Customers enjoy when a shop offers a one-of-a-kind experience. Kyle Sweatman recognized that when he worked in merchandising for Silver Dollar City Attractions in Branson, Missouri, and began offering a pick-a-pearl station for customers to grab an oyster to pick their own pearl souvenir.
Sweatman says the pick-a-pearl concept was so well received at Silver Dollar City that he decided to launch Island Pearl Traders to sell the do-it-yourself (DIY) pick-a-pearl experience to other retailers about a year ago. The wholesaler provides retailers with DIY kits that customers can purchase to take the pick-a-pearl experience home with them and make their own jewelry. “Every single item that we have has a QR code on the back of it that explains to customers [through a video] how to open an oyster,” says Sweatman.
Island Pearl Traders can also help retailers figure out how to set up a station in their shops to cut the oysters and make the jewelry for their customers. While this approach requires staffing, Sweatman notes that going the extra step to open the oysters for customers can boost sales and draw more people to the store.
“What we’ve found is customers want to be served,” he explains. “They don’t always want to take home the oyster. So, if you eliminate that portion of it, your sales drastically increase.”
Sweatman concludes that offering DIY experiences resonates well with customers and helps them make fond memories.
