As an etsy seller, I like to support the etsy community and I always get my jewelry supplies from other etsy sellers. Not only do you get better prices by buying directly from suppliers, you are also supporting small artisan businesses, which is always a good thing to do. Recently, however, I found that some commercial sellers have been abusing their customers. They receive so many orders on a daily basis, that they begin ignoring customer requests, delaying shipment and worst of all - terrible customer service. I am not trying to bad mouth anyone, but I feel that we shouldn't be supporting sellers who do not respect customers or are not providing the services that they're supposed to provide, especially in the Etsy community.
This seller whom I used to order from, Fabulous Rocks, is one of those sellers that I refuse to do business with again. I started ordering from them about` a year ago. I decided to do business with them because they offer great prices and superb quality gemstones and findings. Their prices are very competitive and I haven't yet found another seller who can beat their prices. In the beginning when they were still relatively new, the service was great and I would always get prompt replies from the seller. They were patient and willing to answer my questions. They also seemed knowledgeable about their products.
As their sales started to pick up, everything just went down hill. There were so many times when I had to wait for more than a month for my supplies to arrive. Whenever I write to the seller, it takes days to hear back from them and their attitude might not be very good. There is nothing wrong with the quality of the products, but it's the customer service that really pushes me away. The long waiting time also makes me feel insecure. I cannot count on them at all because the processing time takes way too long. I swear to myself, I am going to look for alternative suppliers. Even if I have to pay more, I'd rather do business with someone who is trustworthy and genuinely nice. I just don't see any difference between this seller and any corporate monopoly.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Supply store review: Bead Max
I meant to write this review a long time ago but I felt that I haven't visited this store frequent enough to review it. Now that it has been a while since it opened last year, I think I'm ready to give my thoughts on the store.
PRODUCTS
This is the storefront. I don't have much thing to say about the entrance except that it's very bright and looks welcoming. As soon as you step into the store, you see all sorts of stones hanging on the wall and more products on the center panels. Most of the stones are not interesting to me, except for a few birthstones and gems which are available in briolette and rondelle shapes. In the back of the store you can find more discounted products, mostly cheap plastic beads and such.
PRICES
Price wise, I was not impressed. I think the prices tend to be higher than all the other stores in the neighborhood. There is a huge collection of one-of-a-kind stones but not a lot of popular stones that normal people would buy. The store owner speaks mandarin Chinese so I think his supplies are probably from China. (All the other stores in the block are pretty much run by the same family from Hong Kong if you didn't know by now. They import their supplies directly HK.)
MY THOUGHTS
I have been to this store for over 50 times since it opened and I haven't found one thing that I wanted to get from this particular store. Most of the things I normally buy, I could get them from other sources for cheaper prices and better quality. I think you guys should know what I think about this store.
PRODUCTS
This is the storefront. I don't have much thing to say about the entrance except that it's very bright and looks welcoming. As soon as you step into the store, you see all sorts of stones hanging on the wall and more products on the center panels. Most of the stones are not interesting to me, except for a few birthstones and gems which are available in briolette and rondelle shapes. In the back of the store you can find more discounted products, mostly cheap plastic beads and such.
PRICES
Price wise, I was not impressed. I think the prices tend to be higher than all the other stores in the neighborhood. There is a huge collection of one-of-a-kind stones but not a lot of popular stones that normal people would buy. The store owner speaks mandarin Chinese so I think his supplies are probably from China. (All the other stores in the block are pretty much run by the same family from Hong Kong if you didn't know by now. They import their supplies directly HK.)
MY THOUGHTS
I have been to this store for over 50 times since it opened and I haven't found one thing that I wanted to get from this particular store. Most of the things I normally buy, I could get them from other sources for cheaper prices and better quality. I think you guys should know what I think about this store.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Jewelmint review: Cosmic Fusion Necklace
I meant to do a review for the Cosmic Fusion Necklace from Jewelmint a long time ago but I didn't have time until now so I am very excited to do this review, which is also my first review.
*Note: I am going to review this necklace from the standpoint of a jewelry designer/maker. I didn't get paid to do this.
PACKAGING
As an etsy seller / jewelry maker, packaging is always something that bothers me. I know it's important to have nice packaging but at the same time it could significantly increase the cost, which translates to higher retail prices. When I received the Jewelmint necklace, the first thing I looked at was the packaging - does it worth the $30? Let's see.
