Apparently they don't like us....

[T L]

Another reason is PS threads give a historical account of vendors who fail to meet the mark. Still remember the one vendor who sold a PS member a fractured stone, did not want to admit it or give a full refund, then went back and tried to sell that stone again without disclosing the fracture. Not only do I remember that vendor, but who knows what potential customer is going to stumble across that thread and avoid him too.

Some of those vendors, that in my mind failed to meet the mark, are on the vendor list. I’m just one person though, so for some on this board, they’re excellent. I’ve been on this board for eons and I have a long memory, and I cringe inside when one of these vendors is mentioned. I say nothing because people can be very passionate about a particular vendor. My hope is that in the long term, they continue to be happy with that vendor.

 

[lmyracle]

What a strange comment to make but I wouldn't write him off for that. Who knows what he's dealt with in the past. Hopefully both of you can keep an open mind. I'm in to hear how it went and what you decided! I'm hoping you chose a ruby so I can live vicariously through you. That's likely my next purchase....but I am drooling over a 1.65ct Alex on his site.

 

[OreoRosies86]

I honestly get it haha. I AM picky. I DON’T usually think the gem is worth what it’s being sold for. I DO make offers fully prepared to totally walk away from the stone. Pricescope should consider the side-eyes a badge of honor

 

[mrs-b]

Hi @arkieb1 -

I mentioned in the original post that I'm not meeting with him for a couple of weeks. October 8th is the big day, but I'd be interested to know which of those diamonds you think will be dark. All help appreciated.

 

[arkieb1]

I take it you mean sapphires, all three are going to be on the darker side, which doesn't mean you will not like them, I just have Americans asking me all the time for mid blues, these, unless the photos are inaccurate IMHO are not going to be a mid blue, they will be darker than that.

 

[OoohShiny]

Love that blue/green one

 

[mrs-b]

Love that blue/green one

Me too, @OoohShiny. I think that might be my pick of the lot of them.

 

[Catmom]

Can't wait to see what you end up with mrs-b, especially if it is a blue. You know how much I love those!

It was a strange thing for him to say to you but I would still meet with him. Just go into it with a healthy skepticism.

 

[Ceilimom]

Hi @marymm

60th birthday next year and need something beautiful to ease the pain!! Been looking at some substantial oval-shaped blue sapphires in the 3+ct range with great color to do a big cluster. I recently sold the round from my previous sapphire cluster; I want to go larger and oval this time.

And - just re this vendor - tell me I'm not going nuts here - it's crazy to tell someone you don't like their group just before you try to sell them something, no??

Verrrrry Crazzzzzzy. Maybe it is more telling of this vendor.

 

[mrs-b]

I take it you mean sapphires, all three are going to be on the darker side, which doesn't mean you will not like them, I just have Americans asking me all the time for mid blues, these, unless the photos are inaccurate IMHO are not going to be a mid blue, they will be darker than that.

Hi @arkieb1

My favorite tone for sapphire is velvet / royal. I'm not a kashmir / cornflower sapphire kinda gal, so something a tad darker would possibly suit me just fine. On the other hand, something closer to navy, or something that blacks out in various lighting settings, is not my cup of tea at all (like - why bother with a colored stone at all, right?) - so I'm hoping it's not *that* dark.

And now, against everything I just said, I didn't list my favorite stone on this site, which he's also bringing for me to see - mostly because I don't want to jinx it or have it pinched out from under me! And it's *definitely* a bright, mid blue! So - we'll see....

 

[mrs-b]

Can't wait to see what you end up with mrs-b, especially if it is a blue. You know how much I love those!

It was a strange thing for him to say to you but I would still meet with him. Just go into it with a healthy skepticism.

Hi @Catmom

Mostly, I'm just taking it as poor social skills. It won't put me off meeting him, tho it *has* gone some way to dousing my 'warm fuzzies' a bit!

And if I see anything spectacular, I will DEFINITELY think of you!

 

[prs]

Hi @Catmom

Mostly, I'm just taking it as poor social skills. It won't put me off meeting him, tho it *has* gone some way to dousing my 'warm fuzzies' a bit!

And if I see anything spectacular, I will DEFINITELY think of you!

In my experience not having the 'warm fuzzies' about a dealer is a very good thing! The one time I really enjoyed meeting with a dealer in estate jewelry, I woke up the next morning and wondered "what the heck possessed me to pay that kind of price"? He charmed my negotiating skills right out of my head!!!

