Did you visit a local Jeweler before shopping online?

[strmrdr]

If you have bought jewelry online did you visit a local Jeweler before shopping online?

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Yes, before buying my earrings, I did try on the same style in a store.

I ALWAYS try on before buying online because a piece may look fabulous onscreen, but terrible on me

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 3/14/2005 3

1:21 PM
Author: MichelleCarmen
Yes, before buying my earrings, I did try on the same style in a store.


I ALWAYS try on before buying online because a piece may look fabulous onscreen, but terrible on me

Why didnt the store get the sale?

 

[ForteKitty]

I always buy from my jeweler unless it''s something he just cannot make. His price matches my online quotes, and then some.

Unfortunately, he''s retiring... so i gotta find another one!!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Price was what convinced me to purchase online. I saved $430 including sales tax.

 

[tomatoe]

Yes.

I was dissatisfied with high prices & diamonds with poor to mediocre cut in the local stores (then, it was not a buyer''s market) and wanted the best stone for my dollar.

 

[Gale]

I second Tomatoe.

 

[Regular Guy]

Storm,

I think you''ve got to consider for anyone that says: no...that they has previously shopped in a store, cause it''s wacky to assume otherwise.

 

[Mara]

yes we purchased our first stone offline at our local jeweler.

next few stones all from whiteflash.

i would not consider buying a loose diamond from an offline store again, EXCEPT possibly an eightstar at my local jeweler who sells them just for fun (and a very very small one!). i wouldn''t mind a small 8* pendant just to see the differences in person with my other stones.

i will consider buying jewelry items such as settings and/or bracelets etc from offline vendors...

but not a larger diamond where the specs are what matter for me..and all the images, reports etc as well as price. I know where to go for that.

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 3/14/2005 3:13

7 PM
Author: strmrdr

Why didnt the store get the sale?

For much the same reasons Tomatoe mentioned.

1. No selection of well-cut stones (defeating the whole purpose of comparing with one's own eyes)
2. High prices for what were (at best) mediocre cut stones.

Date: 3/14/2005 3:13

7 PM
Author: Feydakin

Just curious, how much of that savings was sales tax??

In my case, the savings was more than $500 BEFORE sales tax, Fey....but honestly, that's not why I bought online. I wanted to have *choices*. I told local jeweler to see what he could bring in to show my in my range, etc. He brought in *one* AGS stone. By my definition, choice means more than one available......one means "take it or leave it".

Online, I found about 15 stones between a few vendors that fell within my parameters. That allowed me to get the most bang for my buck because I could CHOOSE which elements I wanted to "massage" to get the best blend for my money.

In my case, my vendor (Whiteflash & Brian) actually selected my stone. I was looking for an H, SI1 stone; he pulled an H, SI2 that was a full quarter-carat bigger than I had been looking at......for the same money!.....and said he thought it was the pick of the proverbial litter of my choices and why. Inclusions were white, completely eyeclean, stone was actually cleaner than the SI1 I had asked about, etc. After approving pictures, reports, etc., my appraiser gave it the nod too.

We were stretching our budget just to reach the .92-.96 range (6.3 mm or so). I had tried on even larger stones and LOVED them, but they just weren't in our reach. Because Whiteflash has such an extensive inventory of well-cut stones (as do several PS vendors---WF, DI, GOG, etc), Brian was able to put me into my stone - a GORGEOUS 7mm stone!!!! - that I never thought would be possible for us.

That was something my local jeweler couldn't do.....because he didn't *have* any other AGS0 options on hand to offer. He only brought in the one stone, and that was it.

The weekend before my purchase, I went to 4 local jewelers in the area. I mentioned to each of them that I was pondering an AGS0 stone of X color and Y clarity for approximately Z price......and asked what could they offer comparably. Most of them shut it right down....."we can't even touch it....if you can get that, take it." End of discussion. Ok, then I guess it's online.

They were right, and I did.

And then bought again, and again, and even AGAIN from that vendor. Serious repeat customer.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 3/14/2005 4:11:10 PM
Author: Feydakin

Date: 3/14/2005 3:21:30 PM
Author: MichelleCarmen
Price was what convinced me to purchase online. I saved $430 including sales tax.

Just curious, how much of that savings was sales tax??

Tax wasn't much. Only about $100.

If I was to choose between a local or online vendor and the only difference in cost was that tax amount, I'd have purchased locally. For bigger purchases where my tax would be hundreds (or even a thousand), I for certain either buy online or drive down to Oregon.

 

[michela002]

I would love to have the option to try on everything that I find and love online, but being in Australia a tonne of stuff isn''t sold here, many designers'' settings aren''t carried here. So, while I would like to try things on, and often try to see something similar, I don''t always have the option. In the end I may end up with something that I''ve never tried on and I just have to hope for the best.

