Signet buys Blue Nile to bolster its portfolio

Retail
Written By Rick Watson

Signet Jewelers Limited is the world's leading retailer of diamond jewelry. Blue Nile, Inc. is a leading online retailer of high-quality, conflict-free, GIA graded diamonds and fine jewelry.

Blue Nile has had an interesting history over the years both going public and being taken private, but still there is no one in the online jewelry market that matches its reach.  The tie-up was in some ways inevitable at some point given the margin pressures of purely online retail.

CNBC: Zales owner Signet buys online jewelry brand Blue Nile to bolster its portfolio

Rick Watson

Rick Watson founded RMW Commerce Consulting after spending 20+ years as a technology entrepreneur and operator exclusively in the eCommerce industry with companies like ChannelAdvisor, BarnesandNoble.com, Merchantry, and Pitney Bowes.

Watson’s work today is centered on supporting investors and management teams incubating and growing direct-to-consumer businesses. Most recently, in partnership with WHP Global, Rick was a critical resource in architecting the WHP+ platform, a new turnkey direct to consumer digital e-commerce platform that powers AnneKlein.com and JosephAbboud.com.

Watson also hosts a weekly podcast, Watson Weekly, where he shares an unbiased, unfiltered expert take on the retail sector’s biggest players.

In the past year alone, Rick has spoken at many in-person and virtual events as well as podcasts on topics ranging from retail/ecom to supply chain/logistics and even digital grocery including CommerceNext IRL, ASCM Connect, and Retail Innovation Conference.

https://www.rmwcommerce.com/
Previous

Volt Systems Acquires by Walmart to Bolster Supply Management
Next

Clutch closes $1.2M pre-seed round led by Precursor Ventures