Crossing borders through the Net to Sell Jewelry

eBay Live Auctions is slowly being inundated with sellers of jewelry hailing from Thailand and India. These companies state within their online bidding agreements that buyers/bidders are subject to dispute arbitration under California law. In addition, those residing in California are subject to paying sales tax on their purchases. However, the sellers have no physical address in the United States..huh? While the Bidder Agreements are to be construed under California laws, these companies display physical addresses (according to their web site registrations) in countries such as Thailand and Greece. Contact information posted on associated web sites for these sellers displays international telephone numbers.

In reviewing eBay Live Auction (within the jewelry category), the product being offered (according to Feedback left by buyers) is either great or sub-standard. One seller received dozens (did not have the time to count all of the pages) of negative feedback (from just one buyer)who has so many claims against the seller, as to make one wonder who's policing eBay Live auctions. If there was ever a time where an inordinate amount of promotional gemstones and industrial diamonds, were being hawked on the Internet, those offering goods out of India and Thailand must have truly cornered the market. These sellers are using words to describe gemstones as Fine, AAA, AAA++++++, Natural, Authentic and just simply out of this world. The non-stop jewelry auctions on television are entertaining, however, the sellers out of Thailand and India are truly making a concerted effort to inundate the U.S. market with product that is simply appalling in both design and quality.

The true asset test for the rings with super sized big stones would be to drop them in a glass of warm water and see if the water turns the color of the gemstone. What's even more amusing is the certificate of authenticity that comes along with the purchase of a so-called Fine 25.00 Carat Emerald and Diamond Ring. There are four or five sellers all selling the same product at whatever price the market will bear.What's even more astounding is that all of these auctions are running in the same line. Seems that one seller out of Thailand, manufactures goods to a number of other sellers. In other words, all of this product (which is high priced and would not stand the acid test of a "real" appraisal) is all coming from the same place.

Then comes the notion of why would anyone residing in the United States buy jewelry from anyone in Thailand or India and pay the high shipping costs and duty? However, if one wants to return an item, they can send it back to the concerned addresses. Are these companies domiciled in California, Thailand or India?

Want to buy jewelry or gems? How about a visit to your local jeweler in your own hometown? If you want to buy it on eBay, buy from legitimate (domiciled) companies that you can actually contact without having to dial a country code.