Not Getting Good Response from Diamond Sellers

[PGTips]

Hi there -

I''m wondering if perhaps my expectations are set a little too high?

We''re shopping for a diamond and last week I sent out several emails to various online diamond sellers plus I put in an inquiry through Pricescope. I think this inquiry is supposed to be sent out to all the Pricescope vendors letting them know the sort of diamond I am looking for.

Well, the response I''ve gotten has been much less than I would have expected. I see people on Pricescope giving such rave reviews to the vendors on here, but so far, I haven''t felt too impressed.

Perhaps I''m being too impatient, but of the few people who have written me back, they seem to take at least a full day, if not two or three, just to send back a simple email response. I''ve also called four different Pricescope vendors, only to find my calls unreturned.

Where is everyone? Is my price range just too low and not something they want to deal with? I find lots of diamonds that fit my specifications when I search online. Does anyone have any suggestions for me?

Here is what I am looking for: A 1.5+ carat Asscher cut, in anywhere from H-J color, with VS1 - SI2 clarity. Our budget is $6,000 for this stone.

I might just be being impatient. But, we got engaged over a month ago and we really want to find a diamond! We''re getting married in August, so it would be a real shame to get married and still not have my engagement ring!

Can anyone help, or offer any suggestions? I''m really feeling frustrated since I want to buy a diamond, but can''t seem to get things rolling...

Thanks.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 6/7/2005 5:00:49 AM
Author:PGTips

... last week I sent out several emails to various online diamond sellers plus I put in an inquiry through Pricescope. I think this inquiry is supposed to be sent out to all the Pricescope vendors ...

Well, you were lucky

last week everyone was out to the JCK in Vegas. There even are pictures to prove it ! Take a look

Not sure this can be passed as excuse. Hopefully there would be more for you to choose from after this.

I am not sure what "inquiry through Pricescope" is.

 

[PGTips]

Oh, maybe that''s why I feel invisible! Do you think people will start responding soon then? The inquiry I was refering to is on the main Pricescope page, there is a place where you can request "quotes." It is right below the place where you can do a search for diamonds. There''s a button that says "quotes." So, I sent that request out. Supposedly this goes out to lots of vendors.

 

[Regular Guy]

Date: 6/7/2005 5:06:37 AM
Author: valeria101

Date: 6/7/2005 5:00:49 AM
Author:PGTips

... last week I sent out several emails to various online diamond sellers plus I put in an inquiry through Pricescope. I think this inquiry is supposed to be sent out to all the Pricescope vendors ...

Well, you were lucky

last week everyone was out to the JCK in Vegas. There even are pictures to prove it ! Take a look

PG, (love your logo),

I think Ana is right (though can''t be sure). Could be I was lucky last year, but my response from a blind e-mail in was within several hours. I''d call and just call again (apologizing...saying...you know, I was away from the phone, may have missed your call, and so that''s why I''m calling again). Not actually sure everybody''s back from Vegas, in fact...so maybe even give them a couple of days.

Persevere.

Best,

 

[valeria101]

Date: 6/7/2005 5:18:31 AM
Author: PGTips
Oh, maybe that''s why I feel invisible! Do you think people will start responding soon then?

I surely hope so!

About the quotes... honestly, there has been so little talk about this system that I completely forgot about it. No idea if and how it works

It may help to ask about particular diamonds listed by one seller or another. There are not too many asschers listed with your specs. VS2 should be a relatively safe bet to start an inquiry, I definitely agree that SI clarity ones make great buys but ae hardly possible to pick otherwise than in person.

Have you tried out the database ?

A quick search (for H-J, VS2-SI1, 1.5-2cts Asscher, depth up to 76%, table up to 65%) yielded a couple of quotes near 6k, among which these two:

At Dirtcheapdiamonds LINK
Carat Weight: 1.63
Color: J
Clarity: VS2
Shape: Asscher Style
Depth: 69.7%
Table: 57%
Polish: VG
Symmetry: EX
Culet: N
Girdle: TK
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 6.42 x 6.41 x 4.47

and at Abazias LINK
Shape: Asscher
Carat weight: 1.52
Color: J
Clarity: VS2
Depth %: 70.7
Table %: 60
Symmetry: Very Good
Polish: Very Good
Girdle: STK-TK
Culet: N
Fluorescence: N
Measurements: 6.39-6.22-4.4

About those 76/65 numbers... those just make a starting point for me, because I have a certain image about them already. I kow that for me 80% table or 50% depth are quite unlikely to be pleasing. And that database search demands some input. It is way better to have someone''s opinion about the stone or see it (or at least see pictures), so yes, your approach to contact sellers first and forget the database (if this is so) is just as good as any.

