The National Retail Federation expects retail sales growth to return to pre-pandemic levels as consumers continue to face inflation.
Blue Nile to open 3 to 4 more stores
CEO Harvey Kanter said the company’s first standalone brick-and-mortar location is “exceeding expectations” and they plan to get additional stores open in the first half of 2016.
Seattle--If all goes as planned, Blue Nile will have as many as four new “webrooms” halfway into 2016, CEO Harvey Kanter revealed Thursday during the company’s third quarter earnings call.
Kanter said the company’s first standalone brick-and-mortar location, which is in the Roosevelt Field Mall in Garden City, N.Y., is “exceeding expectations” and the company is moving quickly to get three to four more stores open in the first half of 2016. The locations are yet to be determined.
Opened in June, Blue Nile’s Roosevelt Field store, or “webroom,” is a place where customers can try on--but not buy--jewelry from Blue Nile. All purchasing still happens on the website, though Kanter said most of the transactions are executed in the store. The customers sees a piece they like in the showcase and then buys it on BlueNile.com right there using a mobile device.
This is the opposite of what Blue Nile witnessed when it had showcases in two Nordstrom stores in 2013 and 2014. Most customers there made their purchase after they left the store, he said.
Despite the reported success of Blue Nile’s first standalone brick-and-mortar location, Harvey noted during Thursday’s call that having a physical presence remains a small part of the e-tailer’s business.
“We are excited about the opportunity but we must also remind everyone it’s one location and, while meaningful as a lead indicator, is not yet a material part of our business,” he said.
Blue Nile’s announcement of a continued brick-and-mortar push comes as the e-tailer reported low single-digit sales growth in a jewelry market that is, as described by Kanter, “not particularly robust.”
Total sales grew 4 percent year-over-year in the third quarter, from $105.8 million to $110.0 million. Gross profit totaled $21.2 million, or 19.3 percent of sales, up from 17.8 percent of sales in the third quarter 2014.
U.S. engagement ring sales grew 7 percent, from $60.8 million to $65 million. The bulk of the sales came in the e-tailer’s core price points while sales in the $25,000-and-up category remained weak.
Non-engagement sales also were up 7 percent year-over-year.
International sales increased 3 percent on a constant-exchange-rate basis.
Fourth quarter sales are forecast at $158 to $168 million, exceeding the $157.4 million recorded in the fourth quarter 2014, which fell short of company expectations. For the year, Blue Nile said it expects sales to total between $488 and
Kanter said during Thursday’s call that the company is experimenting with new forms of marketing to generate awareness of its brand.
It’s launched a blog, “Cut & Polish,” and is producing man-on-the-street-type advertorials targeted at millennials as well as using more infographics, video and survey content.
The Latest

The 4-carat, old mine brilliant-cut diamond engagement ring was co-designed by Willis and New York City-based brand Karina Noel.

Rio Tinto unearthed the diamond at its Diavik mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories.

Bench jewelers spend years honing their skills, Jewelers of America’s Certification validates their talents.

The multisensory experience, open April 8-13, will feature the brand’s silver creations among dream-like scenes of natural landscapes.


The virtual event will take place April 7 at 3 p.m.

The pieces in “Animali Tarallo” portray animals from stingrays to elephants through portraits and interpretations of their patterns.

Natural diamonds mean more than lab-grown, but when every cut is ideal, they all look the same. Customers want more—Facets of Fire delivers.

Parent company Saks Global said the iconic location will be open through the holiday season as it decides what to do with the space.

Ronald Winston, son of Harry Winston, donated the diamonds to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

The educational event will take place in Charlotte, North Carolina, this May.

The independent jeweler first opened its doors in 1888.

The layoffs come amid the TV shopping channel’s efforts to restructure and focus on live shopping through social media.

The debut event will take place in Miami’s Coconut Grove neighborhood this fall.

The roundtable will take place May 17 ahead of the trade show’s welcome dinner.

The “Peanuts x Monica Rich Kosann” collection features the comic strip’s classic vocabulary across 10 bracelet designs.

Three industry experts dive into the complexities of the material often marketed as an “ethical” alternative for metal in jewelry.

Diamonds are not only one of the most prominent gemstones, but the birthstone for those born in April.

The Utah-based company known for making wedding bands has acquired Doubloon Golf.

The longtime luxury executive led one of LVMH’s watch brands, TAG Heuer, for 12 years before taking over Bulgari in 2013.

Authorities said the robbers fled with jewelry and 70 Rolex watches, later taking pictures of themselves posing with big stacks of cash.

Lotus Gemology founder Richard W. Hughes has translated Heinrich Fischer’s 1880 book “Nephrit und Jadeit” from its original German.

The ring's design features contrasting lines influenced by work from architecture-inspired photographer Nikola Olic.

The Conference Board’s index fell as consumers continued to worry about the impact of tariffs, the labor market, and the price of eggs.

However, two medieval jewels surpassed estimates at Noonans Mayfair’s recent jewelry auction in London.

The Oscar-nominated actor debuted in the campaign for the new “Top Time B31” collection, which introduced Breitling’s Caliber B31.

The Congress is scheduled to take place May 19-22 in Brasilia, Brazil.