How Isaac Mayer Elevates the Customer Experience

It Isaac Mayer Fine JewelryThis showroom is located in Montreal’s busy shopping district. The jewelry shop, which is an established gem, can be found next to many shopping centers and department stores that span for miles. 

Founder Isaac Mayer personally chooses every stone and works with clients to offer an experience that’s impossible to replicate. Mayer is a third generation jeweller. He grew up working in the jewelry industry, but he started his own business at just 19 years. Fast forward 15 years, he’s busy crafting dream-worthy pieces for once-in-a-lifetime moments. 

Isaac Mayer Fine Jewelry puts care into each piece. Mayer is especially passionate about bridal—expertise highly-sought after when the COVID-19 pandemic saw a notable rise in engagements. Mayer, thankfully, was already in this new age of commerce. He had his own webshop and was interacting with his customers via social media. 

Mayer is busier than ever and took the time to talk with us about his business, holiday preparations, and being in the middle of special moments. 

Please tell me more about your company and the unique aspects that make it stand out. 

I like to say that we’re fine jewelry you could easily buy online.

The beauty with us is that everything’s done in-house. My jeweler, designer and diamond setter are all available which reduces production times. For example, making engagement rings typically takes two to three weeks, but if you call and say you’re proposing tonight and need a ring in two hours, I can also do that. Montreal is home to almost no one who offers this service. If you’re much bigger and have a manufacturer or are a wholesaler then you might be able to do it, but for someone of my size, it’s rare. 

I am also committed to customer service. I’ll redo a ring several times at no extra cost just to make sure that our customers are happy with the end result. From beginning to end, I only ask for honest reviews. Excellent service is what we stand for and it’s been working for us. 

You mention that your business is fine jewelry that’s accessible online. Which customers have taken to your omnichannel approach of selling fine jewelry? 

It’s been great—our website has been doing amazing. Three months ago we doubled our numbers from last year so we’re super happy with that—and that’s only online. Even though I consider myself to be new in the internet world, this is not a problem. We’re growing, but I still want to sharpen it. 

Also, I always have a thought in the back of my mind to eventually open a flagship in Toronto, ON, but that won’t happen for the next three to five years I’d say. We’re thinking of growing and of how to scale the business, but I want to grow in a healthy way. 

It’s clear that your business has been especially successful online. Which role can social media play when it comes to attracting new customers. 

Social media was founded around five years ago. More people are seeing my work because of these social media platforms. We have customers from Halifax, Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton—people from all over Canada—emailing and calling us. 

Because I’m a third generation jeweler, I thought everything had to be in-store—that’s what my family and I are used to—but social media definitely proved that wrong.  

What are you doing now to get ready for the holiday season? 

This year, we’ve actually started holding stock. Before, we’d have one of each piece and now, I make sure I have lots of sizes and pieces in stock at all times so we can ship quickly. We’re also preparing new merchandise—creating new designs and new pieces all the time.

Even if we are crammed with last-minute shoppers, it doesn’t matter how busy we are. We can adjust anything on the spot. This flexibility has been a huge help to us throughout the holiday season.

Was there anything you learned from last year’s holiday rush and you’re doing differently this year?  

This year, we’re starting a Christmas campaign featuring our new shipping boxes. It’s a new personalized box as opposed to a regular mailer. They’re sleek from the outside with the whole kit inside. It took me seven months to design and I put much thought into it. Our new bag features our logo on the sides. They’re beautiful and our customers can feel good walking around with them.

I have to ask—during the pandemic there was such a big increase in couples getting engaged. Is there any evidence of any changes in your business since then?

We’ve been much busier with engagement rings during the pandemic. We’ve been doing probably seven to 10 engagements per week and now, as gatherings are opening back up and couples are having smaller events, wedding bands are also very much in demand. 

I see that you share many of your customer’s engagement stories on your social media. What’s it like to be a part of those special moments? 

With my customers, I maintain a close personal relationship. When I see someone getting engaged, it’s a happiness like no other—and again, it’s not about the profit. I don’t even think about that. It’s knowing that my rings are out there and people are happy. 

This morning, a customer texted to me and asked if his rings had been placed in the Isaac Mayer box. I feel so fulfilled knowing people follow the brand. It’s a good feeling and something I never thought I would have, to be honest. 

Recently, I attended a wedding where the bands were my own. As the ring bearer walked down the aisle, it was clear that I could clearly see his box. It was a Jewish wedding, so the rabbi asked if the groom knew the wedding bands were real gold and everybody started laughing because I was in the room, so he turned around and pointed to me and said, ‘Yes, don’t worry, he’s the one who did it.’ There’s no better feeling.

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