In an effort to not only be up-to-date on technology but also to gain the attention of possible younger clientele, created an application for iPhones.
The application launched about three weeks ago and had more than 1,000 downloads in its first week, Anthony Ahee said. The application has more than 100 images and a video featuring a variety of jewelry.
The application has several categories including bridal, timepieces, lifestyle, jewelry and one to connect users with the store's website. Users may click on one of three buttons that appear on any page with jewelry or a watch--one allows users to comment, one allows users to send the information via email, Facebook or Twitter, and the third allows users to indicate they like a particular piece.
Ahee said his family's store is the only small jeweler with such an application. Some larger chains, like Tiffany's, have applications but there are not many, according to searches within the iTunes store.
In part that might be what is driving the success of their application. Ahee said many of the downloads are a result of a person searching application stores for general items like engagement rings and the Ahee application is among the top listed.
Creating the application was reasonable and well worth the money, Ahee said. The hope is that it will create a draw with potential younger clientele, he said. Additionally, everyone these days seems to be getting smart phones, he said, noting it satisfies the growing need for immediate interaction and gratification.
The application will be updated regularly with new images and pieces, Ahee said, noting the pictures are all high resolution and translate well from an iPhone to an iPad.
There is some content that is updated daily through RSS feeds from some of the jewelry magazines, Ahee said. The area is most easily identified in the lifestyle category--in which different topics, articles or pictures appear every time that category is visited or reloaded.
"You're seeing more and more companies going this way," Ahee said, of using more interactive advertising methods.
In addition to seeing the data from downloads of the application, Ahee said and the family have heard positive response from many people in the Pointes.
The downloads from other countries are not necessarily going to result in sales for the store, but it's fun to see the interest and how well the application is fairing in generic searches, he said.
It's more about being a fun medium, Ahee said.