Kataria Jewellers woos out-of-town customers with stay facility near jewellery showroom in Ratlam

With three large dormitories, and four smaller rooms, the complimentary facility for those who buy jewellery also comes with a kitchen-cum-eatery big enough for 35 people and a self-service counter

Ratlam: Popular jewellers have a steady customer base from peripheral cities and towns, who travel all the way to buy jewellery from their trusted brand. However, many brands lose out on out-of-city customers who either have to stay in hotels or rush back the same day after buying jewellery. Sensing a need gap there, Kataria Jewellers of Ratlam has come up with a hotel-like set-up for outstation customers near its showroom, giving them complimentary stays and meals. 

Says Harsh Kataria, Director, Kataria Jewellers, Ratlam, “Through 75 years of our establishment, we have seen customers visiting us from neighbouring towns and cities. Previously, it used to be an ad-hoc arrangement, where we had to house the customers inside our store for the night or arrange for their stay somewhere else. Now, there is a dedicated building for them.” 

The establishment, started in January, 2023, has three large dormitory rooms, and four smaller AC rooms. There is a kitchen-cum-restaurant on the ground floor, with a capacity to serve 35 people. There is also a self-service eatery that is active from 12 pm to 6 pm. The cost of all these facilities is borne by the brand, and the customer only has to pay the price of the jewellery he or she buys. Thanks to the initiative, the brand could optimize markets in areas within 200-300 km of Ratlam, such as Ajmer and Ahmedabad, during the peak wedding season, and reach out to its customer base in places like Jalgaon, Vadodara, Godhra, Udaipur, Sagwara and Banswara.

Typically, customers coming from other cities include their family members too as they want to make informed decisions while purchasing jewellery, and this leads to unique situations. Sharing one such instance, Kataria talks about a customer from Nagpur, which is about 600 km away from Ratlam. “An aged couple came to our showroom and liked our jewellery. They asked if they could stay here for two days and have their son and daughter come to Ratlam from Delhi in two days and then purchase if they liked the jewellery too. I took a leap of faith and agreed. The couple stayed at our facility for three nights. Their children came on the third night of their stay and bought the jewellery. The entire family then left on the fourth day. This is an experience no other brand can give,” he remarks.

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