Blue Nile Plans First Webroom Outside of New York

(IDEX Online News) – Seattle-based jewelry e-tailer Blue Nile has announced that it will open a third retail location or “webroom,” likely to be in Washington D.C., according to a report in the Seattle Sun Times.

The company opened its first webroom in New York in June. Blue Nile plans to add a second location in White Plains, New York in early summer, and the third webroom planned for Tyson’s Corner Center in DC, is slated to open mid-summer.

“With its tech-savvy, early adopter residents, the Washington, DC area is a strong market for Blue Nile and an ideal location for our third Webroom,” said Blue Nile chief merchandising officer Julie Yoakum.

Blue Nile’s webrooms offer consumers an opportunity to “try before they buy.” The physical stores do not complete sales, but customers can try on rings and other jewelry they have seen online, as well as talk to professionals.

In-store purchases at the webrooms are still processed via online tablets, but several companies, not just Blue Nile, have invested in retail space with low overheads and a small footprint. The trend has been labeled “going from clicks to bricks.”