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Nir Debbi
How to make the international
online experience shine
Research shows that two-thirds of
luxury shoppers engage in online
research before deciding to make
a purchase. The ever-growing
popularity and influence of social
media apps such as Instagram
are also increasing customers’
awareness of jewellery brands
and retailers across the world,
inspiring them to find out more
and to make a purchase.
It is therefore essential that
jewellery brands ensure that
their ecommerce platforms are
compatible across all digital
touchpoints, from desktop to
mobile devices. China is one of
the biggest markets for jewellery
in the world, and mobile is also
its fastest growing channel,
predicted to see a compound
annual growth rate of 12% over
the next four years. At Global-e,
our data supports this growth in
global mobile ecommerce usage,
showing a 40% YoY increase in
April 2019 | jewelleryfocus.co.uk
the number of orders of luxury
goods - which includes jewellery
and watches - performed on
mobile in the past year.
Ensuring that e-commerce
platforms are compatible on
different devices is just the first
step to success. In order to
maximise the opportunities in
global sales, jewellery brands and
retailers must also understand
the international consumer -
taking into account their different
attitudes to shopping as well as
investing in understanding local
market characteristics.
For cross-border e-commerce,
one size certainly does not fit
all. When it comes to shipping,
payment and returns preferences,
brands and retailers should
not limit themselves to a few
options, as this can discourage
shoppers since methods vary
across continents. While it may
be acceptable to pre-pay using a
direct debit or credit card in the
UK, cash on delivery is one of the
most popular methods of payment
in the United Arab Emirates,
while German consumers prefer
open invoice.
One aspect that all international
consumers have in common is the
desire for a hassle-free transaction,
so a brand or retailer that is able
to offer a range of local payment,
returns and reasonable shipping
choices will be more likely to
attract shoppers and have a better
chance at increasing loyalty.
‘‘
Research shows
that two-thirds
of luxury
shoppers
engage in
online research
before deciding
to make a
purchase
‘‘
consumer, followed by Japan,
France, China and Italy.
In order to maximise the
opportunity
in
this
global
ecommerce space, it is therefore
vital that jewellery brands and
retailers
offer
international
customers a seamless and localised
online experience.
Crystal clear fees
A final important element that
should not be overlooked, are
taxes and duties, which we know
go hand in hand with cross-
border shopping. Hidden fees
can be an enormous bugbear
with consumers, and can often
go unnoticed until they spring up
later down the line on delivery.
To avoid this, merchants should
be completely transparent with
the consumer, calculating and
presenting these costs at the point
of purchase.
This way customers know
exactly how much the whole
process is going to cost and can
then pre-pay all taxes and import
duties at checkout, meaning less
worry once the parcel lands, and
more time to marvel at the elegant
and well-crafted new item that
has arrived. Our data shows that
88% of shoppers worldwide who
purchased jewellery above the
local import duties threshold and
were offered with a prepayment
option, choose to pay these fees
at checkout.
Spotlight on: Astley Clarke
The British fine jewellery brand
Astley Clarke, offers a great
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