Jonathan King, Partner and Director of Sales, King Jewelers, Appears Alongside Leaders of the Watch Industry in Revolution Magazine to Discuss Trends in Online Sales
Our very own Jonathan King appears in the latest edition of Revolution magazine alongside titans of the watch industry (including CEO of TAG Heuer, Zenith, and Hublot Jean-Claude Biver, CEO of Montblanc Nicolas Baretzki, and Co-President of Chopard Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, among others) to discuss the ever-growing and changing online retail scene.
Below, Mr. King explains in his own words how the watch industry is slowly evolving to incorporate a more robust online presence, and highlights what sets brick-and-mortar stores like King Jewelers apart from online-only sellers.
Be sure to pick up your copy of Revolution magazine and click here to read the article in full.
Jonathan King, Partner and Director of Sales, King Jewelers:
Nowadays, most people’s first point of contact with a watch brand or a jeweler is through the web. People find out about their next jeweler either via word of mouth or via an Internet search.
What we do notice is that we sell a lot of lower to mid-tier items on the site, but we have not yet made a significant watch sale through the web. A large percentage of our high-ticket transactions come from the initial discovery of our business through the web. The website allows people the comfort and luxury of browsing through our merchandise at their leisure, whenever they have time.
I think, in the future, just about everything will migrate online. The idea of brick-and-mortar is becoming less relevant. I think there will be a larger shift of the traffic from in-store to the web. Ultimately, I think a much greater percentage of transactions will be done online.
There will always be a need for the brick-and-mortar, which distinguishes companies like King Jewelers from people who are dealing only online. People are still looking for the credibility of the company, the warranty, the sizing and repair aspect.
When it comes to taking the knowledge to the next step, that’s where the salesman really comes into play, explaining the timepiece and guiding them to the right one. There will always be the need for the personal touch. There is a lot more than just purchasing online, you are going to need to service the watch, learn how to use it, buy new straps and have it sized. The relationship between the client and the store is very important as well for service and for future sales. We know every client by their name when they walk in, we know their birthdays, their anniversaries, their likes and dislikes.
Brick-and-mortar, multi-brand retailers are needed, so people can compare watches and see how they feel. We have been in business for more than 100 years, and we understand how to cultivate our clients. The brand boutiques and e-boutiques serve the purpose of information and image building. Many of our customers go see the watches in the boutiques, and then they come here and buy, because they have the relationship with us.
