess it's eight years of stay Gold Collective. I need to, like, do something. And I, I, I have, like, loose ideas of plans, but I really need to get it on paper still.

[B]

Yeah, same. I know. Full disclosure for the listeners. We're recording this on December 11th, so we're not even through Christmas, New Year's. Like, we're still in 2025 fully.

[A]

That's very transparent of you. I was gonna, like, pretend we're in January, I guess. Why would we do that? But no, that's. It's good for people to know we are ahead of the game in terms of the podcast. And that's pretty cool, I think, for us because, you know, we both mostly Larissa, have like, personal life stuff going on in terms of, like, where we're living and things like that. So.

[B]

We want to be ahead of.

[A]

It in case we can't record at any point.

[B]

It's good to get ahead anyway. It's good to get ahead no matter what. Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. Anyway, but we're here. We're still podcasting. I mean, also for the podcast. Like, I think we are like three, almost three and a half years doing this. Wow.

[B]

I can't even believe that.

[A]

I know.

[B]

Wow. If you've been listening that long. Thank you.

[A]

Thanks for listening. Thanks for being here. I feel, you know, I don't. Do you listen to other podcasts?

[B]

On and off. I'll have, like, periods of time where I listen a lot, and then I could go for like two months without listening to a podcast. Yeah.

[A]

Is our podcast good? I don't know. I haven't listened to another podcast in a while, so I'm constantly like, is, are people getting things out of it? And I know you are. I hear from our insiders frequently and listeners frequently.

[B]

I.

[A]

We know you're out there listening. Anyway, I didn't mean to go down that road of insecurity as we're recording this, but anyway, I feel like, yeah, so we're recording this in December, but I have been looking at. So I haven't been thinking about as much trends in terms of, like, what people are buying and how people are buying.

[B]

I have some thoughts on that, but.

[A]

I have done some thinking about marketing trends and what to kind of plan for in 2026. And I would say the number one thing to plan for is flexibility. And I think, Larissa, you can relate to that. I can relate to that. I had one of those days today where, you know, like, meetings got moved around and things were kind of Chaotic. And that's just one day. And I feel like towards especially the second half of this year, but this whole year really in general, I feel like designers have been kind of like needing to be a little nimble in what they're doing.

[B]

I think so. So much has changed and it's been super difficult as a marketer to keep explaining things to clients and keeping them calm and keeping them in the loop because just the landscape of digital marketing is changing so quickly, especially as it affect like online search behavior with AI. I mean, that's been a huge thing that I think really took hold in 2025. So it's tough trying to like stay on top of everything and staying calm and also being open to change and to evolve also.

[A]

Yes. And I think with that said too, something that's going to be really important is consistency from your own brand. So you need to be flexible with aspects of the business and, you know, be ready for change and maybe like shifting platforms or shifting the way you're saying something or shifting, you know, when you're launching collections, things like that. But at the same time, showing up consistently is going to be super important.

[B]

Yes. Probably more important than ever before. So it's also a good crossroads to make to do that deep thinking too. Like, do I want to do like what it's going to take for me to succeed as a business? Because I think that the stakes are higher than ever before for online businesses.

[A]

Yeah. And something else that I think just is really important, we've talked about this a lot towards the end of this past year is we have to get out in person as well. We can't just rely on online marketing. You know, it's still so important to have a consistent presence. But thinking about how you can get out in your local community or get out into the world to bring in new customers as well.

[B]

Definitely.

[A]

I think that's very, very, very true.

[B]

For the smaller business owner. There are brands that could maybe get away with spending a lot on ads and they don't have to do in person stuff and that's how they acquire new customers. But they're spending like tens of thousands of dollars a month on ads. And so if that's not a path you can afford to take in person, can be a great alternative to just more organically, like get in front of your audience.

