When you want to show someone you truly care then a special gift is required.
And there are few gifts more dazzling than jewellery.
Whether it’s a charm bracelet that starts a collection of charms or the most exquisite diamond ring that dresses a bare finger, jewellery offers a very personal gift option that, if you make the right choice, will go down a storm with the recipient.
It’s because it’s so personal that the right piece of jewellery will hit the right spot so succinctly. It can become a treasured gift that they will always remember, and hopefully wear.
If only buying it was easy!
Instead, jewellery buying is hampered by the very fact that it is so personal. It’s the true proof of how well you know that person.
And it can be revealing if you get it wrong.
For instance, I know someone who once received a pair of earrings for Christmas from one of her closest friends. She was bemused that her friend hadn’t noticed that she neither wore jewellery nor had pierced ears.
But whether or not the intended gift-recipient actually wears jewellery – or has their ears pierced – is just the start of the decision-making process. Much like when buying clothing there are a heap of decisions to get through, such as colour, fit, size, type and style. For instance does the recipient like jewellery that is subtle and discreet or loud and chunky? Gold or silver? Meaningful or trend-driven? Fine or costume?
Heck, suddenly buying them a new outfit seems a far easier solution. At least there’s the ready excuse of ‘it’s in the wash’ if they aren’t wearing it next time you see them!
And yet jewellery buying is big business, with nearly 7,000 businesses serving a £6 billion UK market. Globally the market is forecasted to hit $292 billion by 2025 with the online market expected to be worth $60 billion worldwide by 2027.
It’s no surprise since jewellery is the obvious choice for so many occasions from Valentine’s to Mother’s Day, birthdays or anniversaries.
Or it’s a beautiful present just to show someone you love them.
Jewellery can also be a keepsake in the truest sense of the world. As well as traditional personalisation, such as engraving, there are also niche markets such as breast milk jewellery or memorial jewellery where ashes are suspended in resin to form the centrepiece.
Jewellery gift-buying demands a consumer that pays attention to their intended recipient. But that customer often needs a little help. Think of the stereotypical man in a jewellery store trying to buy an engagement ring for example. The panic quickly kicks in and the store assistant has to step in and help narrow down choice.
So how can you replicate that experience and guidance online to ease the jewellery-buying process? One effective way is via real-time social proof which essentially acts as a virtual sales assistant, guiding shoppers to what’s popular, on-trend, available or well-rated by other shoppers.
Very.co.uk has done this with Taggstar social proof messaging, for example they currently have over 700+ necklaces on their website and from the list page, through the product details page, right to the basket page they have relevant social proof messaging to help guide decision making and shoppers’ confidence in their choices.
Social Proof Messaging can help portray all these attributes and more, carefully guiding your customer’s choices and improving their confidence to hit the final buy button.
Since it’s based on retailers’ real-time customer data, they can be sure that the item they are considering is a popular option with other customers too. By incorporating review data they can even see what other consumers think of such products – for instance “80% of consumers rated this 5 star”. That can help sway the purchasing decision from one of panicked indifference (remember the bewildered engagement ring shopper) to one of informed trend-follower. Conversion goes up, basket abandonment goes down.
And that means that your site is more likely to make the lasting impression you want and the gift buyer has a greater hope of buying a piece of jewellery that truly dazzles the receiver.
