Buying engagement rings online

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The viability of purchasing engagement ring online need some serious clarification. There are plenty of misconceptions about the practicality of such shopping which stays in the way of utilizing its great advantages.

The foremost benefit is that by purchasing your engagement ring online you will save money, and if you are looking at a substantial piece it could amount to thousands. It is not difficult to see the reason for the much lower prices online. Running a jewelry retail website cost a tiny fraction of that of a physical store.

Other major advantages are the enormous variety and the unparalleled opportunity to put side by side different offers. In a situation where easy search for engagement ring will generate thousands of offers the merchant must be very competitive and flexible in order to succeed.

Overabundance of choice on the other hand can result in confusion and inability to make decision. It is often the reason behind rejecting the whole online plan and buying the conventional over the counter way.
Web sites offering links to preselected high quality and good value jewelers can be of great assistance in cases like this. JewelGateway for instance, offers independent qualified advice and preselected top offers for every jewelry sector.

Why are most people reluctant to buy engagement ring online despite all the advantages mentioned above?

The engagement ring is seemingly a “once in a life time” purchase and choosing it without being able to touch it or try it on ones finger feels risky. The greatest obstacle facing the new online jewelry buyer is the alleged irreversibility of the purchase, which together with lack of ability to see, touch and try on the ring outcomes in questions like: What if it is not the same as on the picture? What if the size is incorrect or the craftsmanship bad? What if the ring gets lost on its way? What if she does not like it?

These factors are major obstacles to the full utilization of the advantages of online jewelry shopping. Fortunately there are effective ways around them and prominent online merchants are gaining customer’s trust, understanding and business. It all boils down to three simple preconditions:

1. Uncomplicated and generous return policy - 30 or more days no questions asked money back guarantee sounds just right.
2. Door to door delivery with full insurance of the ring covered by the merchant until the customer sign for it.

3. Effective and up to date fund transfer safety and security system.

All of the above does not hold much water if the merchant is not legitimate. There are ways however to check this too. Here is what to look for:
Clear contact details with link from every page with physical address and telephone number where you can contact the merchant directly during office hours.
Check if the secure transaction sign (padlock) is displayed on the bottom right of your browser while on the merchant`s payment page.
Find out what others are saying about the quality of merchandise and service of this site and don`t be afraid to ask for reference.
The existence of third party credentials with authentication link is quite reassuring.

The statistics show that online fraud on jewelry related purchases is very low and accounts mostly of payments with fraudulent credit cards or reversed credit card transactions. Fraud online however does exist and one`s vigilance should not be found unreasonable by any prominent online jeweler. Just phone, speak to the merchant and ask questions. Sometime this is the best way to separate oranges from pears. If they are not sure what they are talking about or sound irritable, forget about them no matter how irresistible the offer. Professional and reliable jeweler knows his trade and takes his time to answer customer’s questions in detail. Online engagement ring shopping is relatively new, but its advantages far exceed its disadvantages and its dominance over the conventional over the counter dealing is just a matter of time.

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Buying engagement rings online