Whiteflash

[bermudarocks]

OK boys and girls,

I have sorted out what I want to get through whifeflash. We worked out the price and was going to use my AMEX (no problems so far). They called me back and said they would prefer a wire and will pass on the discount.

For me it is a lot of money (almost 20K) and I am hesitant to send a wire as I have no recourse if this place is a scam (with AMEX I could dispute and not pay if I don''''t get my ring).

I know this is a dumb question but.......have other people on this forum purchased from Whiteflash? Are they first class?

tks

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 8/26/2008 7:00:55 AM
Author:bermudarocks
OK boys and girls,

I have sorted out what I want to get through whifeflash. We worked out the price and was going to use my AMEX (no problems so far). They called me back and said they would prefer a wire and will pass on the discount.

For me it is a lot of money (almost 20K) and I am hesitant to send a wire as I have no recourse if this place is a scam (with AMEX I could dispute and not pay if I don''t get my ring).

I know this is a dumb question but.......have other people on this forum purchased from Whiteflash? Are they first class?

tks

Hi BR and welcome!

I have purchased from WF and I can assure you they are a completely reputable and trustworthy company. Many of us would not hesitate to send them a bank wire to pay for a large purchase. I quite understand your concerns with wiring a large amount of money to a company you are not familiar with, but it is my pleasure to be able to reassure you!

I know some of the others will chime in!

 

[bermudarocks]

Thanks,

Here is what I am purchasing...wire to go out shortly.

http://www.whiteflash.com/diamonds/Diamond_Details.aspx?idno=1151319#
http://www.whiteflash.com/Engagement-Rings/Styles/Diamond-Settings/Three-Row-Pave-Ring_1200.htm

 

[MonkeyPie]

That''s a beautiful choise bermuda!

I can assure you Whiteflash is very respectable and not a scam in any way. If you have a moment, peek through the forums - search for "Whiteflash" and you will see how many people have ordered from them and been very pleased with the results. Wire away!

 

[waterlilly]

ditto - first class all the way. i can see why you would question - perfectly normal. luckily, whiteflash is highly reputable. i''ve bought from them and would use bank wire with no worries.

 

[corgan]

I used Whiteflash as well as my friend who I referred and we both did a bank wire (from Canada) and we both had an amazing experience. We also saved a bit of money by doing that!

 

[hockeydad]

So I am looking for the easy way out. Would you recommend Whiteflash if I am looking for an Anniversary ring (30 years)

 

[LostSapphire]

Date: 9/22/2008 6:28:26 PM
Author: hockeydad
So I am looking for the easy way out. Would you recommend Whiteflash if I am looking for an Anniversary ring (30 years)

YES YES YES

I would trust them implicitly.

LS

 

[liz-e]

Depending where you are there is definitely a high risk involved in doing a bank wire. I''m sure Whiteflash have delivered, but there is always that chance the diamond is fake when delivered and you have no recourse if you paid bankwire. Essentially just handing over cash.

 

[liz-e]

Sorry I should clarify what I meant by fake.

Fake = not what you expected. eg: damaged etc.

You have no recourse in that situation.

It''s just very high risk for the consumer.

 

[btrflygrl23]

FIRST CLASS FIRST CLASS ALLL THE WAY!
Product is absolutely first rate no matter what your standards be they not much or super high or whatever...

Also glad to hear you can use your AMEX but I have wired them a bunch of time without ANY problems whatsoever.
If there was some problem they are the first to help solve it too.
You are in GREAT hands DO NOT WORRY!
Congrats by the way

 

[btrflygrl23]

Oh and sorry forgot to add I am not in the US but I still wired them the entire amount for my e-ring and the diamond earrings I got my mom for mothers day too
not saying at all that you are wrong to be careful with your hard earned money but just that you will be fine with WF

 

[liz-e]

Date: 9/22/2008 11:45:32 PM
Author: btrflygrl23
Oh and sorry forgot to add I am not in the US but I still wired them the entire amount for my e-ring and the diamond earrings I got my mom for mothers day too

not saying at all that you are wrong to be careful with your hard earned money but just that you will be fine with WF

No, I think the case of common sense and judgment applies, however how do you identify the criteria that makes it OK to bank wire to another persons account with the likelihood of reversal / charge back unlikely?

Because someone on an internet forum told me it''s safe to send it to a particular vendor?

Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_fraud#Wire_fraud

"Wire transfer networks such as the international SWIFT interbank fund transfer system are tempting as targets as a transfer, once made, is difficult or impossible to reverse."

In addition:

http://www.ic3.gov/crimeschemes.aspx#item-1

"The subject requests funds to be wired directly to him/her via Western Union, MoneyGram,
or bank-to-bank wire transfer. By using these services, the money is virtually unrecoverable
with no recourse for the victim."

If you''ve ever heard of someone easily reversing a bank wire without going through a costly legal process I''d love to hear about it.

I don''t know why some organisations refuse to use credit cards. They could check to make sure the addressee and the credit card billing address matched and I''m sure they could confirm the number is legit before sending out the goods. I guess it''s up to them if they want to block other legit and genuine customers for a small proportion of bad ones.

