Technology has significantly reshaped wedding planning in the last 20 years. With COVID-19 impacting engaged couples worldwide, they’re completing even more tasks online. If you’re hosting your nuptials later in 2020, you still need to shop for your wedding rings. You have a wide range of options, but you need some smart shopping techniques to find the rings you want and prevent getting scammed.
Advantages of Buying Online
The Plunge discusses the benefits of purchasing engagement and wedding rings from virtual retailers. For one thing, you can access a wider selection of styles and take your time browsing in comfort. Many people find it easier to evaluate rings in private without salespeople present, but customer service staff are still available to help if needed. Thanks to the significantly lower overhead, prices at online merchants tend to be cheaper as well. Even with shipping costs, you’ll likely pay less than you would in a brick-and-mortar store.
Know Your Correct Size
Shopping online doesn’t allow you to “try before you buy,” so it’s crucial that you order the right sizes. Writing for Real Simple, Claudia Fisher shares advice about fit from professional jewelers. Your ring should be snug enough to prevent it from sliding off your finger, yet loose enough to pass over your knuckle with a little resistance.
You may be able to get sized at a professional jeweler, but Real Simple also provides a quick guide to finding your size at home. Wrap a piece of string or dental floss around the base of your finger and mark the overlapping point with a pen. Line up the string or floss with a ruler and measure the marked length in millimeters. Standard rings begin at size three and increase by a half-size for every 0.4 millimeters. A size nine band, for instance, will have a 19-millimeter circumference.
Fisher recommends measuring multiple times to confirm your accurate size. If you have larger than average knuckles, consider ordering a half-size larger than the base of your finger. If your measurements point to a size 11 but you have thick knuckles, for example, your final size would be 11.5.
Choose a Trustworthy Retailer
Selecting a reputable jeweler is one key to ensuring that you’re satisfied with your ring purchase. The Plunge recommends checking each store’s refund and return policy before you buy. Watch for pitfalls such as restocking fees or exchanges for equivalent items or store credit only. It’s also a good idea to read customer reviews and feedback so you can get a general idea of the retailer’s reliability, quality, and service.
Shop and Pay Securely
You must also take steps to avoid getting scammed. PC Magazine’s Eric Griffith stresses the importance of shopping at trusted sites. Pay careful attention to the URL: If it’s misspelled or uses a different top-level domain than the original, don’t buy from the site. Reputable online stores use a type of encryption called secure sockets layer, or SSL for short. Their URLs will begin with “https” instead of just “http” and display a locked padlock icon to the left of the site address in your browser. When making purchases, give out as little personal data as possible. You should also steer clear of public Wi-Fi because it’s less secure and much easier for hackers to infiltrate. Finally, avoid using debit cards linked with your bank accounts and pay with a credit card, third-party payment service, or prepaid debit card instead.
When you’re stuck sheltering in place, you can still take care of wedding details such as purchasing your rings online. Knowing your size, choosing a reputable dealer, and using a secure payment method are a few basic steps that can ensure you have a good experience and are happy with what you buy.
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