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Tuesday, September 01, 2009

Blue Nile Gets Redesign to Attract Diamond-Buyers

By Kathryn Elizabeth Tuggle

FOXBusiness

On Tuesday, Blue Nile (NILE) the online purveyor of fine jewelry and diamonds, launched a major overhaul of its Web site that many say is targeted to women.

The Seattle-based site, which is well-known for offering a large selection of engagement rings, now offers a feature called “Build Your Own Ring,” where shoppers can compare diamond cuts and metals side-by side and design their ideal engagement ring. The shopping experience has also been streamlined into one page so customers no longer have to click back and forth between different images or descriptions.

Founded in 1999, the company had its IPO in 2004 and sold $295 million worth of jewelry in 2008. The redesign, which was started last year, is the first the Web site has had in more than 10 years.

With online retailers struggling to offer the kind of in-store experience shoppers crave, a redesign that mimics a detailed buying experience may boost Blue Nile’s sales down the road. Blue Nile faces most of its competition from competitors like Tiffany and Co. (TIF)

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