Is it safe to buy diamonds on eBay? Yes, it is safe as long as you verify the eBay vendor you’re working with. First make sure the vendor is “eBay Verified.” Click on the user’s name and when you get to that user’s profile you should see a check mark next to the User ID. This means the user is ID Verified, and eBay has confirmed the user to be a legitimate person and/or company.
Contact the Vendor: Email the vendor and ask as many questions as you feel comfortable. Find out if there’s a phone number you can contact. If there is, take a moment to call and talk with the vendor. You can learn more about your diamond and your vendor by talking to them. Ask them to describe the inclusions (flaws) of the diamond. Tell them to describe the color and clarity in detail till you get a comfortable idea of what the diamond will look like. (If this diamond terminology is not familiar to you, skip the rest of this article and first educate yourself at our Diamond Education page.) Ask them to provide you a picture of the actual diamond. If they are a true supplier they will have the diamond on hand and will be able to quickly tell you availability and provide you with a picture upon request. A picture will give you a better idea of what the diamond truly looks like. Have the picture taken against a white backdrop (a white piece of paper will do) to show the true color of the diamond. If the vendor can’t supply you with pictures they are probably not the owners of the diamond.
Compare Shopping: Don’t stop at the diamond vendor you find on eBay. When you see a listing that catches your eye, copy the item and paste it right back into the eBay search field. I’ll provide you with an example.
You find the following diamond on eBay: 1.33 Round E SI1 EGL Loose Diamond + Free Ring
Copy and paste “1.33 Round E SI1 EGL Loose Diamond” leaving out the “Free Ring”
Put it into the search field and hit Enter to see what comes up.
Now you should see all the listings with the matching criteria to 1.33 Round E SI1 EGL Loose Diamond. If you see what appears to be the same diamond listed multiple times, do not be alarmed. This simply means that one of those listings is probably the wholesaler and the others might be the distributors. See every product has a chain (wholesaler – distributor – retailer) until it reaches the end consumer. Usually the wholesaler will be the one with the best price for the same diamond. But I still recommend you contact each vendor and ask them if they can provide you a picture of the diamond. The true owner will be able to. In case you saw the diamond listed cheaper with a distributor, let the owner know and I’m sure they will match the price for you. After you’ve compared with all the vendors you will be better prepared to make your purchase with the vendor you were most comfortable with. Check out this eBay Diamond Store to get an idea of what to expect from a reliable eBay vendor.
Paypal: When buying diamonds on eBay, make sure you are securing your transaction with an insured payment provider. If you use your credit card you would be insured through them. If you use Paypal, they insure both the seller and the buyer against any and all fraud. This is the safest way to purchase anything from eBay. Do not trust an eBay vendor who encourages you to make a purchase away from eBay and/or Paypal. Fraud occurs less frequently when eBay and Paypal are used in combination. When possible use Paypal at all times.