If searching through listed inventory sounds marginally helpful to you, it may narrow down the search for the sellers and speed up e-mail comunication. IMO at least.

Hope the 0.2 worth helps a bit.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 6/7/2005 5:35:58 AM
Author: Regular Guy

I'd call and just call again (apologizing...saying...you know, I was away from the phone, may have missed your call, and so that's why I'm calling again). Not actually sure everybody's back from Vegas, in fact...so maybe even give them a couple of days.

Hm... actually, that's just amswering an e-mail. Pricescopers might be small businesses but not quite one-man shows.

I do not know if any of the sellers had time to look over Pricescope lately, but this is a different thing than answering daily customer inquiries. Shops have not been closed these days, and not all have announcements about delays.

Apologizing ? n'ah

Perhaps Pricescope could open a customer call service

 

[windowshopper]

Date: 6/7/2005 5:18:31 AM
Author: PGTips
Oh, maybe that''s why I feel invisible! Do you think people will start responding soon then? The inquiry I was refering to is on the main Pricescope page, there is a place where you can request ''quotes.'' It is right below the place where you can do a search for diamonds. There''s a button that says ''quotes.'' So, I sent that request out. Supposedly this goes out to lots of vendors.

i requested quotes too and got nothing

 

[mrssalvo]

I''m so sorry that your experience has not been good thus far. I have never used the "quotes" function so I have no idea how it works. I would suggest calling all the vendors rather than relying on email. Emails have been known to get lost or misplaced. I too would expect a call back in the same day or within 24 hours saying that they recieved your request and will get back to with you within ____ amount of time. I have made several inquires with different vendors. I proceeded with the ones who called/emailed me back and moved on from the ones who didn''t. good luck..

 

[allycat0303]

PGTips,

My boyfriend wrote to Whiteflash 1 and 1/2 weeks ago. He got one email back asking for clarification and nothing for a week now. He''s really intimidated by the whole ring process, and this isn''t helping. We''re at a standstill because we needed to know about shipping possibilities (we live in Canada) before moving on with the whole selection process.

 

[aljdewey]

Sorry for your frustration.

1. You are trying to get in touch with everyone during the annual jewelers'' convention. Prep leading up to that (about 2 weeks before) and the convention is a tough time to reach them.

2. Pick up the phone. Email is fine, but it doesn''t garner immediate response. Folks who are seriously in the hunt can pick up the phone TOLL-FREE to any of these vendors. If you want to convey that you''re ready to buy NOW, pick up the phone.....you WILL get the immediate service you are looking for.

As far as your wants, I see two stones also at Whiteflash: 1.51 H, SI1 Asccher for $6489 and 1.38 I, SI1 for $5304. I tried checking Good Old Gold, but his site was sloooooooooow to load and I couldn''t find prices listed, so you may have to call him.

At DCD, I found these: 1.53 I, SI1 for $6773 and 1.58 H, SI2 for $6903....but no IS images to look at.

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 6/7/2005 8:50:11 AM
Author: allycat0303
PGTips,

My boyfriend wrote to Whiteflash 1 and 1/2 weeks ago. He got one email back asking for clarification and nothing for a week now. He''s really intimidated by the whole ring process, and this isn''t helping. We''re at a standstill because we needed to know about shipping possibilities (we live in Canada) before moving on with the whole selection process.

Seriously - tell your BF to pick up the phone and call them. Email is fine if you aren''t in a rush, but if you''re ready to make a move, you can call them TOLL-FREE. You''re probably not getting an email response because everyone who''s calling in is getting the attention first.

 

[kdavis]

I''m afraid aljdewey is correct. Unfortunately I don''t think the diamond marketplace has caught up with the times yet

You are going to have to call if you want business. And after you have an order with them, you are still going to have to call if you have any questions.

 

[PGTips]

Thanks everyone. I guess the best solution is to hound the vendors and chase them to help me. Not the method I would expect to have to adopt when buying something so expensive (to me, that is. It will be our biggest luxury purchase ever!) I guess I sort of assumed that the vendors would appreciate my business.

