2 replies to this topic

[EddieCameron]

Do websites frequently offer a premium ($100k+) stone that is listed on the wholesalers databases and put a lower price that they can actually get it for, only to say the stone is no longer available when someone calls and then offer to find a similar stone "at market price?" Does anyone have any positive or negative experiences with b2cjewels.com?

[davidelevi]

Unfortunately not an uncommon ploy, although a bit surprising on a high end item. Cannot comment specifically on B2C, because I have never dealt with them.

Edited by davidelevi, 12 January 2011 - 01:39 AM.

[denverappraiser]

This is a fairly typical problem with the big dropshipping companies so I think it’s a little harsh to single out B2C as a scammer. The problem is, as you point out, they don’t have the merchandise at all, they’ve never even seen it, and there’s some chance that their supplier doesn’t have it either. All they’ve got is a data stream. Everyone is relying on their sources to provide accurate information about what’s currently available and for items that don’t turn over very quickly, which includes $100k plus diamonds, the data doesn’t get reconciled with ‘reality’ very often. This is aggravated by the fact that errors are especially irritating to shoppers who found what looks to them like a bargain. I don’t say this all to particularly defend B2C but simply an observation of the business model they and many others are using. Expect it even at local stores because no one wants to stock that sort of goods and they’re ALL relying on the virtual inventory system to get you what you want without driving their own inventory costs through the ceiling.

The solution is to view the dealer as your ally in the hunt for a stone that’s being sold by a 3rd party rather than as an opponent in a negotiation. Is B2C a good choice for this? I don’t know, I’ve never bought from them and I have very little direct experience with them. If they’re not the one for you then by all means shop somewhere else. There's no shortage of competition in this business and if you're seriously shopping in this price point the jewelers are going to be falling all over themselves to work with you. I would NOT recommend holding against them that they have a few things listed on their site that turn out to be unavailable or that have changed in price between when they were listed and when you try to buy them, especially if they look to be priced unusually low or otherwise out of line with the competition on that particular item. There’s not a single dealer out there who isn’t subject to this problem and the issue in my mind is going to be with how they deal with it. If they do it well, work with them and find something that works for you; if they do it poorly then move on to another dealer who works more to your style. Buying a $100k diamond isn't like buying a can of soup at the supermarket where you pick one off the shelf that's identical to 100 others and if the tag is wrong the store will just absorb the error at the cash register. Problems are too common and margins are too low for this to happen even with the biggest of dealers.

Edited by denverappraiser, 12 January 2011 - 09:24 AM.