|
|
Jewelry Buyers Still Desire In-Store Experience
Dec 18, 2017 10:23 AM
By Rapaport News
|
|
|
RAPAPORT... Consumers still prefer speaking with jewelers before making
a purchase, despite the recent rise in online purchases, a survey has found.
Some 64% of people who bought jewelry visited a store to consult
with an expert while deciding what to buy, according to a study released last week by Jewelers of
America (JA). That’s 26% more than for other luxury items,
the trade body’s online survey of 2,019 consumers showed.
Consumers who talk to a jeweler during the research process
are also more likely to buy from a local store rather than online, the
organization added.
“For consumers, seeing is believing, and they still rely on
the expertise and knowledge of their jeweler,” said David Bonaparte, CEO of JA.
“The jewelry shopping experience is different from other luxury purchases, and
even in the rise of e-commerce, customers increasingly prioritize the in-store
shopping experience.”
Even so, the brick-and-mortar trade is fearful of the impact
of online sellers. In a separate JA survey of 257 of its members, spanning
retailers and suppliers, 39% of jewelry retailers considered e-commerce to be
their biggest competition.
However, only 34% of retailers surveyed actually have an
online sales platform. At the same time, jewelers are working on improving
their in-store experience by ensuring they have well-trained sales staff and
high-quality customer service, the trade association added.
Jewelry self-purchasing is more popular for precious-metal
products, JA found, with 56% of consumers considering gold jewelry to be a good
choice as something to buy for oneself. Some 40% put sterling-silver jewelry in
this category, while pieces containing diamonds and gemstones were more likely
to be a candidate for gifting. Overall, 50% of consumers thought fine jewelry
had sentimental value and helped to mark special occasions, JA said.
Image: Hadrian/Shutterstock
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tags:
Consumers, data, David Bonaparte, ja, Jewelers of America, luxury, Rapaport News, surveys
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|