Blue Nile makes another move to win with Webrooms

Leading online jeweler Blue Nile is set to open its first physical location outside of New York City in an ongoing effort to reimagine the jewelry buying experience.



Seattle-based Blue Nile said it would open a Webroom concept at Tysons Corner Center mall in Fairfax County, Virginia by mid-summer as part of a strategy to open four total locations this year. Blue Nile, which generated sales last year of $480 million, opened its first Webroom in June 2015 at Roosevelt Field Mall in Garden City, New York. The company said that location exceeded its expectations and recently said it would open a second Webroom location by early summer at the Westchester Mall in White Plains, New York.



“With its tech-savvy, early adopter residents, the Washington, D.C., area is a strong market for Blue Nile and an ideal location for our third Webroom,” said Blue Nile Chief Merchandising Officer Julie Yoakum. “The Webroom is on the other end of the spectrum from traditional jewelry stores, in terms of both physical look and shopping experience. We’re going to shock some people – in a good way.”



Blue Nile describes its Webrooms as physical display rooms that reimagine the retail experience giving consumers yet another way to shop along with their PC, phone, or tablet. Unlike traditional jewelry stores, Blue Nile’s Webrooms are highly efficient, low overhead, and small footprint installations, according to the company. They give consumers the ability to view the company’s products in person, while still enjoying the advantages of online prices, pressure-free advice, huge selection, and great quality. All transactions continue to happen online via in-store tablets and with the help of non-commissioned consultants.