Why is everything so overpriced or horrible selection?

[Marlow]

Marlow,
The OP has not broken any rules, although some of it might have skirted close.

I, for one, would like this thread to stay, as it highlights the reality of the gem business in that it isn't as easy or straightforward as it seems on the surface.

Interesting... trade person are sharks, are parasites... this is o.k. here...

 

[jeanine112]

I found both Gemfix.com and Gemstoneuniverse.com having good stones, however Gemstoneuniverse has a better range overall. If you sort the gemstones at higher price per carat they have some really nice gemstones. I am not a big fan of recutting unless and until you can improve the brilliance and lustre dramatically. I am more happier with a nice clean and untreated stone

 

[kenny]

Marlow,
The OP has not broken any rules, although some of it might have skirted close.

I, for one, would like this thread to stay, as it highlights the reality of the gem business in that it isn't as easy or straightforward as it seems on the surface.

Interesting... trade person are sharks, are parasites... this is o.k. here...

Often, sunlight is the best disinfectant.

 

[Edward Bristol]

Ed I kind of take offense being classified as an online garage sale, rather than a professional company.

While you have a large inventory of cut stones, I have a large inventory of rough stones. My cut stones sell fast, so you don't see them as inventory, but it's there in rough.[/quote]

AAAAAH, no, I didn't mean that!!! Not at all. You are same like me.

I was talking of sellers who do it as hobby, for fun, or buy and sell to finance their hobby.

Sorry, you not at all!!!!

 

[Edward Bristol]

Nice to hear. That's right. I am just to tired to keep on explaining basic economics here and get trashed by trolls.

I think us small 'e-commerceers' have created this market with our risk and sweat and money for all who are now enjoying gems they would never have been able to see let alone buy from comfort home.

Now, we get beaten up for making 25% margin in a world where every brick-mortar-shop does 100%.

You buy a rolex you pay 600% margin for the retailer and he does pretty nothing than run the shop. Rolex even pays for his inventory.

I literally bloodied my hands in the jungle in Ceylon 15 years ago and was one of the first to sell gems online. Today I am criticized for fraud by people who think they can do better (as hobby trader) but chicken-out when you challenge them.

 

[Sunstorm]

I wanted to add one more point as some people already mentioned lawyers here. I used to work in the legal field and still do privately to a very limited extent. Lawyers at big, international law firms charge an hourly rate that can be many hundreds of euros per hour. You pay for their services regardless of whether you actually win a case (say we are talking litigation). Sometimes despite doing everything in our power you lose but you still have to pay up thousands, tens of thousands or more for the services provided to you.

In the gem and jewelry business this is not the case. Just thinking of that recent case searching for a stone for a customer. We ended up getting paid nothing. You cannot expect a customer to pay ahead of time for a stone they have not seen. Once a special order is made after the selection of the stone the customer does pay a deposit but until then you are out of luck if the customer changes her mind. In this case it has also come up that a stone may have to be cut from rough in which case the jeweler/dealer, etc. would have had to incur the costs thereof without having any idea that the customer will like the stone and buy it. Customers when wanting a special order piece made will generally not pay before seeing the stones, at least not when they are buying from a b&m. So, after many meetings and consultations because the customer simply bought something entirely different from stock elsewhere we made absolutely nothing, 0 on our countless hours of work spent on the case.

There are so many costs I have forgotten to mention, if you own a jewelry store with a workshop the instruments and equipment are again in the hundred thousand euro range. Also, we forgot to mention marketing, it is an incredibly cost extensive thing. Advertising in magazines, hotels, parking lots, whereever a store wants to advertise really add up but most businesses also go to events and shows the costs of which can be stellar. It of course depends on the show or event but some of the largest international shows can easily cost 50 to 100 thousand again for an exhibitor. Not saying all of these b&m-s are going to Basel for example, of course not but those that are serious and want to build up reputation and presence or maintain it will spend huge chunks of buck on marketing.

And as others have said the average customer is not a pricescoper. Peope have to be educated and you have to earn their trust. Honestly, if I think of the markup and the final profits made, for jewelers these are way below what a lawyer would make, this is why only those that do it for the love of it will likely stay long term these days. It is much easier to make money in other fields than in the jewelry and gem business especially nowadays.

 

[mastercutgems]

Howdy All

I as a "trade person" wish to say I think that "the education" part of all this is the key. As many have brought up in this post...

I love a forum that educates it members and does not condescend as we are all learning and no one knows it all; but kind people are willing to share their knowledge and experiences with those ready to embark on the same or similar path...

I give a big thank you to all that give well versed constructive criticism not meant to hurt but to guide their fellow woman or man in a positive direction on their quest for the "perfect" gem for them. As we all know with the variety of tastes on this and all forums we do have a different appetite for color, hue, and saturation

So keep up the good work and always remember kindness goes a very long way in getting your point across... We all know there are some people on this earth that love money over anything else. Whether you be a vendor or not... You will learn those people and in time they will put themselves out of business , relationships, etc... If I charge too much for something call me out politely there may be a very good reason why??? Paid too much, etc.

But when I look at the "preferred" vendor list and all us do it; I think to see where we all stand as none of us that care about our clients or our business want to be known as someone that overcharges or treats anyone badly... I just do not think any of us do intentionally.

I do not post much here but I do look every now and then to see how I am thought of as it DOES matter... I and many of the other vendors want you to like us as people and not just the gal or guy that sells pretty colorful rocks...

So for the topic above... overpriced; well in many of our cases we have to pay for this stuff before we cut it and here lately the selections stink and the prices are more than twice what we feel is justified... Secondly most of us work on very little overhead as we cannot compete with the big chains as advertising budgets for them is more than our entire budget for the year..

So please tell us what is working or not working; just like what is the demand as all those things help us as vendors to buy the right material for you the consumer. I do not like investing in gem minerals that do not sell too many in the vault now waiting for a fashion trend to change

Be diligent in your quest for knowledge in anything you plan on doing or buying... You will be rewarded in the end...

Nothing in this post was meant to hurt or offend anyone; just my ole personal opinion... which most of the time is worthless

Most Respectfully;

Dana Reynolds
ASG Certified
Supreme Master Gem Cutter
#96CGE42

 

[movie zombie]

Marlow,
The OP has not broken any rules, although some of it might have skirted close.

I, for one, would like this thread to stay, as it highlights the reality of the gem business in that it isn't as easy or straightforward as it seems on the surface.

Interesting... trade person are sharks, are parasites... this is o.k. here...

you make a good point, Marlow.

name calling is name calling and and trade people shouldn't have to put up with it any more than we the consumers of pricescope.

 

[minousbijoux]

Marlow,
The OP has not broken any rules, although some of it might have skirted close.

I, for one, would like this thread to stay, as it highlights the reality of the gem business in that it isn't as easy or straightforward as it seems on the surface.

Interesting... trade person are sharks, are parasites... this is o.k. here...

you make a good point, Marlow.

name calling is name calling and and trade people shouldn't have to put up with it any more than we the consumers of pricescope.

+1

 

[liao]

cant believe that this thread is still around

 

[boerumbiddy]

I just want to say that Dana and Mastercut give the online industry a good name and often have what I consider to be real bargains. I hope the OP has a chance to deal with the real gentlefolk of the industry.