Francesca Kennedy head of Pr & Corperate social responsibility for shop lc @ techcon southwest

Описание: great to sit down with Francesca Kennedy head of pr and corp social responsibility at Shop LC at TechCon Global southwest in Austin a couple weeks back. We talked about the growing lux market in the middle east, current geo politics non withstanding. The fact that gen z have no problem at all with lab based diamonds which is crashing the global market for the real thing.

About Shop LC and Francesca Kennedy

Shop LC is described as one of the largest jewelry manufacturers in the world.

They operate a large e-commerce site with about a quarter of a billion in annual recurring revenue (ARR).

Shop LC is based in Austin, Texas, and manufactures its products in India.

While 95% of what they sell is jewelry, the remaining 5% includes a variety of other items such as red light face masks, blankets, and clothing.

The company also runs a 24/7 shopping network, competing with HSN, and has its own production center in Austin.

Influencers, Brand Partnerships, and Audience

Shop LC does white labeling for other brands and department stores.

The company is leveraging influencers for its TikTok Shop.

They recently onboarded Lauren Anderson, a celebrity makeup artist for figures like Matthew McConaughey's wife and Madonna, to represent one of their clean products called Mary Gold and Lotus Oils Limited.

They are also rolling out a jewelry collection next month designed by American fashion designer Rachel Roy, who will also be active on social media for the launch.

The company is working to expand its audience beyond its current demographic, which is primarily women aged 50 and over, by bringing in influencers.

The speaker noted that Austin is an asset for developing relationships because many celebrities and influencers live there.

New brand partnerships include collaborations with designer Sophia and jewelry designer Stephanie Gotautle.

Technology and Innovation

Shop LC is currently demoing an AI technology tool discovered at the @ShopTalk Lux conference in Abu Dhabi to make the ring sizing experience easier for customers.

They have an AI committee that meets weekly, and every department has an AI bot.

AI is making significant changes in customer service by helping to answer basic questions and escalating issues when necessary, which has been helpful since the company historically kept its customer service in-house.

Customer Service and Company Values

Shop LC has an "unreasonable hospitality" committee focused on knowing customers, similar to what Zappos did to turn customer service into a marketing opportunity.

The goal is to be aware of their customers' life journeys, including anniversaries or difficult times like cancer treatment, and show up for them.

Market Trends in Diamonds

Shop LC offers both natural and lab-grown diamonds.

Thanks Strike Social for making this video.