For more than 20 years, the buying group has offered members the opportunity to travel to Antwerp – one of the world’s largest diamond trading hubs – to source high-quality stones from prestigious diamond companies. Approximately 15-30 members, representing 12-18 stores, have attended each year.
This year’s trip was initially scheduled to take place from 14–20 March, but was cancelled due to the spread of the coronavirus.
Colin Pocklington, managing director Nationwide Jewellers, said, “For many of our members, the Antwerp marketing program has been a major factor in growing their diamond businesses. So, we had to find a way to continue."
To ensure Nationwide members are still able to source and sell Antwerp diamonds in 2020, the group has announced it will offer a ‘virtual buying trip’ to connect jewellers with diamantaires, as well as providing marketing materials to promote the stones and encourage pre-orders.
"From late July through to early September, members will promote the diamonds through window displays, social media, their website, and by talking to customers," Pocklington explained.
"Then, in early September, they will liaise with the Antwerp diamond merchants based on the pre-orders from customers. [This time] they'll do that via email and also video-conferencing with each of the three diamond companies. They will receive images and sometimes videos of the stones.
"It's the same as if they were actually going [to Antwerp], in terms of the diamond selection process – they can put diamonds on hold with one merchant and 'shop around', as if they were walking down the street in the diamond district."
Pocklington added, "We've scheduled the video-conferences at set times on certain days that fit with the different time zones. In New Zealand and Australia, it will be between 5pm and 8pm, which works out as being morning in Antwerp."
Nationwide members will also be able to access digital question-and-answer sessions with the buying group's diamond expert Cindy Eidukevicius-Jones, as well as access special price lists.
"We're expecting to get quite good value because we've had total disruption in the world," Pocklington said. "There has been a very tight lockdown in Belgium, so diamond sales have been low."
Pocklington said final Antwerp diamond orders would be confirmed in mid-September before being securely bulk-shipped to Nationwide and distributed to members.
“The structure that we have put in place for the virtual trip will enable many more members to participate in the promotion,” he explained, adding, “Those who may not have been able to travel to Antwerp [in normal circumstances] for family or staffing reasons will [also] now be able to run the promotion and satisfy their customers' orders with Antwerp diamonds.”
A webinar is available for interested members, providing more details about the new buying process, pricing and marketing. The Nationwide Jewellers members' Facebook group has also been updated with information.
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