4 reasons you should shop at a local independent jewellers
1 – You will get the best value for your money
It is a common misconception that small businesses charge more for their products than larger companies, especially when it comes to jewellery.
Big jewellery brands mass produce their jewellery for a much lower cost, but do not reduce their prices to pass the savings onto their customers. So in essence what you are actually paying for is a lower quality product, with an expensive brand name.
Small businesses like ours use a small team of designers and goldsmiths to hand make each individual piece which ensures you are getting exceptional quality, and instead of paying for a big brand your money ends up going towards the quality of the materials and workmanship.
2 – You will be guided through your purchase
It is no secret that the easiest way to shop these days is online. With just one click of a button you can have your order at your door sometimes even the following day. But when it comes to making a life changing purchase like an engagement or wedding ring, it is important to make sure that you are making informed choices when the internet can be a mine field of conflicting information.
Rather than choosing a ring from a website, small independent businesses can guide you through your purchase giving expert advice and asking the right questions to ensure that you have covered all of the bases. For example, when buying an engagement ring, it is important to note that some rings will not sit against a flat wedding ring and will require a bespoke one to fit alongside it. This can be an unexpected expense that you could have avoided by speaking to a designer who knew to ask.
There is also the option to alter the design of any items that you like the look of in order to make them bespoke to you. So there is a much larger choice than with a bigger brand but with a dedicated team to ensure that so much choice isn’t daunting.
3 – You will be visiting jewellery experts, not sales representatives
You can rest assured that the service you’ll receive from your local jewellers is better than what you’d get at a major chain jewellers.
The training staff members at large chain stores receive is often only a bare-bones knowledge of jewellery because they typically have high rates of employee turnover. Then, when they train their new employees, they generally focus more on sales tactics to achieve monthly targets than on educating them about long lasting jewellery. In comparison, family-owned jewellers have long-time employees with an expert level of knowledge about jewellery manufacture and design, diamonds, and gemstones. This means that at a local jewellers, staff members can provide you with in-depth honest knowledge, helping you to become a more informed buyer.
4 – Your satisfaction is genuinely important
Small independent businesses rely on word of mouth and excellent recommendations. Our main focus is to ensure that we become your jewellers for life, and not just for a single transaction.
They are run by real people that live in your community, rather than by board members or algorithms. This means that customers at RING and other small businesses have much more access to the owners of the businesses, which ultimately creates more accountability and a higher level of trust.
Say, for example, that you have an issue with something you purchased from a major chain. You may find yourself having to hunt for a way to contact customer service, then find yourself waiting for ages to speak to a customer service representative on the phone— that is, if you can get in touch with anyone at all. But if you need to get in touch with a small company, you’d have no issue doing so. You could call or drop by any time and speak to someone who can resolve your issue right away.
