Dixons-owned Pixmania has set out ambitious plans to become the leading online European jewellery retailer within the next two years.

Pixmania has just launched its own jewellery range called Rose & Kara, offering more than 500 products such as rings and bracelets. The etailer claims that the range – priced from £300 to £3,000 – will be an average of 50% cheaper than similar items from its competitors by cutting out intermediaries and dealing directly with manufacturers.

Pixmania executive director Ulric Jerome said the initiative was inspired by the strong growth of the online jewellery market in the US.

Jerome said: “There’s an opportunity to become the biggest player in that space. There’s no-one in Europe in the online space that really sells jewellery under their own brand.

“We had the idea to democratise the sale of jewellery by offering customers the same kind of quality [as competitors] for 50% cheaper.”

It marks the second own-brand launch for the online business, originally a technology specialist, after it introduced its own range of bedding and mattresses in France last September.

Jerome said he saw an opportunity for own-brands in the fitness and sex toys categories as well as launching bedding in other countries in the next year.

Pixmania, which offers products across 20 categories, will continue to roll out three extra categories on its site every year, with health and beauty set to launch this year, he said.

About 20% of Pixmania sales are now generated outside technology categories and there are plans to increase the figure to 40% to 45% in the next three to five years.

Pixmania reported a 10% fall in like-for-like sales for the 52 weeks to April 28. Recent trading has improved, with like-for-like sales down 5% for the 16 weeks to the same date.