Would You Buy Bvlgari £130,000 Allegra Necklace Online? 2 Solutions To Enhance Requests Through Website.

For jewelry brands, creating an online shopping experience that matches the opulence and exclusivity of their physical stores is a significant hurdle. Apart from display that needs to ensure to showcase the true essence of the pieces it is important to ensure secure transactions and managing high-value logistics, which add layers of complexity. That's why luxury online shops with high-value items often do not provide a direct option to buy through the e-shop, but instead display the creations with a Request For The Item option.

I've recently started to explore the ways how high-end jewellery brands deal with technical part of the online shopping service and came across such example. Bvlgari doesn't give an option to submit purchase for its most valuable in terms of price creations. To proceed with the purchase of the item you see online you need further to contact the advisor.

As with any luxury online shop, it is essential to make customer care easily accessible. This means that while the customer is interested, the process of contacting for further assistance needs to be simple to convert their interest into a purchase.

So, will a customer interested in the online purchase of Bvlgari's £130,000 Allegra Necklace eventually turn this interest into an actual purchase?

Bvlgari offers two contact options on the product page, differing for mobile and desktop.

You can easily reach customer care with one click via WhatsApp through the mobile version of the website. The experience is smooth.

If you want to reach out through regarding the necklace the desktop version while browsing on a laptop, it becomes more complicated. You need to fill in all the details, starting from your full name and ending with the country, subject, and the message itself. Before submitting the message, you need to tick three agreements; one is compulsory with a long text to read.

Feel scared? Me too:) How do you think such a complicated process where you need to make an extra effort will affect the client's intention to buy online?

How to enhance an experience and make the request regarding the item experience smooth and effective both on desktop and mobile?

Here are two solutions with examples, both easy to be executed.

The solutions will be interesting for brands, who have websites offering:

• placing orders by request, even if it comes along with traditional Add to cart option;

• for streamlining requesting additional details regarding the item online.

Solution #1

Provide the customer with an online form to submit a request on the product page (works on both mobile and desktop versions). To simplify the experience for the customer, information about the item needs to be automatically displayed, while further details, enabling customer care to assist effectively, need to be requested. An example of such a solution is displayed.

Solution #2

Provide a clickable link to email the customer care team regarding the item (works on both mobile and desktop versions). Automatically include in the email all the information regarding the item as well as the subject of the email and extra text like a greeting and possible request, so the only thing the customer needs to do is click the "Send" button.

If possible, also add a direct link to WhatsApp or any other available communication channels, giving the customer flexibility to choose their preferred way to contact. Include the automated message structure to such options as well where possible. While Bvlgari gives a direct WhatsApp link, such message is not included, while it could significantly simplify the experience. An example of such a solution is displayed.

Do not request information you don't need at the current step, as it may potentially discourage the customer from completing their request. Keep the process streamlined and straightforward to maintain their interest and enhance their overall experience.