IIJS virtual is like a dream platform of best range of Jewellery , A one- stop shopping destination for us retailers , and new right stocks in going to be very important, so we should all build inventory at IIJS virtual

Keertana Grandhi of Vaibhav Jewellers is on a store-opening spree because she feels the future looks bright. Her IIJS journey will encompass building her inventory for her new stores and the e-commerce platform

 What are your thoughts on the IIJS Virtual?

It is a great effort by GJEPC. They are so agile, as they have given us the opportunity to connect even during the pandemic. It takes a lot of time to bring everyone on board across countries.  The registration flow has been good. IIJS is a dream, a shopping spree for retailers and a one-stop destination for your inventory. So, we are glad we are not missing out because of Covid.

What products will you be looking at the IIJS Virtual?

IIJS is a shopping spree. With the wedding season coming up, other purchases are opening up too. The market looks bright. We will focus on buying lightweight jewellery and diamonds.

What do you think the sales will be like till March? Any advice for other retailers?

I don’t think we will make up for the year, but we can easily look at 70-75% business. Gold is seen as a great investment opportunity in India. Everyone is gearing up online for the next six months and we have increased our inventory too. We have introduced a virtual try-on facility. Our services are getting personalized and safe, both online and in-store. Retailers should start focusing online, it is the future.

What are you selling on your e-commerce site? What has the response been like?

Our focus has been on traditional jewellery. With Covid hitting us, people are buying small items. They are looking to buy gifting items in the range of Rs 10,000-Rs50,000. International markets are also opening up, so we are sending our pieces to US and Australia as well, which has been great. With people living across the globe, they want to surprise their families who live far off. They buy from us and ask us to deliver the products as a surprise. It is a great experience for us to see them with a glow on their face when they receive our jewellery. We also have a video-calling facility, where up to 10 members of a family can sit and choose jewellery online. It’s a shopping-together experience. All in all, the response has been great.

What do you think is the future of e-commerce in the Indian jewellery industry by 2025?

We can see it scaling and the possibilities are huge. It will be as good as a store. We can easily look at 10-15% of revenue coming from e-commerce in the future.

Courtesy: Retail Jeweller India News Service