Shane Co. vs. Online Vendors

[bdarwin]

I''ve been a viewer of this board for awhile now but I thought it was finally time to join given my situation. I believe I''ve finally found the right stone for my girlfriend''s ring but I have an honest question to ask all of you. What are my advantages or disadvantages for using an online vendor like Mark T at ERD or Jon at Good Old Gold (just to name a few), over a big name like the Shane Co. for design my girlfriend''s setting?

Thanks!

D

 

[neatfreak]

Shane Co. will rip you off and Jon or Mark won''t.

 

[DMBsGirl]

Date: 3/1/2008 4:56:08 PM
Author:bdarwin

I''ve been a viewer of this board for awhile now but I thought it was finally time to join given my situation. I believe I''ve finally found the right stone for my girlfriend''s ring but I have an honest question to ask all of you. What are my advantages or disadvantages for using an online vendor like Mark T at ERD or Jon at Good Old Gold (just to name a few), over a big name like the Shane Co. for design my girlfriend''s setting?

Thanks!

D

I''ve never heard of Shane co so can''t say much about them, but my ring came from Gary at ERD and it is gorgeous! My fiance had a wonderful experience working with him and he brought in several stones until my fiance was happy. My ring was made for my stone and I get complimented all the time on the design. I wanted something different, and although my ring may not be different on PS, I have not seen one like it IRL and that to me is a major PLUS.

 

[bdarwin]

So you''re basically saying that if I contacted ERD and told them what type of ring I wanted, they could customize it without any problems, great quality and all, and everyone goes home happy?

Why would Shane Co. rip me off on a setting?

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 3/1/2008 5:16:44 PM
Author: bdarwin

So you're basically saying that if I contacted ERD and told them what type of ring I wanted, they could customize it without any problems, great quality and all, and everyone goes home happy?

Why would Shane Co. rip me off on a setting?

Shane Co. just often leaves something to be desired...and it's a chain, so the quality of everything can vary widely, including their designers/setters. Mark is known for his custom settings (in fact he's doing one for me right now!) and his stuff is quality. I personally would trust him far more than a chain store.

Just do a search for ERD or GOG vs. Shane Co. on here. There are MANY MANY negative reviews of Shane Co, but very few about ERD or GOG. GOG doesn't do as much design work however...so if you need a setting designed I'd go to Mark.

 

[bdarwin]

So you highly doubt anyone on this board would go to Shane Co. over those guys? Has anyone else been in my shoes where they''ve questioned the very same thing?

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 3/1/2008 5:21:57 PM
Author: bdarwin
So you highly doubt anyone on this board would go to Shane Co. over those guys? Has anyone else been in my shoes where they've questioned the very same thing?

I can't say no one would...but I CAN say that no regulars on this board would. Which I think says something as to the quality of Mark and Jon's business.

All I can say is that for me, all the negative reviews of Shane Co. had me running for the hills. Does that mean that someone can't have a good experience with them? No. Of course not. But it DOES mean that enough people have been dissatisfied enough to post about their bad experience here. So for me, it's a no brainer.

Is there a reason that you're inclined to go with Shane Co? You seem reluctant to go with Mark or GOG...reasons? I am sure we'd be happy to help you work through your concerns if you tell us what they are.

 

[MattyB5576]

i am close to being in your shoes. I have a beautiful diamond at dunkins diamonds in ft myers that is cushion cut 1.38 D SI2 premium cut with gia cert and Vg VG polish and sym. The only problem is that when i look online I can find it cheaper or i can find a bigger diamond for what i am paying for this one. So I have been contemplating what are the benefits of going through online vs local. I guess for me I talked the guy down a little bit locally since I brought in the internet prices. Also I enjoy the ability to see the stone in hand as many times as I would like. I have heard tons of good things about GOG and ERD so I am not saying anything at all against them as I have contacted MArk to look at some diamond for me and he and Gary were more then accomodating. I am purchasing the setting online at james allen and feel comfortable with having the people at DD set the diamond for me if I choose that one. So the advantages for using online vendors are probably decreased cost and experience from the workers at those 2 companies. Disadvantages are inability to see the setting, sometimes restocking fees, inability to return customized jewelry to some vendors, lack of that face to face (some people ae fine without this part) but i like to know who i am woring with. It''s kind of a crap shoot. Either way you go I am sure you wil be happy and she will be surprised.
-MB

 

[bdarwin]

I guess I''m wondering why Shane Co. would screw people over and yet ERD or GOG wouldn''t?

