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Who are Mariner Duty Free Ltd
?
Mariner Duty Free Ltd is a privately held
company founded by Mr. Chris Burgess and Mr. Gerrard Spray. Both
have coloured stone and diamond diplomas from the Gemological
Institute of America.
Whilst spending a combined 20 years at sea, they discovered the
potential for jewellery retailing was largely overlooked when
compared to the highly developed shopping programs catering to
cruise ship passengers while they are ashore.
The ships had always been reticent to invest in fine jewellery,
thus failing to capitalize on the reality that shopping is one key
aspect of nearly everyone’s vacation. Historically, jewellery is a
popular vacation purchase due to its tax-free status, portability,
perceived investment potential and its significance as an emotional
indulgence befitting a special occasion such as a cruise.
Independently while still working as onboard retail managers, Chris
and Gerrard began to source merchandise indigenous to the ship’s
location. Region-specific jewellers, with specialized product
knowledge, were provided a complimentary cabin in exchange for bringing along
their showpieces.
Despite being a captive audience, passengers were not overwhelmed
with countless offers but were invited to participate in contests,
lectures and presentations. Significant revenues resulted. Guests
enjoyed the special events and praised the convenience and peace of
mind they experienced buying onboard.
When Mr. Burgess and Mr. Spray hung up their lifejackets and were
no longer logistically limited to one ship at a time, they teamed
up to establish a company that could offer a continual flotilla of
trunk shows. Currently, MDF are delivering in excess of 250
trunk shows per annum and are
continually on the lookout for unusual products and vendors to keep
passengers captivated.
Their global product knowledge and relationships with reliable
suppliers worldwide make them a unique force within the industry.
We have designed a
frequently
asked questions page to give a more detailed look at what a
trunk show comprises of and how a trunk show can benefit your
company.
While our frequently asked questions page offers greater detail of
how a trunk show works and what it can offer you, please do contact
us if you require any further information. For your convenience,
here is a
direct link to our contact page. |
