A great website has long been a way to draw in consumers and reflect who you are as a jeweler. But during the coronavirus pandemic, it can be the make-or-break for companies that can no longer operate in a physical location. International jewelry business consultant Donatella Zappieri shares her ideas for creating a first-class website.
In general, what makes a good website that will appeal to customers?
I think jewelers need to create good storytelling about themselves, because I think nowadays the paradigm has changed. It will be a long time before things normalize, and people are getting used to shopping online. I think a retailer’s website is going to be the new business card.
And while people are, of course, interested in the product, they are also very interested in getting to know more of the story surrounding it. So specifically when it comes to the website, I think it’s very important for the retailer to actually write down the red line of the story they want to tell customers, and keep this red line through all the different parts of the website.
What’s the best way to achieve that?
First, they need to select the colors that will represent the outline of their story, and how they want to be portrayed. That will create the ambiance and atmosphere to drive the story they want to tell.
The home page should have the owner’s face on it. Now more than ever, we need to put our face on things. It’s not just about the material, you need to be concretely and solidly there. The jeweler should also tell their story, where they come from, their passions and ideas, how they became interested in jewelry, and how they curate the jewelry they sell.
What is the most common website mistake that costs retailers customers, and how can they avoid it?
Confusion. If things are not clearly marked and easy to navigate, and I click on a website and I have no idea where to go or what to click on to find what I need, that’s a problem. The navigation bar should be clear, jewelry should be separated by category and silhouette, the product should be displayed in an enchanting and intriguing way, and next to it, the consumer should find all the information related to the product. That includes materials, sizes, availability, and most importantly, price. Many websites don’t display prices, and it makes people crazy, because they want to know right away if they can afford it, without having to take further steps to find out. Prices should also be geo-localized to display in the user’s currency.
For businesses that aren’t as tech-savvy or may not have as much money to put toward enhancing their websites, do you have any small, easily implementable tips that can make an impact?
I think simple things, like an easy-to-understand navigation bar [and] optimizing jewelry on the site for purchase, rather than just browsing. And absolutely the owner’s story, which is one of the easiest yet most important pieces of information to share.
What is the best way for jewelers to market themselves on their websites without appearing offensive during financially tough times?
Advertising should be more subtle; let the jewelry speak for itself. Create little episodes of storytelling with the jewelry, where every week or two, you focus on a theme. Maybe you have a collection that is spiritual or offers hope, like a talisman or lucky charms, and you can build a story around that.
What can jewelers do to differentiate their websites from other competitors?
What could be interesting is to do a virtual trunk show. Set up a virtual tea, coffee or aperitif party with the customers on your mailing list and hold a review of your collection. Have your shop assistant help show the pieces while you speak about them so customers can see how they look on [others]. You can create a virtual rendezvous with a different theme each week — such as bridal, diamonds, colored stones — and invite different customers that may be partial to each.
You can also create a range of price points, with some lower ones that will attract new, younger customers. While they might be purchasing lower-priced items now, those young buyers will also be the mature customer of the future, and you will be able to influence them toward other, [higher-priced] items.
Jewelers must hone their unique selling point. Maybe you have a key collection that differentiates you, or a key service, a special prize. That needs to be the first thing a customer sees when they look at your website.
If you don’t have one, you need to find one, because with all this pressure on retailers, consumers are extremely spoiled. I don’t want to be too tough, but really, the time is over for just being an average jeweler.
Image: ShutterstockArticle from the Rapaport Magazine - June 2020. To subscribe click here.