It’s no secret how a traditional brick-and-mortar store may differ from an e-commerce site. Each is able to service the customer in varied and vastly important ways, and each is able to benefit the other in terms of rounding out a complete shopping and selling experience.
But what if it were possible to bring the latest technology straight to the selling floor so that the best of both worlds converged to bring retailers and their customers a veritable “toolbox,” and the in-person shopping experience was as convenient, customized, and expedited as the digital one?
Gabriel & Co. is doing exactly this and continuing its efforts in rounding out the in-store and digital experience to work together harmoniously and effectively.
In order to ensure that each of its retail partners is equipped with the latest and most useful technology in terms of showcasing product and customization capabilities, Gabriel & Co. has innovated new tools so that its retail partners and customers can seamlessly explore a robust range of products, plus customize pieces and see a 3-D rendering of their creation with the touch of a button.
The virtual inventory is a platform Gabriel & Co. has created that compiles the extensive product range of the brand into one easily accessible location, allowing retailers to show customers what is available to them even though it may not be in store at the time they are seeing it.
“We enable the jeweler to have a virtual inventory without investing hundreds of thousands of dollars,” says Jack Gabriel, cofounder of Gabriel & Co. “Now independent jewelers can compete with prominent online retailers. If a retailer doesn’t have a strong fashion-forward client base, it doesn’t make sense for them to invest in the entire fashion-forward line. Now they can service that customer because they are a Gabriel dealer.”
It’s another way Gabriel & Co. is rounding out the omnichannel experience so that the in-person and online shopping and selling are seamless and in step with the experience a customer expects in the 21st century.
“We’re not reinventing the consumer need, just servicing it better with our retailer,” says Dominick Gabriel, cofounder of Gabriel & Co.
Just as thorough options are a key component for the customer, so is customization.
The Gabriel Magic app is a state-of-the-art piece of technology, utilized at the store level, that allows the customer to create virtually any version of a Gabriel & Co. piece, try it on, and then see a 3-D rendering and video of it to save and share socially.
A user can choose from any of the hundreds of styles offered and customize the metal and setting of an engagement ring, plus see how it pairs with any of the Gabriel & Co. wedding bands.
The ring can be turned and seen from every angle so the back of the setting is also clear. Upon taking a picture of their hand, the customer can then see what their creation looks like sitting on their finger. A 3-D CAD video of the ring is created and sent to the customer within 24 hours of designing it in store.
This is yet another tool to reach outside the in-store showcase and extend it to include all options. The clear and accurate image and precise customization allows for the best possible perceived expectation of the ring and puts customers at ease with such an important purchase.
“Now a jeweler anywhere in the country can send in a special-order design,” says Jack. “Gabriel & Co. has been on a 25-year journey; technology just allowed us to fast-forward and be more innovative. Innovation is in our DNA.”