Blog #3: Buying a Diamond & Consumer Behavior
Jan 29th, 2024 by John DeGraff
PLEASE NOTE: This discussion IS NOT about whether you’d buy a diamond online. While that is an interesting topic, it is not relevant to this exercise, and I will delete posts focused on that issue. It is the consumer decision process — not online buying– that is the topic we’re considering here.
Buying a diamond is, for most folks, a high-involvement purchase that requires an extensive decision process. The Blue Nile is an online diamond seller that has designed its website to take account of the likely needs that customers will encounter as they select a stone. Visit the site at www.bluenile.com and watch the commercial then look carefully at the many features on the site. For the purposes of this exercise, imagine that you have decided to buy an engagement ring. You think you want to spend $2,500 for the diamond itself– but that figure is somewhat negotiable (after all, who can put a price on love?) When you write your post, consider exactly how specific features on the site allow you, as the prospective buyer, to move through the decision-making process outlined in Exhibit 6.1 on p. 188 of your text. In your post, you should NOT get involved in whether or not you’d actually buy online, or the relative advantages of offline vs. online–I will delete such posts since they will be off-topic. The purpose of this exercise is to consider how a marketer needs to meet the needs of a consumer at each of the steps of the decision process. So pick ONE of the steps shown in the figure on page 188 and consider how SPECIFIC content on the Blue Nile meets the need you’d have at that stage. Please do NOT discuss site layout or navigation — while they are important topics, they are not sufficiently related to the decision model to “count” for this discussion, and I will delete posts related to such issues.
150-word post, well written, MKT 311-22 Feb 4th
John DeGraff MKT 311-22
The step I chose was “information search”. When purchasing a ring and not having much idea of the options, Blue Nile had information thorughout the website. On their home page, there is a section for the most commonly asked questions with detailed drop-downs answering the issues. As a consumer, I hate having to Google my questions about the product so having popular questions already on their home page is convenient. Blue Nile also offers a “Live Chat” option which is great for first-time buyers who may need additional help with the process. When clicking on engagement rings, Blue Nile also offers a 360 view of the right without clicking on it which makes shopping less stressful and more convenient. Google Reviews is also accessible through the website and as a consumer, I am comparing price and risk so reading others’ opinions, outcomes, and thoughts about service makes my search for information easy.
The step I chose was information search. Upon reviewing the Blue Nile website and being unsure of the options for engagement rings and the benefits of purchasing with Blue Nile, they included information throughout the website to help customers choose what suits their needs the best. One feature that Blue Nile uses on their website is a commonly asked questions tab that discusses all you need to know regarding their products and services. Another tool that they include on their homepage is an educational tab that discusses all things engagements rings from the diamonds, metals, the 4 Cs (cut, color, clarity, carat), and all you need to know about the pros/cons of purchasing through Blue Nile, including their free returns policy. Blue Nile offers a convenient service that allows customers to schedule a virtual appointment which makes scheduling a one on one showroom appointment a lot easier. Ultimately, I would argue that searching for an engagement ring through Blue Nile and their website, arguably costs the customer less because of convenience and research.
John DeGraff MKT 311-22
After looking at the consumer decision process (need recognition, information search, alternative evaluation, purchase and consumption, and post-purchase), I decided to further discuss the “need recognition” process. First, it is important to understand the phrase “need recognition”. According to the textbook in chapter 6, need recognition is when a consumer recognizes they have an unsatisfied need and would like to go from their actual, needy state to a different, desired state. The greater the discrepancy between these two states, the greater the “need recognition” will be (Grewal, 2022). If I plan to get engaged with someone, I would need an engagement ring. It is a very popular tradition among many cultures that an engagement ring is necessary in order to propose. It symbolizes the commitment to love and cherish the other person. The commercial titled, “Love is in the Air”, illustrates the importance of an engagement ring and how special a proposal is to two people who love each other (2016).
The Blue Nile website offers a variety of options but the one I am most interested in is the tab titled “engagement rings”. Under that tab, there are customizations that I can choose from which include a lab-grown diamond or a natural diamond, various diamond shapes, styles, and designers to choose from (n.d.). With all of these options to choose from, I can find the perfect engagement ring that I am looking for which will meet my functional needs and psychological needs. As mentioned in the textbook, functional needs pertain to the performance of a product or service while psychological needs pertain to the personal gratification consumers associate with a product or service (Grewal, 2022). The Blue Nile website offers functional needs such as each piece of jewelry including a lifetime warranty and diamond certifications illustrating the quality and performance of each product. The website also includes a tab titled “education” where consumers can learn more about diamond sustainability, shape price comparison, engagement ring guide, return policy, jewelry insurance, and much more to feel confident about purchasing jewelry through them (n.d.). There is also a tab titled “consult” where the consumer can learn more about 24/7 service, 30-day returns, and the famous diamond price match guarantee that Blue Nile offers. The different designer rings help satisfy the psychological needs of consumers who love high-end engagement rings by well-known brands. As shown on the website, high-end engagement ring brands that Blue Nile sells include Bella Vaughan, Blue Nile Studio, Zac Zac Posen, and so on. Under the tab “About Blue Nile”, consumers can learn more about each piece of jewelry handcrafted in New York, GIA-graded natural stones, and use the finest-quality materials at an amazing value (n.d.).
