What is important to you as an internet shopper?

[WinkHPD]

I am very curious as to what is important to you as shoppers. When you look at the various vendors on the net, what strikes your hot buttons?

Is it only price? Is it free shipping? Is it the guarantee? If so, how long should it be and does it include special orders?

I have been talking with some of my fellow vendors, and we want to understand you better, so please come out and play with us, let us know what you really want so we can make your shopping experiance better.

Wink

 

[moremoremore]

Hi Wink!!!! For me, #1) I need to know that company has been around for a long time and will continue to be b/c I am an "upgrader"....and so #2) I want an upgrade policy....a good one....#3) it helps to have analysis posted on site so I can make a determination looking at the web site (assuming it's not a drop ship type of company)...#4) I CAN'T STAND PRESSURE. I won't stand for it.... #5) price...I'll pay a LITTLE more for service...but there comes a point where it's not worth it if it's really cheaper from a comparable company...this is especially true when you're not an upgrader...#6) I like to have my questions answered. It's REALLY important to have good communication!!!

 

[Nicrez]

I'd say that the most important things to me are:




1) Quality of service - getting a professional and curteous response to ALL questions, and fairly timely.


2) Quality of product that if you have a higher price point, that it be WORTH it!


3) Competitive pricing, or willingness to make customer happier (even if they can't match)


4) Guarantees on merhcandise or service, like upgrade policies, return policies over 30 days, etc...


5) Going the extra mile. (getting it there when needed, working on it again to fix an issue, even a referral to someone ELSE who can help)




I have often bought a cheap shirt without trying it on at a fly by night store with no refund policy. Ok. But something of value will never be done based on PRICE alone. We possibly overpaid for our Radiant Cut radiant, but we trust the brand, the service we got was so helpful, and the jeweler was great and has a good upgrade policy. Only sad thing is that I wasn't thrilled with their benchman's work, so my engagement ring won't be made there. I'd go back for diamonds, but not jewelery...




When it comes to buying a diamond, i totally understand why people like Tiffany's. Besides their prices, people feel (usually) like it's a special experience, and most times (but not for me) that the customer is special and appreciated. That's key, because after all you are selling the image of luxury, you should be able to pamper and cater to the customer. Free shipping is always second to responding promptly to questions and being friendly and cureous without being pushy. Know your customer, see what they need, and customize that sale. Basically that's it.

 

[researcher]

What a great post, Wink!

While I hate to admit it, one of the most important things to me is having the most information possible readily available. IMO, most internet shoppers are going to do their research through sites such as PS BEFORE purchasing a stone. As such, it's nice when you can go to a site, see the specs of the stone (especially the certificate!), and know the asking price. I also like simplicity in the web page as well as a good search function. Can I put in the specific specs I'm looking for and get a COMPLETE list of the diamonds I would consider? This factor alone has turned me off of some sites.

Secondly, I like being able to have a stone (or multiple stones) sent to a local appraiser so I can view it before purchasing. With everyone always saying you need to see a stone before purchasing, I would never buy a stone first and just hope I can get my money back if I don't like it.

This leads into the third factor which is the guarantee. I want to know that the vendor will be responsible if something happens to the stone while it's being set, and that they have a good upgrade policy (although I will not upgrade my e-ring stone, I like having the security that the vendor would not hide a chip from me because the stone could be given back to them at some point). I think vendors should have a 10-day return policy (plenty of time for people to inspect the stone themselves, get the stone appraised, and mail it back to the vendor if they don't want it), and then offer a full refund (or at least trade in policy) on stones that are not of the color/clarity quality suggested/stated on the certificate (just for peace of mind).

Other things that are important include good sales associates (getting back to the customer quickly/communication, being knowlegeable, and general rapport), price (I would rather not pay for a bunch of "extras"), and length of time in business. I prefer to work with a vendor who has a B&M store as well, but it's not a necessity.

Hope this helps!

