Gemstones and gemstone jewelry have always been the most alluring and exciting products for women all over the world. Every lady desires the best of the stones and gems in her collection. With the increasing popularity of online shopping and amazing convenience of home delivery, online shoppers don’t mind making online purchases for their favorite gems from online stores and have them delivered to your doorstep without leaving your home.
There are lots of online stores selling loose gemstones online but it is really important that you do not fall for a bad deal. Here is a buying guide to help you buy loose stones online at the best of the prices. There are few important points which must be kept in mind while buying gemstones online to make shopping more rewarding.
The complete experience of online stone purchasing lies on choosing the best and most reputable seller. Follow these points to spot the finest store and enjoy a safe shopping.
Dealer’s Background
Before heading for online shopping for your gems, you must find out small yet important things about the dealer. The clarity of these points will make it a much happier and rewarding online shopping experience. So before adding goods to your cart, find answers to the following questions:
- Age of Dealer’s Business
It is important to know that since how long, the dealer has been in the business. If he has been in the industry for long years then it is quite certain that he has authentic procurement sources and rich clientele. If he is a new entrant then you need to be very cautious while making purchases.
- Quality versus Price
It is of utmost importance to know that whether the seller is quality focused or price oriented. You can have a close look at the offerings to find out the status. The ones which offer gems at lowest prices are probably supplying low grade quality products. Whether you are planning to buy loose stones or gems at wholesale, you must focus on quality and price.
- Fine gemstones versus Commercial grade stones
Commercial grade stones have poor cutting, faded color which is just opposite to the texture, cutting and color of fine stones. Fine gemstones are high quality stones and commercial grade stones are available in bulk and are used in low quality jewelry.
Product Description and Information
Before finalizing any piece, make sure that you go through the product information with complete focus on all the details. Also browse through the images to have the best view of the product. The finer the information is on the site, the more possibility you have to find out about the nitty-gritty of the gem.
Check for Certification
All authentic deals have certifications from reputed gemological labs. This certification in itself is a kind of authentication of the quality of the product. This includes information like statements of origin and the presence of any treatments or enhancements. Some of the top labs in the world include GRS, AGL, GIA and Gubelin.
Exchange and Return Policy
A smart and wise online shopper always reads through all these policies to make it a healthier and happier online shopping experience. Exchange and Returns Policy is one of the strongest pillars for your buying decision. They can motivate you to make a purchase or just logout from the site empty handed. Having a fair and reasonable policy helps you make a purchase. In case you are not satisfied with the product, you must have the convenience of returning or exchanging the stone. Also make sure that there are no hefty charges on making such a move.
Payment Methods
Also check for different modes of making payments. Usually, online stores offer different kinds of payment modes to make it an easier purchasing for the customers but PayPal is surely the safest and best mode of payment. In case when you buy a gemstone online and it’s not delivered or the quality and description of the gem does not match the gemstone you received, you can take the dispute through Paypal.
Delivery
It is important that the dealer offers a safe and secure channel for delivering such a precious product. Make sure that you read through their policy of delivering the goods. Insurance and delivery charges become important components in such a scenario when a high end product is involved. Also find out about the duration of delivery.
Keep all these points in mind for a fool-proof purchase.