In focusing on the Information Search stage from Exhibit 6.1, the Blue Nile website overall was very helpful. If you have $2,500 to spend on a diamond for an engagement ring. The site has a section called “Diamond Education” that explains the 4Cs – Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat. These are the main things to look at when choosing a diamond. Knowing about these helps you pick a diamond that’s good value for your money and suits what you’re looking for.
There’s also a feature called “Build Your Own Ring” on the site. This lets you use what you learned about the 4Cs to find the right diamond. You can set filters for the 4Cs and see how each choice changes the diamond’s look and price. This way, you can find a diamond that fits your budget and tastes. So, the site really helps you during the ‘Information Search’ phase by giving you all the details you need to make a smart choice.
Everyone else was going for information search. That was going to be my choice but I thought I’d change it up.
What is the purchase and consumption of a ring on this website like? What are some factors we are looking for when we have all the information we need and we are ready to make a purchase?
We can assume that if I am going to purchase an item as expensive as an engagement ring online that I am after a quick and efficient online ordering process. If I wanted to talk to somebody and get more information, I’d either call or go look at jewelry in person. I want a streamlined checkout process once I know what I need.
That ends up being exactly what Blue Nile gives. While its not as fast as amazon, the ordering process reminded me of throwing items in a shopping cart on the Menards or NewEgg websites. If you check out as a guest, it still goes fast. If you check out with your account, it can go even faster. It actually is as simple as checking out with your cart, entering billing and shipping info, selecting a payment method and getting the confirmation.
Like I said, anything less would sort of defeat the purpose of shopping for such high end items on line. You need a ring fast, you probably know what you’re doing or you wouldn’t be shopping online. You come to Blue Nile and get what you need and check out quickly.
John DeGraff MARKETNG 311-22
The step that I chose was need recognition. If I was in the needy state of wanting the perfect engagement ring, I wouldn’t want to spend a lot of money on something that was not perfect. Luckily, Blue Nile helps you customize your ring just the way you want it. They make this process fun and really easy. First you just have to select the ring that you want and which metal you want the ring to be. Then you get to look at all of the neat looking diamonds/gemstones and pick one. And just like that you have that perfect ring that you wanted. So Blue Nile would be able to satisfy both my functional and phycological needs. They would satisfy my functional needs, because now I have an engagement ring that I need to propose. And they meet my phycological needs because they allow me to customize it and make it look just how I had envisioned it. So with this easy customizable process, Blue Nile would satisfy my need recognition step
John DeGraff MKT 311-22
The Blue Nile site is not what I was expecting at all, the thoroughness of the website features blew me away. The one step I am going to pick is need recognition from exhibit 6.1. Within jewelry and diamonds, Blue Nile seems to have a vast library of options to choose from. Further there are many ways to customize your search and tailor it to you. As a customer Blue Nile made the site user friendly, so one is able to easily find what they are looking for. Further if you aren’t so sure what diamond your looking for there are plenty of ways and resources within the website to help, like an option to to consult with an expert. The site offers a build your own ring section that allows you to pick your own diamond, ring style, and price range. This is very helpful to need recognition because it allows all people with very different tastes and budgets to be able to find or create what they are looking for. As for being thorough, when picking your diamond, Blue Nile allows customization of diamond style, price, color, carat, clarity and cut. It also allows a choice between earth and lab created. Then when building the ring, you are allowed to pick a price range, style and metal to further fit your creativity. All in all, the thoroughness of this feature allows a wide variety of customers to find what they are looking for all in one user friendly place.
John DeGraff MKT 311-22
Out of the five options in the consumer decision process, the step that I chose was post-purchase. At this stage of the purchase, I would already have the ring and hopefully have a good experience while purchasing it. While I was on the site, I noticed there were wedding rings while looking at engagement rings. Having wedding rings right next to the engagement rings caught my attention, and if I had a good experience with the purchase of the engagement ring, I would be more inclined to bring my business back to them for the wedding rings. They also create customer satisfaction by offering free returns for 30 days. They also offer jewelry insurance for $25 a year with a $0 deductible in my local area. With these two things, it will increase customer satisfaction, which will, in turn, make customers more likely to come back and purchase from Blue Nile again.
John DeGraff MKT 311-22
The step that stands out for the Blue Nile website is the information search. Blue Nile’s diamond search feature allows the customer to set specific parameters such as budget, carat weight, cut, and more. This functionality streamlines the search process, helping the consumer narrow down options that align with their goal in mind. The site also features a program with an ability to view diamonds in 360 degrees. Blue Nile offers high-quality images and videos for each diamond, allowing one to scrutinize the stone from every angle. This transparency ensures a realistic view of what the customer is purchasing, instilling confidence in your decision. Blue Nile gives its customers with excellent resources in educating its customers by providing comprehensive information about all their diamonds. Each diamond comes with detailed specifications, and educational resources are available for every cut, helping buyers to make informed decisions. The information that is displayed on the website makes the Blue Nile clients decision making process a smooth process.
