BANGALORE: Though in a nascent stage, shopping online for jewellery is catching up in India. There was a time when gold jewellery or diamonds and other precious stones were purchased only from the trusted family jeweller. Most people in India also preferred the touch, feel and try process before indulging in expensive purchases. But now the trend is changing, with more people open to buying jewellery online. Though nascent, India has never before been so open to buying jewellery online like what we have seen in the recent times. Everyone has become more contented with the click, buy, pay process, and has inched up the purchase ladder of picking up more expensive items such as jewellery too. Now both traditional and casual jewellery are being sold online without hesitation.
Sandeep Kulhalli, Vice President, Tanishq said, “We started online marketing two years back and the response from the customers is positive. There are some aspects like purity issues, transparency, 'wear and see', etc. which are not that friendly when shopping online. But simple items like pendants, rings, chains are the once where we get good response from the customers.” These online stores are mushrooming and various branded jewellers have been popping up with sites with innovative ideas to lure customers and are selling their wares online for some years. Most sites offer a wide range of chains, pendants, rings, earrings, bracelets and simple as well as ornate and decorative sets. Buying jewellery from these sites is as easy. You need to register and provide your address and contact number. After you select a product, you can have it delivered to the same address. You can also gift it to someone by providing a different shipping address.
One reason for the growing popularity of online jewellers is shopping at your convenience. It gives the choice of shopping without stepping out of your home. Another advantage of shopping online for jewellery is the easy option of viewing a number of designs together along with different brands. “If anyone wants convenience in shopping, it’s the youngsters or working women who do not have time on their hands. They like to deal with online shopping since products are easily accessible and gifts can also be very easily sent,” said Sandeep, regarding the accessibility of online jewellery.
However, online jewellery shopping has not become a rage in India since people are still hesitant to buy jewellery without the touch and feel element. This market is still very nascent but in a few months it is proposed to be operated at a bigger scale and will be made more appealing to the masses.