​Shopping for Jewellery: Online VS In-Store

The worldwide pandemic has changed the way we shop. Many people have stopped shopping in-store and have started supporting their favourite stores online from the comfort (and safety) of their own homes. When it comes to jewellery shopping online, Memi is top of our shopping list.

Impact of COVID-19 on Shopping:

The joy of leisurely shopping has been replaced by walking briskly through the aisles, your shopping list tightly in hand, to be done as fast as possible. While this may work for your weekly groceries, shopping for jewellery is different. Your necklace, bracelet, or earrings are a tool to express your personality, celebrate your individuality, and showcase your style. Careful consideration of how you shop helps ensure you get the best jewellery available for you.

Are You an In-Store or an Online Jewellery Shopper?

There are two types of jewellery shoppers; one who swings their bag over their shoulder and happily bustles past people in the jewellery aisle, and one who snuggles into their couch and clicks until they have found the perfect piece. Discover which type of shopping you enjoy most with this quick comparison between shopping for jewellery in-store or online.

In-Store Shopper:

1. Experience: If you love being around people and having conversations with fellow jewellery lovers, then shopping in-store is ideal.

2. Trending: Being in the jewellery store allows you to see which pieces are grabbing the most attention which allows you to choose jewellery that will be on-trend or go for jewellery that will be more unique.

3. Inspiration: Shopping centres are an easy way to see what styles people are rocking at the moment and to find inspiration for current jewellery trends. Plus, being at a shopping centre means you can quickly pop into a store and purchase that necklace you see everyone wearing.

4. Lunch with the Girls: Shopping in-store is something you can do with your team of fellow shoppers. This always includes a mandatory half-time lunch at the best restaurant in the shopping centre, sipping ice-coffees and showing off your new earrings or bracelets.

Online Shopper:

1. Experience: If you are looking for specific or personalised jewellery, then online shopping is the way to go.

2. Comfort: Does the thought of sitting in your pyjamas with a face mask on while doing your shopping at the same time excite you? There is no need to get dressed up when it comes to online jewellery shopping.

3. Trending: Social media means that you have the world at a click of your finger, which allows you to easily scroll through different earring styles or necklace trends without having to leave your house. Win!

4. Ease: Shopping online allows you to easily obtain jewellery from all over the world. Do you live in Durban, but love a piece of jewellery from a company based in Cape Town (hint, hint)? No need to jump in your car and start the eighteen-hour drive across the country. Online shopping allows for your items to be delivered to you wherever you are, increasing your range of jewellery to choose from.

Memi Jewellery:

Memi is based on “me, myself, and I” and offers a personalised jewellery range that aims to accommodate all lovers of necklaces, bracelets, or earrings. Memi jewellery is high quality, easy to personalise, quick in delivery, and all available at the quick tap of your fingers online.

Are you still uncertain whether you are an in-store or online jewellery shopper? We have made a quick comparison between online and in-store shopping and shown how Memi meets all your online jewellery shopping needs.

1) Specific Sets:

In-Store:

When you have a specific bracelet or necklace in mind, shopping in-store is risky. Shop retailers have limited space when it comes to displaying their jewellery pieces and will only have a few selective types and styles. You may end up walking from shop to shop until you are exhausted and eventually settle on an item that is as close as possible to what you were looking for.

Online:

An online shop also has the risk of not having a specific jewellery piece, but luckily for you, there is a vast range of stores at your fingertips. This increases your chances of finding that perfect pair of earrings or matching set of necklaces.

When it comes to choosing jewellery, Memi never wants you to settle for what you can find. With over 1000 necklaces, bracelets, and earrings available on the Memi online store, it is easy to find that specific jewellery piece. If you are looking for matching sets, Memi has matching bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and charms available, such as the Memi Angel Wings earrings paired with the matching Memi Angel Wing charm.

2) Personalised Pieces:

In-Store:

Stores stock jewellery which will appeal to the masses; so finding a personalised Circle necklace with an engraving of your name and birthday (like the stunning one at Memi) will be near to impossible. What you see is what you get when jewellery shopping in-store.

Online:

Online stores tend to be more driven towards creating necklaces, bracelets, or earrings which can be personalised or made uniquely for you. This quality is crucial when looking for a piece to show off your individuality, such as a necklace to showcase your life-journey or bracelets to showcase those you love in your life.