MKT 311
If I was going to buy an engagement ring online, this website definitely checks all the boxes in the decision making process. As far as identifying what the website sells, it makes it very clear with each tab and the home page that it sells engagement/wedding rings. The tabs really help the evaluation process because picking out an engagement ring and a wedding ring can be really daunting. It’s also really nice that there is a phone number clearly visible on the top left of the website for people like myself who need to speak to someone before feeling comfortable making a decision or a purchase. I like how each drop down shows an image of what you’re about to be clicking on and identifies what you might be looking for. And for those who need more convincing, it’s great that there is an option to have a virtual appointment. It’s almost like a Zoom meeting for any other kind of business interaction where a live interaction helps with the consumer decision making process. This would especially be important to get a sense of the sparkle of the diamond before you make a purchase.
John Degraff MKT 311-22
The part of the consumer decision process I will be evaluating through the Blue Nile website is Alternative Evaluation. Alternative Evaluation is when a consumer must sift through the choices available and evaluate the alternatives. Blue Nile does an amazing job with the process because of the amount of customizations you can sift through to determine the ring you want to buy. For example, say you know your wife would like a vintage-style ring. On the website, you can click on that category and are given a few options. Say you know she wants color with her ring and she prefers silver jewelry. The website is user-friendly in making a decision given the various factors and has few selections which makes the process a bit easier.
In addition to color, price, and style you can also gather more information about the ring to make sure you are making the right choice. For example, you can see the enhancement type, setting type, dimensions, and different shapes the ring can be set with. Providing this information allows the consumer to weigh their options and compare with other alternatives through the site.
John DeGraff MKT 311-22
When I reached the Blue Nile site, I instantly saw the process I was supposed to go through when picking out an engagement ring. It was easy to find what I was looking for on the site, and therefore, it helped with my “need recognition.” Information was easily found on this site because it included pictures, descriptions, and comparisons. The part of the consumer decision process I focused on was the alternative evaluation. As someone who is very indecisive, I often find myself in this stage of consumer decisions. Blue Nile did an excellent job at the alternative evaluation part of the process because it allowed you to see detailed pictures and prices of each product. Then, once you’ve selected a setting, you can see all the comparisons of the diamonds and how they form the complete ring. When looking, they give you “best match” recommendations that help you evaluate alternatives.
John DeGraff MKT 311-22
The step that I will be evaluating from The Consumer Evaluation process, is the alternative evaluation step. This step comes after the consumer has found a problem and has explored different options. Now, the consumer must look at other available alternatives. The Blue Nile website provides consumers with a complex platform for this stage. As consumers navigate the website, they encounter detailed product information. This includes the Four Cs (cut, color, clarity, and carat weight) for each diamond. Blue Nile allows consumers to compare different diamonds side by side, which helps show each diamond’s characteristics and prices. The site’s customer reviews and ratings offer insights of previous buyers. This is very helpful in making well-informed decisions. Also, Blue Nile’s virtual try-on feature allows the consumer to visualize how the chosen ring will look on their hand. Overall, at the alternative evaluation step, Blue Nile does a great job of meeting all of my needs that I would have.
The step I chose from The Consumer Decision Process is “information search”. I have never really looked into engagement rings at all so my internal search for information was very limited. Leading to the external search for information through the Blue Nile website I was flooded with information from this site. Blue Nile provides you with endless options for different types of diamond shapes, diamond colors, designers, different band materials, etc. The first thing I looked for after looking at all of the different tabs and options was the “Education” tab. This tab gave a lot of great information to me as someone who has no clue about engagement rings or what I want in the future. I was able to look at the 4C’s of diamonds which helped me understand some of the language that they use to describe and classify diamonds/rings. I especially liked the “Find Your Diamond” tool which allows you to narrow down your search to exactly what you are looking for. As a consumer Blue Nile blew my expectations away with my information search. They have a ton of great resources on their site that allows consumers to get a lot of information in one place cutting down on gruling Google searches trying to find the information elsewhere.
I chose the Topic of Information Search. When a customer is searching for a certain type of jewelry on Blue Nile, they can find a variety of different paths to go about finding their choice. As you scroll down just a page on the website, they give you an option to explore their page by showing off different things. For example, they show engagement rings, wedding rings, earrings, etc. They have all of this information almost at the front of their page. Once you scroll down to the next page, they also show a plentiful number of different diamonds to choose from. Anyone looking for their type of diamond should be able to easy navigate through and look for the one they desire. At the top of their page, they have headings with drop down arrows for everything they sell. Overall, I would say that the Blue Nile website makes i efficient to navigate through and is quite easy to look for the certain piece of jewelry they are looking for.
