Ordering
What to check before buying jewellery online: a ten-point list
Ten checks, about fifteen minutes, and most of them can be done before you have even picked a piece.
Zayr Studio6 min read
Updated
Before you buy jewellery online, check six things about the seller and four about the product: a written exchange policy, a phone number that is answered, a stated city, cash on delivery without a hidden surcharge, reviews that look like real people wrote them, and on the piece itself the exact material, the measurements, the weight and photographs of the actual item. If a seller passes all ten, the remaining risk is mostly your own sizing.
The step-by-step process of placing an order is covered in our guide on how to order jewellery online in Pakistan. This article is the audit you run before that, and it works the same whether the seller is a website, a page or a stall at an exhibition that also sells online.
The checklist at a glance
| Check | Where to look | Pass | Fail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Exchange policy | Footer, FAQ, policy page | Written window in days, conditions stated | “Contact us” with nothing else |
| 2. Phone number | Contact page, footer | A number that answers a call or WhatsApp | DM-only, or a number that is always off |
| 3. Location | About or contact page | A named city | No city, no name, nothing |
| 4. Payment terms | Checkout, FAQ | COD offered, charges shown before confirming | Surcharge appears on the last screen |
| 5. Shipping cost | Product page or cart | A stated rate before checkout | Revealed only after you give your address |
| 6. Reviews | Product pages, social comments | Mixed, specific, spread over months | All five stars, all posted the same week |
| 7. Material | Product description | Grade or purity named | “Premium quality metal” |
| 8. Measurements | Product description | Length in cm, width in mm | “Standard size” |
| 9. Weight | Product description | Grams stated on chains and bracelets | Not given, and not known when asked |
| 10. Photos | Product gallery | Same piece from several angles, one for scale | One glossy image found on other sites |
Checks 1 to 3: can you reach them after the money moves?
Everything else on this list is secondary to one question: if something goes wrong on day four, is there a person you can reach? A written policy, a phone number and a city are what make that answer yes.
- Read the exchange policy for its conditions, not just its length. “7 days” means little without “from delivery” or “from dispatch”, and it matters whether the piece must be unworn, whether you need the box, and who pays the return courier.
- Call or message the number before you order, with a simple question. How long a reply takes now is the best predictor of how long it will take when you have a problem.
- A named city is not proof of honesty, but its absence is a choice. Legitimate small sellers are usually happy to say where they are, even if they have no shop.
Checks 4 and 5: what will the rider actually ask for?
Cash on delivery is the norm in Pakistan because it puts the seller’s money at risk rather than yours. The thing to verify is that the amount you see before confirming is the amount you pay at the door. Price, plus shipping, plus any COD fee, should all be visible before you press the button.
Some sellers legitimately charge for COD handling and some do not. Either is fine if it is disclosed early. What is not fine is a number that changes once you have typed your address. Our own terms are a flat Rs. 250 shipping anywhere in Pakistan, free over Rs. 5,000, cash on delivery only and no COD surcharge.
Check 6: are the reviews real?
Reviews are the easiest thing on a page to manufacture, so read them for texture rather than for the star count.
- Look at the dates. Genuine reviews trickle in over months. Thirty reviews in one week on a store that has existed for a year is a batch.
- Look for specifics. “Chain was lighter than I expected but the clasp is solid” is a person. “Very nice product highly recommended” posted twelve times is not.
- Look for a few complaints. A seller with no three-star reviews at all is either brand new or deleting them. How they reply to a complaint tells you more than any five-star review.
- Check that social comments can be opened. A screenshot of a WhatsApp chat saying “love it” cannot be traced to anyone. A public comment from an account with its own history can.
- Search the product photo. If the same image appears on several unrelated pages, the review under it may not be about the thing you will receive.
Checks 7 to 9: what exactly is the piece?
Material disclosure is where honest and dishonest listings separate most clearly. A seller who holds stock knows what it is made of and says so in words you can check.
| What the listing says | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| 316L stainless steel | A specific corrosion-resistant grade. Checkable and meaningful |
| Stainless steel | Could be any grade, including ones that spot within months |
| PVD gold or PVD black | A vapour-deposited colour layer, much tougher than ordinary plating |
| Gold plated | A thin electroplated layer. Ask what the base metal is |
| 925 sterling silver | 92.5% silver. Should be stamped on the piece |
| Cubic zirconia or CZ | A lab-made stone. Honest and fine at its price |
| Diamond, at a fashion price | Almost certainly not diamond. Treat the whole listing with suspicion |
| Imported, premium, high quality | Nothing at all |
Measurements and weight matter just as much. A chain listing should give length in centimetres and width in millimetres, and ideally grams. A ring should give band width. Without numbers, you are buying the photograph. Our men’s pieces are 316L steel with PVD colour, and the listings say so, which is the standard we would expect of anyone.
Check 10: are these photos of the piece you will get?
Look for several photographs of the same item from different angles, at least one of it being worn or next to something for scale, and consistent backgrounds across the range. Stock images reused across the internet are not proof of fraud, but they are proof that nobody photographed the stock. Reading photos properly is a skill of its own, and how to read jewellery product photos covers the tricks of scale, macro lenses and lighting.
How to score it
- 10 out of 10: order with ordinary care. Measure first, and give an address a rider can find.
- 7 to 9: fine for a small first order on COD. Ask about the missing points before ordering anything expensive.
- 4 to 6: only if the seller answers the gaps directly and quickly when you ask.
- Below 4: skip it. There is always another seller with the same style.
If a seller fails on contact, policy and material at the same time, you are looking at the pattern described in how to spot a fake online jewellery seller, and no discount makes that worth it.
The checklist is not about catching liars. It is about finding out, before you pay, whether anyone will be there after you have.
Common questions
What should I check before buying jewellery online in Pakistan?
Check that the seller has a written exchange policy, a reachable phone number, a stated city and clear COD and shipping terms. On the product, look for the exact material, measurements in cm and mm, weight on chains, and real photographs of the piece. A seller who passes all of these is a reasonable risk.
How can I tell if online jewellery reviews are fake?
Look at the dates, the wording and the spread of ratings. Real reviews arrive gradually, mention specific details and include the occasional complaint. A cluster of identical five-star comments posted in one week, or praise shown only as chat screenshots, is a warning sign.
Is “stainless steel” on a listing enough information?
Not really. Stainless steel covers several grades, and the cheaper ones can spot or discolour in sweat and humidity. A listing that names the grade, such as 316L, is telling you something you can rely on. If the grade is missing, ask before you order.
Should I avoid a seller with no reviews?
Not automatically. Every seller starts with none. Weigh the other checks more heavily instead: a new seller with a clear policy, a phone that is answered and specific material details is a better bet than an older page with hundreds of vague reviews and no contact number.
Does cash on delivery make the checklist unnecessary?
No. COD protects you from paying for a parcel that never arrives, but it does nothing about a piece that is the wrong material, the wrong size or poorly made. The product checks are what cover those risks, and they have to be done before you order.
Ready when you are
Cash on delivery nationwide, exchanges on sizing.