Page 34 - Cross-Border Magazine Nr.3

LET’S TALK ABOUT SELLING JEWELLERY

ONLINE, PACKAGING, AND GOING

INTERNATIONAL WITH ANDREJ SCHATTE

FROM VALMANO.

THINK INSIDE

THE BOX!

Text: Janine Nöthlichs // Photos: Léon van Bon

Think inside the box? Yes, exactly! The way your product is wrapped and packed is important
for the feeling and experience the customer has when unboxing their order. Unboxing videos
have become a social media phenomenon, most likely because of the emotional power of the

moment of receiving and unpacking a package. This should be a moment online sellers are very
aware about. By creating the right experience, they can do a lot to strengthen their bond with the
customer and the overall image their brand transmits. Who wants to receive a two-thousand-
dollar watch packed in bubble wrap? In Berlin, we met Logistics Manager Andrej Schatte of the
jewellery pure-player Valmano and spoke about the importance of packaging, the history of the
young Berlin-based market disruptor and their international aspirations.

an you tell us a bit more about how Valmano was Which channels are you using?
founded? “When Germany stabilised, we added an Austrian site to ‘prac-
C“The company emerged from a joint venture of the Pro tise’ a bit in the international business. In the run of this year we
Sieben Sat 1 AG, an investment group very similar to Rocket will add a dot-com website to serve international customers.”
Internet, called Epic Companies. They started several e-com-
merce ventures but ceased to exist in 2014. Valmano is one of the Aren’t you afraid the brands that you are selling will start
very few that still exists, and Valmano was performing positively selling directly to the consumer and push you out of the
at that time. We were founded in 2013, and attracted a second market?
investor, a large holding company from Luxemburg called “No, I think we are rather convenient for them. Everything we
Fiparel, owned by the Antwerp-based jewellery seller Wechsler. do in terms of marketing and branding, they do as well, but
Since December they have been our complete owner.” not with the focus on selling. Selling is what we specialise in.
Moreover, we take care of the fulfilment and the whole process
What is the strength of Valmano? around that.”
“Large jewellery sellers have long focused on the physical retail
world and are only slowly starting to explore the online world. Which are the special challenges in the online
The market for watches and jewellery online is present, but still jewellery sector?
quite small. We are good at what we do. If you are looking for a “Theft is a very important factor that we constantly have to
good online jewellery merchant in Germany, you won’t beat us!” watch out for. A second crucial thing is customer experience.

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