Is it better to shop for jewelry online or in person?

We seriously live for online shopping. Books, obvi. Shoes, duh. We even buy our groceries online. Shopping from home is literally everything. So why are so many people nervous about shopping for a diamond online?

There are just some purchases you want to hold in your hands before we take them home. We get it. However, that’s really the only perk of in-person shopping. On the flip, digital diamond buying means more choices, better prices, and in some cases, even better diamonds.

Simplify The Stats

There’s a whole lot that separates the digital diamond world from the IRL ring buying experience. But for all those TLDR stans, the pros and cons have you covered.

Rather buy Retail?

Pros	Cons
See the diamond in the real real	More expensive
Try on rings to find your perfect fit	Limited selection
Talk to a salesperson about all your options	No returns
	Commission driven salespeople
	Have to pay for maintenance

All About The Online Experience?

Pros	Cons
Larger selection	Can't hold the ring before you buy
Customize your perfect ring	Have to wait it to arrive
30-day money-back guarantee
See diamonds in more detail with a 360 preview
Customer support - not sales
Access to education
Lifetime maintenance (Keyzar)

Take a Chill Pill

Let’s face it; the last thing any of us needs is more anxiety. Shopping online means you can quite literally chill. Take all the time you need, hem and haw to your heart's content. Everything about online shopping is in your space and on your timeline.

Online there’s no pressure to buy now. Retail, on the other hand, has limited stock. So there’s more pressure to snag that “perfect” diamond while you can get it.

On the internet, there’s a much more extensive selection. So there's no rush. Instead, you can take your time and figure out what you want. Speaking of which, you do know exactly what you want, right?

One of the best parts about the internet is looking up anything and everything. Here you have tons of access to education. And the best part is you can access that research while you decide instead of trying to remember it in the moment.

If you do decide you need help, you can always reach out to an expert (with no sales pressure) through the chat.

Easy Peasy, Never Squeezy

One of the big fears out there is, “what if I get ripped off?” And that is so totally valid. Unfortunately, the real tea is more people get taken advantage of in-store than they do online.

You may get talked into a less-than-perfect purchase when you shop retail. Usually, you’re stuck dealing with pushy commission-driven salespeople, and there’s always a chance people are trying to move inventory.

Online there’s no pressure to buy a particular thing or to make a same-day purchase. While we’re still in the business of selling, online retailers have no reason to push something that’s not the best item for you. TBH, we’re not pushing anything. Just making it available.

Either way, someone is selling you something. You're being recommended the best options online without getting squeezed or pressured. In-store, you may get sold on the hype-up of a less than ideal drip.

Missout On The Markup

If there’s one thing we don’t have FOMO about, it’s overpaying. And, low-key, buying online is less expensive. Here’s the deal. Online retailers have lower overhead, and honestly, that right there is huge. Old-school retailers have to cover the cost of inventory, salespeople, and the ever-rising cost of rent. That cost is reflected in the price of your ring.

Since you’re not covering the cost of all that overhead, digital diamond buying means you can usually find the same diamond (if not a better one) for less. For that, we totally stan.

Many online retailers make your jewelry to order. Not only does that mean you get the benefit of choosing exactly what you want, but it also means they don’t have to store all that inventory.

Because stores have to keep up stock to fill the shelves, they also have to raise prices to cover the cost of keeping all that jewelry on hand. That means your choices are limited to what's available, and they pass that lovely markup on to you.

Buying online can be up to 40% cheaper. That lower overhead and much smaller markup spell a major W for you.

When we create jewelry for you based on what you really want, we never have unwanted stock. Not having to guess what might sell and instead making only what does means less overhead, more sustainability, and more significant savings.

We Love A Selection

There are no two ways about it. Shopping online means more options.

Even the best retail stores are limited by space. That means your choices are also limited to what’s in stock. Want the same ring with a pear instead of a princess? You might be out of luck.

Working with the web means taking your time and being as particular as you’d like. Chances are you’re going to find exactly what you’re looking for or someone who can make it.

Online is the way to go if you want more choices and variety. That customization means you get the exact shape, size, and setting you’re after. Not to mention you can see what it looks like in every color. We live.

With Your Own Two Eyes

The best part about shopping in person is that you can hold onto your ring and inspect it with your own two eyes. But it also means you’re limited by what you can see in the store. While you might not be able to touch the rings on the internet, the view is a whole lot better.

Most digital diamond dealers provide HD 360 previews of their stones. This up close and personal view means you can see things you would have missed in-store.

A magnifying glass isn’t going to help you out much unless you know what you’re looking for. Even using a jeweler's loupe to inspect diamonds in person doesn’t compare to digital deets. And if the lighting isn’t just right? Forget it.

All the glorious zoom you get online means you’ve got the high-key closeup on all the nooks and crannies. Inclusions? We don’t know her.