 

[suzanne2]

@mrs-b, I'm in the same school as Peter! On my first trip to Tuscon I met the sweetest dealer. The more we chatted the more I paid for his stones On my second trip I went by his booth at the very end with an empty checkbook...

 

[marymm]

hey mrs-b, how'd the meeting go? Any contenders? Inquiring minds want to know!!

 

[Bonfire]

Hopefully something is stirring up! I can’t wait to hear about it when you are ready

 

[PreRaphaelite]

The two most valuable things that pricescope provides its members are Transparency regarding quality/pricing, and Accountability for a vendor’s customer service.

Before finding PS, everything I bought was 100% a ripoff. After being a member just a short time, I have a better understanding of both how I should expect to be treated as the customer, and what the value metrics are for purchases (including grading, cut quality, etc). PS educated me.

Being a PSer makes me harder to lie to. Great vendors aren’t trying to lie so they don’t take offense at nitpicking. Bad vendors.... well they don’t want the scrutiny. It’s inconvenient for them.

The guy who sold me my OEC looked me right in the eye and insisted it was a rose cut. I was silently belly-laughing inside as I nodded, pie-eyed. Whether he meant to be dishonest or not, my spending time on PS made for a happy ending that day. If he had spent some time here, he wouldn’t have let that stone go for so cheap. Vendors can really benefit if they just open up to being educated.

 

[mrs-b]

Went and looked at the stones. Saw some things I liked - 2 that I liked a lot. But neither are exactly what I was looking for, so it's a pass from me.

 

[MamaBee]

Went and looked at the stones. Saw some things I liked - 2 that I liked a lot. But neither are exactly what I was looking for, so it's a pass from me.

Great! Hold out for your dream stone! You’ll get hit by the love dart and that will be it for you!

 

[Rfisher]

Was he cordial or offputting with that conclusion at the end of the meeting?

 

[mrs-b]

Was he cordial or offputting with that conclusion at the end of the meeting?

He was perfectly cordial and we had a nice time. I would have negotiated his prices, tho - they're pretty high.

 

[arkieb1]

I was going to say the same thing - that his prices are fairly high for something you aren't 100% happy with....

 

[LD]

This thread really made me chuckle! The reputable dealers will LOVE that you have knowledge and will discuss everything with you - even putting you off if they know the stone isn't for you. My gut feeling is that this guy feels superior and doesn't like to be questionned. Bless his little cotton socks!

 

[Rare gem lover]

The reason why many people in the trade have a problem with pricescopers is that they expect trade prices or lesser (prices from long back). There is a strong distinction between retail and wholesale and wholesale prices are not PS birthrights.

Here’s an article by yvonne that may help explain that:

Why Buy Gems at Retail Price?

What does Retail Buying do for you? Meanwhile the retail online seller like us, provides or should provide, an entirely different buying experience. 1. A retail seller does not get to assume that a buyer has the same level of expertise, making it obligatory to educate the buyer and give full...

www.cecileraleydesigns.com

Of course a retailer would love it if a customer is already knowledgable because that makes the job easier and chances of return much less.

There are many people in the trade with varying pricing models On PS and yet no one is commenting on this thread. That’s because many are American and dont want to offend any pricescopers.

I do have some PS clients but I’ve made it very clear that I am a retailer, and my business model is not set up to support wholesale prices for one off purchases. As my instagram page has grown now and then I see people publicly posting my pictures and prices ( without asking which would be a decent thing to do). A whole lot of people then comment on it pretty disrespectfully. A little measure in commenting would help.

It’s actually a very hurtful because before I went into the trade I was very active here and truly learnt the basics of different stones from you guys! In fact without PS I don’t think I would even have my business! So maybe the two communities can exist more peacefully as opposed to the way it is now- this us versus them mentality. We in the trade are not out to get pricescopers or anyone. We are working very hard in an already very challenging industry which good material is getting more and more scarce. No one is out to get anyone, you just have to choose what’s right for you and respectfully move on.

 

[voce]

The reason why many people in the trade have a problem with pricescopers is that they expect trade prices or lesser (prices from long back). There is a strong distinction between retail and wholesale and wholesale prices are not PS birthrights.

Here’s an article by yvonne that may help explain that:

Why Buy Gems at Retail Price?

What does Retail Buying do for you? Meanwhile the retail online seller like us, provides or should provide, an entirely different buying experience. 1. A retail seller does not get to assume that a buyer has the same level of expertise, making it obligatory to educate the buyer and give full...

www.cecileraleydesigns.com

Of course a retailer would love it if a customer is already knowledgable because that makes the job easier and chances of return much less.