But if I had the option, hell yeah I would try on everything (to make sure I liked it on me) before ordering it online (but would presumably order it online if it was cheaper.)

 

[movie zombie]

an offline jeweler just doesn''t have the inventory, nor can they afford to pay the shippiing and insurance, to bring in all the items i would want to see prior to purchasing...or so a jeweler told me.

i''ve also found that most jewelers want me to accept their word as to what the stone is or is not and doesn''t seem to appreciate my hunt.



peace, movie zombie

 

[niceice]

We think that people should try to do business with their local jewelers first. This might seem kind of strange to people who aren''t familiar with us, but we have had many conversations with people in the trade about why people turn to the internet to buy diamonds and jewelry. More often than not, price is not the primary factor, neither is sales tax. In our experience, most people do not feel that their local jeweler provided them with enough of a selection or listened to what they wanted... The jeweler told them that they didn''t need what they asked for or answered in a manner which the customer felt was evasive and not forthcoming. We recently attended a training session for CAD design that was attended by a fair amount of retail jewelers and a few of them were tossing rope up over a virtual tree branch when they figured out who we were, but when we talked to them about some of their customer service practices more than a few of them began to nod as they learned more about why people shop on the internet. Several of them have contacted us since to tell us that they haven''t lost many sales to the internet since they began to "really" listen to their customers and to provide them with the service that they seek. This is NOT to say that all retail jewelers have made this mistake, there are some excellent resources in some cities just as there are some jewelers who will never change. We think that people should try to do business on a local level because we truly believe in the power of small business and of the benefits that small business can bring to their community, but we''re here for the people who can''t find diamonds of the quality that we sell in their local area or who have decided that their local jeweler is not for them.

 

[crafftygrrl]

I have purchased significant jewelry at local stores and online through ebay.

I find when purchasing through the Internet, it''s wisest to be familiar with, and have tried on the product you are purchasing. On high dollar purchases, I only deal with ebay sellers with 99% plus positive feedback over hundreds/thousands of transactions. I recently purchased a very gently used (it still had the plastic on the back) Chaumet Class One Diamond/MOP watch from Signed Pieces and saved $5,500 from the list price, in addition to saving on the sales tax. I had tried on, and wished for the watch for years. I have also purchased an Elizabeth Locke bracelet too on ebay and saved $2,500, again, I knew and tried on the product before purchasing.

That is not to say I don''t value my relationships with local B&M merchants. I purchase (way too much!!!

). I love going into my favorite stores, trying on new pieces and planning for future purchases. My favorite B&Ms have a great selection of the designers I like, host trunk shows, give me great service and make repairs that is not convenient for Internet merchants.

I will say, if I can save thousands of dollars on the same piece of jewellery by purchasing on the Internet, I''d be foolish if I didn''t...

 

[windy1365]

We just bought my ring online without going in the jewelry store first. I feel like I missed out on that experience with him. I also didn''t know what a one caret stone looked like... I would have went with something bigger probably if I had seen it in person first. I would have still bought the ring online, though.

 

[TLS]

we wanted to do business with a local jeweler, but just had horrible experiences all around. One jeweler harrassed us and yelled at us for not making a decision right then and there when we told him we needed a few days to think about it and complained that he pulled in stones for us to look at which apparently was a big inconvience for him to do if he was not going to get the sale. I don''t go for high pressure tactics and that jeweler certainly wasn''t going to get a sale after that experience. Then I actually did my homework and realized he was not showing us high quality diamonds at all and they were not certifiied either. That is when I started really doing my homework, buying books, reading online, finding pricescope...etc.

Another place we went into couldn''t provide the information we wanted, sarin etc. They told us their diamonds were "ideal" cut but they turned out not to be. This was disappointing because it was a family owned business and I would like to have given them our business had they been honest and helpful.

I wish more local jewelers would just be honest and straightforward with their clients about the product they are selling and respect the customers that have done their homework instead of being threatened by it. I definitely got the impression that most local jewelers were not happy that I had researched diamonds. I think if they selling sub-par diamonds they obviously don''t want anyone too educated coming in who will discover this.

It seemed to me that the only people that respected the knowledge I gained were the online dealers who were being straightforward from the start and provided all the infomation possible to make an educated decision.

Many local jewelers need to get with the times and start providing this sarin information and need to start selling high quality diamonds in order to get my business. And I would pay a little more for this experience if we found someone who treated us well. maybe the problem really is that the general public does not do the research or care to do the research so the local jewelers are not going to spend the money to make these changes. Maybe we just have to continue dealing with these niche dealers who sell to the more educated diamond consumer?

