Is It Safe to Buy Diamonds Online?

Wednesday, March 19th

Is It Safe to Buy Diamonds Online?

These days, you can buy almost anything that you want without having to leave home. However, if you are planning to buy a diamond from an online retailer, it's important that you know that the transaction is secure. It's also important to know that you're buying a legitimate diamond as opposed to a knockoff that is merely advertised as a real diamond. Let's take a closer look at how you can protect yourself when buying precious jewels remotely.

Are You Doing Business With a Reputable Company?

The easiest way to determine if you are working with a reputable company is to check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). A company's BBB listing will tell you how long the company has been in business, if it has had any outstanding customer complaints and other pertinent information that might help you make an educated buying decision.

It's worth noting that most companies that have been in business for many years will likely have a few complaints lodged against it. When you see a negative review, it's important to read it carefully to determine if the compliant seems like a legitimate gripe or an instance of a customer or competitor being petty.

You should also review any responses that a company makes in regards to a complaint made to the BBB. As a general rule, a reputable business will reach out to those who had bad experiences to learn more about what happened and what can be done to avoid similar situations in the future.

If a company handles tense situations with its other customers in a timely and professional way, you can expect to be treated with respect as well. At a minimum, you know that someone will be there to work with you in the event that you need help for any reason before, during or after making a purchase. However, if a company fails to respond to a complaint in a timely or professional manner, it may indicate that you should spend your money e

It's Easier to End a Phone Call or Online Chat

Buying your diamonds online may be ideal if you have trouble saying no to people while in their presence. If you don't feel comfortable about how your salesperson is treating you, simply put the phone down and call another retailer. If the conversation is happening online, you can simply close your browser or fail to respond to the last email that a salesperson has sent you.

Comparison Shopping Is Much Easier When Done Online

Even if you don't have trouble saying no to people, it may still be in your best interest to shop for diamonds online. This is because you can compare prices from multiple retailers at the same time from the safety and security of your own home.

In addition to shopping in a comfortable environment, you also save the time and gas money that you would otherwise spend visiting brick-and-mortar jewelry stores in your area. If you have just started the process of shopping for a diamond, doing so online may allow you to do so in a relatively anonymous way.

However, you should be careful not to give your name, phone number or email address to anyone before you are ready to seriously examine your options. This is because you will likely receive emails, letters, or other marketing materials from diamond retailers once you do.

Reputable Retailers Will Provide Multiple Safeguards

A reputable retailer will provide you with a certificate or other documentation verifying that the product you want to buy is legitimate. Furthermore, a quality vendor will offer a full refund if you are not satisfied with what you have purchased.

This means that if the quality, cut, or color isn't what you expected it to be, you can return it without penalty. Knowing that you can get your money back may be especially important if you plan to give the diamond as a gift.

Although it may still have value on the open market, the easiest way to get your money back may be to simply return it to the retailer that sold it to you. Finally, any online vendor or retailer that cares about its reputation will make sure that the checkout process is easy, safe, and secure.

How Might an Online Retailer Make a Transaction Easy and Secure?

Any online retailer that you buy a diamond from should comply with all applicable data encryption and storage rules. When information is encrypted, it cannot be seen when your information is transferred from the checkout page to the digital entity that actually processes your purchase.

If anyone does manage to peer at the details of your online purchase, all that person would see is a series of random numbers, letters, and symbols. Therefore, it would not be possible to obtain your credit card number, bank routing number or other information that could be used for fraudulent purposes.

A secure website or payment portal will have a picture of a closed padlock next to the site's URL on the top of your screen. When you click on the padlock icon, you can learn more about what type of security measures are being taken to protect any information contained on that site. In addition, a secure web property will utilize Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) technology as opposed to the traditional Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

Furthermore, it should be easy to change your order before or after it has been processed. This may prevent you from accidentally ordering two diamonds instead of one or from accidentally using your debit card when you wanted to use a credit card. If you do notice an issue, you should be allowed to either cancel the order yourself or to quickly get in touch with a customer service representative who can help resolve the problem.

Should You Buy Diamonds Online From an Individual Seller?

There is nothing inherently wrong with buying a diamond from an individual seller as opposed to a company. However, you will still want to do your due diligence prior to making a purchase. This means having a conversation with the seller, asking for verification that the product is a legitimate diamond and ensuring that the transaction will occur in a safe and secure manner.

It's worth noting that some individual sellers will allow you to complete a purchase in a face-to-face manner instead of digitally. If you decide to do this, make sure to meet in a public place and never pay in cash. Paying in cash makes it easier for the seller to claim that you stole the diamond or otherwise engage in fraudulent activity. Ideally, you'll pay with a money order or in some other secure manner that allows you to withhold sensitive personal information.

Regardless of how you complete a transaction with an individual, refrain from doing so until after you know if the seller has a return or refund policy. If you buy from an individual through an online exchange, make sure that you are aware of its return or refund policies before confirming your purchase.

Buying diamonds online is generally safe and secure as long as you take basic precautions. It may also be ideal for those who are in the early stages of the buying process as you can learn more about what several retailers offer without anyone badgering you to purchase something. Assuming that you partner with a reputable diamond retailer, you should be able to talk to an actual person if you have any questions or concerns before or after a transaction is completed.