There are many people in the trade with varying pricing models On PS and yet no one is commenting on this thread. That’s because many are American and dont want to offend any pricescopers.

I do have some PS clients but I’ve made it very clear that I am a retailer, and my business model is not set up to support wholesale prices for one off purchases. As my instagram page has grown now and then I see people publicly posting my pictures and prices ( without asking which would be a decent thing to do). A whole lot of people then comment on it pretty disrespectfully. A little measure in commenting would help.

First of all, let me say that I'm sorry you've been hurt by PS members commenting about your stones. I myself never mean any disrespect, but the truth is that this is a challenging industry also because of competition, and a little competition is good for consumers. I believe there are relative strengths and weaknesses for every vendor, so having compared prices and services, I would maximize the utility I get from my dollars by buying A from vendor X, B from vendor Y, C from vendor C, etc. Unfortunately, the industry is tough. A lot of gem and jewelry enthusiasts go into the trade. Prices and competition can be cutthroat, and you're not guaranteed a profit. I'm not sure it's realistic to expect all PS members to self regulate to implement whatever you mean by the "little measure in commenting" to help.

I can certainly agree with you that "wholesale prices aren't PS birthrights." It's true some PS members bought their stones a long time ago and are disconnected with current prices. But in a free market, some people are just always going to look for the lowest price, without regard to the difference between wholesalers and retailers.

That's why people differentiate. I believe people like Yvonne and Inken are successful because they take the time to educate their clients by showing them what's reasonable and where pricing trends are going. They make newsletters, blog, write thoughtful emails, post videos from time to time. So over these interactions, the clients really get to have better understanding of the industry and see the value of the relationship with their retailers. With a retailer who doesn't transparently build on the client relationship (not necessarily saying you; I have this suspicion about all Instagram sellers since I don't view it as a good platform for business), not all clients really see the value added with working through a retailer as easily and would then inevitably compare the price. You need to build trust and relationships and show, not tell the value you add to the supply chain. (I mean a general you, not you in specific).

For me personally, I see great value in being able to inspect a stone and return it if it's not to my liking, versus taking a gamble by getting a better price on LoupeTroop via a final sale. I sympathize with your frustrations and do wish you the best moving forward.

 

[Rare gem lover]

First of all, let me say that I'm sorry you've been hurt by PS members commenting about your stones. I myself never mean any disrespect, but the truth is that this is a challenging industry also because of competition, and a little competition is good for consumers. I believe there are relative strengths and weaknesses for every vendor, so having compared prices and services, I would maximize the utility I get from my dollars by buying A from vendor X, B from vendor Y, C from vendor C, etc. Unfortunately, the industry is tough. A lot of gem and jewelry enthusiasts go into the trade. Prices and competition can be cutthroat, and you're not guaranteed a profit. I'm not sure it's realistic to expect all PS members to self regulate to implement whatever you mean by the "little measure in commenting" to help.

I can certainly agree with you that "wholesale prices aren't PS birthrights." It's true some PS members bought their stones a long time ago and are disconnected with current prices. But in a free market, some people are just always going to look for the lowest price, without regard to the difference between wholesalers and retailers.

That's why people differentiate. I believe people like Yvonne and Inken are successful because they take the time to educate their clients by showing them what's reasonable and where pricing trends are going. They make newsletters, blog, write thoughtful emails, post videos from time to time. So over these interactions, the clients really get to have better understanding of the industry and see the value of the relationship with their retailers. With a retailer who doesn't transparently build on the client relationship (not necessarily saying you; I have this suspicion about all Instagram sellers since I don't view it as a good platform for business), not all clients really see the value added with working through a retailer as easily and would then inevitably compare the price. You need to build trust and relationships and show, not tell the value you add to the supply chain. (I mean a general you, not you in specific).

For me personally, I see great value in being able to inspect a stone and return it if it's not to my liking, versus taking a gamble by getting a better price on LoupeTroop via a final sale. I sympathize with your frustrations and do wish you the best moving forward.

Thanks Voce for a respectful response. I really appreciate it honestly

I am a retailer in singapore so 90 percent of my clients meet me in person and I spend 2/3 hours with each one even when they don’t buy. That’s how I educate and where all my time goes. It’s actually not really an online business. And in Singapore Instagram is really big, no one uses Etsy or eBay. SIngapore is safe so it’s a safe platform.

