An enhanced experience
Back in 2013, Toronto-based manufacturer Madani launched a ring app touted as the first of its kind in the wedding band industry. The idea was to provide retailers with an iPad downloaded with the app that could be displayed next to Madani product.
Designed by Saro Creative, the app took six months to develop. Since it is cloud-based, the app is automatically updated with new inventory, ensuring customers always see the latest ring designs available to them. The app also allows clients to view their desired metal combination by toggling the various offerings presented. “In the store environment and with the limited real estate brands have in cases, this allows for multiple designs to be virtually shown in catalogue form,” Saro Manoukian, creative director of Saro Creative, told Jewellery Business when the app was first launched. “The benefit to the retailer is they are not tying up dollars in inventory. Using the app is also something that will be memorable to the customer’s experience.”
Graham Wilkin, owner of Ron Wilkin Jewellers in Fergus, Ont., agrees apps like this one add to the customer experience offered in his store. “Customers love the novelty of it and I’ve found it to be a great talking point that allows us to engage customers in conversation,” he explains.
Customer experience is what ultimately provides retailers with a competitive edge in today’s oversaturated retail industry. While similar products may be available from the jeweller down the street, customers will decide which store to enter based on the experience awaiting them. To help entice clientele, many retailers are joining forces with tech companies to create cutting-edge technology for their stores that will give them a leg up on the competition.
An example of this is TryItOn Jewelry, a mobile app retailers can purchase that allows customers to personally try on a store’s own inventory of jewellery through their mobile devices. Customers can save their favourite items in their ‘carts’ to try on at a later time or to buy the next time they visit the store. For storeowners, the ease of inserting and updating new items through the TryItOn store management website is a great benefit of the app, as changes made are instantly available to consumers on their mobile devices.