DeGraff Market 311-22
After review page 188, and looking at model 6.1, the topic I wanted to discuss was “Information Search”. This is essentially how you gather your information about what you want to purchase. This can be in the form of internal or external sources. Internal is your prior knowledge and decisions about a product. While eternal can stem from conversations with friends, families, or online searches regarding a product or service. When we were asked to review the Blue Niles website, I was very interested in the position coming from a consumer. I think online ordering can be very beneficial for people seeking to specifically design a piece of jewelry, but might not be their first thought. Internal information search would lead people into a physical store unless they are typically an online shopper. But, the site was extremely beneficial in providing information for the customer. They listed all of the products available for purchase: wedding rings, engagement rings, diamonds, jewelry, and gifts. Additionally, the sales were also presented on the first page of the website. This is appealing for customers looking for bargain. Their website is also resourceful because at the bottom of the home page, they include information about their website, and allow customers to schedule online appointments, as well as visit a showroom for customers hesitant buying online. I think hesitant customers are an example of external information search because they talk with friends and families who have had bad past prior experiences purchasing online. This is why they provide so much information and resources such as their live chat. This is a great tool for first-time buyers who require more assistance. I would also like to highlight their website design. It is laid out very clearly, and allows you to pick a specific product such as wedding rings, and then options to browse. After making your selection, Niles offers a 360 view of the product so you can fully view the item. They also have different payment options and customer reviews. This would be an external information source.
John DeGraff MKT 311-22
The step that I chose from the consumer decision process was post-purchase. Blue Nile does a great job displaying positive customer service and encouraging customer loyalty. Under the service value tab, you can find numerous offerings that will make an individual want to return as a customer. Some of those offerings include free ring sizing, free cleanings, and lifetime warranties. My favorite benefit that would prompt me to return as a customer is the Diamond upgrade program, this program allows you to receive a credit equal to 100% of the original diamond value. While some significant others stay with their original ring forever, some look to upgrade at the next big anniversary (5 years, 10 years, etc.), and knowing you can get the value of your old ring as a credit towards a new, nicer one is a no-brainer and will leave no question on which store to go to when the idea comes up. The benefits will have the customer spreading the word to others in a good light, which is a positive word of mouth for Blue Nile.
The step I chose to discuss was post-purchase. This step is crucial when creating that customer relationship. This finalizes the purchase and ensures loyalty with the customer. Blue Nile has an excellent way of ensuring customer loyalty and making sure they have a comfortable experience. Blue Nile offers free returns, free lifetime warranty, jewelry insurance, etc. This ensures customer satisfactory and comfortability. Customers knowing they have access to these things will make the customer want to continue business with them. Blue Nile most definitely meets the post-purchase stage. As well as offering a upgrade program that allows all Blue Nile diamonds to be upgraded. This will keep customers involved with the company because they will have something to look forward to. Knowing you do not always have to pay in full is also something that may keep customers loyal. If they know that they are allowed to have different financing options and opportunities, the customers will be more presumably to come back.
After looking through the various steps throughout the consumer decision process, I’ve decided to go with the second step “information search” for this assignment. As explained on page 190, “the second step, after a consumer recognizes a need, is to search for information about the various options that exists to satisfy that need.” Luckily, Blue Nile does a fantastic job of providing consumers with the information they seek within their own website!
First, Blue Nile provides an excellent, easy, and efficient way to start the information search procedure by having an education tab. Within the education tab consumers can click on “Diamond Education” to learn about the “4C’s of diamonds” being cut, color, clarity, and carat weight, with the addition of nine additional shapes (Round, Princess, Cushion, Oval, Emerald, Pear, Asscher, Heart, Radiant, Marquise) and some certification information regarding Blue Nile’s diamonds included under this category. Interesting to note is that Blue Nile also explains their diamond quality under this same tab which ranges from K-D (Letter A being the best quality) or good quality (K) to Ideal quality (D). Furthermore, Blue Nile also lists the ranges of diamonds they don’t carry being Z-L which are classified under the poor and fair categories.
Moving onto another category related to the education tab is their “Engagement Ring Guide”. Within this guide are steps to help Gen Z and Millennials save to afford an engagement ring and how to find the best ring for your budget whether its $1,000 or $10,000. Additionally, there are also answers to which metals are used for the rings with the most popular options as of now being platinum and white gold, with a rising trend of rose gold! However, this isn’t all! Within this same “Engagement Ring Guide” are also details on engagement ring styles and settings or in other words how the ring is shaped and designed to look like, with a few popular options. Furthermore, Blue Nile explains that the most important C of the 4C’s is the cut, and this is because “a great cut will give the most sparkle” and that the most popular carat weight is “out to slightly under 1.0 carat”! This “Engagement Ring Guide” also provides users with the ability to create their own custom rings with professional help and with the ability to choose whether to start with the diamond or the setting!
As for another important category under the “Education” tab is “Finding Your Ring Size.” Within this category Blue Nile offers a free ring sizer with steps to figure out your ring size! Additionally, they also offer advice on how to measure your ring size with string, paper, and a ruler! Moreover, they also provide input on resizing rings and how most rings can be resized. However, if they cannot be resized the webpage will notify them with an icon under the ring size section! Furthermore, Blue Nile also provides a 30-day exchange policy which allows consumers to exchange their ring for another if they so desire.
