Started as an online-only brand in 2011, BlueStone was the culmination of a rapidly evolving consumer preference to shop online and the legacy jewellery industry’s low digital adoption. A trendsetter in its own right, the brand is creating the perfect following through its omnichannel footprint
New Delhi: The early digital revolution favoured categories like electronics, consumer durables and fashion. In contrast, jewellery as a category remained traditional and involved the customer going to a store – a formal, offline environment – to browse from limited options available for purchase. BlueStone spotted an opportunity and tapped into growing consumer trust in technology and digital solutions between 2000 and 2010. “In 2011, we started as an online-only brand, and since then, we’ve grown as an omnichannel brand with 9000+ designs. Not only did this give consumers the gift of choice, but it also allowed them to participate in the purchase journey with comfort and convenience. Whether they shop online, visit a store, or try at home, their carts, wishlists, and wallets travel with them – elevating consumer delight to a new level,” explains Gaurav Singh Kushwaha, CEO of BlueStone when talking about the inception story of the brand.
BlueStone created a unique online experience for buyers to explore jewellery styles and trends. However, an early challenge was addressing growing demands for an offline experience.
A crucial test was to pivot from online to omnichannel while ensuring consumer trust remains intact. The brand won out and retained consumer confidence through various policies like 100% certified jewellery, Try at Home, Lifetime Exchange & Buyback, Cash On Delivery, and more.
Jewellery has moved beyond being a weight-and- material-marker and an investment to being a marker of individuality & style. The consumers; young, cosmopolitan couples; seek modern, wearable jewellery to celebrate a fresh spark of romance. Keeping this thought in mind, whether offline or online, BlueStone uses data gathered at multiple touchpoints to personalise and improve the customer experience across the funnel. This strategy helps them curate unique experiences
for the consumer for different occasions and at various points through their consumer journey.
But the journey was not always a joyride and Gaurav says “the lowest point in our journey has been one back in 2015 when we pushed the wrong levers to scale the business. But we realised our missteps in time and course corrected. While there have been many high points, we believe the best is yet to come”.
For the brand, it’s crucial to understand where consumer preferences lie and cascade them across marketing and communication strategies. In that light, BlueStone’s marketing is data-backed with a special focus on digital from start to end. This enables customized targeting of various cohorts with appropriate content – whether
it’s educational, engaging, trend-driven, or transactional. While digital lies at the brand’s core, the brand is leveraging ATL to reach larger audiences as the business continues to scale.
The culmination of 11 years of innovation and the desire to spearhead omnichannel retail in the jewellery space, BlueStone’s proprietary technology stack clubs functionality and seamless experience. The website and app, both developed in-house, are an extension of the integrated system across merchandising, manufacturing, operations, in-store operations, logistics, and more, allowing the brand to tap into data-driven decision-making and further customer delight.
The brand’s logistics and fulfilment sets it apart from the rest. With 140+ stores nationwide, BlueStone operates on a warehouse-hub-store model that enables faster forward and reverse logistics – especially with an in-house delivery fleet – facilitating services like Next Day Delivery, Try at Home, and more. Their tech story extends to merchandising fulfilment, where they optimise operations with just-in-time manufacturing and design customizations, creating a one-of-a-kind experience with BlueStone.
BROWNIE POINTS
2011: BlueStone was established with initial funding from Accel Partners and Saama Capital.
2013: Hit 10,00,000+ unique monthly visitors online.
2018: The brand’s first digitally integrated experience store launched in Delhi.
2022: Added a third manufacturing facility in Jaipur and scaled to 140+ stores nationwide.
