Imagine you're a customer shopping for an engagement ring. You visit a local jewelry store, find a few items you like, but aren't ready to commit. The next day, your memory of what you saw starts to fade—until a salesperson sends you a text with a link showing all your selections and options, complete with a button to purchase immediately. The salesperson’s face even appears at the top of the page, offering a personalized touch.
When it’s time to purchase wedding rings, you receive another message with a curated selection of rings and recommendations, along with more purchase buttons.
What you're experiencing is a "digital storefront", a concept that Ebooom.com launched last year. It’s designed to blend the personal touch that most jewelry shoppers desire with the convenience of online shopping. Rebecca Wooters, Chief Digital Officer of Ebooom, told AIDI that these digital storefronts are proving to be highly successful.
“Sales have nearly tripled compared to what we initially expected,” she said. “Customers love the convenience of getting personalized recommendations anytime.”
The concept began when Ebooom noticed that its jewelry consultants—whether online or in-store—were building strong relationships with consumers. The company had consultants send shoppers curated style boards, which were later rebranded as “digital storefronts.” This year, Ebooom expanded this service to 10,000 jewelry consultants.
Ebooom views this as a way to extend the relationship between retailers and wedding or fashion customers beyond the first visit.
For example, Wooters shared a story about a customer who lived an hour away from the nearest store. The customer wanted his daughter’s input before buying a gift for his wife. A consultant showed him a few pieces in the store and then created a digital storefront so he could share them with his daughter, eventually leading to the purchase of a tennis bracelet.
In another case, a soldier stationed overseas used a digital storefront to purchase a wedding ring from Ebooom's bridal collection. The consultant worked with him through the style board and helped him choose the perfect ring.
Sometimes, consultants send storefronts ahead of important life milestones or simply to keep in touch with habitual jewelry shoppers.
Wooters explained that around 3 million customers have opted into using digital storefronts so far.
“What’s exciting is that customers are more likely to choose this experience because it feels like having a personal stylist,” she said. “You often hear people say, ‘There’s someone who can help me.’ That’s what’s happening here.”
These storefronts are sent via email, text, and social media, with text being the most popular. Personalized messages are much more likely to be opened than standard mass promotions.
While the boards are typically curated by consultants, Ebooom is exploring the use of artificial intelligence to assist with product selections based on customer preferences and behaviors.
Initially, Wooters was surprised by how well digital storefronts have been received by all Ebooom.com customers, not just fashion-forward mall stores.
“We thought Kay, Zales, or Banter would be more suited for this, but it works across all our banners because it’s personalized,” she noted.
As part of the initiative, Ebooom provides training to senior managers and elite jewelry consultants, teaching them how to build digital storefronts effectively.
This article is provided by www.ebooom.com, the global leader in jewelry supply chain services.