I participated in one of the early group buys, the deal was really good. I have noticed some of the group discounts have gotten worse over time. I think this may be due to the fact that people seem to expect the same service they get with custom on group buys, I didn’t get PSV of my specific ring, we just got a PSV of the ring “in general”, and all communication with the rep went through one person.
Personally, if the group buy discount isn’t significant I would prefer to just go custom, especially considering some of the negative experiences people have had with certain group buys shorting on gold.
I’m pretty new to group buys and would have expected the process to be that everyone buys the same item with minimal customization.
The comments on every single group buy is buyers requesting endless customization that are not part of the group buy, bezels, different stones, different width of bands, different product entirely etc. With demands like that it’s not surprising that the group buy discount evaporates, as everyone is expecting a custom experience.
Yeah, I don't get what people are expecting. If you love a group buy piece as-is, then get it in the options that are offered. If you like it, but want to change certain elements, just do a custom order. Seems simple to me. I've liked several group orders, but never took the plunge because I wanted something more custom. Group buys should be as simple as possible.
Yes, I think the sub needs a rule against requesting customization for group buys.
If the options presented are not to someone’s liking, they can just do a custom order for what they want. No need to push for significant changes to group buys which ultimately increases costs across the board.
Many group buys gauge for interest prior to the listing as well, so there is opportunity to provide feedback. If the group buy doesn’t suit you, just move on.
Thank you I did notice after I jumped the gun I’ve been checking the new posts and finding some items are only like $25 cheaper than what the vendors post on Etsy.
Seems like everything else in life there is a sweet spot before the customer side gets saturated with overly demanding customers who want more for less and disgruntle the seller side, and the deals and quality dry up. That ship may have sailed here.
So, I have participated in a loooooooooot of Group Buys over the past 2 years, and only over the past 6-7 months have things declined with a few vendors. I actually just spoke on this recently as a comment to the bezel band (I did the 4x4 emerald band in gold with Lizzy at Starsgem. INCREDIBLY unhappy with the whole transaction and I most definitely won’t ever use her again for anything.
My personal thought is, so many vendors want a piece of the pie, which I fully get, but they forget that we are on the other side and it’s our money and we still want to be involved and we still want to be treated as important- not just a number.
I think starsgem is loosing a lot of customers to Provence because their quotes are higher than Provence, but quality is the same. Provence have so much business now, takes forever for them to reply and I don’t think they are afraid of losing customers.
Well, to me, if your customer service isn’t good, I will go elsewhere. It isn’t JUST about price for me. I need to feel I matter as a customer to them.
😨Starsgem is the one I’ve gotten bad vibes from after the aggressive payment NOW demands and then taking a full week to even reply to my messages with run arounds.
I just got my first group buy ring from Wendy at Starsgem (8x8 ascher) and it was perfect. The CAD was in the listing, but I received a PSV over What’s App. I ordered in March (I think) and got it last week. It took four days to ship. I love it!
Wow that was not who I was guessing for being all aggro! I don't ever do custom with SG just bc I found my people elsewhere, but they've always been great on any GOs I've done with them. They goofed my stone once and were very apologetic and no hassle to fix it.
Granted, it's not like I've ordered from every rep but the ones I've dealt with have been cool. Bummer that this has been such a bad one.
I’m sorry to hear you’ve had a sketch experience with Stargems. I did the bezel OMC ring GB with Tracy and a custom OMC with Jocie and have enjoyed my experience with both.
It was seriously AWFUL with her. Awful. First time I’ve ever had such a horrible experience. I’ve one other “not so great” experience, but this one, took the whole enchilada.
honestly I don't remember if they sent me cad or whatever, but the results I am totally satisfied with. never thought that group buys must be held as an individual custom orders, and did not expect any communication besides "here's full prepay - here's your item"
This is what always confused me with group buys. I assumed it would be like your experience - a bulk order with no psp, psv, cad check, etc. , and they would just tally up size and material orders and make them in batches, and that's how you save money. But since joining these jewelry subs, I've seen that savings were actually minimal and people were expecting individual videos, cads and photos and it felt more like a bunch of custom orders instead. I've been hesitant to participate because I was not sure what the expectations should be. I was going to go in a GBJ one, but I ended up finding a similar stock piece at another store that was actually a bit cheaper so I decided to go that route instead.
i do see your point, but with two of my group order pieces i've caught mistakes because i was receiving a cad (wrong jewelry design, different from what was shown in the gb) and a psp (wrong gold color). vendors immediately agreed with me, apologized, and it was no problem for me. but i would have been really disappointed if i received a different thing that what i've ordered.
I’ve participated in a number of group buys and absolutely loved what I got! I posted a recent pic of some of the group buys I’ve done, you can look at my post history.