 

[fire&ice]

Quick & clear answers w/ no overt smoozing to my questions. Excellent customer service. Good value. And, a clear cut return policy. Also, I like to talk to the person. Assessiblity to get them on a land line. If near by me, the ability to see the item (by appointment only is fine)

Also, turn-key service with a will do attitude.

 

[foundnemo]

For me, and this is for diamond shopping only (am currently looking for earrings!), I value these factors:

1) competitive FINAL price (how much will I pay in the end, free shipping or not)
2) fast response time (same or next day reply by e-mail or phone call)
3) flexibility to work with customers to get them what they want
4) set refund policy
5) a professional looking website with lots of nice pictures is a plus!

 

[moremoremore]

"Quick & clear answers...."

I think that one is HUGE. Nothing is more frustrating than having to ask the same questions over and over b/c you're not getting quick and clear answers!

 

[CaptAubrey]

i think the most important thing is a) having all policies clearly spelled out in plain English beforehand, and b) sticking to the stated policies.




i've seen too many posted examples of online vendors (typically ebay) who have what look like fair return policies but drag their feet and complain when asked to abide by them.

 

[hoorray]

Great thread! Let's see.....I know it when I find it, but haven't made a list before.

1. I have to be able to trust/believe the vendor. (I've talked to many, and often feel that they have a hidden adgenda in what they are telling me based on what they are trying to move.)

2. Fast response time to my questions and enough information available up front to make it worth inquiring farther. (Some sites have so little info available that I would have to ask about every stone to find the few I am interested in. I won't bother -- I'd rather do that sorting myself.)

3. Quality items with enough information available to be able to have confidence in my purchase. I don't need 50 reports, and am happy to trust the vendor's eyes if I have developed enough trust in them. (back to #1.) As much as good reports can make me feel good, I also know that I could easily take myself down an unwarranted path by trying to max out scores when it's not meaningful, or whatever.

4. Competitive final price. I'd rather not be nickle and dimed with shipping and other fees, but at the end of the day, it's about the whole package.

5. Good, basic policies to protect myself in the purchasing process. Let me send it to an appraiser first. Give me a no questions asked return policy. Longer is better, but I understand the cost to the vendor of this.

6. Lastly, bonus points for helping me put it all together with settings, appraisers, return shipping, or whatever I need.

My preference is to develop a relationship so that I can call for all sorts of items. That said, if I find the right thing at the right price with someone I don't know, I will buy it if I can protect myself in the process.

 

[NewShiny]

I would request the following:

Fast (24 business hours), personal, and clear responses to my requests for information. I emailed icestore.com days ago about a ring sizing issue and never received a response. I'll never buy from them now, no matter how much I like their website/merchandise.

I know they're not worth all that much to everyone, but I like to read testimonials from real people that have made recent purchases. I just booked a bed and breakfast stay online, and I was a little wary that their last set of testimonials were from 2002. Does that mean the service has gone downhill since then? Luckily, I found other, more recent reviews elsewhere, and think I'll be happy with my choice.

 

[fire&ice]

I'm reading people's responses & nothing really stands out that is on-line specific. I think it's what we all want as a consumer. Good value, selection & service. Sure, we talk about websites. But, IMHO, it's the store window & display cases.

One reason I like to shop on the web is that you don't have to waste your time finding a salesperson to request information on an object. It's at the click of the mouse. If something looks good to me I can take the next step w/o going through the hoops of having someone drag out 20 different items & ask each price & specs.

 

[noobie]

For me, it what everyone else has said so well and it boils down to one word "TRUST"




Sorry, not to be flip, but earning that trust is the integrity and honesty of the vendor and the right combination of what people have posted above. I don't want to repeat what they said.




P.S. I assume that this question is related to diamond vendors. If you're talking about something like DVDs or books then it's just availability, price and delivery (and not screwing up the order)

 

[CaptAubrey]

----------------
On 6/30/2004 5:30:24 PM noobie wrote:







If you're talking about something like DVDs or books then it's just availability, price and delivery (and not screwing up the order)

----------------

well, yes and no. it's just that a lot more trust is required with a $15,000 purchase than with a $15 one.

