Why it is better to shop at a ‘Bricks & Mortar’ jewellery shop rather than an online store
Nowadays most people do a lot of their shopping online. Lately it seems this trend has even started in the world of jewellery and several e-jewellery stores have popped up to serve the online jewellery consumer. Most people are still understandably cautious about buying diamonds online and rightly so. While shopping over the internet offers convenience, it may end up being quite inconvenient when purchasing jewellery.
So, to get right into it, let us look into some of the reasons why consumers are better off buying jewellery from a conventional bricks and mortar store.
Make a Better Assessment Before Buying
One of the most significant problems online shoppers face is access. It means that despite having a vast selection of online-based jewellery stores, they get stripped of the experience of physically touching and feeling the product.
The ability to carefully inspect a piece of jewellery physically can better reveal several characteristics of the diamond.
Determine a Diamond’s Colour & Clarity
A visit to a bricks and mortar jewellery shop allows buyers to interact with the product psychically. They can hold up the jewellery to inspect it against the light. It helps to determine the diamonds colour, clarity, and light refraction because each diamond has a unique sparkle that is only distinguishable with a close-up inspection.
With online stores, the photos and vendor’s description are the only way to determine whether or not to buy any piece of jewellery & these are often misleading photos of a different piece of jewellery to the one you will actually receive. Worse still many online jewellers use CAD images which gives the consumer very little idea of what they are actually purchasing.
Closely compare and Contrast
Being able to see selections of diamonds with the naked eye helps to compare and contrast options. The buyer can even try on different pieces in varying colours and with different clarities to see how they look and feel.
A close-up inspection also lets the consumer look at various details of the stone including the diamond setting. Subtle differences between jewellery options that may not be visible on computer or phones screens are more apparent physically. When examining the actual diamond, in reality, there are no possibilities to hide its flaws.
Verify Authenticity
Online jewellers rely vastly on product descriptions and images to sell jewellery. They also try to sell the buyer on the authenticity of their products mostly using documentation. The wise jewellery buyer knows better than to buy a diamond just based on information they read.
The brick and mortar jeweller goes the extra mile to offer visual authenticity by weighing both the precious stone and metal. Buyers get the benefit of asking as many questions as they please to ease their mind about the product they intend to buy.
Immediate Gratification
Walking into a brick and mortar store allows a buyer to look up different options in their price range and buy what they like on the spot. A buyer receives immediate answers to any questions they might have to solidify their buying decision.
Usually, most brick and mortar retailers will provide long-term financing and credit options.
A Physical Address
When buying jewellery from a ground-based jeweller, consumers have a physical address to go back to for returns or size and other alterations if necessary. If a consumer is not satisfied with what they bought, they can just go back to the physical store. There are no return shipping and restocking fees to deal with when consumers purchase jewellery from a brick and mortar store.
Diamond jewellery needs regular maintenance to keep them in top shape. Having a personal relationship with a jeweller allows consumers to get their diamonds cleaned and resized.
The physical access is by far the most essential aspect of buying any piece of jewellery. That is why the brick and mortar jewellery store continues to be the preferred place to shop for diamonds.
If you need any jewellery advice you are welcome to pay RING jewellers a visit at our Brighton jewellers store (no appointment necessary). You can find our details here: Contact us