Blue Nile also offers other educational material such as pearl education & guidance, gemstone education & guidance, metal education & guidance, earring jewelry guides, bracelet guides, wedding ring guides, necklace jewelry guides, gemstone engagement ring guides, and much more!
Moving on, Blue Nile also has a FAQs page where they answer the most frequently asked questions and provide proper answers. Blue Nile also has a virtual appointment option and a live chat option which helps the consumer remotely find the desired jewelry or help they desire. And Blue Nile offers free returns, diamond price matching, a diamond upgrade program, free lifetime warranty, and jewelry insurance!
In essence, Blue Nile has the consumers interest in mind by providing them with an abundance of information backed by research and reviews from over 500,000 customers and I believe they did an excellent job of providing people with the information and answers to questions regarding everything jewelry! As someone who hasn’t looked at jewelry and one who doesn’t know much about jewelry, I must admit that even I learned a lot from their website!
DeGraff MKT 311-22
Because the purchase of a ring is a significant and expensive purchase, the perceived risks are an important factor in the decision-making process. I think Blue Nile does a good job at walking the consumer through the information search part of the decision-making process. They make customer service readily available with virtual and in person appointments. There was even a pop-up to book an in-person appointment when I first got to the site. Blue Nile also has a “Learn About” tab to provide potential consumers “Diamond Education.” This part of the website could help buyers overcome the different types of risks associated with purchasing decisions including a section titled “How to Buy a Diamond.” Blue Nile reassures potential consumers by providing diamond reports and certifications and an entire page dedicated to ensuring customers that all of their diamonds are ethically sourced. Lastly, the decision-making process is made simple through step by step purchasing guides in which the customer can set price ranges, diamond shapes, and many other preferences to narrow down the search.
DeGraff MKT 311-22
I chose to focus on the first step of the customer decision process, need recognition. While looking through the Blue Nile website, in this case, I am a customer who has an idea of what they want in the ring, and an estimated price range. Using the Blue Nile website I can easily customize the ring to spend my $2,500 on just the diamond itself. This function ensures my needs are satisfied and there is no wasted time sifting through different rings to find what I have in mind. Customization includes price, clarity, shape, color and earth or lab created. This function on the website is great as I’m wanting a high quality diamond for this engagement ring but my price can be negotiated. Their website allows viewers to see all the different options in one space to ensure quality and compare price; maybe even finding what I end up liking to be at a lower price than expected. Along with this there is information about the different rings that allow consumers to find what best fits their needs faster. Overall, the Blue Nile website satisfies the need recognition of the customer decision process.
John DeGraff — MKT 311-22
As someone who recently went through the engagement ring purchasing process, I considered the information search phase to be the most challenging. Technical information such as explanations of color, clarity, etc., was fairly standard across retailers that I visited, but the suggestions presented for more nuanced decisions such as whether to buy natural or lab-grown, the band selection process, etc., were more varied. I chose to focus on this area on Blue Nile to see what their approach was to educating prospective buyers on the merit of various buying considerations. I did not search their site during my actual buying process, for what it’s worth.
The diamond search (https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search/) feature proved somewhat effective at providing a rough guide to various pricing considerations. While not necessarily explicit information, being able to quickly control filters and sliders — as well as hover over images of each diamond for a 360-degree view (a crucial feature) — was interactive and helped me zero in on what I was in the market for.
Under the Education tab on the site, Blue Nile provided a plethora of links to informative content. Among them was an Engagement Ring Guide that covered a wide range of topics with provided sublinks, as well as a Lab Grown Diamonds guide which covered quite a bit on the topic in an unbiased manner. I could have likely spent a few hours exploring all of the educational offerings provided, and I appreciated that the information was mine to sort through for what mattered most to me.
Overall, Blue Nile was highly effective at predicting questions that would be asked at this stage and having identifiable resources available to assist. I honestly could not find a true flaw in their approach. I think that, in order to remain an industry leader in a now very competitive online market, Blue Nile has probably been forced to perfect informational content on their site. The value they are able to provide must go beyond price because storefront retailers still have advantages in physical presentation and trust building through in-person conversation. It’s impossible for me to say whether I would have used Blue Nile had I searched their site during my actual research, but what would have sold me, if anything, was how easy they made it to answer the specific questions I had.
DeGraff – MKT 311-22
While looking on the Blue Nile website, I was drawn to the “Diamonds” tab which opens up an entire menu bar that presents the types of diamonds, building jewelry, and services that Blue Nile offers. This menu along with its subcategories serves a great purpose under the “Search for information” step in the Consumer Decision Process.
Under the “Diamonds” tab there is a section named “Learn about” and this section provides various informational sections about clarity, cut, and color. These sections provide efficient and clear information about each of these when considering a diamond and how they would help to find the best diamond for your needs.
