What should we realistically expect to pay at a B&M store?

[jane_e]

My fiance have started looking at diamonds in brick and mortar stores, and are a bit surprised at how high the prices are compared to my research from Whiteflash, etc. I'd expect a markup in the store and we're willing to pay that for the piece of mind of seeing it in person, but it still seems like too much markup!!

We are looking for a GIA Ex-Ex-Ex or AGS-0, round .75 carat. VS2 or better, G or better. Ideas of what this SHOULD cost us?

For reference, we are located in NC, and are willing to do a bit of driving to see a wider range of stones if we have to.

 

[Matthewmon]

Re: What should we realistically expect to pay at a B&M stor

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/7486/

I suggest buying online not B&M. They have a 30-day return policy. I live in NC and I bought from GOG and that gave me much more peace of mind than buying from B&M.

 

[D&T]

Re: What should we realistically expect to pay at a B&M stor

if you need the piece of mind of seeing if first, most of the vendors here will ship it to an appraiser, and once you decide you like it, pay it that way, You'd save a lot more going this route, even after you paid the appraiser.

 

[antelope1]

Re: What should we realistically expect to pay at a B&M stor

I think the closest PS vendor to you is Union Diamond, in the ATL -- or James Allen (which has a corporate office in Frederick, MD). To see what you "should" be paying, use the PS search feature. Input your parameters (clicking the boxes for AGS0 [and H&A, if you want that] because that will overlap a lot with the GIA ex-ex-ex set of diamonds) and click "in-house" (diamonds that PS merchants stock).

Here's a search I did with your parameters:
https://www.pricescope.com/diamond-...ion=M1&type_search=1&InHouseSearch=&virtual=0
and it looks like the closest is a 0.83 ct G VS2 AGS0 H&A diamond from James Allen for about $3800. You can use that as a baseline for pricing other diamonds.

In general, internet merchants have margins in the single digits and B&M merchants (in the DC area) have markups of 30% (this varies by region).

Good luck!

 

[Paul-Antwerp]

Re: What should we realistically expect to pay at a B&M stor

I think the closest PS vendor to you is Union Diamond, in the ATL -- or James Allen (which has a corporate office in Frederick, MD). To see what you "should" be paying, use the PS search feature. Input your parameters (clicking the boxes for AGS0 [and H&A, if you want that] because that will overlap a lot with the GIA ex-ex-ex set of diamonds) and click "in-house" (diamonds that PS merchants stock).

Here's a search I did with your parameters:
https://www.pricescope.com/diamond-...ion=M1&type_search=1&InHouseSearch=&virtual=0
and it looks like the closest is a 0.83 ct G VS2 AGS0 H&A diamond from James Allen for about $3800. You can use that as a baseline for pricing other diamonds.

In general, internet merchants have margins in the single digits and B&M merchants (in the DC area) have markups of 30% (this varies by region).

Good luck!

I think that the highlighted generalisation is incorrect and should not be repeated.

Just like there are different kinds of B&M's, all with a different service-level and markups, there are different kinds of internet-merchants, with different service-levels and markups. Generalizing both in separate categories does not make sense.

For a consumer interested in the service-level of a good B&M, the comparison should be with an Internet-vendor offering a quality-level as comparable as possible. Generally, this greatly reduces the difference in markup.

Live long,

 

[stone-cold11]

Re: What should we realistically expect to pay at a B&M stor

Several of the vendors on PS are actually B&M that branches out onto the internet. GOG is an example. I am from NC too, bought a craftedbyinfinity stone from Wink when he was still operating as a B&M, now he is purely internet based, saw the stone by having it shipped to another craftedbyinfinity vendor in Roanoke.