Common Mistakes in Jewelry Shopping and How to Avoid Them
Have you ever ordered a ring in the mail only for it to be so small it could only fit a child?
Or have you ever bought a necklace that broke in half after you only wore it twice?
These are all common mistakes in jewelry shopping that can result in both lost time and lost money, from the hassle of returning items to dealing with return policies you didn’t read.
But what if you could order a piece of jewelry and be as confident as possible that you got the right item in the right material and size?
This is definitely possible when you know what mistakes to avoid. Read on to learn about the most common mistakes in jewelry shopping so you can make better purchases for yourself and your loved ones.
Forgetting to Research
Before you set out to buy a piece of jewelry, you need to research both the retailer and the piece that you want to buy.
Researching also helps you with comparing jewelry prices. For example, let’s say you want to buy a 925 sterling silver necklace. You want to look at various stores to find out how much these types of items usually cost.
This way, you can see if a retailer is legitimate (or if they could be selling fake jewelry at a suspiciously low price). On the other side of the coin, you’ll be able to see if an item is overpriced.
Doing your research also helps you see if you are getting good value for your money. For example, a brand could be really popular but have the same quality jewelry as a more affordable brand.
In these cases, the quality of the item could still be good, but still not be worth the high markup price.
Product Reviews
Another way to research items is to read product reviews. You can do this either on the company website or on a 3rd party retailer’s website.
For example, you may be looking at a necklace from one brand, but notice that all the reviews on the brand’s website have 5 stars. If you want more information, you could see if any department stores or other retailers sell that brand’s products.
You can then read the reviews of the item on these retailer websites to get a better picture of the brand’s quality and value for the price.
When reading product reviews, look for indicators of quality, such as whether the silver plating wore off quickly on the item or a stone fell off. This can happen even with some more expensive jewelry, so don’t think that these kinds of quality issues only happen with very cheap items.
And if you’re buying online, check if the product that came in the mail looks like the product in the image or if something is off (like size, color, or chain length).
Not Setting a Budget
It’s easy to get tempted to buy everything in your shopping cart the moment you pull up an online catalog or walk into a jewelry store.
One of the biggest jewelry shopping mistakes that people make is not setting a budget. It’s vital that you do this before you shop, as you never know how tempted you might be when you walk in and decide that five items will look great with your new outfits.
A good practice is to make sure you have a clothing budget set up before you start shopping.
Make sure to separate the items that you want to get versus the items that you need to get. And once you figure out which items you need to get, set a range for the price you would be willing and able to pay.
If you have a budget set and you’re shopping online, you can avoid even looking at the items out of your price range by setting the shopping filters to only those items within your budget.
Forgetting Product Descriptions
We’ve all seen videos or pictures of “online shopping fails” where people didn’t read the product description and ended up getting something completely different from what they thought they ordered.
If you’re shopping at an online jewelry store, you need to be very careful about reading the product description.
For example, a necklace may look a lot longer in the product photo because the item has been photographed on a table. But when you get the necklace in the mail, you could be surprised that it ends up being very short!
This is why you want to take a careful look at the product description, especially the measurements. If you’re buying jewelry online, make sure to know your ring size and then check if it’s in stock.
Another common mistake happens when you don’t read about the materials the item is made of. Textures and materials can look a lot different in photos, and you might be unpleasantly surprised when you get the item in the mail and it’s not what you expected.
You should also look at whether the item is plated in silver or gold or whether it’s solid. While plating can wear off over time, it’s still a viable budget-friendly option, especially if you take good care of the item.
Only Following Trends
If you’re a fan of celebrity or social media fashion trends, it can be hard not to scroll through your Instagram feed and want to get all the types of jewelry your favorite influencers are wearing.
But if you only follow trends, you can end up getting items that may look pretty but that you never end up wearing.
Trends can be a great opportunity to buy an item if you’ve already been looking for that kind of jewelry. For example, if chunky chain necklaces are trending and you’ve wanted one for a while, then you’ll have lots of options to choose from.
But if you prefer more dainty and minimalist jewelry, there’s no point in impulse buying a chunky necklace just because your favorite celebrity wore one.
Instead, keep your style and existing wardrobe in mind when buying jewelry. This will help you make sure you’re getting items that you’d wear again and again for at least the next couple of years.
When Buying Jewelry for Others
Aside from the common jewelry shopping mistakes you can make when shopping for yourself, there are a few you need to consider if you’re getting the jewelry for someone else.
No matter how well you think you know this person or how much thought you put into the gift, you can’t read their mind. So, there are two more common mistakes you need to avoid when getting jewelry for others:
Ignoring the Person’s Style
Many parents and family members are often guilty of this. They want to buy what they think their child, niece, or nephew should wear.
And when they ignore the gift recipient’s style, they usually get the person something they would never use. Not only is this a waste of money for you, but it could result in unnecessary hurt because you never see the person wearing your gift.
This is why it’s vital to consider different jewelry styles and do the best you can to get them something in their style.
Not Getting a Gift Receipt
Despite your best efforts, you might still end up getting a gift that’s not the person’s style or size.
This is why it’s vital to get a gift receipt. This will allow your gift recipient to exchange their gift if needed. While some stores might put the value of the item on the gift receipt, this is still better than letting an unused item sit in their closet.
This is especially important when buying kid’s jewelry, which can easily be the wrong size if you get a bracelet or ring.
Sometimes, the store may not give you a gift receipt if the item is in the final sale. Always make sure to ask them before handing over your credit card!
And whether you’re buying jewelry for someone else or for yourself, always be sure to check the return policy before you buy the item so you can return or exchange it just in case.
Avoid These Common Mistakes in Jewelry Shopping
When you’re not paying attention to what you’re buying, you can end up wasting both time and money getting items you don’t like and that you can’t even return.
So whether you’re buying jewelry for yourself or for a loved one, be sure to avoid these common mistakes in jewelry shopping. Not only will this help you stick to a budget, but you’ll increase the chance that you’ll get amazing jewelry too.
For even more shopping tips, shoe guides, and fashion inspirations, be sure to check out the rest of our site!
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