Gemhouselk?

[LekiliRN]

I was wondering if anyone can give me any reviews or feedback about this vendor? They are based in Sri Lanka, and have some beautiful stones on their Instagram. They have been completely upfront, sent an additional picture, and answered all questions. I am currently considering a purchase, but I'm hesitant to wire transfer to a company without any reviews.

Thanks for any help!

 

[chrono]

I have no experience with that vendor. Just FYI considerations: read up on returns and refunds too. If it's a very inexpensive stone ($100-ish), I generally take the risk. I rarely make a expensive first purchase. I am also skittish on wire transfers for unknown vendors since I have no recourse, unlike PayPal or a credit card purchase.

If it doesn't meet your expectations, can it be returned?
How will you insure and return it?
Is there a restocking fee?

 

[elizat]

@chrono hit the nail on the head.

What is the return policy? I usually start out by making a smaller purchase of money that I don't mind losing with a new vendor that's overseas. That's going to be a variable by whatever your comfort level is.

For what it is worth, quite a few well-known jewelry designers and trade people follow that account and that's usually a good sign as well.

 

[arkieb1]

I agree with the others lots of vendors in Sri Lanka do not take returns and will argue with you over anything if you do want to return it. They tend not to list inclusions and hide them with their photographs and photograph everything in exceedingly good lighting meaning it might not look like their IG pics when you get it....

Many countries like Sri Lanka do not have Paypal they expect to you pay in cash meaning that you have zero recourse if you do get into an argument about anything you purchase.

The only way I buy stuff out of Sri Lanka is with guys I know really well..... and IMHO it takes time to establish those relationships, unless it is a vendor that has a lot of feedback from people purchasing things from them like on Ebay or somewhere like Ebay or Etsy or places where you can see if they have good feedback....

 

[arkieb1]

And another issue at the moment is the shipping out of there isn't currently happening because of COVID - 19....

 

[LekiliRN]

I have no experience with that vendor. Just FYI considerations: read up on returns and refunds too. If it's a very inexpensive stone ($100-ish), I generally take the risk. I rarely make a expensive first purchase. I am also skittish on wire transfers for unknown vendors since I have no recourse, unlike PayPal or a credit card purchase.

If it doesn't meet your expectations, can it be returned?
How will you insure and return it?
Is there a restocking fee?

All good points, thank you! There is a 7 day return period, but I didn't think to ask about the restocking fee.

 

[LekiliRN]

@chrono hit the nail on the head.

What is the return policy? I usually start out by making a smaller purchase of money that I don't mind losing with a new vendor that's overseas. That's going to be a variable by whatever your comfort level is.

For what it is worth, quite a few well-known jewelry designers and trade people follow that account and that's usually a good sign as well.

That's good to know! Thanks.

 

[LekiliRN]

I agree with the others lots of vendors in Sri Lanka do not take returns and will argue with you over anything if you do want to return it. They tend not to list inclusions and hide them with their photographs and photograph everything in exceedingly good lighting meaning it might not look like their IG pics when you get it....

Many countries like Sri Lanka do not have Paypal they expect to you pay in cash meaning that you have zero recourse if you do get into an argument about anything you purchase.

The only way I buy stuff out of Sri Lanka is with guys I know really well..... and IMHO it takes time to establish those relationships, unless it is a vendor that has a lot of feedback from people purchasing things from them like on Ebay or somewhere like Ebay or Etsy or places where you can see if they have good feedback....

He did quote a 7 day return period, but as chrono suggested, I need to ask about a restocking fee. And, yes, the photos I've received were very well lit. It does make me nervous to buy via wire transfer as well. Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[LekiliRN]

And another issue at the moment is the shipping out of there isn't currently happening because of COVID - 19....

Wow...think I've been working too many night shifts. I didn't even think about that...brain dead! LOL Thanks for reminding me!

 

[elizat]

I will say that I purchased from a dealer out of Sri Lanka and recently he made a shipment to me through DHL. Shipment has started up again.

When I buy out of Sri Lanka I also use PayPal.

 

[pwsg07]

I have bought from him before. I wanted to return the stone and he used an excuse to refuse it. I don't recommend this vendor based on my experience

 

[arkieb1]

I will say that I purchased from a dealer out of Sri Lanka and recently he made a shipment to me through DHL. Shipment has started up again.

When I buy out of Sri Lanka I also use PayPal.