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 3/1/2008 6:52:02 PM
Author: bdarwin
I guess I''m wondering why Shane Co. would screw people over and yet ERD or GOG wouldn''t?

Because they have and ERD and GOG have yet to. It''s as simple as that. Just read the reviews of all three businesses here and you''ll see what I mean.

Some businesses just value their customers more than others.

 

[bdarwin]

I''ll just have to take your word for it then.

 

[marvel]

Date: 3/1/2008 6:52:02 PM
Author: bdarwin
I guess I''m wondering why Shane Co. would screw people over and yet ERD or GOG wouldn''t?

Hi bdarwin...do a search on PS for Shane Co and you''ll read first hand experiences. You could even do a google search to find out about Shane. Personally I wouldn''t ever feel comfortable buying from them.

 

[marcy]

I buy from the Shane Co and love them. My diamond solitaire is an AGS0 and is gorgeous. Their quality is certainly better than the B&M you’ll find in the malls. They are very helpful and I have great comfort in knowing that no matter what my problem I can walk in to the store and get it fixed. I live out of town and they go out of their way to accommodate me and fix / mount stones while I wait. Their upgrade on stones is that the new stone has to cost $1 more - you can''t beat that anywhere. Yes, you can find diamonds cheaper online from reputable PS dealers and be quite happy with your purchase; but I don’t relish shipping my wrings somewhere in the mail to get fixed, resized, etc. I have sent at least a dozen friends or co-workers to them and they are all very happy with their purchases as well.

 

[swingirl]

The typical customer of Shane Co isn't expecting as much as the educated customer from PS. When you go to Shane Co your sales person probably has never seen anything other than a round or princess cut because most of their buyers are not aware of any other cuts. Start asking them some detailed questions like about angles, inclusions, Sarin reports, 40x photos and then compare the level of information they have with someone from GOG, WF or Mark T. Ask them who actually creates their custom peices and whether you get to talk directly to this person, see wax models or CAD pictures. Let us know what Shane Co says.

It's not that they intentionally try to rip you off. You just won't get the same service, quality and price as you would from some of PS's favorite vendors. And every store is different. Some might have great people working there and some may not. I went there years ago and they had some stones but a limited selection and you had to ask for what you were looking for. Works for some, not for others.

 

[Kaleigh]

The thing here is with ERD , GOG and other PS vendor''s they already deal with the best of the best. They have all the info you need to get a stone with an excellent cut. Cut being key. With Shane can you get that from them? Maybe so, but it''s a lot more work on your part.

 

[hairgirl95]

Date: 3/1/2008 8:20:03 PM
Author: marcyc
I buy from the Shane Co and love them. My diamond solitaire is an AGS0 and is gorgeous. Their quality is certainly better than the B&M you’ll find in the malls. They are very helpful and I have great comfort in knowing that no matter what my problem I can walk in to the store and get it fixed. I live out of town and they go out of their way to accommodate me and fix / mount stones while I wait. Their upgrade on stones is that the new stone has to cost $1 more - you can''t beat that anywhere. Yes, you can find diamonds cheaper online from reputable PS dealers and be quite happy with your purchase; but I don’t relish shipping my wrings somewhere in the mail to get fixed, resized, etc. I have sent at least a dozen friends or co-workers to them and they are all very happy with their purchases as well.

I see your logic here marcyc. Online purchases are not for everyone. I agree with the not having to mail my jewelry in and wait for a repair even longer due to shipping. My jeweler (who can be a pain sometimes) ALWAYS does any mounts/repairs/sizing on the spot. I rarely have to leave my jewelry for more than a few hours. Yes, online buying does give you better options when it comes to budgeting, but for some people it doesn''t outweigh the lack of face to face and the comfort of being in close proximity to the jeweler. Just my 2 cents worth. If bdarwin feels more comfortable going to Shane co, then maybe that is the best option for him. He will be going in there with the ammo of Pricescope knowledge, which we all know many b&m buyers don''t have. I think with the education from here darwin can negotiate something that will make him happy.

