All in all, purchasing diamond jewelry online is a great way to find the most options, save a ton of money, and avoid the ever-present upsell you’ll find in retail stores. However, not all online vendors are entirely scrupulous in their dealings. Let’s face it: the worldwide web is the wild west of the modern era, a lawless no-man’s land in which you’ll find both honest purveyors of goods along with those unsavory souls who would rob their Granny for a dime. In short, you need to use some common sense in order to protect yourself from the latter type of character. Here are just a few things to avoid when buying your diamond jewelry from an online retailer.
1. Prices that are too high or too low. If you pay too much online, you simply aren’t exercising due diligence. You need to price check if you want to find a good deal. On the other hand, you probably want to avoid prices that seem too low, as well. No one can afford to sell diamonds for less than they paid, so if the cost is too low, you’re likely being sold a bill of goods, so to speak.
2. Perfect diamonds. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Flawless diamonds are not only rare, they are impossible (unless the stones are lab-created). Some vendors may call diamonds flawless with the understanding that flaws are not visible to the human eye, but even if that is the case, it’s still a patently false statement. So avoid any site that claims to have perfect stones.
3. Unsecured ordering. If you do any online shopping at all, you should be aware that unsecured ordering means your sensitive information (credit card number, billing info, etc.) is not protected from prying eyes. So unless the website you’re ordering from has the lock icon (complete with security info), you should shop elsewhere.
4. Lack of certification. One thing that any diamond dealer on the up-and-up will offer is a certificate to verify the authenticity of your purchase. If this is missing, then you should think twice before buying from the vendor.
5. No returns. When it comes to buying diamonds online, you should always have the option to return your purchase if it isn’t what you want (since you can’t really see or touch it until it arrives). A 30-day money-back guarantee is pretty standard. This should give you plenty of time to get an independent appraisal to ensure quality.
