The Covid-19 pandemic has brought on irreversible shifts in client behaviour in most industries.
However, in jewellery, one specific shift means that there’s now one providing jewellers can not afford to miss out on post-pandemic, writes Mike Shotton, director of retailer Acotis Diamonds.
In March 2020, after we closed our bodily retailer and all demand shifted on-line, we didn’t know what to count on, however we recognised that listening to our prospects’ needs was our main focus.
During the primary lockdown, we began to perceive that this virus was not going to be a short-term downside.
Therefore we ensured that our staff may work safely from their properties, and the web site would run with the anticipated degree of service for these persevering with to store with us on-line.
However, because the weeks went on, and the nation noticed that the lockdowns wouldn’t be a brief resolution, we noticed shoppers starting to search on-line for items and tokens to ship their family members.
Immediately we may see that customers have been on the lookout for choices that could possibly be engraved or personalised, as this was a manner they might make a gift extra heartfelt – significantly if a cherished one was celebrating a milestone however would have to do that on their very own.
Jewellery and equipment that could possibly be engraved quickly grew as a development, so we responded to this demand with two key actions: we communicated the demand to our manufacturers so they might present us with extra kinds for the shoppers, and we constructed a devoted engraving part into our prime navigation bar for ease of entry.
We constructed on these developments by providing free engraving on all engravable merchandise, which units us aside from a few of our key opponents – this differentiation is all the time an vital consideration as a result of our manufacturers are additionally offered on different websites.
Now, over a 12 months on from the beginning of the primary lockdown, we’re nonetheless seeing vital demand for engravable jewellery merchandise, and our proportion of these merchandise has elevated to 5% however is ready to develop additional.
Interestingly, we’ve got seen the motive for these merchandise diversify into two major classes: engravable heartfelt items and particular person personalised items.
The heartfelt items development has continued to translate into sturdy gross sales for the class, with dates and touching messages amongst well-liked engraving decisions.
We noticed all through the pandemic that households and family members turned to video calls to keep shut and help one one other, so this shift to presents fuelled by love and sentiment was positively anticipated.
Whereas, for the reason that restrictions have been easing and features of regular life have resumed, we’ve got additionally seen development in demand for personalised equipment to showcase shoppers’ individuality.
Initial necklaces have lengthy been a staple of excessive avenue equipment departments, nonetheless, there may be now demand for extra trendy, numerous items that customers can add their title, birthday, star signal or much more particular info for a extra distinctive remaining piece.
The want for a wholly distinctive product can positively be seen throughout different markets too, for instance, in haircare the place shoppers can tailor all features of their shampoo and conditioner then have their title printed on the bottle.
Or footwear, the place shoppers can design all features of their sneakers for a wholly particular person pair.
We subsequently see scope for additional development fuelled by these two vital tendencies, and would advocate assessing present enterprise capabilities to accommodate each entry degree product engraving, to full scale personalisation so as to capitalise on the demand.
https://www.professionaljeweller.com/guest-column-why-every-jeweller-needs-a-personalisation-service-post-pandemic/
