Trends Of Chinese Jewelry Market

The China market is undergoing substantial shifts as consumer tastes grow in sophistication and retail formats evolve to meet next-generation preferences.

Retail evolution

Highly curated and focused retail destinations such as independent buyer shops and multi-brand boutiques are on the rise in mainland China as consumers become more discerning in their purchases.

Their offerings include local and foreign niche designer brands, influencer-created labels as well as specific brands recommended by Key Opinion Leaders or KOLs.

Multi-brand boutiques, meanwhile, carry a mix of labels that represent a specific lifestyle. Items are usually modern, contemporary and design-forward, catering primarily to younger consumers.

These retail formats enable consumers to shop for fashion and lifestyle products that appeal to their personality, style and values under one roof.

Jewellery space

Jewellery is often a complementary purchase at these stores, drawing softer revenues due to lower price points. Stock turnaround and updates are therefore slower. Purchases also hinge largely on jewellery design and, more importantly, its suitability with the clothing and lifestyle items on offer.

But as independent buyer shops and multi-brand boutiques aim to provide a one-stop retail destination for specific market segments, they offer good prospects for the right jewellery brand.

Those with a solid following online or that have distinguished themselves with a signature style or concept bring a much-welcomed new and steady clientele to the stores. Brands with a deep inventory of styles and product lines would likewise be well-received, as would jewellery labels with reasonable price points.

Brand extensions also fare well at independent buyer shops and multi-brand boutiques. Those that incorporate their signature design elements in other product categories enable consumers to buy matching sets, thereby boosting unit sales.

Independent buyer shops are drawn too to lesser known brands and those with a standout design aesthetic and cutting-edge positioning that would help them reaffirm their overall concept.