Domestic market hopeful for great in-person experience

Bengaluru packs in a lot of expectations for the domestic precious gem and jewellery retail sector. The first reason for this is the gap of over 1.5 years of GJEPC organizing a physical show. The second reason is the city organizing the show with their own sets of challenges. Most importantly, the buying season is knocking on the door and retailers have been waiting for exactly this kind of opportunity to replenish their stocks.

With every visitor pre-registered at the venue, many retailers are visiting without any set expectations. It is a new arena for them to explore and choose jewellery that will best suit their clientele. Tanvi Singhi, Marketing Head, Konika Jewellery, Chennai, says, “We want to be well- prepared for our brides in December and our clients hail from diverse backgrounds. So we don’t have any expectations. It’s a clean slate. We would love to understand the jewellery trends and cater to that indeed.”

Ankit Agrawal from Agrawal Jewellers, Bhopal, agrees to Singhi’s statement as he believes that there might not be the range of inventory which exhibitors used to show in pre-pandemic times. “None has any idea about the kind of turnout at IIJS 2021,” he said, adding that the show has been held too close to the buying season, particularly for diamond jewellery retailers, who might face issues in procuring inventory to their showrooms immediately after placing orders at IIJS 2021.

That notion doesn’t deter others from discussing how important the IIJS 2021 is for the seismic shift in demand jewellery has undergone. Vastupal Ranka, director, Ranka Jewellers, Pune, said that his team will focus on buying on the first two days of the show, particularly in lightweight and then on kundan, jadau and plain gold ranges. Agreeing with Ranka on lightweight demand is Sanjay Kalsi, Founder and MD, JD Solitaire, New Delhi. “Post-Covid, the kind of inventory the buyers would be looking for in IIJJS, versus what they used to buy pre-Covid, has completely changed and the customers are now demanding more value- for- money items and lightweight products,” said Kalsi.

Finally, visiting Bengaluru is about exposure to the niche gold, antique and temple jewellery segments from manufacturers who have not participated in any GJEPC event previously. “As IIJS is happening in South India for the first time, we will also be able to see more South Indian designs in gold jewellery which we generally don’t get to witness,” said Meenu Paul Khanna, Le Khanna Jewellers, Ludhiana.

Courtesy: Retail Jeweller News Service.