You purchase your airline tickets at Expedia, your textbooks at Amazon, your furniture on eBay and your sports tickets at Ticketmaster, so why shouldn’t you buy your jewelry on the Internet? Experts say that this is a bad move because you honestly never know what you’re going to get. Unfortunately, more jewelers than not post inaccurate pictures of jewelry on the websites to encourage remote buyers to send a credit card payment. When the jewelry arrives at the home of the buyer, more often than not, they’re disappointed.
There are many different factors that go into buying expensive jewelry on the Internet. You’ll want to know the size of the piece, the clarity and size of the stone(s), the approximate value, the color and a host of other information. Most Internet jewelry stores don’t disclose this information and often mislead you based on the picture showcased on the website. In most cases, according to the Jewelers Vigilance Committee, the pictures on the website are actually just generic photos of jewelry and are not representative of the actual piece.
Experts say that you should never buy jewelry on the Internet if the piece is valued at more than $500, which seems to be a universal rule. Consumers have had numerous problems with jewelry they’ve bought on the Internet, and in most cases, don’t have the ability to get a refund. It’s quite easy for an Internet-based jewelry store to set up shop under one domain (and business license), then switch two weeks later under a totally different design. Dissatisfied customers can’t find them and they are able to continue peddling their substandard jewelry.
This doesn’t mean that you can’t shop for jewelry on the Internet. Visit the websites for local jewelers to get an idea for their inventory before going to see their storefront in person. It’s never a good idea to buy from a dealer that doesn’t have a brick-and-mortar location. Anyone can sell costume jewelry out of their basement and lift pictures of fine jewelry from the De Beer’s website. Once you’ve made that credit card payment, it won’t matter what actually comes in the mail — if anything.
Experts also advise consumers to work only with businesses that offer a generous refund policy on jewelry. You can usually find this information under Terms of Service or Terms and Conditions, which are usually located at the bottom of the home page. Read up on their refund policy and always go somewhere else if the words All Sales Are Final appear anywhere on the website. It just isn’t worth the risk.
It is also never good to buy jewelry on the Internet if the precise information about the piece isn’t given. The best online jewelers will have links to their lab reports which state the precise size, shape, value, cut and clarity of stones and jewelry. If there’s just a descriptive paragraph under the picture, you should know that you’re moving into dangerous territory.
Until the law (and customer service) catches up with technology, stick to making big purchases in actual stores where you know you can find the owner. If you are tempted to buy jewelry on the Internet, find a phone number and contact them directly. Ask important questions that will tell you whether or not they know what they’re doing. Look for professionally-designed websites with lots of information as well as terms regarding their purchase policies, and never buy jewelry that you can’t return within a reasonable time frame.
