Jeweller - April Issue 2018

INSTYLE WATCHES
Kaiser said back in 2016. “The ability of the
salesperson to key in on the emotional part
of the purchase is in many cases just as
important as the technical aspects of the
timepiece itself.”
Staff must also be equipped to counter
an all-too-common sales rejection: that
consumers don’t require watches when they
have mobile phones. The best way to do
this is to entice shoppers to physically try on
watches of interest.
“Phones do tell the time but nothing
will ever replace the feeling of having a
beautiful timepiece on your wrist,” Gretchen
Mathews, senior vice president of human
resources at watch retailer Tourneau, said in
the same article.
Faraday also offers some advice for
capitalising on the desires of younger
generations. “Choose models that are in line
with the current fashion trends,” he says. “Keep
your range looking fresh and always have
something new and exciting to catch your
customers’ eyes.”
FOR THE ‘GRAM
Employing some simple social-media
techniques can do wonders for watch
sales, and a good place to start is by
taking inspiration from some of the big
watch names.
Last year, Omega marketed its latest watch on
Instagram and then created its own hashtag
– #SpeedyTuesday – so that consumers could
upload images of their purchases or search
directly for the watch. The simple strategy
paid off as the watch reportedly sold out
within four hours!
Local retailers could use similar marketing
ideas to improve the visibility of their latest
HIPP
offerings. After all, as Faraday explains, social
media continues to be “very influential” for
shoppers.
“Consumers are more aware of the concept
of a fashion watch and are matching their
watches to their outfits and changing them in
line with the season,” he says.
Garber agrees with these sentiments.
“Social and digital media has had a huge
influence on consumers buying fashion
watches,” she adds. “Influencers, celebrities
and consumers love to share their watches
on social media; consumers follow these
fashion influencers to stay up to date with
the colours and styles trending globally and
buy into these new styles.”
Keeping track of what consumers are
following on social media isn’t the only
strategy retailers should be employing to
boost watch sales. Instead, Sceats advises
those seeking additional inspiration to take
notice of what’s on the fashion runways.
“Look to the more fashion-forward parts of
the market to determine what styles are the
focus of international icons. These styles will
usually trickle down the market but leave
their influence in many ways, such as sizes,
colours, simplicity or bling,” Sceats explains.
“Look for new styles that are wearable but
have features that will attract the eye of
passing consumers. By adding some colour
and imagery to the store windows, you will
attract customers more than by just showing
the same conservative styles you have been
selling for several years,” she adds.
Trends may come and go but consumers
continue to maintain a healthy appetite for
fashion watches. With a few savvy techniques,
retailers can ultimately gain the upper hand in
this robust sector. i
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