As of now, it is no secret that the effect of COVID-19 on jewelry retailers has been disastrous. However, the demand from consumers has been favorably fulfilled through online sales. Research from Amperity, a renowned customer-data platform, explains how consumer behavior has switched since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
With great changes comes greater responsibility. Old fashioned brick-and-mortar retailers must adapt to this new reality in order to keep their heads above waters and have a brand new door for consumers to knock on.
And this new door is having a fully-fledged e-commerce website that’s going to allow the revival of your stocked inventory and push your products in front of new buyers, worldwide. With the world clearly shifting overnight, the jewelry trade will have to adapt to a new method of doing business as well as to the permanent effect this pandemic is probable to have on customers and their buying habits.
A digital dominance: How retail jewelers must adapt quickly
The #StayAtHome initiative and current social distancing forced consumers to alter their shopping habits. The coronavirus crisis has transformed not only what people purchased online, but also where and how they went along to make such purchases. According to Digital Commerce 360, the global pandemic boosted sales via smartphones by 23% when compared to 2019. This means that more and more people are going digital which highly influences the overall footprint and market share for retailers.
A typical consumer’s buying journey will undergo several stages like awareness, consideration, comparison and finally taking the decision to make the purchase. With the growth of e-commerce among the luxury goods industry, the traditional retail jewelers’ touch-and-feel model is no longer an influential factor as it used to be.
Top leading jewelry e-store will display their products in high-quality imagery, photorealistic renderings, click-and-spin 360-degree animation of the items, consumers will read blog posts, watch videos and read reviews to reach a particular buying decision, and this, without ever visiting a physical store. Omnipresence is absolutely key to stay alive during such uncertain times and a fully operational e-shop, which can take only a few days to set up, can be a giant leap for your business.
Jewelry e-shop: How to successfully sell and grow online
Bringing your jewelry store online will allow your customers from completely new territories in the world to discover your products and buy them, at any time. Such omnipresence is advantageous because it will bridge online and offline experiences while boosting your brand awareness. Moreover, jewelry is perfectly suitable for E-commerce as products are light in weight, customizable, and can be easily shipped to your customers worldwide.
Here are some of the key components that will drive your e-shop successfully:
- User-friendly website design
- Product customization (like color and size)
- Seamless cart functionality
- Mobile optimization
- Social media integrations
- Content management systems
- High-quality product and marketing content (SEO)
- Payment system integration
- Product inventory management
- Shipping & handling of online orders
- Detailed return policy and FAQ
Moreover, you will have to establish a marketing plan that balances your brand and customer loyalty to draw new and returning users to your e-shop. Such a plan must cover both online and offline strategies such as social media marketing, email blasts, digital advertising (PPC) just to name a few.
To sum it up, if you create a jewelry e-shop and have it properly managed, it will massively benefit your business from a point-of-view of both brand awareness and sales. You may ask yourself “Where should I start?” or “Which E-commerce platform will best fit my needs.” Don’t fret, Sarkissian Luxury Studio can help you!
We provide full-scale E-commerce Services from implementation to launching your e-shop successfully. Our team of e-commerce experts know how to do this inside out and are ready to guide you through each step.