 

[strmrdr]

********Ability to NOT have to talk to a sales person.**********
I dislike sales people and pitches!
that means:
1> a ton of information up front without having to ask for it.
2> clear pricing
3> policies spelled out in plain english yet detailed enough to answer what the policy is for resolving problems.
4> ability to handle the entire process online except funds transfer the second a dealer says call me its over as far as im concerned.
5> quick response to email for any remaining questions: see 1

Helpfull even when im not buying at the moment:
1> helping out on forums like this one.
2> treating me well if I just drop them a note with a question.
When I decide to buy the email will usual just say ship it. Because iv done my homework before hand.
If the email says price request im seeking quotes and checking availability and you dont have enough info on your webpage!
I plan $50 purchases weeks in advance sometimes anything higher is always planned in advance and nothing any sales person can do will get me to move faster than my plan thats why fake sales annoy me big time.


Good reputation with a lot of good feedback on a forum like this one.

Have something that tickles my fancy that means a wide selection of goods. I like different stuff that is one of a kindish. If everyone wants one then I dont usualy or I have to apply a twist and make mine some how different :}

 

[noobie]

----------------
On 6/30/2004 6:01:25 PM CaptAubrey wrote:

----------------
On 6/30/2004 5:30:24 PM noobie wrote:







If you're talking about something like DVDs or books then it's just availability, price and delivery (and not screwing up the order)

----------------

well, yes and no. it's just that a lot more trust is required with a $15,000 purchase than with a $15 one.

----------------

In my view Capt. more yes than no. Books and DVDs are well defined and for most cases almost standard commodities. Although book reviews are nice, I don't need to depend on them like I do the information and responses and expert opinions of the diamond vendors to form a major and critical part of the purchase decision. Although I do agree that high involvement purchases require more trust than low ones.

All of the responses have been just great and I can appreciate all of them as someone who purchases many things online including big ticket items and having purchased from two PS vendors in the past few months and most probably one or two more in the next few weeks.

Interesting read!

 

[WinkHPD]

----------------
On 6/30/2004 9:54:27 PM Mara wrote:


everyone's answers are excellent.


oh and by the way the only experience i have had with you wink is an email from a few months back which was prompt...so i can't complain.

none of this is directed at you, so the 'you' i note should not be taken personally. it's just a 'general you'.

----------------

LOL! I wish I could say honestly that everyone's questions had been answered as quickly. Sheila and I have been putting in some very long days and we have been looking for answers to these questions as have many of my associates and friendly competitors that vend on the net. The answers that you are all giving me are pretty much the kind of thing I was hoping to get, serious responses to a a serious question.

Keep those answers coming, I am not the only vendor getting a lesson in where we need improvement! The old song starts out, "Summer time, and the livin is easy..." For many of us it will be, "Summer time, and the redoing the site aint easy..."

I can see that there will be more long nights and busy conferences with the webmaster I just hired.

Wink

 

[WinkHPD]

----------------
On 6/30/2004 10:23:23 PM strmrdr wrote:

********Ability to NOT have to talk to a sales person.**********
I dislike sales people and pitches!
that means:
1> a ton of information up front without having to ask for it.
2> clear pricing
3> policies spelled out in plain english yet detailed enough to answer what the policy is for resolving problems.
4> ability to handle the entire process online except funds transfer the second a dealer says call me its over as far as im concerned.
5> quick response to email for any remaining questions: see 1

Helpfull even when im not buying at the moment:
1> helping out on forums like this one.
2> treating me well if I just drop them a note with a question.
When I decide to buy the email will usual just say ship it. Because iv done my homework before hand.
If the email says price request im seeking quotes and checking availability and you dont have enough info on your webpage!
I plan $50 purchases weeks in advance sometimes anything higher is always planned in advance and nothing any sales person can do will get me to move faster than my plan thats why fake sales annoy me big time.


