A Guest Blog from Gem Lightbox

Digital connectivity matters now more than ever.

The importance of technology can’t be overstressed, especially as the world prepares and continues to grapple with the ongoing threat of the virus. The jewelry industry has notably been impacted since the global widespread although some were quick to adapt. For instance, it has brought us the first ever online diamond trade show along with the continuously growing trend of virtual networking. Sure, it has forced the industry to be agile but the gravity of the impact, especially for less agile jewelers cannot be overlooked.

This calls for an intervention, especially in this difficult time when the digital shift and digital transformation are getting fast-tracked.

Clearly, the digital future is NOW, and it demands a revolutionary new way of buying and selling diamonds. Here are 3 ways on how to sell diamonds in the digital age.

 1. Go omnichannel!

An omnichannel strategy is a fully-integrated approach to retail. It uses all your channels and creates a unified shopping experience that integrates all points of sale such as the traditional and digital channels.

Omnichannel marketing elevates the quality of user experience as it uses all channels available to your customers to send a relevant and consistent brand message regardless of their point of interaction and engaging with you. Since omnichannel marketing adjusts its form of communication based on the behavior of your customers and where they are in your sales funnel, it enables a seamless and personalized experience. For instance, a customer leaving an item in online shopping carts can receive a cart abandonment reminder on his or her Facebook messenger.

If you’re new to this concept or are purely a traditional jewelry business owner who wants to try a radical change, there are a lot of options available to you. You can explore the possibilities of social selling, sell on e-commerce platforms, or create your own website or app, whichever is more cost-effective for you.

For instance, the Virtual Diamond Boutique or VDB is an omnichannel solution for jewelers as it brings people together and, through technology, revolutionizes the way you buy and sell diamonds and gems. Its solutions are packed with features that makes selling seamless and future-ready. Further, you can have your own app through VDB’s White Label solution. It is customizable and does not come with large investments when compared to creating your own app from scratch. This means you can shine in the spotlight without all the tedious work usually present behind the scenes.

VIRTUAL DIAMOND BOUTIQUE APP

2. Show, don't tell.

Jewelry photos and videos are a crucial piece of the pie that most jewelers often neglect or ignore, not realizing that neglecting this visual side of the operation is quite an effective way of damaging an online business. It’s that kind of effectiveness that no business owners would want.

Humans are visual creatures, so much so that half of our brains is devoted directly or indirectly to processing visual information. In fact, the brain can process images 60,000 times faster than texts and can also remember pictures more than words. For this reason, it’s safe to say that photos and videos are more persuasive than forcing your potential customers to read lengthy product descriptions. People are busy; nobody got time for that, especially online where users are bombarded with seemingly endless options in seconds.

So, why are jewelers not taking enough photos and videos?

Based on our survey, jewelers are challenged by the fact that jewelry, diamond, and gem photography is time-consuming, difficult, and sometimes expensive. Jewelry is one of the most difficult subjects to photograph due to its highly-reflective materials so their challenges are not unfounded, but with proper solutions, you can overcome all of this. You can DIY or purchase ready-made lightboxes that way you no longer have to worry about controlling the light if you don’t have any knowledge in jewelry photography. The lightbox coupled will do all the difficult jobs for you. Take a look at the example below.

This diamond ring was photographed with the GemLightbox via the GemLightbox app and an iPhone. This photo and the 360 video were not retouched but the solid white background really provides the image a professional finish — all in just a click of a finger.

A 360 video of a diamond ring captured with the GemLightbox and an iPhone

A beautiful diamond engagement ring and wedding band photographed with the GEMLIGHTBOX and an iPhone

There are many reasons why jewelry photos and 360 jewelry videos are critical to your business. These reasons include but not limited to the following.

• Studio-quality photos and videos reduce the rate of product returns as they allow buyers to have a clear view and a better understanding of what they are buying.
• They provide a clear competitive advantage, especially with the 360 videos as they mimic the in-store experience; Jewelry photos with 360-capability work the same. They allow the buyer to rotate the photo to the angle they want and click or drag it any way they choose until they are ready to make a purchase. This engagement with your product keeps potential customers on your site; thereby, reducing the bounce rate.
• Professional-quality photos and 360 videos also aid in establishing trust and customer confidence. By providing them a clear view of what you’re selling, it creates an impression that you’re not hiding any flaw from them.
• Photos and videos sell! In fact, the way to your customers’ hearts is through photos and videos. These visual assets can evoke emotions, awake desires, and further influence your customers’ actions.
• They increase social media engagement.
• It’s time-efficient for the customers. Photos and videos can turn complex product information into something simple, comprehensible, and interesting. Take note also that there are some designs that are too complex to put into words. In this case, photos and videos are necessary to save you from inaccurate product description. Hence, they are more credible.

3. Leverage the power of social media.

Recent statistics show that more than half of the world now are using social media and with people stuck at home due to COVID-19, you could expect that it would continue to increase. Thus, it makes sense that winning the retail battlefield would require you to establish a consistent presence on different social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.

There are many ways to leverage social media including but not limited to the following:

• Connect to your audience by interacting with them in the comment section.
• Respond to questions immediately.
• Monitor and analyze social performance.
• Use Calls to Action (CTAs) in your social media posts.
• Post consistently and post engaging and meaningful content but don’t forget to be diverse in content forms.

A cohesive social media strategy aids your jewelry business in ways more than one. It cultivates new connections, helps you understand the needs of your potential customers, facilitates education and inspiration, positions your brand as an expert in your industry, and forge trusted relationships between your brand and prospects.

In conclusion, selling diamonds, gems, and other jewelry pieces in the digital age shouldn’t have to be complex or difficult. You don’t need to be everywhere; you just need to be where your customers are, what they need, and above all, meet those needs through frictionless shopping experience.

Are you ready to embrace the digital future?