My point was just that there’s a difference in different countries, different businesses, wholesale and retail and online and offline. If pricescopers are gonna act as educated as they are they need to acknowledge that.

Being from PS, I just think it’s not totally okay to write things with ABSOLUTE total certainty about prices in general without seeing the whole picture. I’m in the trade and I’ll never say I know everything, we are all continuously learning and growing.


Instead of saying “ that’s an insane price” one can offer the OP another suggestion though a link from a wholesaler or cutter which will inevitably be a better price.

PS is a great resource for people who don’t know many vendor options for gems, and should be used as such. The smart people who ask on PS should use that. And pricescopers KNOW what a retail price is versus a trade price.

One can tell someone that appears to be a high retail price, why not try for a lower price on xx or yy website. You can say this is a common colour here, buy from xx or yy who has lots of this colour.

The issue is the kind of negative all knowing kind of responses I see when someone puts my carefully curated premium gems up here on PS is that..... this is someone who’s out to get you, or is taking you for a ride. No one says that but that’s the implication. So if the person who just stumbled across my page sees such responses, and doesn’t do this often, she will form very ill informed negative opinions about my retail business and me. That’s the part I really have trouble stomaching. It’s not at all about a lost sale.

On a side note - it’s only fair to ask permission before posting someone’s hand picture on a public forum which people don’t seem to do. When people go to a shop or fair they ask permission to take a pic even for themselves and post online. It’s the decent thing to do. Even on instagram if someone posts something publicly one can report it.

MANY PS vendors in the trade feel the same way as I do. We all talk more than you think. But I don’t depend on the American market and I was one of you. Which is why I am the only one saying all this here

 

[voce]

@Rare gem lover thanks for explaining. What you're saying makes a lot of sense to me. Although, if I read a thread talking about how Leon Mege has listed a pair of moissanite stud earrings for $5k+ and touts "very little child labor" as a selling point, I think "that's an insane price" is a valid response.

It did occur to me that this recent coronavirus scare has made travel in Asia more difficult. Hopefully this doesn't impact your business too much. Most PSers presume the buyer is in the US unless they post otherwise. I don't oppose new norms that take a more international approach, but that's dependent on all PS members here.

 

[Rare gem lover]

@Rare gem lover thanks for explaining. What you're saying makes a lot of sense to me. Although, if I read a thread talking about how Leon Mege has listed a pair of moissanite stud earrings for $5k+ and touts "very little child labor" as a selling point, I think "that's an insane price" is a valid response.

It did occur to me that this recent coronavirus scare has made travel in Asia more difficult. Hopefully this doesn't impact your business too much. Most PSers presume the buyer is in the US unless they post otherwise. I don't oppose new norms that take a more international approach, but that's dependent on all PS members here.

Thanks for asking Voce, yes coronavirus has made things pretty tough. Everyone in singapore is in self imposed lock down. People are working from home all over the city today because late last week the city raised its alert level. I am trying not to meet clients at all this month, because I can’t expose my husband to outsiders because he’s at risk being a cancer patient. So new business is at a standstill but luckily my regulars trust my videos so there’s a bit of business from them. It’s a good time to do accounting!

Thank you very much for hearing me out. I really appreciate it

 

[Rfisher]

Interesting.
i appreciate some points of debate here, even coming from just a silly American.

@Rare gem lover
Did you ever treat a vendor publicly here on PS the way you yourself now don’t like to be treated?
Did you ever get notified as to why your previous PS account was banned?

 

[YadaYadaYada]

I guess I'll jump into the fire,

When I was looking for a lavender spinel I reached out to @Rare gem lover and posted the price quoted as well as sharing the information provided in an email about a stone. I did this because as someone who wasn't a colored stone person, I wanted to make sure what I was being told was accurate and that the price was appropriate for the material.

That is the great thing about PS, it provides a safety net of sorts, if the price was way off then someone would have alerted me and I would then have the necessary information to make a decision.

In the end I did not end up purchasing the stone because it was out of my budget. I think it is unreasonable to ask permission to share information about particular stones on PS, what is the secret? I assume the price quoted to me is the price for everyone but maybe that's not how it works.

I "stay in my lane" now in the vintage and antique forum but I had to comment on this because I don't think it's appropriate to school PS members as a vendor on how they should behave or communicate when making a purchase.

 

[Rfisher]

@Rare gem lover
Thank you for now changing your account to trade status.