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Using online vendor prices to negotiate with brick & mortars

slakuno

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jan 6, 2013
Messages
20
I have a good idea of the parameters I'm looking for in an RB for an e-ring (which I hope to buy in the next 30 days or so). Without going into all the details, I've honed in on stones close to the 2ct mark. I've browsed the stock of several large vendors (James Allen, Whiteflash, Brian Gavin, Bluenile) and have noted 13 stones which satisfy my criteria. I will be getting the setting at a brick & mortar (probably London Jewelers or Michael C. Fina) and am wondering if it makes sense to try and source the stone from them (or another vendor in the diamond district) rather than through one of the online vendors. I work very close to the diamond district, so there are plenty of B&M options to explore (I can even set up at appt. at James Allen (which has 3 stones I'm interested in), which I'll likely do regardless). However, I'm not really interested in going to all the trouble of dealing with B&Ms if it is unlikely that they'll be competitive with the online vendors.

In PSer's experience, how likely is it that:

1. B&Ms will be at (or very close to) online vendors' prices from the start?

2. In the event that B&Ms do not generally offer prices similar to online vendors from the start, they will be competitive if I produce documentation for the 13 stones I've noted?

As a related matter, are B&Ms generally receptive to discussion regarding pricing available from online vendors, or are they likely to take offense?

Thanks for your continued help!
 

denverappraiser

Ideal_Rock
Trade
Joined
Jul 21, 2004
Messages
9,150
Re: Using online vendor prices to negotiate with brick & mor

At least around here (Denver), the B&M’s are pretty accustomed to negotiating and they tend to start out high and come down if needed. If you want to avoid that step, try talking to them on the phone first and be entirely upfront about what you’re doing and what you’re expectations are. They’ll bail if they don’t want to do it and you can go somewhere else. They usually CAN match the onlines if they want although they may choose not to. It’s up to them to then explain what their ‘value add’ is that makes it worth more to buy from them and it’s up to you to decide if they’re worth it.

I wouldn't worry too much about hurting their feelings. I assure you, you are not the first person to ask this question and the worst they can say is no. The worst thing you can say, by the way, is nothing…. as in not even giving them a shot at it.
 

Christina...

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 7, 2011
Messages
5,028
Re: Using online vendor prices to negotiate with brick & mor

I had many of your same questions when I purchased an asscher a couple years ago and found that my local jeweler was quite eager to match the online diamond prices in order to get the sale. In the end though, an online vendor won out because the price of his setting options were much more costly and he claimed not to have much room to negotiate. He was great though and I felt he was really receptive and willing to do all that he could to get the sale. I'm sure that not all BMs like this but I agree that there is no hurt in asking.
 
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