As retail continues to adapt to ever-changing new competitors and digital technologies, the luxury sector, and jewelry retailers in particular, are experiencing stress and anxiety. The consumer is king, and the crown is now worn by millennials and the up-and-coming Gen Z. The retailers who partner with brands offering real digital marketing expertise and consumer-centric jewelry designed for these generations’ unique characteristics will expand their future business.
Enter Gabriel & Co., the innovative fine jewelry brand run by brothers Jack and Dominick Gabriel, who have envisioned the fine jewelry store of the future. For the JCK show, the company has doubled its booth footprint in order to present what the future of jewelry retail will look like. Retailers will experience the Gabriel & Co. shop-in-shop including fully merchandised showcase programs for different audiences, price points, and shopper personalities, which Gabriel & Co. covers with different brands and collections. Additional highlights include GabrielTV, high-tech tracking systems, access to inventory, and a broad spectrum of marketing support materials.
“We have invested the time, passion, and research only true industry insiders can,” says chief executive officer Jack Gabriel. “And we’re so much more invested in our retailers than any outside agency or third party. If they succeed, we succeed.”
Gabriel & Co. believes the retail store of the future will have to address different features, including a smaller footprint, an intelligent digital inventory system to minimize investments and risk, and an omnichannel setup that makes it easy and fast for consumers to view, check out, and purchase.
To help manage the risk, Gabriel & Co. has implemented a Just-In-Time (JIT) prime manufacturing service and Designer Sample Program, which enables retailers to showcase fine jewelry without the financial burden of stocking diamonds and precious metals.
For the full omnichannel experience, the Gabriel & Co. website offers consumers the “Free Preview at Store” feature for bridal rings or the website-embed for fashion where they can shop online or locate retailers to try on fine jewelry firsthand.
The company will also introduce its rebranded and elevated website and several new apps that seamlessly merge the digital and in-store consumer experience and help drive customers into retail stores.
The Magic App now makes it easier to navigate and connect back to either the Gabriel & Co. website or directly to the retail partners. It also provides a broad bridal and fashion selection, as well as a custom-design feature where the completed piece can be viewed in 24–48 hours. One of the coolest features is the ability to try on rings and necklaces by taking a photo, viewing the piece, and sharing the photo with friends or posting it on social media.
The new Similar Style Seeker is a web-based tool built with Artificial Intelligence that takes in a product item as input and returns 10 products that are visually similar in style for the user to explore and add to their virtual jewelry box. It will give the end user a tool to explore items that are stylistically similar, helping them curate a customized list to find their perfect Gabriel piece.
The brand also produces the annual Gabriel magazine, a coffee-table- worthy book filled with articles and information on its Fine Jewelry Everyday line. The magazine can be customized for retailer partners and covers the latest fashion trends, styling tips on how to wear jewelry, as well as exclusive designer collaborations.
In addition, GabrielTV provides a proprietary in-store broadcasting system showing the latest brand messages, product news, and videos, all customized to the specific store. Programming provides customers information on products, how jewelry is made, latest trend information, and seasonal-themed segments.
Finally, Gabriel’s One-to-One Exchange Program on special packages means that there is virtually no risk to the retailer: If a product doesn’t sell within a year, it can be exchanged.
“Gabriel & Co. has been building these tools over the past anticipating the future of retail by helping to eliminate risk and supporting the retailers the best possible way. Responding to the present and building for the future—it’s in our DNA,” says Dominick Gabriel, senior vice president and chief design officer.