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Diamonds Online: Security, Convenience, Savings &
Choice Propel Internet Sales
(BNN)
Online sales of diamond jewelry continue to
accelerate as consumers gain confidence in shopping
on the Web. Low prices, enhanced security,
convenience and the wide selection offered by many
online merchants are cited as reasons the Internet
is becoming a preferred way to buy diamond jewelry.
While retail jewelry shops still exist on Main
Street or in the local mall, their rent, labor and
insurance costs are much higher relative to their
online competition--costs that must be passed on to
the customer. This means that online retailers can
sell jewelry well below traditional retail prices. A
recent survey by the Jewelry Consumer Opinion
Council found that 67% of shoppers would buy a
similar item of jewelry online if they could achieve
as little as a 15% saving on their purchase.
In the early days of online commerce, wary consumers
were reluctant to make jewelry purchases due to
worries about somehow losing their payments or
receiving inferior gems. Now, improved Internet
security and the entrance of established firms into
the online market have allayed many consumer fears.
Today, online retailers such as DiamondSafe.com
carry out worry-free credit card transactions that
are fully secured with SSL (Secure Socket Layers)
data encryption technology. Adding to the sense of
security, Internet diamond customers find that many
online merchants have their business roots in
long-existing firms. For example, DiamondSafe.com is
part of an established, 30-year-old
diamond-manufacturing organization with partnerships
in New York, South Africa, Israel and the Far East.
Additional consumer confidence comes when online
retailers back their diamonds with grading
certificates from independent labs. Although there
are dozens of gemological laboratories issuing
certificates, only a few are respected by the
diamond trade. Some well-known laboratories include
the European Gemological Laboratories (EGL) and the
Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Since every
diamond is unique, the certificate is important
because it maps out each gem’s recognizable and
individual characteristics and evaluates a diamond
for its objective quality.
“Providing customers with as much diamond
information and quality service as possible is a
crucial aspect of satisfying them online,” according
to Michelle Lieber, vice president of
DiamondSafe.com. Therefore, the company offers an
education section on their website that explains
diamond mining, standards and grading in detail,
uses EGL and GIA as grading labs and guarantees all
purchases with a full money-back refund for products
returned within 30 days.
Convenience likewise drives consumers to the Web and
helps explain why diamond e-merchants continue to
carve into the traditional market. People now live
in an "anywhere, anytime" society, and online
merchants serve this contemporary impulse.
Another major reason for the explosion in diamond
e-commerce is the wide variety of styles offered by
many online merchants. A browse through the
DiamondSafe.com website reveals sparkling gems that
dazzle in myriad ways. Stylish single women can
delight in a "right-hand ring". Men can find diamond
cufflinks. Diamond earrings, pendants or bracelets
are all displayed in an incredible range of styles.
And, the ultra-cool “Hot Diamonds” collection from
London, modern sterling silver and diamond
accessories for him and for her, is now available on
the site. From the legendary gem glittering in
various settings, to perfectly round Akoya pearls,
to white-gold Art Deco pendants and the classic
diamond tennis bracelets, the selection is
impressive and vast.
With hundreds of diamond pieces from which to
choose, consumers can be assured of finding the
right piece of jewelry on the Web. At
DiamondSafe.com
customers have the option of
designing their own jewelry––a process that can be
compared to creating a work of art. An exquisite and
one-of-a-kind piece is worked out step-by-step from
the choice of the diamond, to the design and the
setting.
Deciding among the diamonds offered, sold loose or
in settings, is a fascinating and rewarding process
that ensures you have a wide selection with the most
competitive price. And one of the best parts of
shopping online is having jewels delivered to your
doorstep, within days and anywhere in the world,
with the ease of a few online keyboard strokes.
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