There was a difficult situationin the jewelry industry after some TV programs and publications in mass-media about poor-quality and counterfeit jewelry: the consumer trust to the jewelry as to the product category has seriously reeled, sales volumes have sharply fallen in all segments of the market. What can the diligent participants of the market in this situation make? How to restore trust of buyers, to involve them in shops and to help with a purchase
Private responsibility
TV programs about poor-quality and counterfeit jewelry which were shown at the federal television, became the present sneer company which has brought down trust of consumers not only to the separate brands, and to jewelry as a product category. And the shops, it is as though pathos sounded, have appeared up-front: they should cooperate with the frightened and indignant buyers in which consciousness the virus is brought: «All gold is false, and all« shopkeepers » are deceivers!» In such situation it is impossible to justify, after all if you justify –you are guilty. Here the correct positioning of the enterprise and even of you personally – as its owner and the head is necessary. It is necessary to declare: «I do fair business, I am responsible for the shop, I incur the PRIVATE RESPONSIBILITY!» You are the diligent seller, besides – you are the elite seller of your region because jewelry is always the elite goods. And you aren't afraid of responsibility what you declare publicly. Certainly, this responsibility should be expressed not only in words, but also in actions. Therefore it is necessary to spend a powerful PR campaign on returning of trust of the end consumer. I will tell about, how it can be done.
Goal№1: you should make so that buyers come to the jewelry store.
In a today's situation they can avoid it, simply not comingin of harm's way, thinking thus: «Here they will be started to supervise in 2012 then I will come, and now I spend money for something else». According to it is necessary to return the buyer in shop. It is possible with following methods:
1. Organize a PR campaign which appeals to the «long-term relations». If you work in this area, a city, region for a long time, it is necessary to tell about it. «You with us for a long time already, we never brought you and did not deceive, you trusted us throughout many years – you do not have bases not to trust us today», –it is important to inform the buyer about it.
2. Secure with the help of the regular customers. They can tell some warm words in your commercial on TV or on the radio, you can quote their statements (but it is obligatory with a photo!) in the mass-mediaarticle, in the text on a banner, the booklet, the poster, etc. the commercial or the text with REAL people operates smoothly, especially in a small city where many people know each other.
Address not only to those who gets jewelry for great sums, but also to those who is loyal to your shop, is your regular customer. Do not hesitate – tell that you need their help. Such emotional personal approach worksvery wellin Russia. As they say, there is time to scatter stones and there is time to collect stones. You showed attention to the regular customers, you sent themgifts, you invited them to actions, you organized for them actions, you actively worked with them and in a difficult situation can quite count on their support.
3. «Wetake back the poor-quality jewelry!» – This thesis in CLOSE UP should be present at your roller, the advertising message, on a show-window or in a corner of the buyer, etc. According to the current legislation you are obliged to exchange poor-quality jewelry or to return money (Art.18 of the Law «On protection of the consumer rights»). Remind people that you strictly observe laws, freshen in their memory the information with what acts and how their rights are protected, – let buyers be assured of you and not to feel fear to lose the money.
Your sellers should know the corresponding legislation and the rights of the clients, they should understand that it is not an exchange of the goods because of a whim of the person, but the exchange or a refund in connection with defects found out after purchase. And just here we pass to that moment when the buyer has already come into shop.
So, the buyer has believed you and has come to shop. What is next? How to help him to make purchase in the situation when some kind of mistrust still remained?
Goal№ 2: when the person has come to shop, he should understand that here nobody is going to deceive him! To convince him with the following ways:
4. Tell that you sell exclusively qualitative products because you work only with the checked suppliers – known manufacturers with the reliable reputation who are on the market for a long time and are completely responsible for their production. The sellers should explain the buyers how to read a label of the manufacturer and show, where there is a factory print. Let warn them about that it is better to keep labels of factory-manufacturer after purchase.
Talk to your suppliers – most likely they will support you in your PR campaign. Perhaps, you will have joint budgets because finally you sell their products. But it is your decision how and about what you will negotiate with them.
5. Instruct sellers: they should explain the buyers how to distinguish the real qualitative jewelry from a fake and how it looks like and where the hallmark is and so forth.
Give to people a tenfold magnifier and jeweler scales – and show, how to usethem. Print the enlarged view of a hallmark (what it should be!) also hang up it in a consumer corner. In the same place it is possible to hang up any other instructions for buyers. Explain the buyers that two hallmarksshould be on each product –the mark of the assayinspectorateand of the factory-manufacturer. Pay their attention that the mark of the assayinspectoratecan be never put down in half way, can be with the put down corner, cannot "move down", etc. – it is always very accurate and easily to read. If any instructions or materials are necessary for you – you can address for consultation to the nearest assayinspectorate, there you always get help.
6. Show the quality of your goodsvisually and convincingly. For example, initiate the shop check by the competent authorities (Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare, local branch of the Consumer rights protection society, gemmologicallaboratory etc.) and hang up their conclusion in a corner of the buyer, it is better that there is a certificated gemologist in the tradingfloor , get reactants for check of metals and suggest buyers to check up by means of your employees products, etc. Consult in the nearestassayinspectorate– they are ready to work and help you with the decision of such questions. Any ways which make the buyer trust you, will be good.
7. Organize practical event. If earlier you spent secular "parties" now it should be something not only pleasant, but also useful, for example – two-hour courses for buyers. Negotiate with the assay supervision experts or the gemological laboratories –they will give to buyers lecture in your shop on a theme how to distinguish a qualitative jewelry from poor-quality or counterfeit, and will conduct practical lesson. Declare that at theevent the buyers can bring the jewelry bought in your shop and the expert can checked up it. Invite a lot of people (you can restrict only the quantity of chairs in your trading floor though for such purposes it is possible to rent a premise), widely announce the event, and after it – tell about how successfully it has passed. Except the increase ofbuyertrust it is a good advertising for your shop, the event at the city level.
8. Use all awards and diplomas which you have received, participating in various competitions. Do not you have them? It means that it is time to confirm the high status and reliability. Participate in the international competition "Best jewelry store of the year" and in the federal project "TOP 100", hold by the magazine «Navigator of jewelry trade». The winners and the laureates of such events were already convinced of effectiveness of these PR instruments. This is the reliability confirmation of your enterprise and confirmation of goods quality by the leading experts of jewelryindustry