Published February 2004

‘Bricks and mortar’ jewelers connect
with clients online

By Kimberly Hilden
SCBJ Assistant Editor

While online jewelers such as Blue Nile, Ice.com and Mondera are building their Internet empires, local “bricks and mortar” jewelers are staking their own claim on the Web, using it to advertise, educate and communicate with customers.

At Sachi Fine Jewelry & Design in Snohomish, owner Brad Jorgensen uses www.sachijewelry.com as a marketing tool to showcase his company’s products and services as well as to link to vendors’ Web sites.

“It’s just another way of marketing and advertising the business,” said Jorgensen, whose company’s Web site can also be found on shopsnohomish.com, a directory of Snohomish businesses.

Since going online two years ago, the added exposure has paid off in increased customer interest, he said.

Currently, Sachi doesn’t use the Web for direct sales, Jorgensen said, noting that with the money and time needed to invest in such a venture, “that’s another full-time job.”

The same holds for Cline Custom Jewelry in Edmonds, said store manager Andy Cline.

“It’s hard to be a real player in the Internet business, unless you invest heavily into it,” he said.

Instead, www.clinejewelers.com is an advertising mechanism and educational resource for clients, complete with an online diamond buying guide, information on imitation gems and a glossary of jewelry terms that can help with purchasing decisions.

It’s also a way to connect with customers who have moved away — or don’t have the time to come into the store, Cline said.

“Say a (client) calls, his anniversary is coming up, and he wants to get a custom-designed piece of jewelry for his wife, but he lives in Bellevue and doesn’t have time to come by the store,” he said.

With the use of Digital Goldsmith software, the customer can describe what he wants, Cline can design it in the store and e-mail a digital image to the customer for feedback.

While local jewelers have made tentative steps to increase their Web presence, they say a personal touch is still required when it comes to purchasing such personal items.

“The biggest way that Internet retailing of jewelry has affected our business is in (decreased) loose diamond sales, but when it comes to purchasing finished jewelry, customers want to see it, touch it,” Jorgensen said.

“People enjoy having you know who they are when they come in the door,” Cline added. “It’s about building personal relationships.”

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