These days, shops face stiff competition. Not only must they contend with rivals on the high street, they also have the threat of ecommerce to deal with. Jewellers are among the stores facing tough times.
It is only by pulling out all the stops that retail units like these will be able to continue attracting customers through their doors. This is why retail design is so important. Although the web can offer consumers greater convenience and often cheaper prices, online stores cannot provide the same level of interaction as their high street counterparts. By providing customers with a great shopping experience, jewellers stand to gain a competitive edge over their equivalents in cyberspace.
Jewellery is all about luxury, and by going that extra mile to add value to their products, shops can wow their customers. For example, managers can use high quality packaging supplies, including coloured tissue paper, to make sure their products really look the part when customers walk out the door with them. Luckily for retailers, it is now easier than ever to buy wholesale tissue paper and other similar supplies over the web.
Speaking to Professional Jeweller, Callum Lumsden, creative director at Lumsden, suggested that the way shops look is becoming increasingly important. He remarked: “Store design has evolved from purely being a style exercise to become a highly developed marketing tool, which good retailers now recognise as being an essential element of their brand strategy.”
According to the expert, this issue has become “critical to the profitability” of these businesses. He added: “Good shop design makes the consumer feel special. Shopping, especially in the jewellery sector, should be a highly pleasurable experience and if the design of the shop enhances that experience then it is worth every cent that the retailer has spent on it.”
Commenting on the rising popularity of internet shopping, Mr Lumsden remarked: “The hottest topic in retail is multi-channel shopping and how to ensure that the physical shopping environment enhances the virtual one and vice-versa.”
He noted that the days when people relied solely on retail environments have gone. Now, consumers compare products, services and prices on their smartphones as well as looking at items in-store, he pointed out.
The specialist went on to state that by taking advantage of creative design, independent jewellery retailers can “really make the difference”. Paying attention to detail like this can enable firms to stand out in what has become a “very crowded marketplace”.
One problem that many retailers face is finding the time to source all the little extras that help to ensure their shops look and feel the part. However, as long as they know where to search, they can use the web to buy everything they need and the process should take a matter of moments.
Whether they are after acid free tissue paper or anything else, they should not struggle to find it. Making the effort to ensure their customers feel special and to dress their units effectively can pay dividends for retailers.
