BlueNile - BEST search tool... but site could improve

[DiamondDumbie]

BlueNile has the BEST search tool available for internet diamonds. Hands down the best! Having said that, BlueNile needs to step up and provide an actual picture of the diamonds. The other internet websites make the actual photos available and it is valuable to the consumer. In addition, BlueNile should utilize the cut evaluation tools, post the result with the diamond and let the consumers decide if this aids them in their purchase. AGS certifications use cut evaluation tools and they are beneficial.

If BlueNile combined their search tool with actual photos and cut evaluations tools, there would be no other reason to use another company.

Or… the other internet companies who already provide the actual photos and cut evaluation tools should consider creating a search tool similar to BlueNile. It does rock!

 

[DiamondDumbie]

If a website combined BlueNile''s diamond inventory and search tools, along with GOG''s evaluation tools, it would blow the competition away.

 

[shel]

You might be right. Time will tell if Blue Nile will become the dominant vendor. But for now, BN caters to a non-PS crowd, so right or wrong, BN is not too popular on this board.

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 7/24/2007 11:53:50 PM
Author: DiamondDumbie
If a website combined BlueNile''s diamond inventory

They have very very very few of those stones in inventory.
Most of them are virtual stones.(do a search)
A vendor would have to have 100s of millions of dollars to have that many diamonds in stock and several million to run tests on all of them.
Which is why GOG inventory is smaller it would take years to run all the tests they run on that many diamonds.

 

[Regular Guy]

I''m with DD on this.

JA had I thought a more helpful site before, in their old incarnation as DCD.

The integration of what are multiple databases in like WF is what makes this seem more helpful.

But, yes, hard to take the good with the bad...and other sites do have it over for BN for evaluation tools.

Maybe the other sites have some sort of strategic logic for the dispersed databases. Not sure who this ends up being attractive for.

 

[luckystar112]

Nah...I still think James Allen''s site is the best. I love how they have depth/table/polish/symmetry all labeled right there, with photos to boot.

 

[Regular Guy]

Date: 7/25/2007 1:44:54 AM
Author: luckystar112
Nah...I still think James Allen's site is the best. I love how they have depth/table/polish/symmetry all labeled right there, with photos to boot.

Don't get me wrong...for what I think is substantially a virtual library, they've optimized their presentation of info, doing what DenverAppraiser largely suggested Abazias do, too, and learn to more effectively work with their distributors...but...depth & table? You want crown & pavilion, right. This was not even my point, though, Luckystar112, just a reaction to yours...

Mainly, you want simultaneous access to a signature line, without searching separately.

With BN, as DD says...score preferences...and zip zip...they all show up.

BN could do more...allowing you to isolate certification. But, you can also scan for this.

Nothing's perfect.

 

[luckystar112]

I think all percentages are important, but BN doesn't give ANY until you choose to view it, which can be annoying. However I think that their bar tool is faster and more convenient than constantly typing in numbers and checking different boxes.

ERD lists the table and depth in their search, but doesn't have pics or copies of the certs. I'm in the market for a cushion cut, so I love how I can go to JA's site and see the actual GIA cert and see what the facet plot looks like. I don't think that's as big of a deal for a round, although in general it does help to see where the inclusions are in any diamond.

I've noticed that if I'm browsing any other online vendor and find a diamond I'm interested in, the first thing I do is go to james allen to see if they have the same diamond with a photo for reference. Only thing I've notice though, is that their prices are higher. It's a shame. I found a diamond on ERD for $4666 today, that was on JA's site for $5000...that's a huge difference.

ETA: Didn't realize BN has copies of certs as well.

 

[DiamondDumbie]

Date: 7/25/2007 1:17:32 AM
Author: strmrdr

Date: 7/24/2007 11:53:50 PM
Author: DiamondDumbie
If a website combined BlueNile''s diamond inventory

They have very very very few of those stones in inventory.
Most of them are virtual stones.(do a search)
A vendor would have to have 100s of millions of dollars to have that many diamonds in stock and several million to run tests on all of them.
Which is why GOG inventory is smaller it would take years to run all the tests they run on that many diamonds.

I agree. This is weak, which is probably why they do not take the time to list actual photos of the diamond being described.

 

[Regular Guy]

Date: 7/25/2007 9:56:03 AM
Author: DiamondDumbie

Date: 7/25/2007 1:17:32 AM
Author: strmrdr

Date: 7/24/2007 11:53:50 PM
Author: DiamondDumbie
If a website combined BlueNile''s diamond inventory

They have very very very few of those stones in inventory.
Most of them are virtual stones.(do a search)
A vendor would have to have 100s of millions of dollars to have that many diamonds in stock and several million to run tests on all of them.
Which is why GOG inventory is smaller it would take years to run all the tests they run on that many diamonds.

I agree. This is weak, which is probably why they do not take the time to list actual photos of the diamond being described.

Everything''s relative. I''m guessing BN has more of an exclusive, generally, than JA...but JA has some pix.

 

[elmo]

Author: RG
BN could do more...allowing you to isolate certification.

RG - you can select report type on BN by sorting on report.

Author: ls112
ERD lists the table and depth in their search, but doesn't have pics or copies of the certs.

ERD shows report number much of the time - plug it into http://www.gia.edu/reportcheck.

If I was looking for a super-duper round I might buy from one of the specialists here but I'm a big fan of BN especially for fancy shapes. Within reason they'll send you stones until you find what you're looking for. They don't pressure you to buy when you reject the second stone you've looked at. Return policy is about as good as it gets. Margins on many things are quite reasonable, and they have some excellent suppliers.

Photos for everything is probably out of the question but it wouldn't surprise me a bit if at some point they leverage their market position and get some of their suppliers to provide virtual models.

 

[shlo_mo_shun]

I ''think'' that BN has their Signature Series in stock, and as such, if they want to market those to the PS crowd, they should think about putting pic''s and more data online for these stones.
What they do provide is that GCAL certificate, but I have no idea what that is, and their documentation/helpfiles does little to explain exactly what to look for on one of those.

That said, their search engine is definitely the most user friendly one I have seen. So quick and easy to sort, reorganize, etc.... I use BN for looking at broad swaths of stones, figuring out a budget and general guidelines like that. It works great.
Once I know what I''m generally looking for, I found those with more info on the stones to be a better place to give them a close look.

 

[luckystar112]

Date: 7/25/2007 11:39:30 AM
Author: elmo

Author: ls112
ERD lists the table and depth in their search, but doesn''t have pics or copies of the certs.

ERD shows report number much of the time - plug it into http://www.gia.edu/reportcheck.

I know, but GIA''s site doesn''t show the facet plots, which in a shape like a cushion makes a huge difference.

 

[stebbo]

Date: 7/25/2007 1:44:54 AM
Author: luckystar112
Nah...I still think James Allen''s site is the best. I love how they have depth/table/polish/symmetry all labeled right there, with photos to boot.

The Blue Nile Search Engine and Search Results allows you to have depth/table/polish and symmetry right there too. Just click on the Add/Remove columns/sliders buttons.

BN''s Search Engine interface is the nicest I''ve seen, in any industry.

JA''s photos are magnificent though. BN''s generic ones are useless.

 

[luckystar112]

James Allen changed their search tool!!!
It''s not the bar/slider kind.

Now I DEF think they are the best. They much have seen this thread.