The risks of buying jewellery from an online retailer

The internet is a shopper’s dream. The ability to compare the products and prices of pretty much every retailer in the world is something that consumers of just a couple of decades ago could only dream of. We now buy everything from groceries to fashion off the World Wide Web.

One business that hasn’t completely made the transition to ecommerce is the humble jewellery store. There are a few reason for this. The main one is jewellery often represents a large investment, akin to buying furniture or a car, so you want to be able to see and feel your purchase prior to committing to buy.

But there are a few other risks related to buying jewellery online that could serve to steer you toward a brick and mortar store. Whether you’re searching for rose gold engagement rings or diamond pendant necklaces, here are a few risks you should consider before clicking the ‘proceed to checkout’ button.

Jewellery is so often a ‘gut feel’ purchase. It’s difficult to get a gauge on how you truly feel about a piece if you are trying to work off a 2D image.
When it comes to gems, there’s no real way to judge the shimmer and brilliance of a stone from simple photos. You need to wave and rotate it under the bright lights of a jewellery store to get a true sense of its refractive properties.
This disconnect between you and an online retailer increases the chance that you won’t get what you pay for. Accreditations are easily faked online, and a website can disappear overnight. Brick and mortar stores, on the other hand, can’t really disappear.

There are many more reasons to shop for your jewellery in person – expertise, advice and assurances being just a few. It’s fair to say that the humble jewellery store will be around for some time to come.