Receive the latest articles for free. Click here to get the Luxury Daily newsletters.

Astley Clarke targets male shoppers via holiday gift cheat sheet

December 11, 2012

Astley Clarke cheat sheet email

British jeweler and retailer Astley Clarke is targeting male shoppers through a holiday gift guide that is packaged as an email cheat-sheet on gifts for women.

The gift guide was sent out to Astley Clarke customers via email with the subject “Men of the world, don’t panic. The cheat sheet is here.” The brand is likely engaging its male customers who do not think about purchasing jewelry as often as its female customers might.

“Astley Clarke’s male customer base accounts for more than half of our traffic during the holiday season,” said Bec Astley Clark, founder and managing director of Astley Clarke, London.

“Men need gift solutions and our luxury customer is no different,” she said. “That is why we have a Men’s Panic Button on AstleyClarke.com that takes men straight into a host of exquisite gift ideas.

“We even offer a same-day delivery service in London on Christmas Eve, which men love.”

Who is she?
The body of the email presents several categories of gifts for women this holiday season.

Men are asked to identify the woman for whom they are shopping. Six categories and collections of jewelry are listed based on a woman’s style and personality.

Cheat sheet email

The categories include Stylishly Eclectic, a Classic Beauty, A Lady of Extravagance, Chic and Unique, Soon to be Your Bride and A Mother of Distinction.

Category selections

Gifts are priced from approximately $70-$55,000.

Category selections

Under the Stylishly Eclectic section, it describes items for a woman who “loves to wear unique jewelry made with love and attention to detail.”

This section features brightly colored pieces with various kinds of jewels such as the Amethyst Drop Earrings that are 14 karat gold and contain an amethyst stone in the middle. They are priced at $140.

Amethyst Drop Earrings

The Classic Beauty section offers simple yet elegant designs for women who prefer a more modest take on jewelry. A majority of the designs include gold, silver, pearls and diamonds.

The Little Diamond Hoops, for example, feature a set of diamonds.

Little Diamond Hoop earrings

Bold gift selections are in the Lady of Extravagance section. These include gifts such as the 18 karat rose gold Arredores Ring for $7,260.

Arredores Ring

For the edgy and uniquely styled woman, the Chic and Unique section offers fashion-forward jewelry.

This section includes products such as the 18 karat yellow gold Tassle Earrings for $12,500.

Tassle Earrings

Engagement rings can be found under the Soon to be Your Bride section. Engagement rings range in price from $1,200-$14,600.

Lastly, the A Mother of Distinction section shows off gifts for mothers including pearl earrings, jewelry boxes and other products.

For example, the hand-stitched leather Aspen Jewellery box retails for $520.

Aspen Jewellery Box

However, if the listed categories do not fit, there is an additional category that reads “If in doubt.” It offers users in Britain the opportunity to purchase gift cards in various increments.

“Cheat sheets are designed to eliminate the stress and uncertainty of jewelry shopping for a consumer who rarely makes a purchase of this nature,” said Rachel Lewis, senior strategies at iProspect, Fort Worth, TX.

“The gift guide categorizes items by relationship to the recipient and her personal style, and covers multiple price points,” she said. “This categorization provides the giver with a sense of confidence that they are making a purchase suitable for the recipient.

“The gift guide also provides Astley Clarke with an opportunity to push certain products or pieces.”

Gaining customers
Recently, Astley Clarke has been pushing for more ecommerce after it launched its U.S. ecommerce site earlier this year.

In April, the jeweler extended its service across the pond with the launch of an ecommerce site for its U.S. customers in an effort to pinpoint how they differ from its home-country shoppers (see story).

This fall, Astley Clarke enhanced the user experience of its ecommerce site through a redesign centered on jewelry education and increased customer service (see story).

Now the jeweler is aiming to gain more brand loyalists through gifts given during this holiday season.

If the recipient of the gift enjoys the product, then she or he could develop an affinity for the brand, per Ms. Lewis.

“The gift guide helps loyalists make intelligent purchase decisions increasing the likelihood the gift will suit the recipient and she will come to identify with the brand,” Ms. Lewis said.

Final take
Erin Shea, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York

Erin Shea is an editorial assistant on Luxury Daily. Her beats are automotive, consumer electronics, consumer packaged goods, financial services, media/publishing, software and technology, telecommunications, travel and hospitality, real estate, retail and sports. Reach her at erin@napean.com.