What percentage of diamond buyers are like us pricescopers who really do our research and want the creme de la creme? Anyone have a statistic on this? Maybe we are not big enough of a group for many locals to care to cater to us? Seems crazy to me, but I really don''t know what the answer is.

Also, I want to add my disclaimer that I know there are many many great local jewelers who do care about customers like us and service customers like us well, I just had a very hard time finding them and therefore went online. Even if I were to find a local jeweler that had nice diamonds, their prices would have been much too high I fear... I don''t mind paying a little more but I am not going to pay a huge premium.

 

[bar01]

I really wanted to buy locally, before I gave up and went on line. Much of the same things said on this thread and by Aljdewey in the FAQ thread.

Also I think my case was especially complicated by the fact in addition to finding certified superideal diamonds - and a custom made setting - I wanted a fine untreated sapphire. If you think there are issues with some B&M stores and super ideal cut diamonds - try finding one who really understands and has worked with fine colored gems.

 

[Hest88]

I try to buy locally whenever I can for other things, but when I buy online it''s usually due to selection (especially with books or clothes) or my relationship to the vendor. I trust the PS vendors over most of my local jewelers. I know they understand me when I talk about cut quality. They don''t try to sell me on something I don''t want, and, in many cases, I know their virtual personalities well enough to know they are the types of people I want my business to go to.

 

[niceice]

We had a really good laugh the other day when a local client walked into our store with a file folder of pages printed out from the various on-line diamond dealers, including ourselves. Apparently he had walked into one of the other local jewelry stores and they flipped out when he pulled all of the data out in an effort to explain to them what he was looking for... He said that the jeweler was clearly irritated and pointed at a print out of some pages from our web site and said "Why don''t you just go there?!?! They''re located Downtown!"

Despite all of the money that we spend on radio and television advertising, this client did not realize that we were located in his backyard. He literally works about three blocks up the street out of our back door... He just didn''t think that "such a resource" (his words) would be located in Roseburg.

Obviously all the jewelers know each other here in town, we called the other jeweler to "thank him for the referral" and he was like "you can have those technical guys, I don''t want to deal with it... they drive me nuts!"

Whenever we''re in this guys store, he has to go to the back and get a loupe if a customer asks for one... We keep them out on our front counter in a bowl and give them away to clients during our sales presentation... Dramatic difference in the approach. The funny thing is that his obviously less precise clients would probably drive us nuts. To each his own

 

[strmrdr]

lol niceice that is funny.

 

[JohnQuixote]

Date: 3/14/2005 2:51

0 PM
Author:strmrdr
If you have bought jewelry online did you visit a local Jeweler before shopping online?

Strm - My answer was yes.

Several years ago local jewelers could not slake my searing thirst for knowledge. I had to learn what makes a beautiful diamond 'tick!' Alas, when I unsheathed my intimidating sheaf of data none were kind enough to send me to Robin & Todd

With help from Internet-savvy diamond denizens I did discover the desired data – and got to the right places. My travels were such a potent experience that I eventually returned in this capacity. I have since encountered many kindred souls who started the same way I did…Of course, back in ‘the day’ we didn’t have fancy-schmancy IdealScope images or search-by-cut features, and we had to walk to the computer in the snow.
Uphill.
Both ways.

A long, very detailed (did I say long?) account of my journey is here.

Since that time I’ve met a number of locals whom I'd trust for hands-on work… But the up-to-date, cut-savvy, goods-toting B&M stores like ones represented on PS are still but a sparsely scattered smattering of splendid sparkle…Full-service diamonds in the vast metropolitan rough.

 

[codex57]

Just realized I am shopping online. For earings. We''ve been trying on diamonds to figure out how big they look on her in stores, but we''re almost certainly going to end up buying online.

 

[lmurden]

In my personal experience I could not find the same quality and great prices for diamonds, gold jewelry, and watches at the typical mall jewelry stores. The diamonds are cloudy, very deep cut, cheap looking, and over priced! Even when I was looking for large gold hoops the price was about 50% more so I bought online. Also you can buy the same name brand watches at worldofwatches.com for 40% less!

The only thing that could even compare at the typical mall jewelry store was the Leo Diamond jewelry. Even then the price was about 40% more. Also I compared my solitaire engagement ring which is .71 carats to a .95 carat Leo Diamond solitaire the size was barely noticeable. It just wasn''t the extra money. Also when window shopping at the higher end jewelry store the mark up is so outrageous for the higher quality diamonds that I could not justify spending that much money!

At the end of the day it is just not worth it more me to shop at the mall for jewelry when I can buy diamonds, gold, and watches online for a much cheaper cost and better quality! I will say that finding a local jeweler to work with is very important and for me that will be Quest Manufacturing in VA.