Cufflinks - How to Buy Online
Author: Dean Richards
Cufflinks - buying them can be a stressful experience. Especially buying them online from a person you can't see. This article aims to ensure that you get what you pay for - so follow these points and you should be safe.
1) Base Material. The first thing to consider is the material that the cufflinks are made out of. Generally, cufflinks are made of some metal, inlaid with glass or in certain cases gemstones. Ensure that you define with the retailer, regardless of whether it is online or offline, exactly what metal you are getting. Generally it will be gold or silver, or a composite metal, but make sure you are getting what you are paying for. For good quality gold cufflinks, dependent of carats, you can generally expect to pay over $500. You should also be able to get some certification authenticating the cufflinks. This should give you some piece of mind that the cufflinks are genuine, and may help if at a later date you decide to re-sell them. If you are buying expensive jewlery like cufflinks (over $500) online, request some form of authentication or guarantee before you purchase.
2) Stones. Once you are certain about the metal, consider whether you want to have cufflinks that contain gemstones, or glass. In general, dependant on the usage of the cufflinks, I would recommend glass, as it is much less costly and tends to look just as good. In addition, cufflinks can often become lost, and you'd hate to misplace a pair containing expensive diamonds. However, if you are set on getting cufflinks with gemstones in them, treat these the same way as you would the metal when purchasing - that is, ensure that they are authenticated and guaranteed. Don't pay for diamonds and get glass!
3) Retailer Reliability. If you doubt the retailers authenticity, double check them. There have been instances of offline retailers selling fake goods, and then closing within 24 hours. Thankfully, it doesn't happen very often - however it doesn't hurt to be careful, especially as operating like this is much easier online. Ask around, find someone who has bought from them before. If you can't find out anything about the store, don't buy from them. If you're making a substantial purchase, it also doesn't hurt to ask the store for a reference.
4) Shop Around. This is one of the great things about shopping online. You have a number of excellent stores at your fingertips. So, use this to your advantage and shop around! Unless the cufflinks that you are looking for really are unique, you should be able to find them in more than one store. If there is a store that you have used before, and are happy with their service, but they have a more expensive price, it doesn't hurt to email them and ask for a reduced price in line with what the competition are offering. They will, in most cases, thank you for buying.
Remember these points and buying cufflinks online should be easy. Although they sound simple, they are quite often overlooked.
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About the Author:
Dean Richards has been at the forefront of men's fashion for the last 15 years. He is currently working as one of the leading contributors to Men's Fashion Online - the leading resource for men's fashion. |