 

[HariSeldon]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoia

 

[bgray]

heavens...........you are dealing with a pretty large company written up in major business magazines. I have purchased from them (wired them well over over $50,000) and my best friend purchased her e-ring for about $13,000 all via wires and emails. they are very very trustworthy and you have no risk with them

 

[stone-cold11]

Never heard of ID theft?

Is it easier to track down a reputable company with good track records or some one time buyer from far away?

It is your money, spend it as you wish.

 

[honey22]

I bought my ering from WF and had it shipped to Australia. I was so impressed with their amazing service (not to mention the quality of my ering) that I have just emailed them to get a quote for our wedding bands.

They are top notch, you don''t have to worry about a thing. Do a quick search for Whiteflash and you will see a gazillion threads come up, there are lots of PSers that are customers (happy customers!).

 

[Maisie]

I live in the UK and I have wired money to Whiteflash twice. I trust them 100%.

Of course everyone has to make their own choices about payments. I know that WF are a very honourable company and they would never rip a customer off.

It kind of makes me feel a bit sad when these threads turn out this way. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but to imply that a damaged diamond would be sent out and then WF would simply shrug their shoulders and say ''Oh well'' is not nice.

 

[Julianna]

Date: 9/22/2008 10:02:57 PM
Author: liz-e
Depending where you are there is definitely a high risk involved in doing a bank wire. I''m sure Whiteflash have delivered, but there is always that chance the diamond is fake when delivered and you have no recourse if you paid bankwire. Essentially just handing over cash.

This is a tidge silly. I''m quite sure Whiteflash, or any other reputable seller of diamonds, wouldn''t ruin their stellar reputation over $20 grand. Egads.

Bermuda: just as most others said, go ahead and conduct a search on PS for Whiteflash. The utter volume/gushiness of good feedback should make you feel nothing but warm and fuzzy inside. Especially coming from such an...*ahem*...shall I say, opinionated...group of folks.

Best of luck!

 

[hclburnzu]

i wired over 20k, with no problem. Save some money, and wire it.

 

[LGK]

I think that''s very cool that Whiteflash passes the discount of paying via wire transfer on to the customer. As a business owner who accepts credit cards, I can say i CC charges get VERY expensive on larger items, especially for AmEx- they have great benefits for their card holders but charge businesses a higher percentage than Visa or MasterCard. If you want the protection of using your AmEx card I guess you can decide if it''s worth the 2% or 4% or whatever. Personally I would do bank transfer- you don''t have to believe strangers on a forum, of course, but I suspect a search of the BBB would set your mind at ease or even a bit of googling. They are a well known diamond vendor and very reputable.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

I may be the minority, but I paid by credit card with Whiteflash for the same reasons. I am sure bank wire is safe, as so many people on here use it. but I wanted the extra protection if something went wrong. I make every large purchase with a credit card and I was not about to make an exception to my rule. I have never had a problem with jewelry, but with other items, I am glad I at least had the threat of calling my credit card company when I was not being given what I was offered. That alone tends to change the way someone is treating me (I have only had to do this once). Granted, my studs were not nearly as expensive, and I did not use AMEX, and it was a hassle to fill out the forms. But I liked the added security.

I think wiring with whiteflash sould not be a problem, as they are very careful with their reputation. However, it is your money, it is a lot of money, and if you feel more secure paying with credit cards, and they accecpt them, you should be able to use one. Is AMEX a credit card they have listed as one they accecpt? Could you talk to them some more about this issue?

ETA: I totally recommend them, and love my diamond studs. The process was smooth without any problems

 

[liz-e]

Date: 9/23/2008 9:42:09 AM
Author: Maisie
I live in the UK and I have wired money to Whiteflash twice. I trust them 100%.


Of course everyone has to make their own choices about payments. I know that WF are a very honourable company and they would never rip a customer off.


It kind of makes me feel a bit sad when these threads turn out this way. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but to imply that a damaged diamond would be sent out and then WF would simply shrug their shoulders and say ''Oh well'' is not nice.

That is not what I''m implying at all - Just like the no credit card policy I''m sure there is a return policy.

There are too many ''what if'' statements concerning the transfer of funds and they all come back to no recourse for the consumer.

 

[liz-e]

Just to summarise.

I believe that Whiteflash are a very reputable vendor and have a competitive edge with their products (Why else would I want to desperately buy from them??)

I''m just not comfortable with carrying 100% of the risk by doing a bank wire. I''ve read enough positive feedback to ascertain that there are people who have done it and are happy with the outcome. There is also a proportion of people like me, who are not willing to take that risk and also have purchased elsewhere as bank-wire can also be a cumbersome exercise.

Cheers.

 

[cara]

Whiteflash WILL accept credit cards (not sure about Amex, but MC and Visa for sure) but you will not be eligible for the pscope discount, which requires a wire transfer. As their costs are less with wire transfer, they are able to pass on some of their savings with that method of payment.