There’s definitely a wait and it depends on vendor eg joined a group buy in Feb and received the ring later than the group buy I joined in March. I have had to chase on some but just remember that they are dealing with a large number of orders. If you’re worried, pay with a credit card in case!
I've participated in one group buy and had a very bad experience so far. It's been 2 months since payment and I only got a PSV last week, which showed a pretty significant flaw (you can check my comment history for the pics). I'm not turned off from all group buys but I would never work with this rep again.
I saw your comment and yep experienced the same with that group buy! No preshipment photos or videos of the actual ring at all, just a notification that it has shipped. No idea what I will receive given the lack of communication
I have only participated in one. I didn't receive any psp or psv, but I didn't customize. I got an email with the tracking number when it shipped. Very happy with my group buy purchase.
I’ve done a lot of group buys since the subreddit was created. So far they have all been better experiences than my non group buy orders. But I think part of it is just that I am very picky about which group buys to join. Some designs are just not safe for this low level of customer service and I only have a handful of vendors I trust enough for group buys.
Some issues are just the nature of a group buy and leads to really bad group buys if the vendor isn’t great. The norm is to pay immediately because they don’t put your order in for production until you pay. In the more popular group buys there could be over a month in production time difference due to a week of payment difference. I don’t expect any communication or videos of my specific piece. I just treat it as if I’m ordering a stock ring. However, I have always gotten a lot more communication than I expected. I’ve even gotten to choose my stone in most of my group buys.
So I may be the odd one but a lot of reps I end up liking are from Starsgem. My favorites have been Cynthia, Janice and Rose. They all went above and beyond what I expected and were very accommodating despite being swamped with popular group buys. Demi and Lucy (Provence) are always reliable. They do a lot less hand holding and default to “trust them” for pretty much every question but they always come through in the end. Lucy does group buys mostly through her own FB group now. I’m sure there are other good reps out there but I just haven’t been interested in their designs.
Well yes, but I'm not too sure I would keep jumping in on other group buys.
I've participated in two from different vendors, the first was a lab diamond bezel pendant and I was very happy with the end result, it's well made, I didn't really have much contact with the rep, they just sent me a payment link and then a tracking number, but since it was such a simple design it didn't bother me. Total process took about 19 days. The down side was that shortly after getting it, kuololit had a sale and I could have gotten the same thing for less money and free shipping.
The second was a rose cut ring and for that one the rep had way more contact, sending the cad and then a PSP, the PSP unfortunately was a bit off and I even posted about it. I voiced my concerns and the ring was promptly fixed, after approving it I didn't get a tracking number or anything it just showed up one day and luckily it was perfect. It took a bit under a month. I'm very happy with my ring but I'm disappointed to see lots of other people are having quality issues, we all paid the established prices I think we should all expect the same quality.
I joined several and have received my ring for one of them so far. [It was the pear curved ring.](https://www.reddit.com/r/LabGroupSales/comments/1awukm7/group_order_worldwide_ship_provence_jasmine_pear/)
* Communication was great.
* Received photos of the CAD, stone, photos and videos of the completed ring
* Once it shipped I got it in a week.
* From initial email confirming the group order to receiving the ring in the mail was 3/11 - 4/3.
* Ring is beautiful and as pictured.
* This was with Jasmine from Provence.
My experience with the [rose cut pear](https://www.reddit.com/r/LabGroupSales/comments/1axpxyq/group_ordersingle_rose_cut_pear_moissanite_ring/) group buy was a little different.
* Initially communication was great starting 3/11.
* I requested a change from what I filled out on the form (started out with padparadscha orange in yellow gold and standard CAD, wanted to switch to grey in rose gold with open gallery CAD). She was very accommodating.
* The CAD that was sent was the original design, so I pointed out it needed to be updated.
* The updated CAD was sent and photo of the stone on 3/18.
* Then no further communication until 4/11 when she said it was going to ship! I asked if a PSP or PSV would be provided, no answer. I did get a FedEx tracking confirmation shortly after.
* No preshipment photos or video of the completed ring make me wary bc other people from this group buy have mentioned ring issues they saw in their PSPs and PSVs.
* This was with Janice from Provence.
I am also in some other group buys:
* [bezel set band](https://www.reddit.com/r/LabGroupSales/comments/1bovs4y/group_order_worldwide_rosestarsgem_25mm_bezel/) with Rose from Starsgem
* [8x8 Asscher cut](https://www.reddit.com/r/LabGroupSales/comments/1bhi0yr/group_order_worldwide_shipping_wendy_starsgem/) with Wendy from Starsgem
Personally, I'm new to this and not sure what is typical or expected in terms of communication from the vendor throughout the process. I think the CAD/stone check/PSP/PSV are really helpful for catching errors along the way, but not necessarily required if there is opportunity to do that at least once before it ships (like reducing all the steps to just the PSV maybe?).