Good reputation with a lot of good feedback on a forum like this one.

Have something that tickles my fancy that means a wide selection of goods. I like different stuff that is one of a kindish. If everyone wants one then I dont usualy or I have to apply a twist and make mine some how different :}








----------------

And there is a big point where my personality is different than yours. I love to talk to people and often get irritated when people will not call me to ask a question that might take an hour to repsond to via email but only a few minutes to explain on the phone. Sometimes I spend a long time answering a question only to find out that I was answering the wrong question. I shall have to remember that I am interacting with many personality types and quit trying to make every one interact the same way I do.

I already know from our emails that you and I do communicate well that way, but I will remember never to ask you to call me!

Wink

 

[hoorray]

One of the big debates here is how much information is necessary and appropriate to make the sale...

Obviously, from the consumer's point of view, more is better. Vendors have to find a middle ground since that is so labor intensive. The cert information is the minimum in my opionion for the "informed" consumer. But, if it is GIA, that doesn't include enough information to be meaningful. i.e.crown and pavilion angles. Vendors who provide enough information (GIA basics + crown and pavilion data) will get me to inquire on stones. Without that as a basic information set, I waste too much time asking about stones and either not getting answers or getting bad answers to bother. The vendors who supply me these basic cut specs as a screening tool, and are then willing to send me pictures or talk me though live examinations of the stone are the ones I will work with. Providing those pictues online is nice, but not required to be if they will readily send them to me. (And I probably prefer the ones who will just talk me through the stones, since a little knowledge can be dangerous, and I know that I really don't know how to interpret/trust the various reports.) But, I have to have built up a general trust in the vendor.

Look at the general tone of the threads here. The first comment is that they haven't provided enough information to know about the stone. Once the get the cut specs, the next advice is to get pictures/information about the inclusions and an idealscope picture. All the other scope reports are really nice add-ons, but I personally will buy without them.

This is based on a a view of today's world. This industry is changing quickly, and in the tech world, the people who stay in front of the curve, inventing rather than trying to catch up, have the advantage. In the blended tech + diamond world, I suppose the challenge will be to find the right balance. Being a "trusted vendor" and making the online experience easy and informative.

Interesting times....

 

[fire&ice]

----------------
On 6/30/2004 9:54:27 PM Mara wrote:


>oh and lastly, don't make excuses for your product or your turnaround time or *anything*. i personally do not CARE if so and so is on vacation and you do not have the staff to take my order or get me information. that's your problem and i shouldn't even know about it! you should make sure the business is run smoothly, with quick responses, prompt information, ease of use in terms of your website and email, and lastly but not least, a great product delivered! -

AHEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Geez, harness the energy spend on excuses to answer questions quicker.

Or better yet, instead of crabing about some internet vendors focus your energy on making yours better!

And, train all your people. Yesterday I went to buy my favorite undies. I picked up 3 pairs because you get a price break. The little girl rang it up full price (21.00) instead of the 3 for $18.00. I said that the price is $18.00 for three. She told me she didn't know how to do that. She gave me a blank stare when I said "So, you want me to pay the $21.00 because you don't know how to ring it up?" I actually had to ask her to get someone to show her how.

The veteran clerk said that the little girl was still in training. I DON'T CARE. She shouldn't have been exposed to clients buy herself if she wasn't properly trained.

Should have gone to their website.

 

[fire&ice]

----------------
On 6/30/2004 11:50:40 PM Wink wrote:

----------------
On 6/30/2004 10:23:23 PM strmrdr wrote:

And there is a big point where my personality is different than yours. I love to talk to people and often get irritated when people will not call me to ask a question that might take an hour to repsond to via email but only a few minutes to explain on the phone. Sometimes I spend a long time answering a question only to find out that I was answering the wrong question. I shall have to remember that I am interacting with many personality types and quit trying to make every one interact the same way I do.

I already know from our emails that you and I do communicate well that way, but I will remember never to ask you to call me!