I too am annoyed by companies that do not accept credit cards but this is not one of those cases. They will accept that method of payment but not subsidize it as is often the case.

So decide: Is your peace of mind and the added credit card protections and convenience worth the discount you would get by paying with bank wire? Because you now must pay for those protections outright rather than hiding them in the overall price.

Other vendors that charge the same price for credit card and wire transfer are merely overcharging their wire transfer customers relative to their credit card customers. You are free to utilize them if you want.

 

[Allison D.]

Thanks to all in this thread for the many votes of confidence in us.

We really will do business in whichever way folks are comfortable. Liz-E''s comments are sound advice for those people who are very conservative and feel more peaceful about using a credit card for online purchases.

We do take credit cards, and for those who feel better about credit card transactions, we''re happy to do so. We do prefer wire when it''s possible because it helps in better servicing our cusotmers. We can release your purchase more quickly and we can give the most competitive price (our PS discount, which requires bankwire for eligibility).

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 9/23/2008 11:38:36 PM
Author: Allison D.
Thanks to all in this thread for the many votes of confidence in us.

We really will do business in whichever way folks are comfortable. Liz-E's comments are sound advice for those people who are very conservative and feel more peaceful about using a credit card for online purchases.

We do take credit cards, and for those who feel better about credit card transactions, we're happy to do so. We do prefer wire when it's possible because it helps in better servicing our cusotmers. We can release your purchase more quickly and we can give the most competitive price (our PS discount, which requires bankwire for eligibility).

Hi Allison,
I'm glad you have commented here. As per Liz E's other threads, we have had discussions about WF not accepting CC payments from o/seas customers (Liz is in Australia).
Would you mind to explain why this is the case just for the record, so to say..
other thread here:
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/blue-nile-hearts-and-arrows-h-as-how-to-tell.95646/

thanks!

ETA: it has been suggested in another thread that Paypal is a good way to solve this dilemma - Allison could you pls advise, apart from "forfeiting" the wire discount, is there any other costs for a customer to use Paypal with WF?

 

[Allison D.]

Date: 9/24/2008 12:03:08 AM
Author: arjunajane
Hi Allison,
I''m glad you have commented here. As per Liz E''s other threads, we have had discussions about WF not accepting CC payments from o/seas customers (Liz is in Australia).
Would you mind to explain why this is the case just for the record, so to say..
other thread here:
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/blue-nile-hearts-and-arrows-h-as-how-to-tell.95646/

thanks!

ETA: it has been suggested in another thread that Paypal is a good way to solve this dilemma - Allison could you pls advise, apart from ''forfeiting'' the wire discount, is there any other costs for a customer to use Paypal with WF?

Arjuna, I was happy to clarify, but I should also clarify that my answer was more applicable directly to this thread which didn''t mention overseas customers.

As Jonathan mentioned in another thread, there have been instances where c/card transactions from abroad have been problematic. We''ve been working with Paypal to see how we might work out a solution; it''s not in place yet but we understand it may be in place soon. As soon as I know more, I''ll be sure to put up a post with that information.

 

[honey22]

Date: 9/25/2008 8:14:40 PM
Author: Allison D.

Date: 9/24/2008 12:03:08 AM
Author: arjunajane
Hi Allison,
I'm glad you have commented here. As per Liz E's other threads, we have had discussions about WF not accepting CC payments from o/seas customers (Liz is in Australia).
Would you mind to explain why this is the case just for the record, so to say..
other thread here:
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/blue-nile-hearts-and-arrows-h-as-how-to-tell.95646/

thanks!

ETA: it has been suggested in another thread that Paypal is a good way to solve this dilemma - Allison could you pls advise, apart from 'forfeiting' the wire discount, is there any other costs for a customer to use Paypal with WF?

Arjuna, I was happy to clarify, but I should also clarify that my answer was more applicable directly to this thread which didn't mention overseas customers.

As Jonathan mentioned in another thread, there have been instances where c/card transactions from abroad have been problematic. We've been working with Paypal to see how we might work out a solution; it's not in place yet but we understand it may be in place soon. As soon as I know more, I'll be sure to put up a post with that information.

Allison, I don't understand? I am an Aussie and I paid for my ering from you guys via Paypal. Is this not available anymore? I will be ordering our wbands in the next month or so and I can only use Paypal.

* having slight panic attack now as have my heart set on my 2mm channel set band from wf

)

 

[sarah95]

I can''t provide a testimonial for Whiteflash as I haven''t purchased from there, but I would feel comfortable doing so based on the positive reviews and experiences here. I purchased my diamond from usacerteddiamonds.com and I have to say, I was nervous every step of the way. Primarily because I have never wired that much money, especially to someone in another country. Everything went smoothly and I highly recommend them. Martin was great in reassuring me and provided top notch service every step of the way.

As for wire transfers not being safe -I did a search for old posts here and read about how wires can be traced and are heavily monitored, whereas credit card fraud is much easier to get away with. That also made me feel a little better about doing a wire transfer.