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Brian Watkins, CEO of Ritani gives us the inside story of what makes Ritani jewelry so unique both in style and marketing.
He also talks about the future of the jewelry trade and the power of technology to change the industry.
What You Need To Know About Brian Watkins:
- – President and CEO of Ritani.
- – Attended UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business
- – Worked in consulting at Bain & Co.
- – Former VP of merchandising at Blue Nile, and former Director of Strategy at Nordstrom.
- – Worked on Nordstrom’s offline/online integration, where the idea for Ritani really crystallized.
- – Was CFO / CRO at WetPaint.
- – Launched Ritani.com just over 3 years ago.
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Clickable Show Notes
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Question #1. Brian, I’m sure it’s been an interesting journey for you from U.C. Berkeley’s Hass School of Business to being President and CEO of Ritani. Can you share a bit of that story with us? Timestamp: [2:53]
Question #2. The Ritani jewelry brand is an industry icon but I would imagine that not many know how the brand concept was developed and specifically, how did the idea for clicks and bricks approach to selling engagement rings come about? Timestamp: [4:29]
Question #3. A coordinated omnichannel shopping experience is a key component to success today. What makes engagement rings and fine jewelry such a good candidate for an omnichannel experience? Timestamp: [5:52]
Question #4. We’re already three years into Ritani’s highly successful clicks and bricks experience what have been the most valuable lessons you’ve learned along the way? Timestamp: [7:17]
Question #5. One of the secrets to Ritani’s success lies in your relationships with independent jewelers. How many jewelers do you work within the total, and how do these retailers fit into Ritani’s overall business model? Timestamp: [8:10]
Question #6. You know, seamless e-commerce integration is something every independent jeweler is searching for today. How does Ritani integrate e-commerce and more advanced technology with jewelers who have never invested in technology before? Timestamp: [9:30]
Question #7. One of the most pressing topics today is about selling to millennials. Are millennials different from other age groups when it comes to shopping for jewelry and if so how? Timestamp: [11:07]
Question #8. You know, recently I’ve read claims that millennial shoppers are described as “fickle” by many, but are actually very brand loyal. Is that true? Timestamp: [11:49]
Question #9. Brian, what do you see as the next evolution in the jewelry industry; with regards, to both the online and offline experience, and what does the future hold for omnichannel jewelry brands? Timestamp: [12:44]
Question #10. We’ve covered a lot of ground today but is there one question that I should have asked you but didn’t? Timestamp: [13:45]
Ritani Awards:
- – Washington’s 100 Best Companies to Work for, 2014 & 2015
- – David Ogilvy Award, 2015, “Defining Moments” campaign.
- – Forbes Most Promising Companies, 2014.
History of Ritani
Founded in 1999, with clicks and bricks operations kicking off in October 2012, Ritani is a bridal and fine jewelry company specializing in handcrafted engagement rings and wedding bands.
Ritani gives its customers the option of designing their own custom engagement ring and then previewing that ring for free in jewelry stores throughout the United States.
Customers around the world can also order directly from Ritani’s online store.
Then strive to modernize the way that people buy jewelry, both online and in-store.
For Retailer Partnership Inquiries: https://www.ritani.com/about-us/affiliate
Our “Inside the Jewelry Trade” Radio Show Episodes
The host of “Inside the Jewelry Trade” Radio Show – Jewelry Business Strategist – President of Four Grainer LLC. Author of the business books “A Reason To Chant,” and “A Reason to Chant – Jewelry Trade Edition.” Rod lives in Atlanta with his wife and two almost-human cats.