Everything has changed. We attend meetings in crisp white shirts worn over crumpled pajamas. Children learn in classrooms that span entire computer screens. We consult doctors on Zoom calls, date virtually and buy everything online. From books and clothes to shoes and groceries, everything is available at the click of a button. This includes jewelry too!
You can easily buy jewelry from any reputed online jewelry store, without having to physically go around town surveying various shops to find designs you like and fit your budget. We suggest Angara, as their policy allows any buyer to get their money back in case the jewelry they opt for doesn’t fully satisfied their need. Now you can shop for jewelry in your pajamas, from the comfort of your couch. It’s that easy! While we understand that purchasing jewelry can be a very sensorial experience and you would want to touch and feel the piece before investing in it, we are here to make a case for buying jewelry online.
For starters, the advantages include:
- Convenience — You can shop from anywhere, anytime! Sit at a coffee shop and browse your jewelry options, or sit at home late at night and pick something for yourself. You can shop 24/7.
- Wider Variety — The latest and trendiest jewelry options, as well as classic and vintage-inspired pieces, are all available online. Since most online jewelry stores have their inventories organized in categories, shopping becomes an easy and hassle-free experience.
- Compare Prices — Online shopping is a way more convenient approach to comparing prices. Look for similar options from various sellers, keep their pages open on different tabs, and there you go, an easy way to compare which online store sells at the most reasonable price!
If you want to test the waters of online jewelry shopping and feel a little overwhelmed because you don’t know what you are getting yourself into, we got you covered. You need to exercise caution and know what to research. Here are some online shopping safety guidelines you need to follow before you whip your credit card out and click on ‘buy’.
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1. Do Your Research
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When you start from scratch, you might not know many online jewelry stores. So, ask around, talk to people who have bought jewelry online, and of course, there is always Google. You can always look up the top online jewelry portals and read up about them. The advantage is you can buy from sellers who are miles away or even in other states and countries. Once you have zeroed in on a seller you like, do a bit of research on them.
- Read the ‘About Us’ section. Check how long they have been in the business. Do they have all forms of contact listed? It would also help understanding where their store is based out of, so that you could enquire with your friends or family who live in the same area.
- All good websites offer some way of contacting their customer service. Before you look at the products offered, try and speak with their customer service and see how prompt and forthcoming they are with information. See if they sound trustworthy and legitimate.
- Check their social media pages. It always helps to take a look at their Instagram pages and see what responses they have got.
- Looking at the website content and at their Instagram pages will help you see if the products look consistent and appear like they have been created by the same business. If they look like they could be sourced from different sellers, that could be a red flag.
2. Read the Reviews
The advantage of living in a digitally connected world is that everything is available online, even store reviews. Take time to read the reviews written by customers on their experience with the store you are researching. This will often tell you what the store staff might not be able to tell you. A satisfied customer might not always leave a review, but a dissatisfied one most likely will. You will be able to get a sense of the reliability of the store and its post-sales service.
3. Check the Materials and Gemstones
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A quick look through the website will tell you if the product you want to purchase comes with a hallmark for the metals used and a certificate for the gemstones. The purity of the metal used is indicated on the product itself, with a 585 for 14K gold, meaning the metal is 58.5% pure gold and the rest is alloy, 750 for 18K gold, meaning it is 75% pure gold and the rest is alloy or it could be 916 to indicate 22K gold, which has 91.6% pure gold in it.
For gemstones, you get a jewelry certificate from authorized bodies that states the color, carat, cut and clarity of the gemstone used in the piece of jewelry. For diamonds and colored gemstones, always look for a Gemological Institute of America (GIA) or American Gem Society (AGS) certification. Some jewelers offer their own certificate of authenticity with their products.
Always make sure you get a jewelry certificate from the jeweler as this is what guarantees the value of the product in case of insurance claims or reselling.
4. Know the Price Range of the Product
With a little online survey, you will be able to figure out what quality of jewelry you can justifiably buy within your range of budget. Any store that sells it for too low a value than that should raise a red flag. If a store is selling at a very low price then that would indicate that they may have compromised on the quality of materials used or that they may have not adopted ethical measures during production. The flip side, that is when the price is very high for a piece of jewelry, should also raise concern. You may be paying extra overheads for big brand names, while the quality of jewelry remains the same. The goal is to look at how unique the design is, how good the quality of materials is and how good the craftsmanship is.
5. Always Check for the Scale and Size of the Jewelry Piece
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Seeing a jewelry piece in a photograph may be very different from seeing it in real. It is important to make sure you are being realistic about the size and scale of the product. Keep a ruler or a tape measure next to you when you are checking out jewelry. Online stores must provide a size chart according to their standards of manufacturing their products. If you want to avoid receiving a product that is quite different from what you had imagined, be thorough in your pre-purchase measurement checks. This applies especially to rings. Talk to the store or their customer service about how to measure your jewelry products, if the necklaces and bracelets can be adjusted for length and the rings resized, should there be issues later.
6. Look for Warranties, Shipping Details and Return Policies
A store that backs its products will always provide a fair warranty and a guarantee for its pieces. Even if you do not notice anything at the outset, with a few wears, you may discover that it does not sit the way you want it to due to a manufacturing glitch. The store must give you good post-sales customer service to cover your requirement.
It would also help to check a store’s return and exchange policy. If, for whatever reason, you wish to return or exchange the product, check with the store if they have a time limit for it. It would also help to know who will be bearing the shipping costs if there is any back and forth of the products.
Lastly, enquire about the store’s shipping policies as well. How long after you place the order will the piece be shipped, is the option of free shipping available, and will they cover for damage caused to the products while in transit. It is also a good idea to get a real-time tracking code for the delivery, once the store has shipped it, so you know exactly what point it is at and when you need to be home to safely receive your piece of jewelry!
