Be smart about buying jewelry online
By Claes Bell • Bankrate.com

For many American men, Valentine's Day means one thing: taking to the malls and downtowns of America to find a suitable gift for that special someone. Valentine's Day has traditionally been a gold mine for the jewelry industry, but this year, a growing percentage of customers will bypass brick-and-mortar jewelry stores altogether and head to the Web to make their jewelry purchases.

According to the International Diamond Exchange, online jewelry sales rose 25 percent in 2005, to $2.1 billion. Leading online jewelry retailer BlueNile.com racked up $203.2 million in sales in 2005, and a multitude of traditional jewelers, including Tiffany & Co. and Ross-Simons, maintain profitable presences online.

Why are jewelry buyers looking to the Internet to buy their baubles? In part, it's a reaction to the confused feeling that many men experience when shopping in traditional stores. Oftentimes buyers are presented with sky-high price tags, little information that they can make sense of -- and no assurance that they are getting good deals.

"Buying expensive jewelry can be very intimidating," says Kurt Peters, editor in chief of Internet Retailer, an online-retail trade publication. "Jewelry stores create this mysterious aura around the experience of buying jewelry. If you buy online, you can be as uninformed as you want and you don't have to worry about looking stupid in front of a salesperson."

Also, comparison shopping in traditional stores is often difficult. Because every gem is different -- and many men know next to nothing about jewelry -- it can be tricky to compare one piece with another, even in the same store. The best online jewelers, in contrast, not only provide detailed specifications, such as cut and clarity, for each gem, they also have thousands of gems to choose from.

"There are more than 50,000 diamonds on the BlueNile Web site," says Blue Nile representative John Baird. "That allows you to find the perfect stone for you."

But the biggest advantage to shopping for jewelry on the Internet is the amount and variety of knowledge available. The best online retailers have a wealth of information available on such jewelry fundamentals as the 4 C's (color, clarity, cut and carat), the advantages and disadvantages of different types of stones and the settings available for them.

"We find that more consumers are looking for information online before they make their purchase," says Ruth Batson, executive director and CEO of the American Gem Society.

Still, buying jewelry online has its own set of risks and potential pitfalls. Here are some tips to make you a savvier consumer.

Getting the best buy Buying an expensive item such as a gem on the Web is increasingly common. These tips will help you make an informed purchase so that both the giver and the receiver are happy.

5 tips for buying jewelry online 1. Research. 2. Know what you want. 3. Buy certified. 4. Know the return policy. 5. Keep an eye on the date.

1. Research. All the free information in the world isn't going to help a buyer if he or she isn't willing to take the time to access it. Not familiar with what to look for in the jewelry you're buying?

"It's easy to find credible information about jewelry online," says Peters. "Buyers should take advantage of that resource."

Buyers looking for objective information can go to the Web sites of the Gemological Institute of America or the International Gemological Institute.

And don't just research the type of jewelry you plan to buy; research the store itself. Sites such as Bizrate can let you read comments and ratings left by past customers of the store you're thinking about buying from. Some questions to consider before you buy: Is this site a member of the Better Business Bureau or some other watchdog group? Is this site tied to a brick-and-mortar store where I could go if something goes wrong? Answering these questions can help prevent consumers from getting burned.

2. Know what you want and what you want to spend. One of the strengths of online jewelry stores is that they offer a wider selection than most brick-and-mortar stores can. That gives online shoppers the ability to scan hundreds of pieces in just a few minutes. The downside to this is that there is no professional jeweler to guide customers who may feel overwhelmed by the thousands of different choices on the Internet. Don't just buy the first thing that catches your eye. Make sure you know what you're getting and whether it's something the recipient will want.