How Virtual Stores Became a Reality in the World of Luxury
高级珠宝线上营销花样百出
The rapid spread of Covid-19 in Europe in the weeks after Valentine’s Day meant watch and jewellery houses had to close their boutiques and focus on selling through virtual channels.
疫情期间，欧美腕表和珠宝行公司不得不关停专卖店，并把注意力转至线上销售。
Online chat rooms, video conferencing, WeChat stores and augmented reality on smartphones may pale in comparison with the ceremonious service luxury houses are known for, but as long as products could reach their customers, few companies minded the unusual setting. In fact, many have found more efficient ways to run their operations and plan to keep the arrangements in place once the pandemic is over.
在线聊天室、视频会议、微信商店以及智能手机的增强现有技术与各大奢侈品品牌众所周知的大手笔服务相比，显得微不足道，但只要消费者能买到旗下所产时尚产品，各大公司都不会介意那些非常措施。实际上，很多奢侈品公司已找到更为行之有效的营销模式，并打算在新冠疫情过后继续使用。
Watches of Switzerland, the retailer, says ecommerce used to account for between 6 and 7 per cent of its watch and jewellery sales. But since lockdown began there has been a 50 per cent-plus increase, especially sales to women, who now account for 35 per cent of customers (up from 30 per cent), says Brian Duffy, chief executive.
瑞士名表行Watches of Switzerland声称，以前网售只占腕表与首饰总销售额的6%—7%；而自新冠封控措施落地后，其营业额同比增加了50%多，女性客户尤为显著——其数目如今占比达35%（原为30%），Watches of Switzerland CEO布莱恩·杜菲（Brian Duffy）说。
These figures are encouraging, but Antonio Achille, senior partner and global head of luxury at McKinsey, notes that watches and jewellery were the first category luxury consumers stopped buying during lockdown. He adds that the watch industry’s lack of preparedness for digital sales and dependence on wholesale made it more vulnerable than other luxury categories.
上述数据很是振奋人心，但麦肯锡高级合伙人兼全球奢侈品总管安东尼奥·阿基勒（Antonio Achille）说腕表及珠宝是消费者在封控期间停购的第一大类奢侈品。他又补充道：腕表业未能提前布局网售以及过多依赖批发销售，这使其相比其它品类类奢侈品损失更大。
Online jewellery sales do not compensate for sales lost in stores but do offer some respite. British fine jeweller Annoushka was confronted with the challenge through its business in China. Last autumn it sealed a concession deal with Jewelria, part of Chow Tai Fook. Annoushka had to rely on Chinese messaging service WeChat and Hero, an app that simulates the in-store experience via 3D rendering and virtual assistants. “Since the launch of the platform, Annoushka’s global sales teams have registered £100,000 worth of sales through the tool,” says founder Annoushka Ducas.
珠宝首饰网售无法弥补实体店销售受到的实际损失，但确实也获得了些许喘息机会。英国高端珠宝品牌Annoushka在中国区的业务就遭遇了巨大挑战。去年秋季，它与周大福荟馆（Jewelria Chow Tai Fook）签订了特许经销协议。Annoushka不得不依赖通信工具微信和Hero，后者是借助立体绘制图与虚拟助手鼓励消费者进在线店体验的app。“上线后，Annoushka已取得10万英镑的全球销售额。”品牌创始人Annoushka Ducas说。
Jewelria, which is also the distributor for Brazilian jeweller Ara Vartanian, swiftly implemented an “online-to-offline” strategy by using the two-thirds of stores that remained open as distribution facilities for clients located nearby. Jewelria kept up all promotional activities with bloggers, who live-streamed new launches on Tmall, an Alibaba-owned ecommerce site.
同是巴西珠宝品牌Ara Vartanian分销商的周大福荟馆利用产品配送点就近之优势，在现今开张的三分之二门店快速施行“线上至线下”营销策略。周大福荟馆对博主的促销优惠政策常态化，后者在阿里巴巴旗下的天猫（Tmall）直播新品发布。
Chaumet released filters to allow Instagram users to try on tiaras, while Bulgari launched an invitation-only app to enable clients to try out virtual necklaces and earrings from its new Barocko collections and purchase the real ones.