Moving away from the “diamonds” tab, the “education” tab provides some great information as well. Within the tab, we can learn more about the things mentioned in the “diamonds” tab along with metal education and wedding and engagement ring guides. These guides provide several helpful links to how to navigate the website and other informational sections, such as “Popular Engagement Ring Settings And Styles” and “How Much Should You Spend On An Engagement Ring?” which help find the perfect ring to purchase for the one looking for that information.
John DeGraff- MKT 311-22
Coming up on my one year anniversary, it was not too long ago that I went through the engagement ring shopping process. Thankfully, I had very specific instructions on what exactly my wife wanted in an engagement ring. When looking through the Blue Nile website, I believe that the “Information Search” process would be the stage that I would feel stuck and overwhelmed on. Even though I have purchased an engagement ring before, I still do not have a lot of background knowledge on rings. The Blue Nile website does offer multiple sections that help explain the different types of bands, settings and the four c’s in diamonds. Even though this information is helpful to understanding more about rings, I would still feel quite overwhelmed by the amount of options presented. That’s where the “Education” section would come in handy. There are many articles listed to help educate the buyer and also different “buying guides” that could help me pick out what I would specifically want in an engagement ring. Finally, Blue Nile also offers the ability to customize your own ring so that you can build something from all of the information you just learned. I believe that although it would feel overwhelming at first, Blue Nile offers a lot of opportunities to learn more about the product you are going to purchasing.
John DeGraff- MKT 311-22
The step I chose was information search. Where Blue Nile’s website stood out as a valuable resource. The homepage’s section on frequently asked questions provides detailed answers, eliminating the need for external searches. The inclusion of a “Live Chat” option adds to the user-friendly experience, catering to first-time buyers. Delving into engagement rings, Blue Nile offers a stress-free shopping experience with a 360-degree view accessible without an extra click. The website also grants easy access to Google Reviews, aiding in price comparison and risk assessment. Reading others’ opinions enhances my information search. Blue Nile’s website is equipped with essential tools, including a comprehensive “Commonly Asked Questions” tab and an educational section covering diamonds, metals, the 4 Cs, and insights into the pros and cons of choosing Blue Nile. Notably, the convenience extends to scheduling virtual appointments, simplifying the process for a one-on-one showroom appointment. Exploring engagement rings through Blue Nile ensures a well-informed decision and arguably reduces costs for customers through enhanced convenience and thorough research.
John DeGraff – Marketing 311-22
The step out of the consumer decision process that I chose to focus on was the last step, post-purchase. The purchase of a ring is an expensive and meaningful purchase to last a lifetime, so it is important to get it right. Even though a ring can last a lifetime and prevent people from buying another ring, having a good post-purchase allows for good word-of-mouth marketing from your customers themselves. Blue Nile has an “Education” tab, which leads to the “Services and Values” tab. Blue Nile provides excellent post-purchase care to customers. Some of the post-purchase options they provide are complimentary cleaning and inspection services on diamond rings and a lifetime warranty. After the purchase, they also have free shipping for customers. Another service they provide is an upgrade program. This could be very beneficial for customers. This program gives you 100% credit for your old ring. However, you need to spend at least twice the price of your original ring. This program is still nice because you are not buying two whole rings for full price. This program helps to ensure good customer loyalty and is a good example of post-purchase.
John DeGraff – Marketing 311-22
After recognizing the need for a piece of jewelry the consumer would move on to the search for information. In the case of jewelry, internal information will play a large role in searching for the right piece, whether it be personal or for someone else such as an engagement ring. In this instance, I will focus on engagement rings. Considering a male is seeking information on an engagement ring, which is a valuable and important piece, they will most likely consider this purchase’s financial and social risks. Therefore, Blue Nile has made an education section on their site, which offers information on the Four Cs: Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat. This tactic is crucial in keeping the customer on the Blue Nile site to seek information, rather than venturing out to other potential competitors. After seeking more information on engagement rings, Blue Nile has a complete guide in choosing the right ring, understanding that each person has their opinion and internal information gathered about rings and preferences. Overall, Blue Nile has a complete and well-put-together tool for the ‘Information Search’ decision process, considering its extensive general information and a tool for creating a deeply personalized ring for anyone.
John DeGraff – MARKETNG 311-22
The step of the consumer decision process that I chose to focus on was information search, and the information provided on the Blue Nile website does a great job of meeting my needs in this particular situation of needing to buy an engagement ring. The website provides information on many different shapes and styles of engagement rings, and it even lets you build your own custom ring. It shows you pictures of what the rings look like, and it also gives examples of some designer rings and what the most popular engagement ring choices are. It even makes sure that you know your making the right purchase by telling you if the ring you want is available to purchase, and if it can come in the correct ring size that you need it to. All of this is very helpful and makes the information search part of the consumer decision process very easy due to the large amounts of information provided about all different kinds of engagement rings.
