Online Jewelers Ratings

By Devorah Isenberg, Friday, January 20, 2012 8:34 AM

It’s become second nature to most of us to turn to the Internet when shopping for inexpensive daily purchases like clothing, shoes, housewares and even groceries. But when shopping for a big, important purchase like an engagement ring or wedding band, many people are still hesitant about giving up the in-store experience for a point-and-click online store. How will you know what the jewelry will look like in person? How can you trust a website without ever having talked to anyone who works there face to face? How do you know which site will carry the kind of jewelry you are looking for?

Luckily, online jeweler ratings have emerged to help first-time buyers navigate the crowded, sparkly waters of online jewelry shopping. All-purpose consumer review sites like Yelp.com host thousands of reviews for online jewelry shops, often filed under the city in which the online company is based. Other websites specialize in reviews for Internet-based companies, and are therefore the best places to look for online jewelers’ ratings. For example, Epinions and iVouch are two of the websites that offer consumers a place to rate online jewelers. iVouch, in particular, is a remarkable asset for the comparison shopper, as it compares reviews of web-based businesses with their more traditional bricks-and-mortar counterparts. In addition to offering consumers a space to write their own reviews, as well as a five-star rating system, iVouch utilizes a proprietary system called Vouches, in which customers sum up their experience in a simple way. This makes it easy for would-be shoppers browsing the site to quickly and easily find the websites with the most satisfied customers.

For even more specific and detailed online jeweler ratings and discussion, visit an online forum dedicated to diamonds and diamond jewelry. These sites can be somewhat overwhelming to a first-time buyer, but provide a wealth of information and support to a more experienced diamond shopper. A diamond forum like Diamond Chat Forum or PriceScope is a place for people who love diamond jewelry to discuss the stones themselves and the stores that sell them—both web-based and bricks-and-mortar. In addition to information and education, these sites provide unvarnished reviews of the stores and websites—information that will be useful to you as you choose your own Internet-based diamond retailer.

No matter where you find your online jeweler ratings, you should look for the same basic features that will inform you that the site is worth visiting. Reviews should emphasize selection, quality and most importantly, customer service. The best web-based retailers match and even exceed the kind of customer service you could get from a local boutique—so seeing online jeweler ratings rave about customer service is a sign that you are in the right hands. Plus, you should see a fair return policy, free shipping, and a generous inventory. With all of these features, shopping for jewelry online can be a breeze!