 

[marcy]

I agree with you hairgirl. My diamond was about $400 to $500 more from Shane Co than online but that extra money was worth it to me to be able to look at and pick out my diamond plus I have a store I can go to for service. My DH is very much the kind of person that wants to be able to see and touch things instead of ordering online. Don''t get me wrong; we buy a ton of things online but some things we prefer to pick out in person.

bdarwin - knowledge gives you a big advantage and you can find the quality you want at Shane Co as well as online. When I go to Shane Co I tell them what I want, they bring it out for me; I look at a few stones, pick the one I want and go away very happy. They can also bring in stones from other stores / places if they don''t have exactly what you are looking for. Good luck and have fun shopping.

 

[arjunajane]

To the OP, If things in this thread concern u, such as waiting longer to have repairs etc done on the setting, I would take the best of both worlds: Buy your stone online from WF, GOG, ERD and save yourself time, money

and possibly alot of hassle. You Cannot go wrong buying a stone from these guys, as long as you are upfront with what you want.
Then, purchase the setting from a local jeweler (not necessarily a chain) with decent policies that you know you can trust. Keep in mind you may expect to pay bit more this way than online due to o/heads.
That way you have a superior stone and the proximity of the jeweller should you need that assistance.

I also second doing ur research on shane.co and any other B&M or online vendor you are considering - nothing like a lil bit of independent knowledge. I will say that in my short time on this board I have heard some complaints about Shanes, but as you can see in this thread they also have happy clients. It really comes down to your priorities and expectations. If you''re even questioning their honesty, its not a good start

good luck

 

[CaliBling]

My ring from my first marriage was from Shane Company, and while it is unlikely that I would buy my engagement ring from them in the future, I can tell you that I had an excellent experience with them...Their upgrade policy is incredible. After my divorce, I took my diamond in and was able to replace it with solitare diamond earrings, and was only obligated to spend $1 more...No questions, no problems and great service- they were more than happy to do the exchange for me.

Now that I am much more educated about diamonds, options, designers, cuts, shapes, etc...Armed with my new found knowlege I would feel much more comfortable purchasing from someone like GOG or ERD- but do I think that you would be making a terrible mistake purchasing from Shane? No...I had a great experience- and have shopped at three different locations.

 

[elle_chris]

Date: 3/1/2008 11:23:43 PM
Author: arjunajane
To the OP, If things in this thread concern u, such as waiting longer to have repairs etc done on the setting, I would take the best of both worlds: Buy your stone online from WF, GOG, ERD and save yourself time, money

and possibly alot of hassle. You Cannot go wrong buying a stone from these guys, as long as you are upfront with what you want.
Then, purchase the setting from a local jeweler (not necessarily a chain) with decent policies that you know you can trust. Keep in mind you may expect to pay bit more this way than online due to o/heads.
That way you have a superior stone and the proximity of the jeweller should you need that assistance.

I also second doing ur research on shane.co and any other B&M or online vendor you are considering - nothing like a lil bit of independent knowledge. I will say that in my short time on this board I have heard some complaints about Shanes, but as you can see in this thread they also have happy clients. It really comes down to your priorities and expectations. If you''re even questioning their honesty, its not a good start

good luck

arjunajane made some good points.
If you''re set on buying for them though, just be sure you walk in educated and ask to see specific stones (ags/gia). If they''re able to show you these stones and you don''t mind paying extra, then definitely make your purchase where you''re most comfortable.

 

[Sparkles22]

Date: 3/1/2008 9:19:17 PM
Author: marcyc
I agree with you hairgirl. My diamond was about $400 to $500 more from Shane Co than online but that extra money was worth it to me to be able to look at and pick out my diamond plus I have a store I can go to for service. My DH is very much the kind of person that wants to be able to see and touch things instead of ordering online. Don''t get me wrong; we buy a ton of things online but some things we prefer to pick out in person.

bdarwin - knowledge gives you a big advantage and you can find the quality you want at Shane Co as well as online. When I go to Shane Co I tell them what I want, they bring it out for me; I look at a few stones, pick the one I want and go away very happy. They can also bring in stones from other stores / places if they don''t have exactly what you are looking for. Good luck and have fun shopping.

