Bridal Jewelry for the Next Generation

While bridal jewelry endures, jewelry businesses need to stay ahead of the curve in terms of what younger couples are looking for. Industry analyst Ken Gassman, who spoke at last month’s JCK Show in Las Vegas, says that young consumers want to stand out from the crowd when it comes to bridal jewelry, from the engagement ring to the wedding day (and if you get it right, beyond).

He offered the following tips on how to sell bridal to your next generation of customers:

• Be flexible: Young consumers want choice when it comes to jewelry. Whether it’s carat, metal, stone, shape or other factors, they pick what they prefer from each column and combine it for their perfect piece.
• Be different: They don’t want what their parents have, and they want their jewelry to be unique.
• Take your time: While it’s important to close the sale, Gassman says that you don’t need to put the piece in the customer’s hand that day -- they are willing to wait for the time it takes to customize for their perfect piece.
• Make it accessible: Millennials (or Generation Y, those born roughly in the 1980s and 1990s), want products they can touch and feel. They like to try jewelry on and have fun with it. Gassman recommends jewelers consider carrying prototype jewelry.
• Make it fun: These consumers want a “shopping experience.” You can enhance the experience by doing things like taking photos (so they can remember the moment they got the ring) and offering gift perks (like a certificate to a nice restaurant, so they can celebrate).