B&M vs E-tailer

[aljdewey]

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On 4/19/2004 10:11:20 PM StevL wrote:

Read that again

40 stones that vary, not all ideal, but many are, not all GIA or AGS but over 1/2 of them are, there is also EGL and even EGL Ideals. The point is you can see them and compare. You can see AGS Ideals next to non-ideals, with or without GIA's, G colors next to I colors, VS1's next to SI1's, and then drop them into any one of a hundred mountings or more.

You see more than paper or a computer screen, you see product and if I don't have it I'll get it to throw into the mix at no charge to you.

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Steve, it sounds as though you are doing all the right things as a B&M store.....but I have to respectfully remind you that you are the ANOMOLY, not the rule. I went to 12 jewelry stores in person.....only three of them even offered to bring in *an* AGS stone. They couldn't bring in 20, and that's what *I* want. I want to compare finely-cut stones, and no one in my area had the ability to show me this.

I wanted to see an AGS 0 stone next to an AGS1 stone. I wanted to see a 40.9 pavilion angle stone next to one with a 41.1 angle. I repeat, no one locally could do this for me. I wanted to see an AGS "F" stone next to an AGS "H" stone......no one locally could do that for me because they didn't have them in stock.

If more B&M stores operated like you seem to, or like GOG/Nice Ice do, I think B&Ms would benefit greatly as a whole. Until more of them can do that, though, it's tough to compete with online vendors who can deliver the ideal stones I want.

 

[StevL]

I can't speak for how anyone else operates their business. I know from many B&M stores I have visited that many of them I do consider poor in many respects.

But I also know a hundred great B&M stores that operate very similar to our model.

How do you know who you are dealing with on the net? There are scams everyday, warnings on TV, in your newspaper. I'm not against internet commerce at all (I have sold a fair amount VIA the internet myself), but again you have found the handful of good vendors on the web; I don't think you can call it the rule either.

The rule is; when money is involved there will always be some "not so credible people around pretending to be something they are not".

There is plenty of room for everyone to play, but the online consumer is different than an instore consumer. Some consumers may argue that, but I'm speaking from being on both the selling sides. I have listened and talked to hundreds of consumers over the phone and in person over thirty five years.

 

[aljdewey]

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On 4/24/2004 12:00:35 PM StevL wrote:





I can't speak for how anyone else operates their business. I know from many B&M stores I have visited that many of them I do consider poor in many respects.

But I also know a hundred great B&M stores that operate very similar to our model.

How do you know who you are dealing with on the net? There are scams everyday, warnings on TV, in your newspaper. I'm not against internet commerce at all (I have sold a fair amount VIA the internet myself), but again you have found the handful of good vendors on the web; I don't think you can call it the rule either.

The rule is; when money is involved there will always be some 'not so credible people around pretending to be something they are not'.

There is plenty of room for everyone to play, but the online consumer is different than an instore consumer. Some consumers may argue that, but I'm speaking from being on both the selling sides. I have listened and talked to hundreds of consumers over the phone and in person over thirty five years.

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I'm sure there are hundreds of B&M stores that operate as you do.....but I don't have unlimited time to run around looking for them.

How do I know who I'm dealing with on the net? The same way I know who I'm dealing with when I choose a B&M store....by doing my homework. By getting a feel for who I'm talking to, by researching how other customers felt about them, by researching how well they are regarded by their peers.

I think that I indeed have found the handful of good vendors online, and perhaps you're right that they are also the exception and not the rule.

All I know is this: it's a lot easier to find the good online vendors than it is to find the good offline vendors, and until that changes, I believe the online vendors have a serious advantage.

 

[StevL]

Please don't get me wrong with this, I'm just pointing out that the net isn't always that easy either. Many have their own opinions and consumers can have a diificult time knowing which way to turn.

Just read https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/please-dont-quote-people-out-of-context.15357/

There is no one right way to shop this is why there are many options and non should be discounted.