Cost to an online jeweler

[chapter1]

To an online jeweler (not consumer):

(1) if a diamond is located with another vendor, how much does it cost to have the diamond shipped to them (an online jeweler )directly? (accounting for fedexing over night, insurance, etc)

(2) how much does it cost to take pictures w/ IS? (accounting for labor fees)

(3) how much does it cost to take pictures w/ ASET? (accounting for labor fees)

(4) how much does it cost to take pictures w/ Hearts and Arrows? (accounting for labor fees)

(5) how much does it cost to take pictures of the actual diamond w/ a digital camera (faraway, 10x, 40x)? (accounting for labor fees)

Maybe some of you folks who work for WF, JA, Angara, etc etc can chime in (you do not need to identify which company you work for if you don''t want to break your company''s policies)

 

[denverappraiser]

I understand your objective but you’re asking an impossible set of questions. Taking high quality pictures is remarkably difficult and the various vendors count how to do this as a closely held secret. It’s not a coincidence that some are better at it than others. Let’s ignore that and presume that you’ve got a photographer who can work out a good set of techniques and is willing to spring for the tools. Assume for argument sake that you spend $20k to set up a studio suitable for this purpose, you pay $1k/mo. on the rent, security, utilities et al associated with maintaining it and you pay your photographer $4k/month to work it. Figure it takes your photog 2 weeks of practice to get good at it and they can then take a set of pictures every 10-15 minutes. Bear in mind that crappy pictures do more harm to a dealers’ sales than no pictures at all so it’s important to be careful and to work at it. This is a bad place to cheap out. Yeah, you can do it with a cell phone and a handheld ASET, but that’s not going to produce results that encourage sales. Direct costs per unit is zero but all of those indirect costs add up.

So what’s the cost per picture? $1? $5? $25? It depends on how many stones you’ve got to do, how efficient your system is and other variables. The potential range is huge. For what it’s worth, I offer to take these pictures for dealers as strictly a photography service and rarely get a taker.

The same problem applies to shipping. The minimum is zero if you can hand carry it from one spot to the next and the max is as much as 1% or more of the value of the stone each way if you end up with armored cars and international shipments.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

 

[chapter1]

i don''t think my questions are impossible. surely there must be a rough estimate - $500/stone to fedex it overnight insured? $50?. And if you ask a big-name vendor to take photographs of hte stones (since you are buying it online and have no other way of seeing it) under special cameras like ASET, IS, H&A, is that expensive to the vendor? like $500?

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 5/12/2009 4:13:59 PM
Author: chapter1
i don''t think my questions are impossible. surely there must be a rough estimate - $500/stone to fedex it overnight insured? $50?. And if you ask a big-name vendor to take photographs of hte stones (since you are buying it online and have no other way of seeing it) under special cameras like ASET, IS, H&A, is that expensive to the vendor? like $500?

Neil is saying there is a large range depending on a lot of factors-so it is impossible to nail down a figure without knowing a lot more information.

Are you asking because you are wondering what is a reasonable "call in" charge?

 

[strmrdr]

Insurance and shipping depend on the value and the distance.
There is a 100x range right there.

 

[denverappraiser]

For dealers who are nearby me, I’ll take the basic photos for $35 if they provide a reasonable number of stones to be done. There are others who will do the same elsewhere although the rates may change. Shipping ranges dramatically depending on the insurance but 0.5% of the insured value each way is a decent thumbnail. For a $10,000 stone that means you’ve got $100 in insurance round trip, say $40 in actual postage, $35 in photography so we total up to $175 to bring in a stone and take the pictures. That's including nothing for the dealers time.


Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

 

[tallchickbarbara]

Hi Chapter1,

I can''t speak on behalf of other internet retailers, but the majority of the costs related to having diamonds sent in to have images taken will go toward shipping the diamonds in, as well as shipping them back if it happens to be a diamond that that particular e-tailer is not stocking in house. Storm is correct in saying that it is going to depend on the total cost of the diamond plus the shipping and insurance - two and from - where the diamond is coming from. Insurance can be costly, and gas prices will also determine shipping costs, which will vary as the gas prices vary.

As far as costs go on digital images, IS, zoomed-in images, or Hearts and Arrows, I don''t think one can technically put a dollar amount on that. The time involved should be treated as part of the selling process, i.e. to provide as much information that said e-tailer can for the customer. Not every e-tailer has all of the equipment necessary to take images of each individual consumer''s request, however, I think if the e-tailer is one that does not have diamonds dropped shipped, they will gladly provide for you all the information they can to help you make your decision while trying to gain you as a customer.

I hope this helps.

 

[strmrdr]

OT for a second.
Welcome to PS Barbara it is nice to see you posting here.

 

[tallchickbarbara]

(OT response... apologies in advance)

Thank you, Karl.

I feel like someone calling in to their favorite radio show. "Long time listener; first time caller"...