Jewelry – especially when you select real and expensive pieces for your collection – is a major investment. As with any great investment, you want to know where your money is going and what you will be getting in return.
Since buying jewelry online is becoming increasingly popular, this post will detail the important aspects online shoppers should keep in mind before making any final purchase decisions.
Vetting Jewelry Sites
While there are multitudes of online jewelry shops, it is important to give your business to one that you can trust. Look around for independent reviews of the shop’s behavior and jewelry quality – reviews that are not on the site itself. If you can find a friend who has had experience with the particular site you are considering buying through, you can be sure of getting an honest opinion. Also check with the Better Business Bureau.
Finding Pieces That You Can Love
After you find a site that you can trust and a piece that you can’t live without, take a moment. Don’t whip out your credit card right away. Print out a picture of the piece or pieces of jewelry and visit local jewelry stores.
Chances are you’ll find better prices online, but that doesn’t matter if you discover that you don’t like the piece after you have it in your hands. Even an online store that has a great return policy won’t refund shipping and handling or insurance costs.
Trying on a similar piece of jewelry in person can help you to know whether it is worth your money.
Get What You Pay For
When shopping online, make sure that you are getting real precious metals and gems. Make sure that you will receive certification or some other form of official guarantee for any pieces purchased that are supposed to be real, such as diamonds and expensive precious metals.
Look out for creative gemstone names, as these are a big warning sign in regards to gems that are not exactly what they claim to be.
For example, blue tourmaline is often labeled as Brazilian sapphire and gems called Manchurian jade are really soapstone. This is true for many gems.
Emeraldine, while it might be a beautiful green, is really chalcedony that has been dyed, and an Alaska black diamond is simply a piece of hematite. If the price seems to be too good to be true, it probably is.
Return Policies and Warranties
Always be sure that the jewelry site you shop with – whether a US or a
Canada jewelry store or a site based in another area of the world – has a good return policy. The most common length of time for returns is 30 days, but make sure before you make your purchase.
Some of the best, most well-known online jewelry stores also have lifetime warranties on the pieces that they sell. Not every shop has this feature, though, so look before you leap.
If the shop you are considering purchasing from has no provisions for item warranties, no return policy, or simply doesn’t feel right, reconsider making that buy. It might be wise to work with another online jewelry store.
Just a little research and careful thought can help you to buy jewelry online safely, meaning you won’t have to hesitate when buying in the future.