You can spot every detail online, making finding an eye-clean diamond as easy as pie.

Thanks, I Hate It

Suffering from a little buyer's remorse? Too bad, so sad. Most jewelry stores don’t offer a return policy. Meaning once you leave the store, that ring is yours.

Here’s the deal: if your only qualm with shopping digital drips is not being able to hang onto it, you’ve got nothing to worry about. We offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. In fact, most online diamond retailers do. Simply contact us, and we’ll help you ship the ring back to us. No hassle, no fuss, no questions asked. Easy peasy.

So pick out the ring that has you living. If you don’t love it in person, send it back. If you’re shopping in person, on the other hand, you better make sure you stan, cause that ring is yours for life… no matter what.

Must-Have Maintenance

The best part about buying in person is you can take it back anytime you need a little maintenance, right? Not really.

Most stores will try to upsell you on a maintenance plan. With others, you’ll have to pay for things like cleaning, replating, or really anything else you might require over the course of owning your ring.

Many shops stand behind their jewelry, so if you shop IRL, ask around and check out their reviews. A good jeweler can save you big down the line, so it’s worth checking.

We offer free lifetime maintenance. That includes replating – essential for that crispy white gold – prong tightening and cleaning.

Tea be spilled, a plan might be good, but free for life is better. Period.

Safety First

Cybercrime is a major bummer, so, understandably, the question on everyone's mind is, “is buying online safe?”

Short answer, yes. So long as you’re buying from a reputable company, it’s safe to buy diamonds online. Make sure to research and find a diamond dealer you can trust. And in case you were wondering, you can check us out on Trustpilot anytime.

Worried about that whole mail order thing? Diamonds are shipped in discrete packaging and always require a signature. Not to mention each package is completely insured, for that added boost of no worries.

The return policy means if you don’t love it, we’ll help you send it back. To ensure it comes back as safe as it went out, to begin with. Without leaving your house (or talking to a salesperson), it's a win-win. Introverts rejoice!

1, 2, Add To Cart

Sold on online shopping and ready to pick out the digital drip of your dreams? You might be wondering where to start.

If you’ve already got an idea of what you want, you can hop right in. But, while you’re here, it’s a great idea to take advantage of all the available education.

Learning a bit about the thing you’re looking for can help you narrow down all those options and save you money. We won't hold you back if you’re already on that add-to-cart action.

But if you’re all about the cliff notes, we’ve got you there too.

Brief Me Baby

If you’re going to be shopping online, there are a few essentials you must know before going. And while there’s always more depth (and more savings) if you want to take the time to read all about it, we love a mini list.

1. Budget or bust. Starting with a baseline budget will help you sort out all details. Getting the ring you want in your budget is all bout finesse. But step one is knowing where to start.

2. The cut is crucial. If there was ever a place to save money, it’s elsewhere. You always want an excellent cut diamond. The cut is responsible for the sparkle, the zazz, and everything we love about diamonds. A poorly cut diamond will be dark, dull, and sad.

3. Clarity, keep it simple. All you need is an eye-clean diamond. That means clarity is a great place to use that finesse and save some skrilla. In fact, spending more on clarity when you already have an eye-clean diamond is a waste. Look for VS or even SI eye-clean diamonds to save some cash.

4. Color is a spectrum. So long as you’ve got a diamond that appears colorless, you’re in the clear. Check out G and H color diamonds. They’ll save you some cash and look colorless in almost any setting. Going yellow gold? Then you’ve got even more wiggle room.

5. Carat Weight. Finessing color and clarity will save you big time, leaving more room for a bigger rock. We love that for you. Once you find your feels for everything else, you can figure out what to spend on carat weight.

6. Setting it up. Once you’re ready, you can pop that diamond into a gorge setting, and voila, the ring of your dreams. If you’re really ambitious, you can look a little further down the line and peep those wedding bands for your perfect match. We love a set.

Shopping online means you get exactly what you want. And we’re not just talking about the big things like the size of your rock or that perfect princess cut. It’s down to the little details. Hidden halo, or not? Glittery pave, or simple solitaire. Want to see that ring in a different color?

When you shop online, it’s up to you, from that perfectly snatched setting to the delicate sparkle of your drip. And we absolutely live for it.

Click, Click, Drip

Shopping online is a vibe. Maybe you’re in it for the options. Perhaps you’re into saving a little skrilla. Or maybe you just want to live your best-introverted life and avoid the salespeople. We feel you on all fronts.

One of the absolute best parts of shopping online is you can totally take your time with it. No rush, no fuss, just a slow scroll to sparkly perfection.

And, hey, on the off chance you do want to chat it up with someone who knows what the heck a 4ct E VVS2 is, we’ve got you covered. From design help to picking the perfect rock for your ring, you can hit us up with your questions anytime. We’re here to help.