The best step for Blue Nile would be information search, but I’m going to switch it up and do alternative evaluation. Blue Nile has plenty of information on their website, along with prices under each of their rings. Alternative Evaluation is basically evaluating the product, seeing if there are other brands similar with the same ring at a different price, or maybe they have a better payment plan, etc. I compared it to other websites/brands of wedding rings, such as Kay and Diamond Center, and they all had very similar formats but I would say Blue Nile’s is slightly superior. Looking through their site, it seems Blue Nile has a sale on majority of their rings, some almost half off. Some more things you could look at to help you with alternative evaluation would be seeing which company is the most ethical, checking and comparing reviews, reviewing warranties, brand image, and much more.
John DeGraff – MARKETNG 311-22
The step I chose from The Consumer Decision Process is “information search” Simplify this Exploring the Blue Nile site surpassed my expectations with its impressive website features. Blue Nile’s website exceeded my expectations with its impressive features. When recognizing my needs, I found a wide range of jewelry and diamonds with an easy-to-use interface for smooth navigation. The site offers helpful resources like expert consultations and a unique build-your-own-ring section. In the information search, FAQs and an educational tab provide essential details, while a virtual appointment service adds convenience. The website’s clear engagement ring selection process aids in recognizing needs, and the detailed product images and comparisons simplify decision-making in the alternative evaluation stage. Overall, Blue Nile’s website provides a seamless and user-friendly experience for customers to find, learn, and choose—all in one accessible place.
I chose to discuss Alternative Evaluation which is a very important stage in the consumer decision process. At this point in the process, consumers compare different options to make an informed choice. Which I think Blue Nile excels at meeting consumer needs during this stage through their many features. One of these features is the Filters. They have filters that allow consumers to narrow down their choices. Whether it’s a specific carat weight, a particular clarity, or staying within a budget, these filters streamline the evaluation process. Another feature is the Diamond Education Center which helps demystify the intricacies of diamonds. As I looked for my wife’s ring years ago, I spent hours on Google searching for information about diamonds. This feature allows consumers to learn about the anatomy of diamonds, the science behind brilliance, and more. With this knowledge, consumers can confidently evaluate their options. And last but not least, there’s the Live Chat with Gemologists feature. Consumers can seek personalized insights, ensuring they don’t navigate this high-involvement purchase alone. Expert guidance only enhances the evaluation process.
All in all, Blue Nile’s evaluation tools transform the daunting “alternative evaluation” stage into a much easier experience.
The step I chose was “Information Search”. I do not know much about rings or jewelry or diamonds, but Blue Nile had information all over their website, including an education tab and a way to set up a virtual appointment. The education tab has lots of important information about the diamonds themselves such as Cut, Color, Clarity, Carat, as well as the metal, insurance, and returns. What was even more appealing to me, though, was the option to set up a live appointment. This way people who need extra help or would just rather talk to a real person can stay within Blue Nile for their information. This will also help convince people to buy online instead of going to a store that might not be Blue Nile. Blue Nile knows that ring buying is difficult and important, so making the website very accessible and full of info is a good way to attract customers.
The step I am choosing from exhibit 6.1 for the Consumer Decision Process is “information search”. I am choosing this because in the case of purchasing a ring, this is a very important, as well as expensive decision, and it is important that a customer can be find out the perceived risks for the decision making process. I believe that the Blue Nile Website does a very good job in with taking the costumer through the information search part of this process. There were features such as booking appointments, and very easy to acess customer service. I personally was drawn towards the “Education” tab, where I was able to find out more about jewelry, such as materials and guides for diamonds or sizing, as well as pricing. I think that these features/pages alone are very beneficial for the information search portion of the decision making process, and would be very helpful to me personally if I were in the market for a new ring.
I selected information search of Blue Nile as my purchasing needs were met completely. The company has a the upmost integrity to their products. As someone in the market for an engagement ring I am especially attracted to several qualities that Blue Nile offers to me. Their quality is exceptional for the affordable price. Their education to the consumer for the 4 C’s to look for in a diamond, cut, color, clarity and carat weight, is very beneficial for me in making my decision on my purchase. The visual images on the Blue Nile site helped navigate my purchase of the engagement ring. My fiancée and myself were able to take our time and browse at all the beautiful selections. My fiancé was extremely impressed with the fact that she was able to design her own personal engagement ring to stand as a sign of our unique individual love of each other and lasting relationship.
John DeGraff – MKT 311-22
For the sake of this discussion, I’ll be focusing on stage 3 of the consumer design process, “Alternative Evaluation”. The Blue Nile website does a fantastic job providing an evaluation of alternatives for the customer to sort through. When choosing to purchase an engagement ring, the website first allows its users to choose the setting, and then the diamond, essentially allowing you to “customize” your own personal ring rather than selling the ring as a pre-chosen combination. This provides the user with the ability to choose between all of the variety of different combinations, and in particular what stood out the most to me was how they categorically list each one side by side via image, similar to how a website such as Amazon lists their products. For the diamonds in particular, not only are you able to directly compare side by side images, but they even provide a 360-degree rotatable photo which allows the users to get a full, complete look at the diamond of their choice before selecting. This format allows for users to evaluate each setting and diamond (and various combinations if desired) individually as well as against other settings/diamonds to ensure they feel as though they are being given the choice to choose the absolute best one – ensuring they are happy with their final outcome/choice. To make matters even more intuitive for users, Blue Nile also provides convenient sorting and search tools on both their setting and diamond sale pages. There is an extensive list of sorting options available, allowing users to quickly evaluate between all of the numerous options available and refine to exactly the specifications of setting or diamond they are looking for.
