3 Absolutely Non-Negotiables When Buying Jewelry Online

Buying jewelry online can be a nerve-wracking experience.  After all, the only thing you have to go with is the description and guarantee the online store gives. Many that tried buying jewelry online find themselves disappointed—even cheated—when the item that they receive is nothing like the picture on the store’s website.

That said, here are three things that are absolutely non-negotiable when it comes to buying jewelry online.

1.) Check if the seller is trustworthy.

Since you’ll have to pay first before receiving the item, you need to be 100% sure that the online seller is worthy of your trust. This is even more crucial if you’re buying vintage or antique jewelry pieces. That’s because these types of jewelry don’t come with any kind of certification.

Take some time to search online to learn more about the seller to learn more about them. An excellent place to look is on social media. Here, you’ll find reviews coming from previous customers. Read through the reviews and see if there are any similar sentiments, especially among the negative comments. The more of these you’ll find, the more likely you’ll experience the same.

Also, look for their contact number and try to call it. Legitimate online sellers will have people standing by to take your call. If no one answers or if you get a prompt to leave a message, that’s a red flag that tells you to buy elsewhere.

2.) Look at the pictures and description.

Online jewelry stores would usually include several images of the same piece of jewelry at different angles. This is meant to give you a better idea of what it looks like.

Carefully inspect each of the pictures. If there are any variations to the picture quality, download copies and compare them side by side and look for any differences in the jewelry pieces. Pay more attention to the pictures that have lesser quality because, more than likely, that is what you’ll be getting.

Also, carefully read through the description provided by the seller. In addition to the flowery sales pitch, the specifications must also contain detailed information about the measurements, gemstones, and grading.

If you’re still not sure, contact the seller and request for documents like professional appraisal certifications and lab reports. If what they claim on the description is correct, they will have these documents ready to back these claims.

3.) Review the return and refund policies before buying jewelry online.

No matter how thorough you are reviewing the jewelry piece and seller, there’s always that possibility that the actual item may not be exactly what you expect. The gemstones, for example, may not be the exact color as in the pictures. Perhaps the jewelry piece is too big or too small, so it doesn’t look flattering on you.

That said, make sure to read the store’s return and refund policy carefully. They should be able to give you enough time to receive the jewelry piece and try it out. If they don’t offer any option for you to return the item and get your money back, it’s a clear sign they’re not confident in the quality of what they’re selling.

Above all, go with your gut. Legitimate, trustworthy online jewelry stores will take all the steps required to make sure their customers feel at ease. If something about how they market the jewelry piece makes you uncomfortable or think it’s too good to be true, follow your instincts. Chances are, it probably is.