Yep that is how I got my stone too (knowing what I wanted and asking for it and having them ship some in for me to see). If you go in there educated they are much more than accomidating. I think they have a huge selection of settings in particular, even more in the store than what is shown online. Just got mine independently appraised and it appraised for more than double what I paid. Also the cut on the stones in the settings were graded excellent F/G VVS/VS. I love knowing they stand behind their products and offer the lifetime guarantee (no extra charge or anything). They are more expensive than mail stores but also MUCH BETTER quality. I personally have not had anything made/done by anyone online. I am very happy with my center stone, I probably paid a little more than from online, but a love the lifetime trade up, and having someone in person help me at the store. I''ve actually have only heard good things about their settings, so I would at least check it out for yourself.

 

[bdarwin]

Hmm, buying the diamond from a trusted online vendor and a setting from a local jeweler does make a lot of sense. Do you think there''s any chance I would be more disappointed if I had a custom setting made locally as opposed to someone like GOG or ERD?

 

[elle_chris]

The only problem i see with that is who takes responsibility for the stone during the setting process.
I''m currently in the same boat and need to get my stone insured prior to having it set. My policy with Travelers doesn''t cover loose stones.
Jewelers Mutual does cover loose, but the quote i got (online) was about double what it would cost to add it to my existing Travelers policy.

If you''re not set on a specific designer setting, shop around see what you like and then get the setting from whomever you''re buying the stone from
as they''d take responsibility for the setting process.

 

[bdarwin]

Date: 3/2/2008 12:26:54 PM
Author: elle_chris
The only problem i see with that is who takes responsibility for the stone during the setting process.
I'm currently in the same boat and need to get my stone insured prior to having it set. My policy with Travelers doesn't cover loose stones.
Jewelers Mutual does cover loose, but the quote i got (online) was about double what it would cost to add it to my existing Travelers policy.

If you're not set on a specific designer setting, shop around see what you like and then get the setting from whomever you're buying the stone from
as they'd take responsibility for the setting process.

I'm pretty confident I'd get a good quality setting from a custom online jeweler that PS posters have recommended but I don't know if I like the idea of shipping my jewellery everytime I need something fixed or cleaned. Do most custom jewellers not stand behind settings if the stone didn't come from them?

 

[elle_chris]

Date: 3/2/2008 12:31:37 PM
Author: bdarwin

I''m pretty confident I''d get a good quality setting from a custom online jeweler that my on PS recommend but I don''t know if I like the idea of shipping my jewellery everytime I need something fixed or cleaned.

Regarding shipping it back; for cleaing, any jeweler in your area can do it for free. I never ship my 5 stone back just to be cleaned. I did however ship my ring back to whiteflash a month or so ago due to a loose stone in the setting.
I was debating just going to a jeweler here and fixing it as like you, i didn''t want to wait forever.
But, the process of shipping it back was painless.
They emailed me a fed ex label, i printed it and followed their instructions then shipped it out from work. it went overnight and i received an email from them the next day saying they received it.
the total time it took between shipping to them and getting it back was about 1 week. That''s really not long and i knew they''d do a great job fixing it. They also didn''t charge me!!!
I can''t say how long a local jeweler would have taken to fix it. Maybe a day maybe a week, and in places where they don''t have a benchman in the same local, even longer.
Moral of my loooong story is, shipping it back and forth is NOT an issue.

 

[DMBsGirl]

Date: 3/1/2008 5:21:57 PM
Author: bdarwin
So you highly doubt anyone on this board would go to Shane Co. over those guys? Has anyone else been in my shoes where they've questioned the very same thing?

well one reason i suggested my fiance go to ERD over any other B&M is because I wanted a cushion. Unfortunately, most B&M jewelers don't have any cushions and sadly, some of the staff don't even know what a cushion IS! I wanted a jeweler where I knew the staff was knowledgeable on the type of stone I wanted because my fiance would be doing it all on his own. I knew that if he went to ERD he would come back with a gorgeous cushion and high quality setting and at a much better price than he could have gotten elsewhere. I am soo happy that he took my advice and went with ERD over someone else.

