In the olden days, buying jewelry meant spending hours at various stores around the city, negotiating prices, testing authenticity, and finding the right designs to suit your style. However, buying jewelry is no longer a hassle thanks to the internet and many online stores.
But, now that you have the convenience in the palm of your hands and are spoilt for choice, another question arises. How does one determine the best jewelry to buy online? Well, it is all about knowing which platforms to trust and the ones that offer the best prices on the most unique pieces. You can browse all you want, but before you order, it is important to know some basic tips and tricks to ensure the purchase is worth it once it arrives in the mail. Here are a few suggestions that can help:
1. Compare prices before you make a purchase
Online retailers can offer much better prices because they are cutting on traditional overheads associated with a brick-and-mortar store like electricity, rent, and numerous others. Trusted sellers make it a point to pass these benefits down to the customer through incredible discounts, refund policies, free shipping, custom engraving, etc.
Since online jewelry stores are cost-effective, their prices are highly competitive. There are chances that you can find a great deal on an item you are eyeing but at a different online shop. Therefore, it pays to browse a few known businesses and compare prices for the same item before you make a decision.
2. Get an idea of the sizes
Knowing your jewelry size is extremely important, especially for items like rings or tragus jewelry, bangles, and rings. Since it is hard to get a real perspective of the size from the pictures available online, you will need to use a chart, which is also effective only when you know what that size actually looks and feels like. This point becomes even more important when purchasing a gift for someone.
Furthermore, knowing the size of the person you are buying for it is also crucial. You wouldn’t want to order a proposal ring only to find out it is too large or too small to fit on your partner’s finger. A larger ring can be made to fit, but a small ring is hard to adjust for a bigger finger size. Therefore, make sure you know the correct measurements beforehand.
3. Research is extremely important
Indeed, you have the convenience and flexibility of shopping for a wide range of jewelry with a few clicks, but since you are purchasing an expensive item, you wouldn’t want it to be anything less than perfect. In order to ensure this, here are a few things you need to research before clicking “buy now”:
- Authenticity: There are various kinds of stones, gems, and materials when picking jewelry. If you are buying an expensive necklace, ring, bracelet, or any other kind of jewelry, verifying the authenticity is crucial. Ask the store if they will provide a certificate for the item and cross-examine the document to ensure it is not fake,
- Online reviews of the business: Thanks to the internet, feedback about almost every business is public information. Unsatisfied customers are quite vocal about their experiences. Make sure to go through the reviews of a business before you purchase,
- Relying on recommendations: This is something that most people follow. Ask around in your social circle, particularly from people you trust, about relevant suggestions for reliable jewelry stores online. Be sure to buy only from businesses that are highly recommended,
- Ask questions: It is part of great customer service to not be irked by genuine questions. Make sure you present as many queries as you have until you are satisfied that the business is what they claim to be. If any store doesn’t respond to you appropriately, that’s a red flag,
- Check the return and refund policy: Online stores pride themselves on their refund and return policies. Make sure that you get reviews about these as well. Check with the store what their guidelines are and then verify the claims that they make through past customers.
You can also integrate other elements into the research that you feel are important to put your mind at ease.
4. Check for availability
Orders are often accepted, but then you get an email or a text message stating that the item is currently out of stock. That is a huge heartbreak! The best way to avoid this is to use their online chat to double-check the availability before you place an order. This is especially important because, in case of unavailability, stores insist you buy something else at the same price. That may not work for you as there are chances that you wouldn’t like any other item in the store. Even when the refund is processed, it can take time and the whole process is a hassle.
5. Warranties are important
A guarantee is necessary. If the jewelry does not come with a warranty, do not purchase it online. Warranties can have a significant influence in ensuring the business you are purchasing from is willing to stand behind its goods. Make sure a warranty covers the jewelry. In the absence of a warranty, you will not be pleased to learn that the expensive jewelry you just bought is phony.
It is, therefore, imperative to be cautious. Given the fact that jewelry is expensive, you wouldn’t want to spend a considerable amount only to learn that what you got is fake and is not covered by any warranty whatsoever. It is always better to play safe than sorry, especially when purchasing items that cost a lot of money.
Conclusion
Buying jewelry online has a lot of benefits that range from convenience to price benefits and include a lot more. Still, that doesn’t mean every item you find online is reliable and exactly as advertised. You need to be careful and vigilant before spending any money on a purchase because, with an online store, there is minimal accountability and you just can’t visit their physical location to demand a refund, as there isn’t any. Research and verify before making a purchase.
Iskra Banović is our seasoned Editor-in-Chief at Blufashion. She has been steering the website’s content and editorial direction since 2018. With a rich background in fashion design, Iskra’s expertise spans across fashion, interior design, beauty, lifestyle, travel, and culture.