[A]

Something else. Well, this is kind of twofold. You'd mentioned it already. But embracing AI in a sense, we do have to think about AI and how search is changing because of it and how a lot of Things are changing because of it. But also there's so much more value in human content and handcrafted things and showing up imperfectly because of all of this very perfect AI content that's coming out. So it's kind of twofold. We have to understand what's happening with AI. We have to embrace it in some ways, but we also have to, you know, think about showing up in a human and grounded way.

[B]

That's so true. When I scroll on Instagram now and I get, I don't know, something like recommended in my feed that's like really, really slick or shocking even the comments are always like, I don't know if this is AI or not. Like everyone immediately is not sure. There was even a video I saw it was posted by some news Instagram account, like a legitimate news Instagram account. So you would think, oh, this must be real. But there were still people in the.

[A]

Comments that were like, is this AI? It was, it was real.

[B]

But like, it's interesting how people just doubt everything now.

[A]

Right, right. And I think that having some sort of human touch in the way you're existing and the content you're putting out there, but also having that more one on one personalized marketing approach, especially if you're selling higher end. And I think that this upcoming year clientele is really important and really, again, like human experiences, connection, interaction, all of that's going to go a long way.

[B]

How would you define client telling? I mean, I think we've talked about this before on the podcast, but just for people that aren't familiar.

[A]

So it's essentially knowing your customers and going above and beyond for them. And that can be in little ways that could be a handwritten note, it could be sending a small gift on an anniversary or even just an email, happy anniversary kind of thing. But it's really like having a database of people have purchased from you before or leads and, and staying in touch with them and building relationships with them.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Another thing that I think is going to be really important this year is having really clear and defined values. I think more and more people who are shopping are choosing to shop with a brand or a business that aligns with their values. So being clear about what those are for yourself is a good thing.

[B]

Yeah. Do you know any brands that do that really well?

[A]

So this is just top of mind for me because I just bought socks, but Boombas.

[B]

Do you.

[A]

Are you familiar with that sock brand?

[B]

It sounds familiar. Yeah, I think I am familiar with.

[A]

Them when they're great socks. I mean, they're a little pricey, but they're great socks. And every pair of socks you buy, they give a pair to, I believe a homeless person.

[B]

So they're giving back socks.

[A]

That's one that just kind of came top of mind to me in terms of jewelry brands. I can't think of any like right off the top of my head, but I know like Emily Chelsea is a store and a brand in Philadelphia and they have pretty clear values and they communicate them pretty well and they, you know, donate to specific causes based on their, their values. So that would be another one I'd look at in the jewelry space.

[B]

Nice. I'm looking at their website right now.

[A]

But there are, I mean there are a lot of brands out, I mean bigger brands that kind of have clear values, I think, and, and give back in specific ways. So there's more out there. Okay, what else do I want to say? So just a few more marketing trends is one is like collaborations. That's the best way to grow. Collaborating with another business that has a similar ideal client as or you have some sort of crossover. I think that's one of the best ways to grow. I think that people are kind of investing in small joys. So. Oh, I love yourself. Yeah, so like, you know, fun, fun messaging and things like that about, you know, treating yourself. I was at this, this like holiday pop up bar this past week and I was just thinking about it was so fun and festive. Like it was like fully dec it and they had festive cocktails and festive little mugs and things like that. And it's such a small thing but it like transported me for like an hour that I was there to like this like fun and festive place. And I think that, you know, the small joys and things like that are something to lean into, take advantage of holidays.

[B]

I feel like not just Christmas, I mean like any holiday, any Valentine's Day. Yeah.

[A]

Or like, you know, just like, you know, treat yourself kind of thing. You know, you deserve something, you know, fun.

[B]

Definitely. I think even more so like if you sell at a more moderate price point. I mean capitalize on that.

