Buying an Engagement Ring at an Online
Auction

If you are looking for a high quality, inexpensive ring for your intended, consider buying an engagement ring at an online auction. With online auction popularity continuing to grow, many unique treasures can be found among the listings, including gorgeous engagement rings. Purchasing an engagement ring at an internet auction must be done carefully, however, to avoid unscrupulous scams and deals that are too good to be true.

Auction sales can save money.

Finding Your Ring at an Online Auction

The first step to buying an engagement ring at an online auction is to find the right ring. To do this, you should visit several local jewelers and decide which type of ring you prefer, including the style of setting, type of metal, diamond shape, and accent stones (if any). This will help narrow your search so you do not spend hours viewing inappropriate rings. You should also know what size ring you are looking for.

To begin your search, choose the jewelry category and type in your keywords. While you may want to browse, inputting several key characteristics – such as “white gold” or “princess cut” – will help trim the resulting list. Take care not to make your search too narrow – “gold pave setting oval emerald size six three stone ring” for example – because you may miss out on several beautiful rings. Also, try several searches with similar keywords to catch auctions with slightly different wording or even misspellings.

One benefit of buying an engagement ring at an online auction is that you can discover truly exceptional pieces, including antique engagement rings, art deco engagement rings, and even the occasional vintage engagement ring that are hard to find in standard jewelry stores. Careful searching can help you discover these treasures.

Investigating the Seller

Once you find the perfect ring, you must investigate the seller. Check feedback or comment ratings to see what recent buyers are saying about them, and try contacting some of those buyers to get their opinion on how actual product compared to the listed auction. If the seller represents a jeweler, visit their website to see their standard products and gauge the listed prices. Is the auction listed at higher than the regular price for the item? If so, it is no bargain.

A reputable online seller will have a well-designed auction page, including all the relevant information about the engagement ring, their payment, shipping, and return policies, and their sales history. They should be open with their information and willing to answer any questions. Furthermore, the best sellers will offer a return policy, particularly if the ring is the wrong size. While knowing your ring size is a good start, it is possible that different rings are sized slightly differently, and you should be able to return a ring that simply cannot fit. If the seller does not list such a policy, ask about it before bidding.

Investigating the Engagement Ring for Sale

Once you trust the seller, it is time to be certain this is the ring for you. Carefully read all the information included in the auction, such as the ring’s characteristics and any notable traits such as flaws and inclusions, treatments, and grading statistics. If this information is not available, you should immediately contact the seller and ask. Always ask questions long before the auction ends, giving the seller plenty of time to respond.

Price

Before bidding, you should investigate the asking price of the ring for sale. Check the prices of similar rings in local jewelry stores to establish a baseline of comparison, and check other online auctions and websites as well. Bidding wars can often result in a final price far beyond what the ring would cost at a store, and you need to know what cap to put on your own offer to insure a good deal.

Pictures are essential.

Photographs

Never bid on an engagement ring at an online auction without examining several photographs first. The seller should provide multiple views of the ring from different angles, including a side view, top view, and showing the ring out of its box. Because you cannot examine the ring in person, these photographs are critical. Other photos you may want to request are the original receipt for the ring (if it is being sold by an individual rather than an online jeweler) and other documentation such as its certificate. If the only photograph available is one that is obviously taken from a corporate website, avoid bidding because you are not seeing the actual item for sale.

Authenticity

It can be difficult to establish the authenticity of an engagement ring at an online auction, particularly if it is being sold by an individual rather than a knowledgeable jeweler. Asking to see the original bill of sale or grading certificate can verify the ring’s value, but these documents may not always be available. If there is enough time, you can ask that the seller have the ring appraised in order to validate its authenticity. Trusting the seller’s reputation is often the only way to know you are not being scammed, making your initial investigate crucial to a trustworthy auction.

Buying an Engagement Ring at an Online Auction: Bidding

You’ve found the ring, judged its worth, and proven the reputation of the seller: now it’s time to bid. Determine what your upper price limit is (compared to store-bought rings), and wait until as close to the end of the auction as possible before placing your bid. This will help avoid a bidding war, especially if you are able to monitor the auction’s final moments. Choose an odd bid to thwart other last minute bidders: for example, if you are willing to pay $500 for the ring, list your bid as $505.06. Those extra few dollars may safeguard your purchase from other bidders trying to outdo you by a few pennies.

Once the auction is complete, submit your payment immediately and always request shipping insurance. When you receive the ring, investigate it thoroughly and have it appraised or evaluated by a jeweler if possible – if the seller has a return policy, you will have a very limited amount of time to act if the purchase does not meet your expectations. As soon as you are satisfied with the ring, leave feedback for the seller, thanking them for the great deal they’ve helped you find!

Buying an engagement ring at an online auction can be an intimidating process. With careful research and scrupulous investigation, however, you can find a truly unique and treasured ring, often at a fraction of the cost of a similar ring in a standard store. Happy bidding!

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