Tips For Buying Online

Today, the internet has opened up a whole new way of shopping. Whether you are looking for diamond engagement rings, a new car or the latest electronic gadgetry, the internet offers convenience, ease of use and an unrivalled source of information to help you make your purchase.

Making a high value purchase such as a diamond engagement ring online, however, is not to everyone's tastes. This might be due to the fact that some people like to physically touch, feel and hold the item prior to purchase whilst others might have had an unfavourable experience in the past with buying on the internet. We understand this.

It is true that there are some not-so-respectable online retailers operating on the internet, and these need to be avoided. However, for every one of these, there are many more respectable and professional retailers who will provide you with a first class service from start to finish. We are one of these.

You might find the tips below useful when carrying out your search for a diamond engagement ring on the internet - after all, you need to be 100% confident that you are purchasing from a legitimate and reputable retailer. All the information below should be clearly displayed within the pages of the website you are visiting;

RETAIL PREMISES ADDRESS - This should be a physical address with street name and postcode. Avoid those sites with just a PO Box number.
> www.dejoria.co.uk displays this information on our About Us page

TELEPHONE NUMBER - This should always be a landline number, preferably an 0845 / 0800 number and provide a dedicated customer service line. Always ring this to make sure it is authentic...and that it is manned during the hours they say it is manned. If only a mobile number is provided as the contact point, treat this with caution. Always ring the phone number provided and have a chat with the customer service representatives or, better still, the proprietor of the business. Ask yourself the following question - are they friendly, professional and knowledgeable about diamonds and indeed the company, or are they simply hounding you to part with your money as quickly as possible?
> www.dejoria.co.uk displays this information on our About Us page. Our customer service helpline on 0845 355 1164 is open 8am-8pm daily. Out of hours, please leave a message and one of our customer service team will return your call ASAP.

EMAIL ADDRESS - There should always be an email address providing a direct link between the visitor and the customer service team. Always send an email using this facility, perhaps requesting a call back to discuss your requirements, and see how long it takes to get a response. Avoid those sites which take longer than a day to respond - it means that they don't see their internet customers as a priority.
> You can also contact www.dejoria.co.uk through our email facility at info@dejoria.co.uk. Your email will be answered the same working day that we receive your enquiry.

COMPANY DETAILS - A respectable UK company will be registered at Companies House and will have a VAT registration number. The company registration number can be entered through the UK Company House website to check the registered business details. Both the company registration number and VAT number should be clearly displayed. If these are not, ask yourself why not?
> www.dejoria.co.uk displays this information on our About Us page.

CREDENTIALS - Any respectable company will be a member of one of their industry's trade associations. As members of these associations, the company has to abide by a Code of Ethics and usually has a close working relationship with the organisation. It is also a good idea to visit the website of the trade association to check that the company you are considering dealing with is indeed a member of that association - after all, it is easy to say you are a full member when you are, in fact, not.
> www.dejoria.co.uk is a full member of the British Jeweller's Association (BJA) and has been since 2003. We are also members of the SafeBuy scheme and are a recommended site of The Good Web Guide. Click here for further information on our credentials and accreditations.

PAYMENT - If a website offers an online payment facility (and it is always a good sign if they do as it means that the company has been reviewed by one of the UK's major banking establishments), this should always be via a secure encrypted server. This should always be highlighted on a 'Payments' page alongside the list of credit and debit cards that are accepted. A significant advantage of paying by credit card is that if anything goes wrong with the purchase, then the buyer is covered by the UK Consumer Credit Act 1974.
> www.dejoria.co.uk offers a fully automated online payment system for all items with a value of up to £3,000 . You can also call our customer service helpline on 0845 355 1164 and place your order over the phone if you prefer. All our online payments use a secure encrypted server through our partner, Barclays Business Banking. We accept all major credit and debit cards including VISA, MasterCard, American Express and Maestro. Visit our Payment page for more information.

MONEY BACK GUARANTEE - Distance selling regulations in the UK mean that a website is obliged to offer at least a 7 day money back guarantee on the items it sells. The most common are a 7 or 14 day money back guarantee. Of course, the longer this period, the better it is for the customer.
> We are so confident in the quality of our diamond jewellery here at www.dejoria.co.uk that we offer a 30 day money back guarantee. Click here for more information.

TESTIMONIALS - Whilst almost all websites will display a page of customer testimonials, it can often be difficult to ascertain whether these are all genuine comments from genuine clients. Whilst it is not advisable for websites to publish the full name, location and email address of their clients, they should have no objection to you requesting to be put in contact with one of them so that you can check it out for yourself.
> All testimonials displayed on www.dejoria.co.uk are from real and recent clients, all of whom would be happy to confirm this with any potential customers.

PRODUCT WARRANTIES / GUARANTEES - Generally, as it is not possible to physically touch and examine the item before you purchase it online, you need to ensure that it comes with as much supporting documentation as possible.
> www.dejoria.co.uk provides not only an original and unique diamond certificate from one of the world's leading independent diamond grading laboratories, but also an independent insurance valuation dossier from Safeguard Quality Assurance Limited on all diamond engagement rings from our Create Your Diamond Ring section, providing our clients with complete piece of mind. Many multi-stone items such as diamond pendants or diamond earrings, for example, from our Diamond Jewellery Collection are accompanied by a DeJoria certificate of authenticity. Finally, www.dejoria.co.uk strives to assure that all our diamonds are conflict-free.

All the above points are basic guidelines for establishing whether an internet retailer is legitimate, reputable and professional. Working to these guidelines, and by carrying out careful product research, you will be in a position to make many successful online purchases in the future.

For further information on the credentials of www.dejoria.co.uk, please click here.