Wink----------------

I can't agree w/ Wink more on the issue of what form of communication can expedite information. Email is good to fire off a simple question. But, it shouldn't take the place of talking to someone.

Wink, you are very accomodating. No offense to Storm - but we would not be a good fit. I would probably try to earn your business; but, I wouldn't make it a challenge.

 

[strmrdr]

no offence taken f&i :}

That is one of the reasons I get along so well with niceice r/t they seem to love written communication ask them a question and you get a book back for an answer :}
Rhino is pretty good about it also.
Brian @ whiteflash is like wink he would much rather have a call.
...................

Back on topic:
hours:
structure your hours so you are available by phone and by email during the peak internet hours that means having aomeone available from 5pm-10pm on all the coast to coast time zones.

Make sure and displayed it all over your website that you are available those hours and it will increase sales.
9-5 just doesnt cut it on the internet because most of your customers will be working during those times.-
A 3pm-12pm workday makes much more sence for internet sales than 9-5.
It is a huge way to set yourself apart from the rest of the pack.

 

[Mara]

Case in point to what strm noted, I am very much the same way. Prefer to email vs call, or do something online vs having to go offline to phone. I actually accepted a job via email this week...hehee. I guess I could have called but I just preferred to pop off and email with details.




Anyway, a great example on how of lack of information and a push to call lost a sale...we are looking into puppy training classes for Portia. There is a local place near me which looks great, has some local awards, certifications, etc etc. It's a nice price and it's literally about 5 blocks away. We could walk there. They have tons of information online and you can register online and pay with CC. Now granted the reg form is just an html form which no backend to actually register you in the class, the form goes to an email, someone checks the email, adds you once you have paid with PayPal (or sent a check etc). The point is that I could register and show interest on line.




Another company, a nationally well known company who has alot of accolades has a great website with lots of info but no online reg form. You have to call to even find out where and when the classes are! Considering that this one is also $15 more expensive and I am not even convinced after reading their website...I decided to go with the other place and registered online.




The funny thing is that our pup trainer works for the 2nd company, though I heard about her referred through the first (so they all know each other which is good!) and I told her that I had been interested in classes through them but that their website wasn't informative enough and I had to CALL. She laughed and said she had been telling the owner that for years and no one listened to her. She wanted me to email her saying that, which I still have to do...and let her know they lost a potential sale because of that. She said the classes were excellent but their office and staff were crappy. So she and I talked about how you could have a great product but if the delivery is not there...and customer service, people go elsewhere. She agreed.




Sorry for another dog story...hehee...but that just seemed so applicable for this discussion. I am sure we will love the first one we signed up for, but it would have been nice to have both options and not have had to call to see if the 2nd one had a class that even fit our schedule!

 

[verticalhorizon]

Thanks for asking this great question Wink.

I think most everyone has touched on the items we all want addressed, but here's another:

Make effective and efficient use of the Web.

We all agree that the amount of information available online is terrific and helped us all decide that buying diamonds online seemed like a reasonable idea. It's the most information that we've ever seen anywhere else. I've never gotten even a smidge of similar information at a B&M (until just recently at Helzberg visit, which surprised me).

It's a misnomer to say that we buy diamonds on the Internet, b/c really it's all just research. At the point you decide to buy you switch gears and start talking to people on the phone. I don't mind this b/c by that time, I already feel like I know these vendors. Unlike when you walk in cold-turkey at at B&M store.

TECHNOLOGY: Wink, this is directed at you and maybe Jon @ GOG.

CUT may be king when it comes to diamonds, but CONTENT is king when it comes to a Web site. Please make sure your web sites are compatible with most current browsers (Wink!). Don't get enticed by cute or cutting edge technology that may not be compatible with everyone.

Also, please pay close attention to information architecture or how you manage the content and information on your site and how people are most likely to access it. The Web can be awefully confusing and reading GOG's web site for the first time required a lot patience and a lot of clicking the BACK button. But the content was there and that was the important part.

