If you've arrived here, it's because you want your next or first jewelry purchase to be as successful as possible, and we understand!
As in every industry, when buying jewelry there are certain tips that we recommend to keep in mind before buying jewelry online.
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Jewelry sizes and measurements
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Purchase of earrings, single or pair?
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Reviews and brand reputation
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Materials and details
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Compare price and quality
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Secure sites: how to identify them.
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Customer service and after-sales service.
We will explain one by one these seven keys to buy jewelry online and make your order a sure success =)
Buying reliable jewelry online without failing in the attempt
It has happened to all of us that at the time of buying online we begin to have doubts: Will the order arrive well? Will I have been right with the measures? Will it be as expected? It is normal that we ask ourselves this question and that's fine! However, here are several tips (short and VERY effective) that do not fail and will help you finish your online shopping like a pro.
The convenience of not leaving our home makes us buy more and more online (and it is a trend that will always be on the rise). So we just have to eliminate the fears that this process generates. But, how?
Here are the most effective tips!
7 tips for buying jewelry in an online store
1. Verify measurements and sizes
Buying earrings may seem simple but the reality is that there are endless options and sizes, so we always recommend our customers to measure their favorite earrings so they can get an idea of which size is the one that fits them. Sometimes product photos can be confusing, so it is always best to be guided by the measurements that appear in the description of each piece of jewelry.
Another very important point is to always look at the model's photo. Seeing the jewelry on someone else will help us a lot to get an idea of how it might look.
Probably the biggest challenge in the online jewelry shopping process will be with rings. Checking ring sizes is very important because compared to other jewelry, such as earrings, everyone's fingers have different measurements. That said, the key is to check the sizing guide of each brand to find your perfect size. Important: even if you usually wear a regular size, each brand may work under its own ring sizing, so it is always better to confirm this step to get the right size.
Don't know how to choose your ring size? Here we leave you an article with all the recommendations about how to know and measure the size of a ring before buying it. In the same article you will find a sizing guide by country and a sizing chart to find your perfect size.
Necklaces usually have a standard size that varies from 36 to 42 cm (approximately), however, if you would like to get several extra centimeters, we recommend you to get an extender. You will be able to add up to 10 extra centimeters to your new necklace.
2. Buying earrings online Single or pair?
One of the most common mistakes when buying earrings is to add them to the cart without checking if you are selecting by unit or pair.
It is becoming more and more common to buy individual earrings since in most cases we do not have the same amount of holes in both ears. To make a safe purchase, we recommend you to check the description of the jewelry to make sure if you are buying a unit or a pair.
Usually in the product cards of the earrings by default is selected the purchase of "unit" so if your intention is to buy a pair of earrings, you must click on the "pair" option. Here is an example from our website.
3. Research and evaluate reviews before making your purchase.
The most important thing: validate what we call "social reputation". How? by researching on known websites and thus be able to know how is the user experience through their reviews. TrustPilot is the best known website for real reviews. The best thing about this website is that the merchants or the brand cannot hide any kind of review, so it is very reliable.
An online store is considered to have an excellent reputation when there are more than 500 reviews and the rating is above 4.5/5 ★
At By Lia Jewels we are happy to overcome this score with many positive reviews and, more than this, we are also happy to receive tips or feedbacks of improvements from the user. This helps us to keep improving our service and to keep growing as a company.
4. Pay attention to the materials
When buying jewelry online, pay attention to details. It is important to read product descriptions to make sure you know exactly what you are buying.
When we buy jewelry, the most important thing is that the materials are of quality. For example, if it is 925 Sterling Silver jewelry, to ensure that we are buying quality.
At the same time, if we are thinking of more summer jewelry, make sure it is waterproof stainless steel jewelry. stainless steel waterproof jewelry. That is, unlike other materials, jewelry made of stainless steel and plated with 1 micron of gold allow us to get them wet without worrying about their care.
5. Buy quality and prices
There is a huge range of possibilities here. Our main advice is that when it comes to jewelry, it is best to buy from brands that are dedicated solely to selling jewelry. The reason? Keep in mind that if a brand known for its clothing brings out a one-off jewelry line, its quality may not be the same as a brand that has been dedicated for a long time to the creation of these pieces. Why? The quality will be similar to that of costume jewelry, so you will be buying practically disposable pieces, which will not last you more than one season.
At By Lia, as an online jewelry brand with over 10 years of experience, we focus on offering quality jewelry at an affordable price so that we can all enjoy quality jewelry in our day to day life without leaving half of our payroll.
6. Buy your jewelry in safe and reliable places
Be sure to shop at secure websites that protect your personal and financial information. To know you are on the right site, look for a padlock symbol in the address bar of your browser. This means the site is secure and your information is protected.
In addition to the above mentioned validating a review site is important to determine if other users have been able to trust and buy from the online jewelry store you want.
7. . Customer service and after-sales service
Don't be afraid to ask! Most online stores have a specialized customer service team that will be at your disposal to help you make the best purchase decision or advise you with any questions you may have.
We're serious, it's important to ask questions. This will give you a clue as to what their customer service is like and you can see how committed (or not) the company is to taking care of their customers.
BONUS: Check exchange and return policies carefully.
It is important to keep in mind that since they are jewelry, they are still "intimate" items, so in most jewelry websites, there are restrictions for exchanges and returns depending on each piece of jewelry. Avoid negative surprises by always checking this point before placing your order.
Buy Costume Jewelry online vs Online Jewelry
As we have explained before, it is important that when we make an online purchase we know what we are acquiring. It is not the same as going to a physical store and being able to touch the pieces, try them on and feel how they fit.
Many customers talk to us before their first purchase telling us that they have had a bad experience buying jewelry online and this is where we as experts explain the difference:
The main difference between costume jewelry and jewelry lies in the materials used for its manufacture and its quality.
Costume jewelry is a type of jewelry that is made with less expensive materials, such as plastics, resins, glass, semi-precious stones, less valuable metals, among others. Therefore, costume jewelry is more accessible in terms of price than jewelry.
On the other hand, jewelry is made of more valuable and durable materials. The most common material is 925 Sterling Silver (so called because it is composed of 92.5% silver). Then silver and gold, obviously among the most valuable, stainless steel, among others.
Because of the quality of the materials and the skill required to work with them, jewelry is more expensive than costume jewelry and is often considered an investment or a valuable object.
In summary, the main difference between costume jewelry and jewelry is the quality of the materials used and their intrinsic value. When we buy jewelry we want to feel very identified with the piece and over time it takes on a sentimental value =)