[January 27, 2005] eBay Jewelry Merchants Bond to Create Worry-Free Valentine's Day Shopping; buySAFE Seal Ensures Merchandise is What It Says It Is Tweet ALEXANDRIA, Va. --(Business Wire)-- Jan. 27, 2005 -- In many ways, this is the toughest time of the year for a reputable jeweler like Michael Jansma of GemAffair. "Valentine's Day is just around the corner," Jansma says with a slight sigh. "Of course I should be happy because this is one of the busiest times of the year for me. But it's also one of the busiest times of the year for rip-off artists, and hearing stories of people who didn't get what they paid for - or never got anything - can be really heartbreaking." Jansma said that with the heightened emotion surrounding Valentine season, even the most cautious shoppers can make big - and expensive - mistakes trying to find the best deal. And, he said, there unfortunately are a number of con artists. "Guys especially save up all year to get something really nice. They shop around for the best price so they can get the most for their money. They spend all this time thinking about how great this new ring is going to look on their wife's or girlfriend's finger. Then bam! A rip-off. It's just awful." Jansma used to just get mad about his disreputable competitors. But now he channels his frustration through positive efforts including membership with the Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC), a not-for-profit trade association whose mission is to maintain the jewelry industry's highest ethical standards. JVC offers compliance expertise, precious metals testing, arbitration and mediation services, and legal handbooks for various industry segments. Jansma is also the membership committee chairperson for Professional eBay Sellers Alliance (PESA), a nonprofit trade association, comprised of the largest and most highly-regarded merchants, devoted to promoting the highest levels of professionalism, fairness, honesty, and integrity with respect to online trade. He said that from the consumer perspective, the most important thing to be is educated. "Whether they're buying diamonds, semiprecious stones or even costume jewelry, buyers need to know what distinguishes a good stone from a bad deal. We're a jewelry discounter, but even I tell people to remember what their mother always said: If something looks too good to be true, it probably is." Jansma said most sites of reputable jewelers, including his (www.gemaffair.com), have consumer education sections. Jansma said that those who want to sleep easy about their online purchase should also make sure that their purchase is bonded. Currently, only one company, buySAFE bonds online auction sales. Steve Woda is the founder of buySAFE, and says bonding offers many advantages. "Bonding does much more than a typical money-back guarantee," Woda says. "It ensures that all the terms and conditions of a sale are met. And what it does more than anything is provide peace of mind. To become bonded, sellers have to pass a rigorous screening process to make sure their business is legitimate. So if you order a 1-carat diamond with no flaws, you're going to get a 1-carat diamond with no flaws, or you're going to get satisfaction. What it does is bring confidence back to online shopping." Woda said that a complete list of bonded jewelry sellers is available on www.buysafeshopping.com. In addition to what he has on his site, Jansma is also happy to point anyone who asks to other resources, like the Federal Trade Commission's publication How to Buy Jewelry, available online at www.ftc.gov. The publication offers such other advice for online jewelry shoppers as: -- Shop with companies you know or do some homework before buying to make sure a company is legitimate before doing business with it. (Jansma points out that bonded shoppers have all undergone a rigorous screening process through buySAFE.) -- Get the details about the product, as well as the merchant's refund and return policies, before you buy. -- Look for an address to write to or a phone number to call if you have a question, a problem or need help. "Buying jewelry should be joyful, not stressful," Jansma says. "And if you take a few minutes to do things right, it can be." [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]