With a shopping filter, a straightforward keyword search for “jewelry” returns 26.5 million results. Wouldn’t it be simpler to just visit a jewelry store given the abundance of information and options?
But why restrict yourself to a single jeweler’s selection? In order to emphasize the benefits and drawbacks of the jewelry purchasing experience, whether you opt to purchase online or offline, whether you are attempting to choose between spending your disposable cash at a brick-and-mortar store or online, it’s important to discuss them here.
Online sales of jewelry and watches skyrocketed by 17% in the days after Thanksgiving in past years, rounding out the list of the five fastest-growing product categories. You might be wondering what the benefits of online shopping are when so many people are choosing to buy jewelry.
The topics here will break down the use of industry professional judgment on how important aspects of the buying experience, such as choice, cost, value, and service, reflect on both online and brick-and-mortar stores.
Benefits of an Online Inventory
If you visit a store selling jewelry, your options are restricted to the merchandise of an image for faceted citrine ring of 14k gold there, the space it occupies, and the personal preferences of the business’s professional buyer. If the jewelry you wish to buy is not in stock, it will probably need to be custom ordered, so the jeweler will likely need an agreement from you to buy it prior to investing in the extra inventory.
Contrary to an internet jeweler, this is not the case here. Online jewelers occasionally offer their whole assortment for browsing. Items that are in stock are often easily identified, as can be seen at IDJewelry.com, which is a major selling point of online jewelry shopping. Usually, it’s also easy to see those that are backordered, as they will be mentioned with an anticipated delivery date.
On the other side, some physical and mortar jewelers have a ton of space and may offer clients visits from jewelry designers who frequently bring unique products that are typically not sold in stores.
Some Other Key Categories to Consider
We must refer to the selection process as a draw in order to be fair given the huge variation in the size as well as inventory of offline jewelers.
Price: Shopping for jewelry online may be a fascinating experience. You may do a targeted search and organize your findings in a number of ways, including price and popularity. Comparisons between two websites are common. You will not feel any pressure from a salesman looming over you who is vying for a commission, so you may put as many products in your basket as you dare hope.
There are several overhead costs to consider for a jewelry shop. Jewelry sales are required to cover all costs, including those of each employee, each light switch turn, and all inventory.
This wasn’t to argue that overhead is absent from internet jewelers.
But one can bet your nickel that they are saving a lot by not keeping showroom-ready quarters and fresh arrangements of flowers on the displays. It seems natural that the online store has the price-shopping edge because all jewelers include overhead in their pricing.
Value: Value differs from price in that it considers both intangibles like service and importance in addition to monetary worth. If jewelry has been fairly priced, but also includes services that increase value, it is said to be a good bargain. The consumer warranty is a prime illustration.
A guarantee is frequently provided by jewelers for the goods they sell. Some warranties only cover flaws caused by the manufacturer, while others provide additional security. A connection is worth. In an effort to better inform their consumers, many retail jewelers freely offer information.
Some jewelers stay in touch with their clients to remind them of milestone occasions like birthdays and anniversaries. The nature of a retailer’s relationship with a consumer allows them to add significance to their jewelry. The drawback of an online merchant is that there is no way to keep a personal relationship.
Service: Entering a small jewelry shop is like entering a visual feast. Your touch is invited by glistening diamonds, glossy pearls, vibrant gemstones (https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/gemstones-diamonds-and-pearls), and glittering precious metal.
When you visit a jewelry store website, there are a ton of things available.
You may see an enlarged view of the piece of jewelry that you have an interest in buying thanks to high quality photographs and zoom tools. A courteous and qualified sales team is available to help you with what you’re buying in a shop.
Online Shopping Offers Unique Benefits Over Face to Face
Shop online while chatting live with a jewelry specialist. The store jeweler has the benefit if your jewelry needs servicing such as expert cleaning, measurement, or repairing beyond the date of purchase. However, prior to any of those additional services, the simple process of taking your time and browsing the possibilities is often greater served in the online world of jewelry shopping.
It’s possible to pinpoint the piece that you would like online, and then visit your local physical stores to see if they create custom orders or carry anything similar to the piece you’re wanting to purchase. This takes much of the guesswork and labor out of the physical store process, and still allows you to be within service distance of your jeweler.
Remember that many online jewelry stores will also do repairs and cleanings, however, it is through a shipper, so you’ll want to check their vendor and policies on this prior to committing to a purchase with them. Still, it’s possible to be just as happy with your online jewelry purchase as with your purchase from the brick-and-mortar store in your neighborhood.
If personalized care and the ease of purchasing from home outside of regular business hours are equally significant, then we will have to declare a tie. Which of these categories for the purchasing experience is most significant to you? Do you concur with our professionals? If not, why not?
Published by HOLR Magazine.