The elastic ribbon is a nice detail which I like.
Inside you find this information card which tells you about the necklace.
The foam protection is nice.
The overall packaging feels high-end and expensive. My rough guess on the packaging cost? Probably $$$ out of $$$$$, which contributes to the $30 you pay for every necklace.
MATERIALS
The structure/design of the necklace is pretty simple. It's made up of 3 enamel drops which are uniquely designed (and I like!), rolo chains which hold all the pieces together, cable chain for the extension, and a lobster clasp. From my own experience dealing with gold plated brass, bad quality ones can oxidize very quickly after a few uses. Good quality ones can last longer and the color change won't be as bad. The ones used for this necklace, from what I've seen so far, are still holding the color pretty well so I think the quality is pretty good. However, gold plated brass is an inexpensive material in general. Depending on the style of the chain, the average cost could be as low as $0.15 per inch. The 3 enamel drops - I'm taking a wild guess here - could be about $2-3 per piece. So you do the math. The cost of this necklace could be around $10.
DESIGN
The design is absolutely gorgeous. It has a 3 1/4" extension chain which allows you to adjust the length according to your outfit. The new age color palette is unique and you can wear it as a statement piece. I also like the fact that its designed by my favorite celebrity Kate Bosworth. Kate and I were actually born on the same day same year so for me to wear a necklace designed by her has a special meaning in my heart.
The ultimate question: Does it worth $30?
For those of you who don't have a lot of disposable money, $30 is rather expensive for a piece of jewelry. However, factoring in the material and packaging costs, which I guess could be anywhere between $15-18, as well as free shipping (about $4-5), I think $30 really isn't that bad. I mean, they're running a business here. They have to make a profit. I don't think this is a rip off. Could it be cheaper? Yes, most definitely. They could opt for a less fancy packaging and lower the cost, but that's not what Kate is going for and it wouldn't be Jewelmint anymore. My conclusion is, buy it if you love it. Now you know what you're paying for. Stop thinking that it's the celebrity effect - it really isn't.
PACKAGING
As an etsy seller / jewelry maker, packaging is always something that bothers me. I know it's important to have nice packaging but at the same time it could significantly increase the cost, which translates to higher retail prices. When I received the Jewelmint necklace, the first thing I looked at was the packaging - does it worth the $30? Let's see.
The elastic ribbon is a nice detail which I like.
Inside you find this information card which tells you about the necklace.
The foam protection is nice.
The overall packaging feels high-end and expensive. My rough guess on the packaging cost? Probably $$$ out of $$$$$, which contributes to the $30 you pay for every necklace.
MATERIALS
The structure/design of the necklace is pretty simple. It's made up of 3 enamel drops which are uniquely designed (and I like!), rolo chains which hold all the pieces together, cable chain for the extension, and a lobster clasp. From my own experience dealing with gold plated brass, bad quality ones can oxidize very quickly after a few uses. Good quality ones can last longer and the color change won't be as bad. The ones used for this necklace, from what I've seen so far, are still holding the color pretty well so I think the quality is pretty good. However, gold plated brass is an inexpensive material in general. Depending on the style of the chain, the average cost could be as low as $0.15 per inch. The 3 enamel drops - I'm taking a wild guess here - could be about $2-3 per piece. So you do the math. The cost of this necklace could be around $10.
DESIGN
The design is absolutely gorgeous. It has a 3 1/4" extension chain which allows you to adjust the length according to your outfit. The new age color palette is unique and you can wear it as a statement piece. I also like the fact that its designed by my favorite celebrity Kate Bosworth. Kate and I were actually born on the same day same year so for me to wear a necklace designed by her has a special meaning in my heart.
The ultimate question: Does it worth $30?
For those of you who don't have a lot of disposable money, $30 is rather expensive for a piece of jewelry. However, factoring in the material and packaging costs, which I guess could be anywhere between $15-18, as well as free shipping (about $4-5), I think $30 really isn't that bad. I mean, they're running a business here. They have to make a profit. I don't think this is a rip off. Could it be cheaper? Yes, most definitely. They could opt for a less fancy packaging and lower the cost, but that's not what Kate is going for and it wouldn't be Jewelmint anymore. My conclusion is, buy it if you love it. Now you know what you're paying for. Stop thinking that it's the celebrity effect - it really isn't.
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