JCK Online reports that according to findings from a JCK–Harrison Group Consumer Jewelry Study, in an unaided-recall question about jewelry brands, consumers identified retail names rather than product names most often.
The study indicates that while the Internet has become inceasingly popular with jewelry shoppers, consumers still prefer retail stores to online shopping by more than two to one. To the question where they purchased jewelry in the previous two years, 87% of the respondents replied that they had bought it from a retail store, while 42% purchased jewelry online. 35% responded that they had acquired jewelry at a discount store, and 18% chose “other,” including TV shopping, catalogues and other outlets. In JCK's previous consumer study conducted in 1999, only 3% of the respondents replied that they had shopped for jewelry online.
Although 57% of respondents' first reply to the unaided-brand-recall question was the name of a local jewelry store, when asked where they actually bought jewelry in the previous two years, the figures were lower and equally divided (41% each) between a local jewelry or watch store, a chain jewelry store, and a department store.
In the 1999 study, 53% of consumers indicated they had recently bought jewelry at an independent jewelry store vs. 41% in the 2008 study. 32% selected “chain jewelry store” in 1999, 10% fewer than the 41% who selected it this year.
However, it should be taken into account that there were more independent jewelers in 1999 and there were more retail jewelers at that time.
According to the Jewelers Board of Trade, at the end of 1998 there were 27,256 retail jewelers in the United States. As of June 2008, the total number of retail jewelers stands at 22,830. Additionally, in the nine years since the previous study, more avenues of distribution have opened up for fine jewelry. More malls have been built, making mall-based jewelry chain stores accessible to more shoppers.
In 2008, 35% of all respondents stated that they had bought jewelry at a discount store in the past two years. Of those, an actual discount store (such as Wal-Mart or Target) roped in the highest percentage of shoppers (22%), 10% said they shopped in person at a warehouse club (such as Sam's or Costco), 9% said they visited a wholesale jewelry district, and 4% jewelry from a warehouse club's online site.
The percentage of shoppers who have bought jewelry from a discounter has more than doubled since JCK's last study (35%in 2008 as compared to 16% in 1999). The JCK-Harrison study indicates that the most common responses to the question, “What word comes to mind if asked to describe what you think about jewelry stores? “ were “overpriced” and “expensive,” so bargain hunting for jewelry is only to be expected.
In 1999, only 2% of the respondents selected “Internet retail site, non-auction,” and 1% replied that they had bought jewelry from an online auction site (such as eBay).
In 2008, when it came to online purchasing, females significantly outnumbered males in selecting “Internet auction site,” whereas males significantly outnumbered females buying from a jewelry-specific site or a brand's own site.
When analyzed against other established studies of male and female shopping behavior, the findings correlate the fact that men tend to have a very specific plan for shopping while females tend to have more patience for finding what they want.
According to the recent study, females are willing to take the time to monitor an auction site, whereas a male wants to get online, make his purchase, and log off. In the case of brick-and-mortar retail, the higher incidence of men vs. women shopping in branded shops or upscale specialty stores would seem to indicate that the man is looking for a specific product, likely at the request or recommendation of a female recipient.