尚美巴黎（Chaumet）专门发布了允许Instagram用户试戴头饰的筛选程序，而宝格丽（Bulgari）则推出了仅面向受邀者的app——方便后者试戴旗下高级珠宝系列Barocko的虚拟款项链与耳环，而后决定是否购买实货。
Hublot, meanwhile, opted for a digital boutique that operates from a dedicated room in its New York store. Clients log in via Hublot’s website on their smartphone and connect through video call to an assistant who shows high-resolution images of watches and presentation movies. Via this hybrid store (currently available only in the US and China) Hublot usually sells watches for an average $20,000, but since lockdown it has handled mostly service requests.
与此同时，宇舶（Hublot）在其纽约门店内辟出网售专区。顾客可通过手机登陆宇舶网站，再视频联系店小二，由后者向其展示腕表高清照片及演示视频。在这种线上线下门店（目前只在美国与中国开设），宇舶通常销售定价2万美元左右的腕表。但自新冠封控措施实施后，它主要解决客户提出的相关技术问题。
For many, digital processes have not been smooth. “It has been a daily challenge of adaptation and flexibility to keep things moving,” says London-based jeweller Carolina Bucci, referring to marketing and logistics in particular. “How do you present yourself as a luxury accessory at a time of so much global suffering? How do you get the product to customers safely?”
对于很多人来说，线上体验并不顺畅。“每天适应网售与灵活多样处理问题以保证网店顺利运转，都很棘手，尤其是在营销和物流方面。”扎根伦敦的珠宝设计师卡罗琳娜·布奇（Carolina Bucci）说。“在新冠肆虐造成全球哀鸿遍野的当下，该如何有效推广自家的奢侈配饰？如何把旗下产品安全配送至消费者手中？”
Digital-first jewellery companies hope that disruption comes with opportunity. “Before the lockdown, we still made over 75 per cent of our sales with digital contact only, so our team was well equipped to handle this situation,” says Laura Lambert, founder of Fenton & Co in London. Specialising in coloured-stone engagement rings, the company has been connecting to customers via FaceTime or Zoom to show videos and pictures.
优先发展线上销售的珠宝店认为，商业停摆同样伴随着机遇。“疫情封控前，我们75%以上的销售已借助纯线上销售实现，因此旗下销售团队早已是成竹在胸。”伦敦Fenton & Co创始人劳拉·兰伯特（Laura Lambert）说。专做彩石订婚戒的Fenton & Co与顾客互动的方式就是借助FaceTime和Zoom向后者展示旗下产品的视频与图片。
The increased social media popularity of at-home proposals during lockdown have surprised Tobias Kormind, managing director of 77diamonds.com. His company, which sells diamond engagement rings, has had a two-thirds drop in revenue but is keeping business open through its network of sales representatives who offer consultations via digital channels.
新冠封控期间，社交媒体越来越主张居家隔离，这种状况让77diamonds.com总经理托拜尔斯·科密特（Tobias Kormind）十分意外。这家专营在线销售钻石婚戒的公司营业额暴跌了三分之二，但借助提供有线上咨询意见的销售代理群维持正常运转。
For some, home confinement has freed up time to pursue bespoke commissions. Shaun Leane’s goldsmiths have carried on crafting and setting stones at home, with bespoke orders for between £8,000 and £150,000, while Mr Leane himself connects to customers via Skype or Zoom.
居家隔离令使一些珠宝品牌公司有充裕的时间完成定制订单。Shaun Leane旗下的金匠师在家从事宝石的手工制作与镶嵌活（定制订单价位介于8000英镑至15万英镑），而老板利恩通过Skype和Zoom亲自与客户进行沟通。
What are his clients buying during the lockdown? “It is a split between engagement rings and very personal, design-led bespoke pieces. I have noticed that designs are more sentimental than usual,” says Mr Leane, who is keen on keeping some new working arrangements beyond lockdown.
那么封控期间客户在购买哪些珠宝首饰呢？“订婚戒指与强调设计的个性化定制款式是截然不同的两码事。疫情期间的定制，在设计上比以前更感性。”利恩说，他如今热衷于在现有封控情况下完成定制订单。
“It has cemented that working globally really is possible from our London atelier. I can design, then send to client, then 3D-print a model and send this to them.”
我们‘扎根伦敦，服务全球’的状况已经有了基础。我设计好图样后送交给客户过目，而后再3D打印出模款后交后者定夺。”
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