SAN DIMAS, CA – Paid2Post, a new patent-pending ecommerce platform for the jewelry industry, will debut at the 2016 JCK Show in Las Vegas.
Developed by Chi Huynh, owner of Galatea: Jewelry by Artist, Paid2Post aims to simplify the process of creating an online store by linking suppliers and their products directly with retailers. Retailers can select product from a community of wholesalers by a simple request (think: “friending” on Facebook). A wholesaler is free to select its own regulations for what constitutes an authorized retailer, such as requiring a certain amount of in-store product. But as soon as the wholesaler hits “accept,” the retailer’s selected inventory immediately populates the store. Retailers are protected by zip code (one store per), and all consumer sales are commissionable for the area. A key social media component also allows consumers to reap a commission from posting products, incentivizing the promotion process.
When it comes to online sales, the jewelry industry is losing ground. With e-commerce growing at an exponential rate, some jewelers are being left behind as only an estimated 15 percent are selling online, eclipsed by mega-sellers like Amazon and Blue Nile.
“Jewelers are in dire need of a solution,” says Huynh. “Things are changing more quickly than anyone expected, which is why I believe Paid2Post is the solution for today’s jewelers who want to have an online presence but either don’t know how to go about doing it, or can’t spend the money needed to create a store from scratch.”
Membership is free for retailers and suppliers. The retailer’s customizable page can be promoted as its own URL, by a badge on the jeweler’s homepage, or through the Paid2Post site. Jewelers can track orders, answer questions and check on customer deliveries, which are either shipped directly by Paid2Post to the customer or delivered to the store for personal pick-up.
There are four ways for consumers to enter into the Paid2Post system: through the retailer’s store; through the wholesaler or supplier’s store; through the Paid2Post website; or through an individual’s social media site. Payments are split between the jewelry manufacturer, retailer and Paid2Post. Full wholesale value of the jewelry is paid to the supplier. A 20 percent commission is paid to Paid2Post, and the remaining profit goes to the retailer. If a jeweler is not assigned to the customer’s zip code, the supplier may assign a retailer to access the commission or may keep the commission for themselves. Paid2Post manages all orders and online payments. Returns are accepted within 30 days of shipment receipt.
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One of Paid2Post’s most unique features allows consumers to reap a commission should their online image post result in a sale. Special embedded product images, available for download from the Paid2Post website, can be shared and tracked on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Tumblr. This photo-sharing system gives an incentive to anyone who wants to earn extra money from the sale of a piece of jewelry. Commissions to individuals will be 10 percent of the selling price.
Paid2Post is designed to raise online and offline visibility for retailers since much of the true value of a bricks-and-mortar store is in its service and relationships with its customers. “The world is changing and the jewelry industry must change along with it,” says Huynh. “We can’t sit by and see sales slip away, hoping that it will stop. It won’t. Consumers are buying online now more than ever. This is a way for the industry to join together to have a piece of the online ‘pie’ for ourselves.”
