Countless Diamond Rings for Sale - The Downside of Overchoice



Posted: Sunday, October 24, 2010

by Vasco Kirov
Kirov Jewelry Studio

The field of diamond engagement rings is one of the most competitive one on the net. The supply is much higher than the demand which calls for diversity and lower prices. One can help but also notice the diversity of prices for similar products, which does not look very reassuring. Above and beyond the price the overdose of diversity itself might bring confusion. If you search the web for "diamond rings for sale "you will get about 750 000 results from Google alone.

It looks like one life is not enough to see all the entries. Large part of these entries does not sell engagement rings or even contain relevant information. The current web search is far from efficient and this is why a search seldom passes the third page. The need for better ranking pushes the online traders to optimize their sites to the level where they would show in completely irrelevant search. While some of the first page results are reliable jewelers with long presence on the net, many are there due to their web popularity and internet marketing superiority and are hardly connected to the jewelry industry. It is not as easy and it takes time and effort to check the surprisingly well positioned irrelevant hits. With all the diversity and tons of information the average engagement ring buyer is slowly getting entangled in the ropes of overchoice. Elimination of unnecessary information is not available feature on today`s search engines and it is still not in visible distance. But which information is unnecessary and for whom?

There could be a brand new jeweler, selling exactly the ring you are looking for, at incredible price, but on the 4th page. Hundreds of faceless merchants are displaying their products in array of glamor and blink and are all telling you they are the best. This does not sound right – the best could only be one. Today's marketing ethics are rather forgiving and that creates more food for thoughts. Overchoice is a major obstacle for any online merchant. It turns many potential customers away from online dealing in spite of the obvious benefits in place. Even when dealing with only relevant pages, facing thousands of relevant options makes the decision taker apprehensive.

Very good parallel to this feeling is the "posh restaurant" example:

You are at very posh expensive restaurant you have heard a lot about, looking at the menu. You know, that it is not likely to have the opportunity to visit again and you want your meal to encompass everything you would expect from their famous name. You want to experience all the exotic, refined flavors and combinations differentiating them from the main stream restaurants…in just one meal. And the menu has over 200 main courses and over 100 deserts.

Many people are spending hours, choosing between two or three shortlisted diamond rings in the jewelry shop and the hesitation of facing three hundred or more online is more than normal.

Overchoice is not something we could wish away. We are learning to deal with it on and off line every day.

Here are some guidelines for engagement ring buyers:

The first thing that turns the overchoice to advantage is our ability to compare similar products. In the engagement ring field this requires a bit of knowledge about basic diamond qualities and jewelry divisions. This knowledge gives you the ability to see beyond the marketing blur and assess the real thing. Then you just have to look for the best value for money. The second is to choose jeweler with proper return policy (30 days or more). Knowing that your purchase is not irreversible takes a lot of worries away and eliminates low value entries. Merchants not confident in the quality and competitiveness of their product avoid extended return policies or apply too many terms and conditions. The best return policy says: "30 day (or more) money back guaranteed no questions asked on condition the ring is not worn or altered" or something similar. After short listing ones choices the best way to single out the right jeweler is to speak to him/her. The existence of direct live line is an important prerequisite. The ability to handle professionally customer's inquiries and give them comprehensive clear information, speaks volumes about the service you would expect and even the quality of their merchandise.

Vasco Kirov is an experienced designer and master goldsmith with vast knowledge in every aspect concerning fine jewelry. He has been awarded many prestigious design awards for excellence in diamond jewelry design. His innovative online jewelry studio has large picture library where you can find inspiration for your diamond ring and with Vasco's help have it tailored to suit your taste and budget.
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