Something like the GOG tutorial would be best if it worked in a more Book like format. Very unlike what you'd expect from a Web site. Also, perhaps a chapter and sub-chapter quick link list on the left would help if someone WERE to want to jump around. At least they'd always know where they were in the tutorial at a glance instead of guessing.

 

[WinkHPD]

----------------
TECHNOLOGY: Wink, this is directed at you and maybe Jon @ GOG.

CUT may be king when it comes to diamonds, but CONTENT is king when it comes to a Web site. Please make sure your web sites are compatible with most current browsers (Wink!). Don't get enticed by cute or cutting edge technology that may not be compatible with everyone. ----------------

LOL! And well it should be!

That will change dramatically by the end of the month as I have hired a webmaster to remake the site and to move it to a structure and server that will accomodate all of the major browsers.

We are working with Paul Slegers to bring super content about all of the stones that he cuts and we will be providing at a minimum crown and pavilion angles on all certificated stones that we carry. Actually, that is probably something that Paul deserves all the credit for. He has taken a great deal of effort to have his stones fully measured, tested, and photographed by an independant third party and posted the results for each stone on its own web page. We will link each of his stones to the appropriate page on our new site, but the credit is Paul's.

However, I want to respect Leonid's wishes and not have this discussion be about my currently woefully inadequate site. For now I woefully hang my head and scuff my toes in the dirt and eagerly anticipate when I can invite you to look at my new site.

Having showed this conversation to both Sheila and to my new webmaster I can say that what you have told us so far is invaluable. I hope it is proving to be as invaluable to other vendors as well. This is the kind of input that can help all of us to be better understand what is important to you, so if any one else out there has more input, please keep it coming!

 

[verticalhorizon]

I'm a graphic designer for print and the Web and would be more than happy to be a beta tester if you like!

 

[WinkHPD]

That is a very kind offer! It is greatly appreciated and I guess I know the answer to the email I sent just a few seconds ago.

Wink

 

[WinkHPD]

I read most of this late last night, and will be rereading it again and again, but let me summarize what I am understanding so far.

In no particular order these are the things that are important:

Quick response and service. You would like to know what is happening with your order and when it will be completed.

Information. You want to know every thing about what is being offered, including the size of stones and the weight of the finished piece if appropriate.

Free shipping was not mentioned often, but when it was mentioned it was emphatic. Was this a lone voice in the wilderness, or is shipping a major irritant? (Sheila tells me that she thinks it was NOT a lone voice in the wilderness.)

The ability to click and order for many items, the less human interference the better. Point taken.

Price. Far from the top in importance, but important.

Having stones in stock. This one has me curious. There are now hundreds of sites that list a bazillion stones that they will drop ship to you and then there are the sites that list only their own stock that they have on hand. How important an issue is this? I find it difficult to conceive that the drop shippers would do well, but there are so many of them that I find it difficult to conceive that they are not doing well. Are those of us who can look at a stone and give guidance to our clients truly being replaced by paper?

Upgrades: Hmm. This one is also a problem. In the past we made a larger profit on our stones and it was easy to upgrade as most of the cost of the new stone was covered by the increase in cost for the new stone. Now with very small profit margins if you want to trade up the vendor in effect must become the bank as he will have to pay much more than the value of the old stone for the new stone. While this may be reasonable for one or two stones, what happens to the vendor if many people suddenly want to trade up? What looks like a good thing for the vendor could suddenly put the vendor under the bus.

While this looks like a bad deal for the consumer, it actually might not be, since the price paid for a stone is a fraction of what was paid only a few years ago. Each deal is at a price that would have been unheard of, but it leaves little room for a traditional trade up, and only the larger more established firms will want to take this risk. Perhaps trade ups will move from a two times the original cost to a four times the original cost basis, I do not know. I do know that trading up is much more risky for the small firm than it was ten years ago.

How big an issue is this and how do you think it is most fairly handled?

