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| Home > Jewelry Articles > Jewelry Online |
An Idiot's Guide on Buying Jewelry Online |
Online shopping is more of a reality nowadays than a fad. It is no longer a "new" thing as some online shopping sites have been in the industry for almost ten years or more. Online shopping offers various advantages such as convenience and zero travel time. However, it also has its own flaws such as the possibility of scams and not being able to see or feel the product first hand other than the photo offered in the site.
In terms of buying jewelry online, here are some of the things you should take note to avoid the major disadvantages of online shopping.
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1. Know what you want. |
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This is basically the same as writing a list down before you go grocery shopping. Do you want a tennis bracelet or a diamond solitaire ring? How do you want the rock mounted? This will make searching for the merchandise faster and easier.
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2. Read up on your choice. |
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Know what you need to about your choice of jewelry. If you plan on buying a gold pendant, read up on "karat"; know its difference with "carat"; and choose if you want yellow, white, pink, or green gold. If you plan to buy a diamond ring, read up on clarity, color, cut, and carat of diamonds. We could go on here, but basically, the more you know about your choice, the more it will become easy for you to find what you like. It will also be harder for you to get scammed such as buying rubbish jewelry for an extraordinary price.
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3. Choose a well-trusted online jewelry site. |
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But how will you know if a site is to be trusted or is legitimate? In buying jewelry online, you use your favorite search engine to search for, let us say, on "pearl necklace." The topmost result is usually there because of its good standing in the online jewelry community. Click any one of the links on top. Once there, check the interface of the site. If it looks well-maintained, very user-friendly, and there are no grammatical or typographical errors, then that is a good start.
Check out if it has a site map and a "Frequently Asked Questions" page. Normally, legitimate sites usually have these to support their client base. Then see on the "Contact Us" page if they have customer service number and a physical address to go to in case of any problem. Call its 800 number just to see if it is a real number or to ask questions about their company. If no one answers or if the automated system says that the number you dialed is no longer active, it's best to move down on your list.
As for the address, if it is a P.O. Box, then better skip and check other sites with real physical addresses you can go to for customer issues.
Finally, check their online form for buying the jewelry. It should be in a secured page to reassure you that your information will be sent through a secured portal.
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4. Enlarge the picture. |
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Let us say you found a well-trusted site and you saw one piece of jewelry you want. Here is where it gets tricky. Since you are only checking the picture, try clicking on it as some sites have the option to enlarge the picture so you can view it more closely. Check on its details, which are usually found on the base of the picture. It should say how many karats that necklace is or what color grade that pendant is at. If you are still in doubt, then you can call the customer service number of your chosen site for further assistance.
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5. Check if there is a return policy. |
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Know about your consumer rights. If you are in any way dissatisfied on the product you bought, you should know that you have the right to return that product to the seller for a full refund. Your online jewelry site should have this very same policy written in black and white.
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6. Ask for certification. |
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This reassures you further on the grades of the jewelry you brought, boosting that piece of jewelry's authenticity. Some might not have this certification, but for further verification, you may choose to find jewelry with documentation.
These are the basics you need to cover and know when buying jewelry online. Remember, jewelries also become heirlooms, so it really is a good idea to buy them from the most trusted sites.
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Chosen by Modern Bride Magazine 2006 |
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"We couldn't believe the amazing jewelry we had on our models for our photo shoot" |
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"The only source for quality jewelry online." - For The Bride Magazine |
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