Selling jewelry should be like a great Broadway play. There should be lots of emotion and involvement and most of all . . . drama! Knowing how to evaluate shoppers to understand how best to serve different types of jewelry customers is critical. Here are six distinctive jewelry shopper types for jewelry sales professionals to be aware of and cater to.

1.            Task oriented shoppers seldom place a high value on shopping trips. These shoppers are very transaction oriented and want to minimize the shopping experience and acquire their desired items with minimal effort. Male shoppers can be very task oriented when shopping for jewelry and want to mitigate the cost in time invested in acquiring jewelry through personal shopping. Get these shoppers engaged, qualified, closed, and out the door.

2.            Value oriented shoppers see shopping as a challenge to be mastered. These customers need to understand how the purchase will maximize their own value equations. A lack of differentiation will create “be-back” value oriented jewelry shoppers. The economy has expanded this segment of jewelry shoppers. Selling value addresses each customer’s unique list of salient attributes and helps customers successfully manage their perceived costs of acquisition.

 3.           Price oriented shoppers gain personal value by seeking out the lowest price possible. These are the least likely shoppers to become loyal customers. Don’t overlook the opportunity to create more perceived value through warranties, guarantees, etc. to create a perceived superior offering. Be careful that sales promotions are not drawing too many price oriented customers. Use sales promotions to attract customers who are more likely to become loyal customers.

4.            Discerning shoppers are well informed regarding their jewelry needs, wants, and demands. These shoppers highly value the store atmospherics and professional services offered. These are jewelry connoisseurs who have a vested interest in learning more about jewelry and have enough knowledge and personal confidence to determine what jewelry they desire. Product information and education impress these customers.

5.            Abundance shoppers place a high value on minimizing any frustration or anxiety associated with shopping for jewelry. These jewelry shoppers desire a stronger aesthetic shopping experience. More than other shoppers they will compromise on selection and price to enjoy a more rewarding shopping experience. Finding just the right jewelry in a very luxurious store environment excites these shoppers. Your store’s brand equity will pay big dividends with these shoppers! Relationship marketing is highly appealing to these jewelry customers.

6.            Experiential shoppers are much more engaged while shopping and seek to become immersed in the culture of jewelry and view shopping as a recreational activity. Getting these shoppers engaged can pay big dividends because they are more likely to make impromptu purchases. Make shopping your store fun for these shoppers because they tend to be upper income and will purchase luxury jewelry. “Edutain” (a mix of jewelry education with entertaining product presentations and demonstrations) and highly engage these shoppers.

Knowing and understanding different types of shoppers can help jewelry sales associates establish better rapport and close more presentations. Brick and click formatted business models should consider how the company appeals to each of these type of customers in the store and online.

JCK