IWC speaks to online shoppers in Net-A-Porter, Mr Porter ecommerce deal

IWC Pilot’s Automatic 36 stainless steel watch on Net-A-Porter

Swiss watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen has selected ecommerce retailers Net-A-Porter and Mr Porter as the brand’s first online-only retail destination.

The jewelry and watch sector has been notoriously slow to jump on board ecommerce due to the high price of most items and the limitations digital selling presents for a business firmly rooted in physical try-ons. Slowly, but surely, high-end watchmakers and jewelers have embraced ecommerce players by choosing partners with an established and strong consumer base of affluent clients.

Time to sell online
On Nov. 16, IWC began selling its timepieces on Net-A-Porter’s Web site. The watchmaker has chosen to display a curated selection of its Pilot’s Watches and Portofino lines.

IWC will launch on Net-A-Porter’s sibling menswear site Mr Porter Nov. 17. Similar to the selection available on Net-A-Porter, IWC’s Mr Porter portfolio includes core timepieces such as its Pilot’s Watches, Ingenieur, Aquatimer, Portugieser and Portofino families.

The Swiss-made watch brands will also sell its signature Portugieser Tourbillon Mystère Rétrograde model on the Mr Porter Web site.

Responding to the qualities of consumers who shop Net-A-Porter and Mr Porter, IWC choose to select watches that cater to a number of tastes. The aforementioned watch styles are ideal for sports and hobbies such as diving and aviation to casual every day dressing.

IWC Pilot’s Automatic 36 alligator and stainless steel watch on Net-A-Porter 

IWC included its tourbillon model to tap into potential watch collectors on the Mr Porter site.

“We are excited to offer a curated selection of IWC’s most iconic watches on Mr Porter and Net-A-Porter, where we can reach men and women who appreciate quality, elegance and style,” said Georges Kern, CEO of IWC, in a statement. “This is a great opportunity for us to make out products more easily accessible for a younger generation of watch lovers who are used to shopping online.”

IWC’s prices on Net-A-Porter will range from $3,950 to $37,900. The watches on sale via Mr Porter will retail for between $3,950 and $121,000.

“We are very pleased to announce out partnership with the leading Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen which will further strengthen Net-A-Porter and Mr Porter’s unparalleled luxury shopping experience,” said Federico Marchetti, CEO of Yoox Net-A-Porter Group, in a brand statement.

“This step forward will propel our fine watches and jewelry category to the next level,” he said.
In regard to jewelry offerings, Net-A-Porter recently inked a deal with Tiffany & Co. to make it the jeweler’s exclusive ecommerce partner.

As of April 27, consumers have been able to purchase select Tiffany designs from Net-A-Porter. The partnership is unprecedented for Tiffany, as Net-A-Porter will become the only authorized online seller beyond the jeweler’s monobrand Web site (see story).

from Jewelry – Luxury Daily https://www.luxurydaily.com/iwc-speaks-to-online-shoppers-in-net-a-porter-mr-porter-ecommerce-deal/
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