[A]

I know I had a weird day and I'm like, hi, what is going to be my treat today? What am I going to treat myself to? It's just kind of how I'm thinking and a lot of people think that way. The last thing I'll say is micro communities something to think about. And what a micro community is is a small, highly engaged online or offline group with a shared purpose. So think Like a book club, I don't know, that's like, oh, that's cool. Or you know, a women in business group or something like that. And there's like these types of communities online, but also offline. And when you're looking at like influencers or collaborators, look at a smaller, like really engaged group because that's going to go much further for you than looking for somebody with a ton of followers.

[B]

That's such a good point. I think. Community, I mean, we talked about this a lot when actually when Jordan was a guest, we talked about community. And that's just becoming so much more important by the day because we do live in an increasingly like disjointed world. And so people crave that so much.

[A]

And I like what you said in your, your recent post where you're kind of recapping what you've been up to and stuff about kind of entering a new community. But the response has been interested and open and I think that, I mean I'm, I live in a very, you know, open minded community, but people do kind of feel like they want to welcome you in and I think hopefully we're going to see more of that because community is important and I think people are hopefully realizing that.

[B]

Yeah, I like that a lot.

[A]

Yeah. So speaking to kind of like jewelry and what people are buying, I think that there's this continued shift towards more emotional and personal jewelry. And not to say this wasn't there before, but you know, something that has been pretty consistent this past year that I've heard from designers is, you know, custom heirloom redesigns, sentimental pieces, things that have birthstones or engravings or initials or things like that have been a bit more consistent in, you know, selling.

[B]

So I was literally today just looking at a, like a Black Friday weekend bestsellers report for one of my clients. And they have a lot of like symbolic motifs, all kinds of like, I don't know, motifs, I don't know how else to describe it. But literally all the top bestsellers were ones that were more meaningful and especially involving like family sentiments and stuff like that. And I was like, yep.

[A]

Yeah, because when things are hard or the world feels crazy, like a talisman, something grounding, something that feels like it can, it can be like, you know, something to wear and, and feel really important. I think that that's, that's what people go towards, that and small joys and, you know, like little things to make you happy. So, yeah, I think that that trend's going to continue and just custom work. People want you Know, the thing about custom work is it's partially an experience as well. It's not just a thing that you're getting. It feels like you're a part of the process, which I think people are looking for now too.

[B]

Yeah, absolutely.

[A]

And it's a piece that's just for them, which is nice because there's just a lot of stuff out there that we feel disconnected to, we have no connection to. And I think in general, people are craving connection.

[B]

Lean into connection in 2026 and small joys. And small joys.

[A]

And I think something that's really relevant in terms of how people are buying right now is that it is a bit slower and more intentional. Like, if you have a lower priced item, you might get more like, of those, like, oh, I've had a weird day, I'm just going to buy something type of customers. But I think in general for like, higher end things, it's definitely a slower thing. And I see this with myself too. Like, I really want to, like, follow a brand and think about the thing for a really long time before I decide to invest in it. And I think that understanding that here in January is really important because all of the consistent work you're going to do all year is going to lead to a strong Q4 when people might be ready to buy.

[B]

I'm so glad that you said that, Liz. Because it's such a long game. The higher the price point, the more you have to plant the seeds and trust that that work will pay off maybe months from now. But you can't just, like, start and stop. Like, it has to be consistent.

[A]

It has to be consistent. So trusting that the work you're doing now is building trust with the end consumer and is really clearly articulating your story so that by the time we get to, you know, December 2026, somebody is like, I know that brand. I know their values, I know their story, I know how their pieces are crafted. And I've been thinking about what I want to buy from them all year.

[B]

Heck, yeah, Totally.

[A]

So just to kind of summarize, you know, lean into personal connection, I think that that's the summary. What else is there?

[B]

Everything we said kind of goes back to that in some way.

[A]

I agree. All right, are you planning on leaning into personal connection this year? Let us know. Visit successwithjewelry.com and if you love the podcast, we'd love to hear from you. Send us a message or leave us a review. Thanks for being a part of the Success with Jewelry community.