23 January 2018

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This past October Bénédicte Lavoie, co-owner of Pierres de Charme, had the great privilege of visiting Jaipur, where the ICA (International Colored Gemstones Association) biannual congress took place. It was a unique life experience.

 
   
 

For four straight days specialists in the international market of coloured gemstones gave nearly thirty lectures.

Let us share with you some information that we feel can certainly help strengthen the Canadian jewellery industry.

 
 


   
 

Pierres de Charme

 
 

The following comments were taken from Mrs. Rita Lahlou's conference.

 
   

Rita Lahlou is the Senior Jewellery Buyer at Amazon based out of their European headquarters in London. She earned her BA magna cum laude in international business and economics from Al Akhawayn University in Morocco and Bocconi University in Italy. She also holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, where she was awarded the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship.

"E-commerce is becoming increasingly important in Canada and around the world.
Today's statistics show that about 2-3% of all transactions are done online. Experts predict that in 15 years this figure will exceed 15%. Therefore it is important to seize this opportunity and get to work now."

 
 

Another important statistic regarding the jewellery industry:

Two-thirds of the customers who purchase a luxury product look it up online before buying. And many of them use social media to get information.

 
 

Pierres de Charme

 
 


Here are some tips for a smashing website!

 

Before you launch it, make sure that your site reflects your image and that it corresponds exactly to what you had in mind. Be patient, do not launch a website that is not to your taste.

 
 

A- Conversion Optimizers

 
 

1. Website performance and functionality
Besides being quick to load, your site must be easy to use and understand. Pages should be found easily with simple menus.

2. Detailed pages
Display as much detail as possible in a standardized fashion:
Type of metal,
Available sizes,
History of the jewellery piece, etc.
Your visual content is extremely important. We recommend that you display 3 to 5 images of each piece including one with a model wearing the piece or one staged in a decor. Images are your best selling point.

3. Pricing and purchasing flexibility
If your site offers online shopping, prices must be clearly indicated. If not, your prices must be made readily available (e.g. with a "Contact us for prices" button/link that automatically sends out a form).

4. Checkout process
Paying must be a simple and secure process so that your customers feel confident (e.g. Paypal).

 

5. Shipping and returns
Consider including the shipping costs in the price of the product (namely in Canada and US). Customers do not appreciate having to pay additional fees once they have made a purchase. The return policy must be explicit and clear. Offering a return option to your customers shows that you have confidence in the quality of your product. Do not forget to indicate whether they will get a refund or credit.

6. Customer service
You must be easy to contact and should always answer quickly. Help your customers browse smoothly on your site. Offer a similar or popular article at the end of a product fact sheet.

7. Partnerships
You should consider partnering with sites such as Etsy, Amazon and Net-à-porter to name a few. These platforms can also contribute to generating traffic on your own website.

 
 

B - Traffic generators

 
 

1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO is an important aspect of your online presence. It's a set of techniques created to ensure a large volume of visitors onto your website. There are many good guides and tutorials on the net about SEO but you can also hire a professional to help you out.

2. Online advertising
Get familiar with Google AdWords or any other type of online advertising to help generate traffic on your website.

3. E-mail campaigns
How many of your customers actually read your newsletter and your e-mail campaigns? How many of them do click on links to find out more? There are good tools out there to help you out with statistics on mailing and social networks.

4. Social media
Today, Instagram is one of the social media that affects the most consumers as it generates 3% of all traffic on websites. Use it to display links that will bring consumers to your website.

 

5. Bloggers and partners
Become partners with artists, bloggers, influencers, etc.

6. User generated content
Think about building a community around your product. Share postings where your customers have identified you. Show that they are satisfied and that they love your products. People tend to trust consumer opinions more than advertisements.

7. Mobile
On average, 2/3 of the time spent online is through mobile. Your website must be adapted to this format so that access to the menu is easy. Ask your friends to test your site before launching it.

Good luck and lots of success in 2018!

 

Pierres de Charme
620 Cathcart street, #310
Montreal, Québec,
H3B 1M1


Opening hours :
Monday to friday 9h to 12h and 1h to 5h pm or by appointment


MARTINE LAVOIE, FGA BÉNÉDICTE LAVOIE, FGA
Gemmologist & Gems Dealer
+1 (438) 384-1284



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