How to Stay Safe when Buying Diamonds from an Online Jewellery Shop
Since the early 2000s, nearly every major consumer product industry has pivoted towards growing their business through online sales. The jewellery industry is no exception to this retail trend. However, given the high monetary investment and personal affection attached to buying diamond jewellery, many shoppers are wary of buying from an online jewellery shop and still prefer to purchase in-store.
Fortunately, most of the fears and suspicions associated with buying diamonds online can be allayed thanks to advances in online shopping security and through approved diamond authentications. In fact, there are a host of benefits that shoppers receive when buying online that they would not receive when buying in-store.
We will cover some of the outdated apprehensions involved with buying diamond jewellery online as well as discuss the advantages that online shopping provides.
Dispelling Fears
During the relatively brief time that online shopping has proliferated the retail industry, we’ve all been on high alert for scams and rip-offs. Before e-commerce platforms had verified sellers and safety protocols to ensure buyer protection, online shopping was a little risky. Any seller on eBay or similar platforms could post realistic photos and descriptions of products with an attractive price, only to ship a knock-off or counterfeit product and leave the buyer without the ability to return the item or get their money back.
Even if you avoided this dreaded experience, it’s likely to have happened to someone you know, thus creating a bubbling suspicion when buying any high-value item online. It’s this fear of being scammed that oftens drives people to want to see and touch high-value items, such as diamonds, before buying.
Today, e-commerce is so commonly used that virtually every brand has an e-commerce offering of some sort. When you buy directly from the brand, the fears of buying from an untrustworthy source are quelled; as such, when buying diamond jewellery online, it’s advisable to buy directly from a trusted retailer.
How do you Know if an Online Retailer is Trustworthy?
Online jewellery shops know that customers are hesitant about buying online. To combat this preconception, they are very transparent about their product offerings. Because of the value of diamonds and unsavoury trade history associated with them, it is necessary for retailers to authenticate the diamonds they sell. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is a world-leader in certifying the origins and quality of diamonds through issuing detailed reports. If a diamond or a piece of jewellery such as a diamond necklace is for sale without a certificate from the GIA or another accredited organisation, it should be avoided.
MarryMeDiamonds takes transparency seriously and guarantees that all their diamonds are high quality, and that all diamonds over .30 carat are sold with a corresponding GIA certificate. By providing the GIA certificate, MarryMeDiamonds guarantees that what buyers are paying for is exactly what they are receiving. MarryMeDiamonds additionally offers one free resizing for diamond rings sold online and a 30-day exchange policy for an item of equal or lesser value.
Benefits of Buying Online
Since we’ve established that buying diamond jewellery online from a trusted retailer is safe, it is helpful to understand how buying online may be more beneficial than buying in-store, with the most salient benefit being cost savings.
Online jewellery shops are able to sell their diamonds at a reduced price when compared to similar stones or pieces sold in shops. This is because offline retailers need to factor in additional costs such as overheads, offline marketing, and sales staff wages and commission, when building their pricing structure. Online, these costs are non-existent, and retailers pass the savings on to their customers.
Shopping for jewellery online allows for customers to conduct extensive research, compare prices and designs, and have time to make a decision without the pressure of a salesperson trying to close a sale. Should MarryMeDiamonds customers wish to speak to a salesperson in real time, they can contact us directly through email, Facebook messenger, or LINE.
Finally, customers buying online will have access to a wider selection of diamond rings, earrings, and other pieces of jewellery that may not be available in-store. With high-quality photos and videos showcasing each piece of jewellery, online shoppers can get a realistic look at each piece.
Whether you are shopping for an engagement ring or another piece of diamond jewellery, consider buying it online from a trusted retailer like MarryMeDiamonds. By doing so, you’ll be sure to receive a high-quality, GIA-certified diamond at a more affordable price.