The Plumb Club, a New York–based coalition of suppliers in all facets of the jewelry, diamond, and watch sectors, met the industry’s needs in 2020 by creating TPC-365, a B2B virtual platform that retailers can use to meet suppliers and review new products and marketing materials. The virtual platform was unveiled in September.

Now, for the second phase of TPC-365, which will be launched in February, The Plumb Club is adding virtual showrooms, where members can show their wares. The next and final phase, to be launched in the coming months, will add a resource center, which will present retailers the opportunity to participate in webinars and podcasts, as well as numerous other educational offerings.

“It’s a one-stop shop that fulfills all the positioning pillars of The Plumb Club—Educate, Innovate, and Connect,” said Michael Lerche, president of The Plumb Club.

Although one might think TPC-365 was a direct response to the pandemic, it wasn’t. It was already a part of the Club’s strategic goals. The virtual platform was created in response to a growing need to provide the industry with advanced technology. That, and the fact that people have had less time to travel and conduct in-person meetings in recent years. Thus, the platform was born. TPC-365 allows for shorter meetings, and more meetings, all while saving time and resources associated with in-person meetings. And, of course, it was the perfect answer to doing business while staying safe during the current health crisis.

“All of our members are really getting used to figuring out how to sell virtually,” said Lerche, noting people find the platform easy to use and are comfortable with it. “And virtual meetings are here to stay—even after the vaccine is accessible.”

TPC-365, which stands for “The Plumb Club 365 days a year,” is a virtual meeting place that’s superior to and more productive than other popular meeting platforms. Powered by BOSS Logics’ Together technology, which is tailor-made to the jewelry industry and to The Plumb Club members’ needs, the platform offers users the ability to view and examine product, show information, and stream hi-res images, as well as a virtual “pick tray” with a “drag and drop” feature.

“We’ve had resoundingly positive feedback,” noted Lerche. “Aside from the handshake, it’s the next best thing to physically being there. Now, a buyer and a supplier can have a 10-minute meeting anytime, anyplace.”

“TPC-365 is so much more superior to a Zoom call,” said Tom Hart, vice president of merchandising for Charm Diamond Centres in Canada. “Just like [in] an in-person meeting, I can communicate clearly to my vendor and interact with the products I’m interested in. All I had to do was click on the meeting link and it transported me right there with ease.”

As for the member showrooms about to be unveiled, retailers will be able to visit Plumb Club members in the company’s own branded, virtual environments, learn more about each member, view displays, see products, and set up personal meetings. Retailers can also take a spin around the virtual “lobby” and visit an educational resource center, where they can find information on trends and consumer insights as well as check out podcasts, webinars, and more.

While TPC-365 is particularly ideal for today’s business challenges, The Plumb Club believes it will benefit the industry for years to come.

For more information, visit https://plumbclub.com/