Guarantees and a reasonable time to inspect a stone before having to say yea or nay. Is ten days long enough to look at a stone, or do you need thirty or sixty days? Obviously, a site that owns their stones is able to give you longer than a drop ship site, but how many days do you really want versus how many do you really need?

Someone mentioned the vendor being responsible while the stone is being set. Do you mean if the vendor who sold the stone sets the stone? I would think that to be very reasonable and probably enforceable by law. If you mean that the vendor who sells it and someone else sets it? If so I do not think that reasonable, but I am interested in your thoughts.

Independent confirmation. This is an issue that is most understandable to me as a vendor and if I were in the buyer's shoes on a product I did not fully understand, it would be a definite must have.

Researcher, you stated: "I think vendors should have a 10-day return policy (plenty of time for people to inspect the stone themselves, get the stone appraised, and mail it back to the vendor if they don't want it), and then offer a full refund (or at least trade in policy) on stones that are not of the color/clarity quality suggested/stated on the certificate (just for peace of mind)."

Can you elucidate further here? If you return a stone from an independent appraiser within the time frame given how can there not be a full refund. Are you referring to some time in the future? And if so who is determining that the GAI. AGS, PGS cert is inaccurate?

Ability to talk to a person. Point taken

I am going to break this here to keep it from getting too long

 

[WinkHPD]

Sticking to stated policies and no whining! I added the no whining, but I like the comment made by Capt Aubrey.

Testimonials. Could not agree more.

Buy now or hold diamond. Mara, can you tell me more about the hold diamond feature you are wanting.

Free H&A viewer with purchase of H&A stone. Already doing that one, did not even think about making a point of it. Thank you for this insite!

Available hours be open later when internet buyers are home. That is an interesting point. As a two man well actually one man and a very nice lady assistant I can promise that that will never happen here, but if I ever became large enough to have several employees I would definitely implement the late crew. Let's see what some of the bigger venders do with that suggestion, it is a good one.

Okay, those are the points I am picking up on so far. What have I not heard and what else do you want all of us vendors to hear?

Wink

 

[strmrdr]

free shipping isnt that big an issue with me as long as the prices reflect it and only actual shipping is charged.
It does make figuring total costs easier see points 1&2 above.
......................
I find the setting selection to be somewhat limited at a lot of sites and that can be annoying.
Saying we can get any setting that stuller or another supplier has and linking to their site with no pricing does not cut it at all (hint hint GOG).
....................
Return period I think 15days FROM THE TIME THE CLIENT RECIEVES IT to get a rma number is fair.
10 days is too short for the client and 30 days can be too long for the vendor.

 

[hoorray]

Some random thoughts on your comments...

1. Free shipping is probably a feel good but most people do it, so I would offer it. Most offer free shipping, and you pay the return if you don't keep the stone.

2. 10 days is a tight turn around to receive the stone, have it looked at, think about it, and get it back. Especially if you are like me and have to drive 2+ hours each way to get to an independent appraiser. It is difficult to schedule. 30 days seems luxurious. Maybe somewhere in the middle.

3. I agree with VH -- push the technology. There are several sites that help you put together the whole piece -- visually showing you a simulated ring, matching stones for earrings, etc. I think those sites have a strong ease of use, ease of education, advantage when you talk about appealing to Joe Public, not just us PS nerds.

4. I would appreciate being able to hold a stone for 48 or 72 hours. A 24 hours hold it better than nothing, but these are big decisions, and it can easily take more than 24 hours to get comfortable with the decision, and then line up whatever you need to line up. I had an earring stone sold while I thought it was on hold, and I had to start all over on the search. Pain in the neck!

5. I think if you aren't going to offer off hour response (which is ok with me as long as you are still next day responsive), you should clarify what kind of response time to expect, and whether weekends are included or not (since many people "shop" on weekends). Setting expectations is half the battle.

6. And lastly, don't use sample pictures. I think you instantly loose credibility when there is a picture of a beautiful stone next to the stone info, with small print about sample picture. I'd rather not see a picture -- I think it is misleading and borderline untruthful.