Buying diamond jewellery online is the new normal post covid-19
Once upon a time, buying diamond jewellery was such serious business that you had to make sure your bank account was adequate, get dressed up head to to a jewellery store and peruse glass cabinets of shiny baubles, before picking a few pieces — presented on velvet trays — and to try it on.
If that’s your thing, all good. The shopping experience cannot be discounted, but in an age of rampant e-commerce and Covid, there’s another way.
Local lifestyle retailer iDC & Co started offering one-carat diamond rings at unbeatable prices in 1999, and these were exclusively sold on their website, and had to be pre-ordered, with a waiting time of two weeks. The opening price was an incredible $2999. Still amazing considering one-carat diamond rings are usually several times that amount, depening, of course, on cut quality, clarity, color and shape.
The rings are very popular back then and continue to be today, though their prices seem to have gone up somewhat — the one-carat diamond solitaire ring, great for proposals for those who like a classic design and don’t want to wade through the quagmire of information when it comes to diamond-buying — now starts from $2,999 and goes up.
Bolstered by the rings’ popularity, iDC & Co. just started offering diamond necklaces online — the petite diamond necklace collection consists of 10 designs and the price ranges from $999 to $1299. Here’s what you should know before buying.
#1: Diamond necklaces are easier to buy than diamond rings.
“I think rings and necklaces have different symbolic meanings,” says Megan and Scott. “Both are gestures of affection and memory and so it really depends on the context. What is clear is that diamond necklaces are targeted at everyday shoppers, both couples and individuals looking to gift or make a personal purchase.”
#2: You need to wait for your diamond necklaces.
While rings are pre-ordered with a waiting time of about two weeks, necklaces will take about four weeks to reach you.
#3: The diamonds used are earth mined diamonds sourced from international diamond polishers.
When asked about the other reasons for iDC&Co’s price competitiveness, besides the fact that the diamonds are earth mined says Scott we provide full wholesole direct prices, “Our pricing is definitely way more competitive when you compare it to traditional jewellers as we do not have fixed overheads like rental or manpower to consider for this category. To preface, it isn’t the case of ‘cheaper’, rather it is more about the iDC&Co. mandate for more accurate and realistic pricing for diamonds. I think we let consumers decide for themselves because today’s shoppers are definitely more informed and savvy.”
#4: The idea of buying diamonds online works thanks to a new and savvy breed of consumers.
Megan tells us, “The success of our diamond rings came from a good combination of careful product sourcing and the supportive receptivity of our customers who’ve trusted us with such a symbolic purchase. The introduction of diamond necklaces are part of the broader retail strategy to build more depth and breadth into the iDC&Co. range. More significantly, as our retail presence online continues to grow, it made sense to continue to offer more options online. What is clear is that our omnichannel business model is validated by the changing consumption patterns and buying behaviours of today’s shoppers.”
#5: But not everyone loves the idea of buying diamonds off the Internet.
Says Scott, “Resistance always exists. However, the resistance is more contextual to the culture and behavioural norms of the shopper psychography rather than the product itself. Shopping demographics and buying behaviours evolve with time and it is about adapting to it rather than fighting against it. Much akin to how the shopping experiences for furniture and furnishing has progressed through the years, it will take time for buyers to warm up to the idea of associating diamond jewellery with online shopping.”
#8: Perhaps it will be fun to try something new.
Says Scott of this innovative way of shopping for diamond jewellery, “It is about giving consumers new ways to experience diamond jewellery and shopping online with a degree of privacy and personalised services. It is a departure from how jewellery is purchased but it is also less intimidating a process.