There is very little you can’t now buy online. Pretty much all of us do most of our purchasing via our computers and devices and it works out fine most of the time, though it’s worth noting that some transactions are taking longer to adapt to the internet age.
For instance, a few short years ago we wouldn’t have ever considered conducting face-to-face discussions with our doctors online or sought therapy via Zoom, but that too is now a familiar action and one that has greatly aided people’s lives on the whole.
When it comes to buying items online whereas shopping for clothes and groceries is now commonplace, ordering and buying jewelry is still something that many of us would be worried about doing. That seems perfectly reasonable given that the interaction relates to the purchasing of something of value that could, in theory, arrive at your door inaccurately.
Perhaps a gold name necklace that you bought as a gift for a loved one, that has now found its way, maybe by accident, to another address.
Maybe the item you ordered isn’t the one you receive or, in the worst-case scenario, an expensive item never arrives at all. However you needn’t worry too much as most reputable jewelry outlets that sell online offer a great deal of protection and adopt a number of precautions to avoid such mishaps.
Nonetheless, to help you in your pursuit of buying jewelry online, here’s a run down of some important aspects to take into account before you hit ‘buy’.
Check the Returns Policy
As the main concerns you might have relate to the quality of the jewelry you are ordering you might want to make sure that you are covered by a strong returns policy before you make your purchase. Most trustworthy establishments will offer a 7-day return policy from the day of arrival.
Research the Brand or Site that you are Shopping With
Now ideally the place you are buying online jewelry from will be a household name, and therefore some of the perceived danger is ruled out, but if not you should check out online reviews of the relevant site or brand.
This is very easy to do and will give you a very good indication of the reputation of the seller and that will either ease your mind or make you quickly reassess your plans.
Make Sure the Purchase Includes an Appraisal
So as to confirm the validity of the item you’ve bought you should make sure that it comes with a certificate of authenticity. This will outline key information on the product such as carat weight, cut and color (particularly relevant for gemstones) and this is then something you can always assess yourself to confirm from your end.
Request Relevant Documentation
In order to further validate your purchase, especially for items that include diamonds, ask for a GIA diamond grading report and for other items with similar levels of documentation. These will help reassure you of the quality of the item that you’ve either purchased or are about to buy.
Make Sure Your Insurance Covers the Purchase
You can look to insure the item you are about to buy, ahead of time, by contacting your insurance agent who should be able to cover you prior to you hitting ‘buy’ on the specific site you are purchasing from. This is also relevant for your homeowners insurance, in other words making sure that such a purchase is covered by your existing coverage.
Make Sure it Fits
Some items of jewelry, think rings for instance, will have to fit well in order for them to be relevant. Most reputable outlets will offer relevant sizing information and will offer you returns based on the possibility that these items won’t fit.
This could also be relevant for necklaces and bracelets and making sure that the item fits is clearly harder to do when you are not shopping in person, hence the need for an online outlet to offer you the tools to make sure this aspect is covered by their overall service.
Eliminating Almost All Elements of Risk
Shopping online is fraught with potential elements of risk. Most industries and activities that take place online have adapted to such concerns and helped to bridge the gap between outlet and user in as easy a way as possible.
For some purchases, such as jewelry, there are more steps that need to be taken and hence the need to be very vigilant as a customer. Always think twice before making a purchase of valuable jewelry online, especially if the deal seems too good to be true.
Never make impulse purchases, always do your research and consider how you might recoup or refund the sum you’ve invested, just in the case things don’t go according to plan.
Clearly when you order groceries online and you receive a pint of milk that is out of date then you haven’t lost too much and you might not even bother querying the issue.
However the purchasing of a 24-carat gold necklace with a bespoke design, resplendent with a number of priceless gemstones, you won’t be quite so willing to accept a mistake that results in an item arriving that is nothing more than plated metal and sham stones.
In other words there is a lot more to lose when buying an expensive luxury item and therefore you should place an additional step or two between the formulating of an idea to buy and the act of completing the purchase.
Always think twice before hitting buy, that should be your golden rule.