The thing is, I HAVE picked up the phone. And for me, that is a bit more of a pain since we are currently living over in England (though I''m American). I have to wait until the late afternoon to call the U.S., and sometimes even late at night. Like last night. I called one of the major Pricescope vendors. I was told that the person was on the phone but would call me back in five minutes. I told them I didn''t mind holding, since I knew it might be expensive for them to call England, and we get a good long distance calling rate. She said no, the woman (who had emailed me prior) would call me back in five minutes. I waited two hours, until it was almost midnight, my time, and had to go to bed. So, I emailed the woman to tell her that I''d be going to bed soon, and that I had left a phone message for her. Still no call or reply. Finally, she emailed me back today. I know I''m being nitpicky, but, buying this diamond is a really big deal for us. And, from all the posts I read daily on Pricescope, you would think that the vendors here were very helpful and attentive. Waiting a day to return a call via email doesn''t feel "attentive."

Anyhoo... at least now I know how I must handle the diamond buying thing - lots and lots of phone calls!

Thanks!

 

[codex57]

My experience is that e-mail (and not just to jewelers, but every business) just doesn''t work. Not unless you''re prepared to wait weeks or even months. I still get random e-mails from companies about stuff I asked so long ago, I don''t remember all the details about.

You gotta call and keep trying until you get hold of someone. I''ve been to a few small shops and the only person really capable and worth talking to is the owner. Only one of him and he''s not there all the time. Only the big shops seem to have salespeople with any actual authority.

 

[solange]

I think popular Pricescope vendors get so many inquiries that it is difficult to keep up with them Also many people are sending inquiries to so many vendors at the same time and it is difficult, if the company is overwhelmed, to determine which to prioritize.

My experience with Whiteflash was very favorable and Lesley found me a gorgeous stone. What I wanted was not easy to find. It takes time and expense to call in stones. I called several vendors and then decided to work exclusively with Lesley rather than have several vendors go to the trouble of calling in stones.

I sent her email reminders that I was still interested. She then knew that I had not bought elsewhere in the interum so she continued looking.

I know Pricescope vendors try to be attentive but when they are overloaded with inquiries. particularly at this time when they are just back from a jewelry show, a little persistance may pay off.
I would suggest that you select a few of the highly recommended vendors on Pricescope and call, followed up, if necessary, by a few emails detailing what you are looking for. Then decide upon one or two you would like to work with and follow up so that they know you are still interested.

Good luck.

 

[strmrdr]

Sometimes its a matter of getting thru the noise and getting the attention of the right person.
The biggest problem with email is that there is a ton of noise for every legit email.

From helping people on here its clear that the PS vendors once you have their attention are top notch but getting their attention can be a problem.

 

[belle]

Date: 6/7/2005 2:55:21 PM
Author: strmrdr
Sometimes its a matter of getting thru the noise and getting the attention of the right person.
The biggest problem with email is that there is a ton of noise for every legit email.

From helping people on here its clear that the PS vendors once you have their attention are top notch but getting their attention can be a problem.

agreed.

you need to call!

 

[JohnQuixote]

The 'vets' who have chimed in here are to be thanked. Regardless of these factors, I think all vendors would like to reduce/eliminate such problems. PGTips, you're correct - it should not be a hassle, particularly by phone. Since you are overseas I understand that may not be so easy.

 

[Kaleigh]

I agree pick up the phone, they have toll free numbers!!!

 

[PGTips]

Thanks. I have now picked up the phone. Though, toll free numbers aren't free from overseas.

 

[belle]

i'm sure johnquixote will get you what you need....he's very attentive

try pm'ing him

 

[Kaleigh]

Oops, sorry.

 

[thaita78]

PGTips, use skype and their new service skypeout to call to the states for 1.7 Euro Cent per minute. Assuming you have some type of broadband service.

 

[PGTips]

Thanks. At the moment, I am using Telestunt. They are at www.telestunt.co.uk. Its not digital, but the prices are pretty good - .02p per minute (approximately .035 cents per minute). Also, when I communicate with family, we use Yahoo Messenger and just plug in our headphones and use the voice capability. Its free and not too bad.

 

[clammer]

PGTips

My husband lives in China and we use vonage. It''s only $14 a month and he has a local US number so all friends and family can call him and he can call everyone. I highly recomend it. We used Yahoo messenger for a while and I like vonage much better.

 

[icemyster]

I can only speak for myself, but here at GOG we have a 24 hour return policy on email....once in a while we get a few hours behind due to volume or someone being out, but we make a point of getting back to our customers within a day (barring weekends of course). I handle much of the incoming email for us here and I am not perfect by any standard, however I do take some pride in the level of service and speed with which we get back to our customers. I think may of the other pricescope venders strive for the same thing. I am sorry for your bad experiance.