With a rise in online shopping, it would be foolish for any jewelry store, or wholesaler to not get in on the chance to broaden their clientele. But buyer beware there is such thing as a bad seller or fraudulent wholesaler. One must stop and think about the consequences of buying online, especially if they ignore the obvious red flags and do not do their homework about who they are buying from. Here are a few tips to ensure you are purchasing safely and soundly:
- Stay away from eBay. The only guarantee you have with eBay is that your money is going safely from one account to another. There is no guarantee the product you are buying is real. Yes, there are such things as decent sellers, and the ratings system can help, but again there is no guarantee on returns or actual products, just a forced promise of honesty with no actual harsh repercussions if that promise is broken. Most eBay sellers don’t have phone lines listed for customer service. If you can’t speak to someone who can answer your questions, consider that a red flag and search for another vendor. While Store fronts on eBay can provide you with a bit more ease, always be cautious, and never be the first to purchase from them.
- Any vendor online has a shipping mechanism. It is important that by all means you understand the vendors shipping and return policy. No policy means no rules, which means you are probably not going get your money back if you don’t like the item. Know what the deal is, whether you’ll receive store credit, full refund, etc.
- Check the safety of the site. I go by the saying, “If there isn’t a lock, I’m on the wrong block”. This is in reference to the picture of the padlock at the bottom of your screen. Do not purchase from any site that does not have a padlock on the bottom of the screen when you checkout or purchase the item, ever. Stay away from those sites as they could be crawling with spyware, and terrible repercussions that sign you up for random sites and promos without your consent. It is also a good idea to simply Google the sites name along with the word, “safe to purchase” or “Safe to buy” or “Scam”.
