Buying Jewelry Online: How To Choose The Right Company
For anyone looking to purchase fine jewelry, online shopping can
be a great way to find the right piece at the right price. There
can be many advantages to buying fine jewelry online - with
savings being one of the major factors. Reputable online
jewelers usually have much lower overhead costs, and can pass
those savings on to the consumer. Another advantage of buying
fine jewelry online is convenience - you need travel no further
than your computer to choose your jewelry and make your
purchase. This being said, there are things you need to consider
in order to make your fine jewelry purchase a positive
experience.
Choose a Jeweler You Trust The first thing you need to do is
find an online jewelry store that you can trust. You will have
to do a little bit of detective work in order to eliminate the
less desirable companies and end up with a list of jewelers that
you feel confident doing business with.
Find out if the website is secure. The jeweler's website should
have 128bit SSL security. This is an absolute must when you are
purchasing online, since you will most likely be using a credit
card or supplying your bank account information. Somewhere along
the line you will be supplying information about yourself, and
the 128bit SSL security will ensure that no unauthorized party
can get access to your information.
Also, any diamond you buy, whether it is online or from a store,
should come with a diamond certificate. The Gemological
Institute of America independently certifies diamonds providing
information on a diamond's characteristics such as color,
clarity and size. This is your best way of knowing the quality
of the diamond you are buying.
The Online Jewelry Store Should Provide Excellent Customer
Service This cannot be stressed strongly enough. Before you make
a fine jewelry purchase from a website consider contacting the
jeweler's customer service department by email and by phone.
When talking to a customer service representative, ask questions
and pay close attention to the responses you receive. If the rep
seems irritated with your questions or is spending the entire
phone call trying to rush you into buying a product, consider
that a "red flag".
If you contact them by email, check to see how quickly they
reply. It should take them no longer than 48 hours during the
business week - within 24 hours is the ideal. Look for
professionalism and a helpful attitude in their emails.
The Website Should Be Informative The jeweler's website itself
should have information on how to buy a quality diamond, the
different types of precious metals, etc. They should have a wide
variety of choices, and be able to help you find what is right
for you. By providing you with information the company is
helping you make an educated purchase.
Look for Quality Craftsmanship What the Internet can offer you
is the chance to shop several stores without having to drive all
over town; this allows you to choose a company whose fine
jewelry shows attention to detail and craftsmanship.
The Return Policy Can Be Important What if you receive the
jewelry and are dissatisfied? Review the company's return policy
before you buy so you know what rights you have if you want to
return your fine jewelry purchase.
See If They Offer Extra Perks Things like free shipping add up
to big savings. If the online jeweler is located outside of the
state you are buying from you pay no sales tax. Free shipping
combined with no sales tax can make a big difference in your
bottom line. Some companies offer a discount on your next
purchase. This can also save you big money. If a company is
offering these or other incentives, they will likely have this
information throughout the site and in their shopping cart.
Your Jewelry Purchase Should Provide Good Value for the Money
When buying fine jewelry, you are getting a piece that will last
a lifetime and become a family heirloom. Look for fine jewelry
that offers the best value which is not only determined by how
much the jewelry costs but by the quality of the piece and the
materials used.
Online jewelry shopping offers convenience, selection and value.
Consider the factors above when making your next fine jewelry
purchase so you find the online jeweler that is right for you.