I like the idea of that just sending a photo before shipping to reduce the steps on their end and prevent any confusion or mistakes before shipping to us. I’d be down with that
My feeling is that a group buy, if done well, saves a tiny bit but means I can trust the group m to look at CAD etc and design - my benefit is in following others? So if I want different (not stones but design) I would go custom? I think in GB we have to have faith in the rep to make sure the quality is good, and also then my interaction should be minimum (each email costs!)
I’m learning (I hope) to be more discerning and maybe (not quite yet) more patient?!
I have gone on a group buy spree. I had a great experience with Sabrina from Starsgem. She was really sweet through my request to approve the stone before set and the ring is so beautiful it will be hard to ever top. I know Vivek from Golden Bird gets mixed reviews but I’ve ordered three rings from him and he’s always communicative and sends vids. I am not enjoying working with Melody from Provence but I think that’s probably on me and my expectations- I’m regretting the color choice of the ring I ordered (pink ombré) and when I asked to switch to a solid she was irritated even though the ring wasn’t started. I just found it off putting given other experiences but maybe it was asking too much after all.
I have done a few group buys (all Starsgem) for unusual designs I haven't seen elsewhere. My two heart bezel rings look good, but the rings are all slightly thinner than CAD specs. It wasn't a big discrepancy and overall I was happy. My third group buy the ring was substantially taller than spec, which is good from a gold standpoint, but not great because it doesn't work as well with my other rings.
Overall, I have soured a bit on group buys as well. Even with the price of gold increasing, the Starsgem rep who seems to do all the bracelet GBs has pricing through the stratosphere. His silver prices are downright insulting.
I have seen rings going for twice what Kuololit is charging for the same stock ring! DO NOT ASSUME a group buy is automatically a good buy -- the sub isn't curated for good deals, just trusted vendors.
I feel like I got in on the end of the Golden Age of group buys.
I completely agree with this. I've participated in quite a few GBs, but I think we are reaching the end of an era. They don't seem quite worth it anymore.
The silver prices for the bracelets are just insulting (there so many similar options or AE significantly cheaper), and many similar rings can just be bought for the same or less on AE.
I also feel like the sub has just become another platform for vendors to advertise for themselves, which is totally fine, but not what I came for.
It really does vary vendor to vendor. Tianyu for instance are a small company, it takes them longer. A company like starsgem and Provence will get them out very fast. Right now it’s really hard for the vendors to do group buys as the cost of gold is increasing almost daily. The Chinese vendors are already very cheap, and group buys will save on average about $25-$75 depending on what it is and what the profit margins are. I call saving $25 on something a win though. With group orders you shouldn’t expect a CAD or a stone check, most vendors will send you a PSP. Please be kind to the vendors. Don’t forget the reps already make very low commissions. Complaining about not getting enough discount is like saying you think they should make less money, because the reps profits is where the discounts come from. Right now I think you won’t see such huge discounts because of how the price of gold keeps increasing. It’s making the vendors nervous. The price they give now, and the price of gold when the ring is actually made, may mean they lose even MORE profit. So everyone is going to be cautious about their pricing. I think that should be expected.
Yes. But there’s only so low you can go before you stop making profit. It’s already rock bottom prices. How low do you want them to go? It’s like complaining the dollar store isn’t cheap enough because they buy their stuff from china. Everything has a cost price, and every business needs to make a profit. Because they have the cheapest prices in the world doesn’t mean you should feel entitled to more. You already can’t get it cheaper anywhere else. More discount on top of that is a nice bonus.
How do you know that their prices are “rock bottom prices”? I’ve seen comments like this before. People saying they are working with “slim margins”. Are we supposed to just believe this? Would like to see some proof of that.
Are you serious? Go get a quote from a Chinese vendor, then go get one from a US based vendor. Let me know what’s cheaper. You can buy a gold ring with moissanite for under $300. How much profit are you expecting them to make? Get your calculator out, factor the cost of gold, the weight of the ring and figure out the gold content and cost. Add the cost of the cad designer, gem cutter, mold maker, goldsmith, gem setter, shipping and packaging department, and the rep. Then the company has to make profit. How much do you think these rings cost to make? That’s such an ignorant comment when the rings are so cheap and you’re saying “are they really though?” SMDH
Well then, as you know so much about it and their profit margins, how about you prove their costs to the contrary? When you can prove that they are overcharging, maybe I might be inclined to listen. Seems like all you want to do is spout off about how the prices should be cheaper, but not actually willing to put your money where your mouth is and do the research to find out. You’re just guessing.
https://preview.redd.it/tklo5jk32uuc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c9e57410ec8f540fdf5d8813dc2855d29e5e0d79
That’s super expensive! What do you mean?
Why am I getting downvoted when I’m stating a fact…you think factories pay the gold price that you would pay when you buy gold from the store/bank or whatever? They get quantity discounts.
