represents. “What sets Allurez apart is the fact that our jewelry is designed and made in the USA,” he says. “Our customers are the most important part of our business and the average jewelry shopper is an informed shopper,” Mahgerefteh stresses. Allurez is an active supporter of the Kimberly Process, “a joint governments, industry and civil society initiative to stem the flow of conflict diamonds – rough diamonds used by rebel movements to finance wars against legitimate governments” (www.kimberlypro- cess.com). This due diligence has satisfied Allurez’s cus- tomers which in turn has incentivized Allurez’s suppliers. “We see our suppliers as partners of Allurez, as they are an instrumental part of our success. I believe we share the same goals and values, which is mainly to satisfy our cus- tomers and to make sure we have the highest customer satisfaction rate in the industry.” “[I]f a customer has a good idea for a piece of jewelry and we dangle it out there and determine it will be popular, we are able to turn that into a design and a finished piece, and add it to our catalog in just a few days.” Mahgerefteh sees promoting the value the Allurez brand places on consumer imagination and consensus as a necessity. “I think from inception we valued our custom- ers greatly. But as time went on we have been listening to their feedback more and more and have been acting on it much faster than ever before,” he explains. “For example, if a customer has a good idea for a piece of jewelry and we dangle it out there and determine it will be popular, we are able to turn that into a design and a finished piece, and add it to our catalog in just a few days. The IT we’ve been able to utilize – not to mention the reach of the internet – has helped us grow at a much faster rate than a shopping mall store would ever be able to. We are even growing faster than our online competitors.” The lure of the brick and mortar jewelry store is not, however, so easily dismissed by traditional consumers. “There are still a lot of customers that feel more com- fortable going to a store and seeing the item in person before purchasing it,” explains Mahgerefteh. “However, shopping malls usually have a much smaller selection, they do not have customization options, and they are way overpriced. Allurez solves the problem of the customer wanting to see the item before they commit to it by offering free shipping and an easy return policy. This way a customer can buy the item from the comfort of their home, have it shipped to them for free, and try the item on, while having the confidence that they can return the
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SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2018
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