Selling Jewellery and Protecting Against Scammers

[14wrence]

I want to sell a Diamond Ring.  I know I can post using Signed for delivery to be covered against loss, but I have heard about other scams.

For example: 

- Scam buyers saying the ring box was empty when they open parcel.

- Scam buyers replacing the ring in the box with a cheaper ring and saying that it does not live p to the specification listed.

- Really specific Scam buyers replacing the diamond for a piece of cubic Zirconium or the like and trying to say that is what they received. 

Is there any way of protecting myself in case I fall victim to such scams?  I am aware that eBay nearly always takes the side of a buyer in a dispute.

[andeesj-23]

We first use the spelling jewelry, it's more likely to be found in search.

Second, if you can't afford to lose it, don't sell it online

[ittybitnot]

We first use the spelling jewelry, it's more likely to be found in search.

That is how it is spelled in the UK.

[ittybitnot]

Is there any way of protecting myself in case I fall victim to such scams? 

No.  Not on this venue.

[pink.fish.rule]

(and other places)

[kias]

I have so much gold on hand and I rarely list it here anymore - too much fraud and scammers - I can't afford to lose the piece as ebay sides in favor of the buyer. As someone else said if you can't afford to lose it don't list it - I just don't anymore. I have a smelter right here in town and I've found out that I make out better dollar wise than selling it online. Not ebay bashing at all - I sell on other sides too. I keep my gold in my pocket. Silver is another story. Here I make 5x's what I can get from the smelter. AND silver is selling like hotcakes.  Just don't buy the Chinese or Indian sterling - most that I have personally encountered is just quadruple plate but that could be just me.  Buy from sellers in the usa.

[kensgiftshop]

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@14wrence wrote:

Is there any way of protecting myself in case I fall victim to such scams?

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Other then having an honest buyer, nope.

[7606dennis]

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@ittybitnot wrote:

Is there any way of protecting myself in case I fall victim to such scams? 

No.  Not on this venue.

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Alas!  Selling expensive jewelry online is quite risky.  Criminals have embraced technology with a passion. 

[luckythewinner]

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@14wrence wrote:

Is there any way of protecting myself in case I fall victim to such scams?  I am aware that eBay nearly always takes the side of a buyer in a dispute.

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On eBay, any buyer can steal any item from any seller at any time by filing a false SNAD dispute.

This is a reality that really cannot be avoided.

[fashunu4eeuh]

Hi, and welcome to the USA forum! You might also post your question on the UK forum--some of the eBay rules are different between countries.

With the way the Money Back Guarantee is set up, sellers are at a disadvantage if targeted by a fraudster. How expensive is your ring? Anything over $750 (here in the States) must be sent with signed-for delivery. A signature is required to protect a seller from a Not Received claim. And that is about the only protection offered to sellers by eBay. Any item at any price point can be stolen by any buyer at any time.

Luckily, most buyers are honest. In my 10+ years selling on eBay, I've never been scammed (knock on wood). Have found that my high dollar buyers are the easiest to work with. But it does not alter the fact that the greater the value of an item, the greater the risk. So glad you had the presence of mind to ask about your liability when selling an expensive item on eBay.

Assessing one's risk tolerance is best examined prior to listing as you are doing. There are a couple of things that might help mitigate the risk factor. Having Immediate Payment Required on fixed-price listings is one. Another is to set up your Buyer Requirements to block serial non-payers. If selling internationally, use Shipping Exclusions to avoid those countries with unreliable postal systems. Getting insurance on the package can help protect your interests. With high dollar jewelry, obtaining a professional appraisal is wise, and can support a shipping insurance claim if the item is lost or stolen in transit. (Insurance is always for the benefit of the seller. The buyer has the eBay Money Back Guarantee and the PayPal Buyer Protection program.)

Best of luck to you whatever you decide. Wishing you smooth sailing in the eBay ocean.

[cashvaluerecovery2011]

Very high risk scam item. If you are also new you just doubled the likelyhood. Ebay absolutely will not help you and they will absolutely help the scammer.

I use to sell $1000s of jewelry here every month. Some pieces over $20k. Not a chance in heck now and i know exactly how to protect myself. Just not worth the worry or hassle when there are easier safer alternatives.

[postingid2017]

All that was posted above - I would not take the risk selling it here or any other online venue.  I've purchased beautiful rings from the UK w/o incident - I just had to find a Seller willing to ship to the United States.  

Hoping that you find the right venue to sell the ring - but here would be a no way.  

[alcoforever]

I had a diamond engagement ring worth about $400.   No way would I sell it here as you have no protection whatsoever against a switcheroo of either the entire ring or just the stone.

I sold it to a local pawnshop for $400, cash on the barrel head.   Way less risky.

[new_england_tales_retold]

I have sold a few high end items but I make sure that:

1. The buyer has excellent feedback.

2. The buyer's communications with me are articulate and seem genuine.

3. I google the address the item is going to and determine if the buyer has a connection to the address.

So far, these strategies have worked but I know that it is a risk. If you can't afford to walk away from the sale with nothing, don't sell on eBay.

[adkhighker]

So far, I've never had a problem selling diamond jewelry on eBay, knock on wood, BUT, I've mostly sold diamond jewelry that were vintage items with values less than $500. Whenever I find a piece of gold jewelry in my pickings with a much higher value (and it's not that often), I feel more comfortable consigning it to a reputable auction house that sells antiques and vintage jewelry and where they know what they're doing. But that's only if it's a vintage piece. For pre-owned rings that aren't vintage, eBay would be your best bet by far if you're willing to take a chance. Just keep in mind that you can expect somewhere between 25 and 50% of retail value....if you're lucky. Vintage jewelry can go much higher.  If you're not willing to live a little dangerously, then another good outlet, one that's relatively safe, can be Facebook Marketplace. Do you have FB Marketplace in the UK?

If you decide to sell your ring on eBay, make sure to include the weight in grams of the ring, the karat purity of the gold, the finger size, and the color, clarity, and ctw (total carat weight) of the stones. If you don't have papers that give you the 3 c's of the stones in your ring, then you can get that info by taking it to a certified gemologist and asking for an informal assessment of the stone, which won't cost you much. A formal appraisal, OTOH, would be expensive. Maybe you already know all this, but an example of what your stone's 3 c's in your description would look like is something like this:

Total carat weight (of all 5 stones):  .45 ctw

Color: H-I

Clarity: SI2

It would help if we knew more about your ring. What do you think is the approximate value? Is it a decent size solitaire diamond such as a half carat stone, or does it have just a bunch of small stones. Do you have papers with it which describes the stones?