Apr 18, 2006 6:48 PM , By Jim Tierney and John Fischer
Cranston, RI-based jeweler and décor merchant Ross-Simons has launched two new titles. Last month it mailed Via, which sells fashion-forward jewelry. And this month it introduced Global Treasures, specializing in jewelry and gifts from around the world.
Via mailed in early March to 1.1 million customers and prospects, primarily women 30-50 years old who have an average annual income of $60,000. This audience is both younger and less affluent than the typical Ross-Simons customer, a 58-year-old woman with an average income of $120,000-$150,000. " identified a new customer segment that we werent capturing," says Ross-Simons director of merchandising Patricia Ginesky.
Ginesky describes Via as 'chic, trendy, stylish, edgy, teetering on a little sexy!'.With items such as Italian gold hoop earrings for $275 and multistoned necklaces from $225 to $395, Via moves away from Ross-Simons's more traditional, conservative offerings of cultured pearl bracelets and rainbow butterfly pins.
Ross-Simons dropped 865,000 copies of its other new title, Global Treasures, this month. It plans to follow up in mid-May with a mailing of 735,000. So far the book is going primarily to customers, says senior marketing director John Buleza. Items range from hammered-silver cuff bracelets from Israel that sell for $127.50 to a pink-tourmaline-and-diamond necklace from India for $2,995. A smattering of non-jewelry items for travelers are also included, such as a $299.95 cashmere travel kit that includes a throw, a pillow cover, socks, and an eye mask.
At the same time it launched the titles, Ross-Simons also killed two others: Gift Book Digest and Fashion Preview.
source : http://multichannelmerchant.com/mcmweekly/Ross-Simons_new_04182006/
