Diamond shopping etiquette

[gail013]

Do you all shop more than one vendor at a time when you are looking for a diamond? I was thinking they may all have access to the same material if they do not have it in stock? I know they go through quite a bit of work to find just the right thing.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Well, I think as long as you are just shopping online inventories, you may be in contact with a few at a time asking questions, etc. But if I were looking for a particular thing that no one had in stock, then I''d choose one to work with. Then if they didn''t come up with what I wanted, I''d try another. But I wouldn''t have multiple vendors going to the expense of calling in stones, for example. I think that is just being considerate of them to work with one at a time in that case.

 

[february2003bride]

If it''s a virtual diamond, then any jeweler can get access to that diamond. In that case, it comes down to price, customer service, and if that jeweler has a setting you may want.

If it''s an in-house diamond and their brand (i.e., Blue Nile''s Signature or WhiteFlash''s ACA) then it''s theirs alone and you have to buy it from them.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 10/22/2006 2:32:59 PM
Author:gail013
Do you all shop more than one vendor at a time when you are looking for a diamond? I was thinking they may all have access to the same material if they do not have it in stock? I know they go through quite a bit of work to find just the right thing.

I stuck with one at a time out of some sense of loyalty... and i found a diamond I hoped could be sourced by the group I was currently working with and they couldn''t and I felt really guilty buying it from someone else....

... to do it over I would probably not stick with just one vendor. I wouldn''t have one find it and another source it, but until it was found I''d go ahead and let more than one search for me - unless I had a previously established relationship with one and just wanted to work with them.

several times early on I expressed the desire for a primer on this and no one has made a thread on this... so hopefully everyone will pitch in here and share their thoughts.. there was a thread once on what constituted a good customer in the eyes of the vendor (storm) but it didn''t really address the expectations or desires of the consumer...

 

[Kaleigh]

When I was searching for my oval, I contacted 2 vendors. Ovals are tough, and I thought it was a good way to have my bases covered. But one of them never got back to me. Even after a few phone calls. Now the other vendor I had bought from before and knew I would most likely buy from them anyway, so it all worked out in the end.

 

[gail013]

I was asking because I have an online vendor looking for me and they seem great. I have only been actively looking for a week or two. But at the same time, I have been looking at a local B & M, which is definitely easier, but not necessarily the best price. I just feel kind of guilty. I have been honest, sort of- telling the B & M jeweler, that I have found less expensive stones on the net, but he kind of ignores that......

The vendor I am working with may not be able to get me what I want, and I just wondered if all of you more experienced diamond seekers, open it up to multiple vendors. I would not want anyone to call in stones for me, thereby incurring cost, without some committment on my part. I am in sales myself, and am VERY aware of how much effort can go into this process, and also appreciate followup and responsiveness. How long do you stick with one vendor before you move on to door #2? Do you tell #1?

Any one else have any thoughts

?.....

 

[diamondfan]

When I was looking for my upgrade this last time, my cousin, who is a jeweler, cautioned me about going to too many sources. I was looking for something fairly uncommon and word gets around. If lots of sources knew that there was a person (me) looking for the stone I wanted, it would likely have created a price increase, because they would all be searching and the dealers would know it was for the same person more than likely. I am not sure of the etiquette overall, you want what you want, and it behooves the vendor to find it, but I am not sure how well it works to have lots of people searching for the same stuff. I think you can give one vendor a chance, and then, be candid if things are not going well. Healthy competition is important for sure, but you do not want to work against yourself...

 

[gail013]

Good to know diamondfan. Besides the fact it just gets plain confusing.