Memi focuses on creating jewellery that celebrates your authenticity by encouraging you to personalise each Memi item. You are also able to work with the Memi team to create custom jewellery pieces. This is truly a one-stop-shop when looking for a specific piece, or a piece that can be personalised to your taste and design style.

3) Shopping Gratification:

In-Store:

In-store shopping for jewellery has instant gratification, as you can buy the item which caught your eye at that moment and put it on straight away. This is great, but sometimes your purchase is based on an impulse decision, and the love for those hoop earrings the size of your face wears off as quickly as you bought them.

Online:

Shopping online has the downside of a waiting period while the items are being delivered to you. If you have bought that necklace, bracelet, or earrings from an international online shop, the wait will be longer (yet another reason to shop locally). Online stores which offer personalisation of their pieces may also take longer to get your purchase ready, which delays the delivery process further.

While there is no instant gratification, waiting for your delivery is like waiting for Christmas morning. You know it is coming, and the excitement builds because you know exactly what you will get when you open that box (no lame socks this time). This allows you to appreciate your jewellery self-spoils even more.

Have you fallen in love with the Memi Diamond Tree of Life necklace, or another one of our unique jewellery pieces? Memi has a dedicated team that prides itself on providing you with quality jewellery in record timing. Once you have placed your order, the necklace will be processed within 24 hours and then delivered to you. Local deliveries are estimated to take between 2-3 days, while international deliveries are estimated to take between 5-7 days.

4) Suitably Sized:

In-Store:

Have you ever had a bracelet you have excitedly bought in a store slide off your hand the moment you put it on at home? Often, the way a necklace or a bracelet is packaged in the shop makes it difficult to try them on before you purchase them, making you pick up the sad crumple of metal off the floor and get back into your car to return it.

Online:

If the online store does not provide the sizing and dimensions of their necklaces or bracelets, it is truly a shot in the dark if the item will fit you correctly. There is nothing more disappointing than waiting for the delivery of a bracelet for an upcoming event and then having to send it back because it does not fit.

You can be confident that your Memi bracelets or necklaces will fit perfectly with our patented adjustable bead. Not only does the adjustable bead ensure that your bracelets and necklaces will fit, the silicone stopper in the bead allows you to change the length of these jewellery pieces as you wish.

The current trend for necklaces is to layer two to three cohesive pieces. Use the adjustable bead to hang the combination of the Memi Ting Dangles necklace, Memi Wallpaper Initial necklace, and the Memi Butterfly necklace at varying lengths to make this trend personal.

5) Shopping Costs:

In-Store:

Shops have many costs which they incur to keep their doors open. They have rent to cover, staff to pay, and stock to purchase to fill their shop. This results in the items in their store having a higher mark-up to make the shop successful for the owner. There are also added costs which you incur when shopping in-store, such as the cost of getting to the shop, paying for parking, and that takeaway chai latte you could not stop yourself from getting.

Online:

When shopping online at certain stores, you often must accommodate for the extra delivery costs to get those earrings or matching bracelets and necklaces to your door. Nothing makes you pause on pressing the pay button quicker than when you see a delivery cost being more than the items you are purchasing.

Memi has you in mind when it comes to your online shopping. All Memi jewellery is delivered for free to your door! This gives you more freedom to experiment with the many ways to personalise your jewellery further, such as adding a Swarovski crystal accent, a genuine diamond accent, or one of the symbol accents. We are loving the addition of a butterfly accent to the Memi Underlined name necklace.

6) Quality Jewellery:

In-Store:

Stores often host a wide variety of jewellery to suit any budget, ranging from upper-market necklaces to cheap and cheerful earrings. Cheaper is often tempting, but consider the expenses in the long run when you are having to replace your broken necklaces or tarnished bracelets more frequently.

Online:

Shopping for jewellery online is risky when it comes to quality pieces. That diamond necklace on your computer screen may arrive on your doorstep looking like a stone you picked out of your garden. To find quality jewellery online, it is important to use only trusted stores with great reviews.

Memi uses only genuine metals, diamonds, and gemstones when creating their jewellery. This is to ensure that the quality of the jewellery you receive is at a high standard, allowing you to enjoy your jewellery for longer. Memi’s gold bracelets, necklaces, or earrings are available in either 9k solid gold or 14k solid gold. This is to accommodate a wider range of budgets without losing any of the strength or durability which makes these items high quality.

If you are shopping online and looking for easily personalised jewellery, will fit you well, and high-quality, then do not scroll past Memi.