Is It Safe to Buy Jewelry On Line?

I think a lot of people ask these days if it is safe to buy jewelry on line.  There appear to be a lot of bargains out there, but are the sellers really legitimate and is the jewelry as advertised.  Well, yes I think to some degree you are taking a chance buying on line.  But if you use some common sense, you can minimize your risk to almost zero.

The first thing to decide is your comfort level.  Are you only going to be comfortable buying on line from known or large companies, or are you willing to check out sites such as eBay.  If you are only comfortable with larger companies, I think you will find most of them have their own sites which are safe and secure.  A lot of well-known designers also have their own sites where you can purchase their jewelry.  Just check these sites for their return policies and make sure they have a secure system for taking a credit card.  It's very unlikely you would run into any difficulties with these sites.

If you want to branch out and look at sites such as Etsey and eBay there are many ways to determine how honest sellers are and how safe the transaction should be.  The best way to learn about seller's reputations is to check feedback and read the forums.  eBay gives a Top Rated Seller badges to those sellers who meet a certain criteria for standing behind their products and giving excellent customer service.  You can even use Top Rated Seller as one of your search criteria.  However, even though a seller has  a Top Rated Seller's badge, be sure to also take a look at their feedback.  Some large sellers can obtain Top Rated Seller status with a lot of negatives simply because they have such a high volume.  You may want to know the reason for these negatives.

Sites like Etsey, eBay and Bonanzle also have forums where vendors chat with each other.  This is an excellent place to learn about someone you may be thinking about making a purchase from.  Are they respectful of others?  Do they seem to know what they are talking about?  Do crafters give you some information about how their jewelry is created and the work that goes into it?  There are a lot of clues available in these forums.  Often you can find out what the vendors are saying on other sites as well by Googling their seller's id.  You may discover blogs the vendors are writing as well as where else they are selling.  Once you've learned a little about a vendor, you are more likely to have a pleasant transaction.

Of course, on any site, common sense has to play a factor.  Do you honestly think you are going to get a diamond ring for .99?  Does the item title match the description?  The title may say 18K gold, but the description might read 18K gold plated or gold filled.  Be very sure that misleading titles don't fool you.  Also, is the item being imported?  If the item is coming from another country and it turns out to be fake, do you want to go to the trouble of returning it?  Does the vendor even have a return policy?  Don't let greed or the desire for a bargain gainsay common sense.  Think before you buy!

Take a close look at the jewelry  photos.  Most good sellers will provide as many good close up pictures as possible.  Unfortunately, some store fronts don't allow more than one close up photo, so pictures should not be your only criteria.  A vendor may be 100% legitimate, but they are stuck with the limitations of their host.  You should always feel free to e-mail them and ask for more pictures via e-mail.  Any legitimate seller should be more than happy to provide these.

Lastly, you should be able to e-mail any legitimate vendor on the internet and receive an answer in a reasonable period of time.  They should be more than willing to answer any questions you have and clarify payment and shipping.  Just keep in mind that the seller may be in a different time zone and may only work regular business hours.  But, if you don't hear from them in a reasonable time regarding a purchase, how long would it take them to get back to you if there's a problem?

I believe buying jewelry on the internet can be 100% safe.  Just take your time, and learn which vendors are trustworthy.  Don't make any huge purchases until you've bought a few smaller items and feel comfortable with a seller.  If you exercise common sense and do a little background research, there is very little risk.