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 3/2/2008 12:31:37 PM
Author: bdarwin

Date: 3/2/2008 12:26:54 PM
Author: elle_chris
The only problem i see with that is who takes responsibility for the stone during the setting process.
I''m currently in the same boat and need to get my stone insured prior to having it set. My policy with Travelers doesn''t cover loose stones.
Jewelers Mutual does cover loose, but the quote i got (online) was about double what it would cost to add it to my existing Travelers policy.

If you''re not set on a specific designer setting, shop around see what you like and then get the setting from whomever you''re buying the stone from
as they''d take responsibility for the setting process.

I''m pretty confident I''d get a good quality setting from a custom online jeweler that PS posters have recommended but I don''t know if I like the idea of shipping my jewellery everytime I need something fixed or cleaned. Do most custom jewellers not stand behind settings if the stone didn''t come from them?

Good point elle.
BDarwin, if I may ask, do you already have an insurance policy that will cover your ring? Most ppl find they need to add a personable valuables clause to their policy, and as Jewellers Mutual cover the diamond and setting during the setting process, alot of ppl seem to go with them.
To answer your questions:, as long as you do your research as mentioned before and can be specific and descriptive about the setting you want,(pictures the best idea) no I don''t think you will be disappointed. That said, of course I don''t know your level of expectations

Secondly, my understanding is your jeweller who made/supplied the setting should (hopefully) stand by that, while any of the PS recommended vendors have great policies for backing their stones. (again, the best thing would be to just query the policies of the specific designer you choose). I''m not sure if that was what you were asking? If you were asking about setting the stone, pls see above

 

[jewelerman]

I enjoy my time on this forum ,but i get tired of the negative responces about buying at non-on line sources and the general blacket statement statement that they all will rip you off. Just because the source is on line doesnt mean a great experaince is going to follow.I have worked at several jewelry stores in my career and i have delt with both people that dont care about quality and people who are as educated and demanding as those here on the forum.I have worked at stores with one location as well as a store with 460 stores.A chain store can carry poor quality as well as exceptional quality.I have had to tell people that they were taken online as well as that the quailty and price they recieved from some online sources was exceptional.In researching and speaking to people at the the Shane Co.You will find that they carry everything from I2-J quailty diamonds to their Shane Classic which is a diamond that is certified from AGS AND GIA as Ideal cut and impresasive color and clarities.They will replace any chipped or lost diamond in their jewelry for free for life,as well as all maintainance including re-rhodium,re-sizing,tips and crowns for life on their jewelry free...they will trade up their loose diamonds for one dollar more than original purchase price...no doubling or tripling required to trade up on a diamond...What on line jeweler offers these services free for life?So you cannot lump all jewelers as rip offs or honest...I spend a great deal of my time at the jewelry store i work at educating the customer in all aspects of the purchase and i resent the talk that because i work for a store with more than 20 locations that my goal is to rip off the typical customer.The employees at my company are not paid on commission.Each consumer needs to take responsibility for educating themselves and each source regardless of their location are responsible for being honest and representing their jewelry correctly so the customer can make an informed choice.

 

[bdarwin]

But has anyone ever heard anything negative about ERD or GOG?

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 3/3/2008 2:05:17 PM
Author: bdarwin

But has anyone ever heard anything negative about ERD or GOG?

bdarwin, every company will have a mess up now and then. IMO, it''s how they handle the situation that makes them a great vendor along with integrity, reponse to emails and phone calls etc. if you type in either vendors name you are bound to come across something negative but i cannot think of one instance where either vendor has not gone above and beyond to make the situation right again which is why they both come highly recommended here. With either vendor, what you see is what you get, no hidden contracts or warranties etc. Both offer upgrade policy''s etc. and are priced very competitively. I have not purchased from either of them, but have emailed or called for one reason or another and would not hesitate to give them my business.