Showcase Jewellers is on a mission to increase its digital footprint in 2014 with a range of new initiatives for its members.
Announcing the buying group’s new digital strategies, Showcase Jewellers CEO Michael Mishevski admitted introducing the new initiatives, which include a redeveloped e-commerce website, and an interactive app featuring “augmented reality (AR)” as well as an increase in social media activity, was not without problems.
“Doing this has been no easy feat as people are generally adverse to change and embracing new technologies, and our membership was no different”, he said, explaining that Showcase had educated its members over the past few months in order to get their “buy-in” on the rollout of the new initiatives.
Showcase’s marketing manager, Antonia Kratsas, said the new initiatives were necessary for its members’ continuing success
“In today’s highly competitive market you need to be a progressive retailer who thinks beyond the bricks-and-mortar store and pursue an integrated approach to selling,” she said.
“Online is merely an extension of your physical retail floor space.”
She said all retailers need to embrace new technology if they are to survive the next era of retail.
“If they don’t understand it (or don’t want to understand it) they should seek help rather than be left in the dark ages.”
The buying group’s new website is “one of the most unique in our industry” as it allows the group’s members and preferred suppliers to upload their own product.
According to Showcase, the site also gives the retailers 100 percent control over which products they are seen as being stockists of as well as which payment methods they accept.