When looking at the exhibit I chose the recognition part and when I went on the blue nile website it gave me a good layout of all of the different types of diamonds along with the carats, colors they have as well as detailed information on each of them. When looking at a specific ring I was given the option to look at it on my finger through my camera or on a models hand, It also gave me great assistance from their expert help part I could tell them what I want and it would give me options to choose from and offer the best price that would fit my budget. I would say if I was a male looking to purpose to my lady I would be well pleased with the help on the customization part as well it gives me my own way of creating a ring for my special person and with my proposal as well.
Needs recognition is the first step in the consumer’s decision process. During this stage of the consumer decision process, they realize they have a problem that needs to be satisfied. When picking a diamond, a consumer goes on the Blue Nile website to fulfill their needs within a $2500 price range. Searching for a diamond begins with assessing the desired diamond through functional needs. The Blue Nile site offers numerous diamonds in multiple price ranges. So, the issue of whether it is functional or worth the money is complacent in his context. Psychological needs to follow behind, which means that with buying this diamond, what will be fulfilled in the end and will it be worth it? The Blue Nile site has luxury items worth the money, so the psychological need is satisfied; however, with a $2500 price maximum, there is only one diamond to choose from, and who knows if that has the same quality as their more expensive products. Lastly, the diamond’s aesthetic will be evaluated before moving to the next step. The Blue Nile site has a lavish appearance, and in my opinion, like the feel of it, it gives what I would be looking for personally.
John DeGraff MKT 311-22
The step I have chosen for this discussion is information search. I believe the only thing I can say about internal search for information is if your partner has mentioned to you a type of design that you remembered she mentioned. The Blue Nile website does a good job of providing information about what products they offer. They provide live chat support with salesperson. You can even schedule a virtual appointment with a diamond expert. Under the “Education” tab, they offer an engagement ring guide that will educate you on everything you need to know about engagement rings and what the difference is between them and wedding rings. When you click the “Engagement Rings” tab, you can shop for what you’re looking for, provide expert picks, and provide a way to consult with their experts to help you find the engagement ring that you feel best suits your and your significant other’s wants.
The step I chose from The Consumer Decision Process is “Need Recognition.”. Need Recognition is where the consumer decision process begins when consumers recognize they have an unsatisfied need and they would like to go from their actual, needy state to a different, desired state. In this scene, we are looking to spend at most $2,500 for the diamond itself. If I cannot find a way to filter the website for my needs, I will go somewhere else. The website allows you to set the maximum price you are willing to spend on a diamond along with what shape, color, clarity, carrot, and cut you want. Not only do I get the set my price, but I also get to satisfy my psychological needs by adding my own personal touch to the diamond itself. The Blue Nile ensures that they are assisting clients in the first phase of their decision-making process.
The step I chose was an information search. After looking through the website many features can help make purchasing a ring online easier. One of these features is a virtual appointment that lets you get an up-close view of the options. Another feature on the website is the frequently asked questions, making it a convenient spot to find the answer without having to look something else up. This allows the customer to find more information on the company in a convenient place to have a pleasant and helpful experience shopping.
In the article about Blue Diamond, the need most discussed was the need for alternative evaluation. Smaller shops are holding onto the fact that their higher prices come with tangibility and side by side comparisons. While Blue Nile doesn’t offer the same ability to evaluate alternatives that an in person shop has, they have a few other things that can satisfy that need. For one, they have free 30 day returns which allows a buyer to evaluate the option in person and have the option to decide they want an alternative. Blue Nile also does virtual shopping now where consumers can virtually compare jewelry side by side. It is not quite the same as in person, but it can satisfy that alternative evaluation need for many. One other thing to consider is the significant price difference, where jewelry is 30-40% cheaper on the Blue Nile sight, could override the need for alternative evaluation for many. Consumers may be willing to take more risk and/or wait for a diamond to ship and return in exchange for the significant price difference.
John DeGraff — MKT 311-22
I viewed the website assuming I was a consumer and needed to purchase an engagement ring or just one for myself.
The pictures were excellent, and they also gave offers and discounts. But what sold me was the “Design Your own engagement ring” option.
When someone wants to purchase a diamond ring for someone they love, they want it to be unique, memorable, and personal. Being able to create your own ring is going to be such an experience in itself. The marketing team has done a great job by recognizing consumers need of needing something personal when making a decision to purchase a diamond ring from blue nile when there are already a lot of diamond stores.
Therefore, step one needs recognition in the consumer decision-making process, which engaged me in buying a ring.