Yes sometimes they do have Paypal but it would be set up via another country, that is what they tend to do;

Google Sites: Sign-in

Access Google Sites with a personal Google account or Google Workspace account (for business use).

sites.google.com

From memory the Sri Lankian Government doesn't allow Paypal so they set up bank accounts in other countries, get alternate email addresses and then have access to using Paypal....

 

[Frost]

Just to clarify something regarding shipping & exports...

I will say that I purchased from a dealer out of Sri Lanka and recently he made a shipment to me through DHL. Shipment has started up again.

DHL isn't, and has never been, a lawful method of gem export out of Sri Lanka. It's very easy to confirm that - if you give them a call in Sri Lanka, they'll tell you that themselves.

So in other words, the stones were probably sent hidden, or labeled as something else to avoid detection by customs on leaving the country (DHL doesn't willingly accept gems), as well as to get around the otherwise relatively steep export fees levied by the whole local sending apparatus for all lawful exports.

I'm not saying that necessarily has any bearing on how trustworthy the exporter is, and it may not in itself mean that they'd be crooks to their client at all. But it does demonstrate some lack of foresight because if found, they'd at the very least lose their licence and be prohibited from further exports. At worst, they'd be fined in court on top of that.

All exports out of LK are only allowed to be made through a government office called the National Gem and Jewellery Authority which basically functions as the regulatory body for the entire gem and jewelry trade (import, export, mining, selling, everything).

It's a one-stop shop for everything import and export related - they house a customs office, several couriers, a post office, insurance agents, licensing and auditing offices, mining enforcement, etc. etc. etc.
So when you export, you go there and select the shipping method, after which they package the stones in front of you, sort out the customs paperwork out for you, insure the package etc. It's the only way you're allowed to do it - but it costs, so some people (eBay vendors in particular) try to get around it sometimes.

The allowed shipping methods are:

- air mail (slow to most places, not traceable)
- EMS (1-2 weeks, sometimes gets delayed but always arrives eventually, traceable)
- FedEx, Malca Amit, Brinks, G4S (very fast and very expensive, taking just 2 days but commonly multiple times the price that you'd pay for documents of the same weight)

The catch with couriers is that they're privately held franchises rather than regional offices, so they set their own prices and like the rest of the gem industry, as soon as they hear "gems" they jack the prices up. Just like how "gem books" cost $200 instead of $20, and "gem tweezers" cost $40 instead of $4, FedEx for example delivers in 2 days but costs 3-4 times more than if you're sending documents of the same weight (0.5kg, usually).

And another issue at the moment is the shipping out of there isn't currently happening because of COVID - 19....

Oh, also just to mention this, exports are doable now despite the pandemic... But unless using one of the faster methods, they'd probably take a bit of time to arrive. Couriers were available since last month, EMS became available today I think, air mail I'm not sure about.

 

[arkieb1]

@Frost - Yes it has just opened up again today, my stuff is getting shipped today but can only be shipped to limited places...... at the moment they cannot ship something directly to me & I live in a major capital city in Australia, so instead of the city I live in I'm getting it shipped to another guy I know who lives in a different city (same country) and he's then reshipping it for me.

So it's still not back to "normal".....

 

[Frost]

@arkieb1 Yeah, EMS only flies to Melbourne at the moment. And even that's more than most other places (they don't fly to U.S. at all yet, sadly).

FedEx, Malca, Brinks and all ship everywhere but even with them you currently have to export by appointment, since they have a reduced flight schedule (twice a week).

And yeah, even shipping notwithstanding, normality isn't even close yet - the gem markets are in tatters, people just don't visit... To top it off, the mining areas around Ratnapura have been flooded over the past few days, so it'll take a while for that soil to dry, for mines to become workable again and for new material to start coming out of the ground...

 

[VividRed]

Popcorn, anyone?

 

[gemhouselk]

I have bought from him before. I wanted to return the stone and he used an excuse to refuse it. I don't recommend this vendor based on my experience

Hello sir, there has been a mistake we checked our records and we have not done any businesses with you other than a conversation about a particular stone. We cannot accept a false accusation like this which we haven’t done to any of our customers. Kindly recheck. Thank you

Admin
Gemhouselk

 

[pwsg07]

Hello sir, there has been a mistake we checked our records and we have not done any businesses with you other than a conversation about a particular stone. We cannot accept a false accusation like this which we haven’t done to any of our customers. Kindly recheck. Thank you

Admin
Gemhouselk

I have confused you with another vendor. Sorry for the inconvenience