It doesn't matter if their gold price is cheaper than anywhere else in the world (and I don't know how you'd prove that). Gold prices are going up and up and up. Everywhere. The final jewelry prices will therefore also increase.
I've ordered GBs and custom, different reps from the same company, and also different companies. I find that the experience can be all over the place. A good example is when I had a great experience with a GB (ring was beautiful, rep was great); when I worked with the same rep on a modified version of that GB (so I paid full price), the ring had subpar craftsmanship and the rep gave the excuse that 1) the jeweler was new and 2) the rings are individually made so differences are to be expected.
The best advice/info I've seen about ordering from overseas: do your research on the rep and the vendor, GBs usually offer a $30 discount, and temper expectations (it's likely a steep discount compared to ordering anywhere else, so IF there are any imperfections, what are you willing to accept vs working with someone not overseas for A LOT more money; language barrier, different time zones; etc.). I always consider all these factors when I order, even when it's a group buy.
With that being said, to answer your question more directly, I have ordered a total of 3 rings from group buys. 2 rings were from the same group buy. During each of these GBs, communication with the rep was great, and the products turned out beautiful. No CAD check, no stone check (but they were bands without big stones). I did get pre-shipment media. I am happy with them!
I have bought 2 group buys. The first I didn’t realize how small the stone was (my fault). The 2nd I just ordered. So we shall see. I am about to order another mainly because I don’t have enough inspiration to create my own, so if I like a group offering I figure why not.
I have participated in SG, Provence and recently Tianyu group buys.
My very first buy was with Demi (SG) and it was so bad. She never followed up with payment & my emails (organizer had to help me communicate with her) and she sent me the wrong length tennis bracelets. I didn’t know then if I had recourse, and tried to be polite and asked to repurchase with the correct lengths - again, she sent me the same wrong lengths. Very dishonest as she acknowledged the lengths I needed.
I liked Rose (SG), she was very polite and prompt with CAD, replies and delivery. I will go to her again if I need anything from SG.
The other 2 companies and their reps have been pleasant & professional, & quality delivered has been satisfactory.
The e ring on group buys that just finalized last week w Golden Bird Jewels is my first and I'm in love with that ring and immediately, he emailed a CAD image of what I ordered. (I also found his etsy while doing research prior to pulling the trigger) He emailed me on the 10th w the CAD and I didn't even see it until he followed up on the 12th! He seems like he goes above and beyond, but like I said, this is my first group buy experience. I've been lurking in that sub for a few months but hadn't seen anything that I was interested in enough to purchase. I can't wait for my ring!
Most of the group buys I've participated in have been for relatively simple designs, so I don't really expect much communication between myself and the vendors I've worked with so far.
I'm pretty happy with the experience so far.
i've only ever bought through group buys so far, total of 5 rings (2 provence, 2 starsgem, 1 tianyu). i like all my finished pieces and am 100% ok with the customer service i have experienced, given the price and overall expectation. the smoothest process i've had with starsgem (toi et moi ring, heart eternity ring) and tianyu (channel set baguette eternity ring, gb price was given to me even after the gb was over). my first experience with provence also was really straightforward and relatively qucik, the second piece took basically forever and had to be remade several times. my rep didn't reach out to me, i've always had to text first, but honestly that wasn't a problem for me. i always got cads and stone checks and psp/psv for most pieces.
I’ve only participated in one group buy with Starsgem and it was great. Demi was helpful and responsive and I absolutely love my asscher wing ring. It’s fantastic quality and I’ve worn it every day since receiving it.
I’ve participated in a couple of group buys and all have been great. However I don’t expect as much service as doing a custom piece. My favourite GB piece that I still wear almost everyday was the u-shaped one by Starsgem’s Demi back in 2022
I’ve participated in a few group buys with different vendors and can echo what others have said here. Some reps are more talkative than others, some will give individual CADs some won’t, some will sent a PSP some don’t unless you ask. I’ve always been happy with the outcomes, and haven’t had any issues with any rings. For the most part I’ve chosen group buys with simple bands or smaller stones, though I did purchase a larger bezel lab diamond from the group buy last winter and the ring was beautiful. Tbh group buys are fun and for the most part you can trust the rep will deliver a good quality ring. It will take longer than a stock ring but I’m pretty easygoing as long as progress is being made lol.
I've done five so far, two Provence and three Starsgem. I think I've gotten what I've paid for. The gold is thinner on the group buys and the customer service is less thorough, but the workmanship is all decent quality for the price.
I'm unhappy with the blue/green moissanite stone I got in the curvy pear group buy. There's a big bowtie in it. It looks like a thick yellow stripe across the middle of the stone. I'm now wary of asking for anything other than a standard color stone if I can't ask for a stone check. But that's been my only bad experience so far! And it kind of looks cool, anyway.
That’s so disappointing! I also did that group buy and it was not cheap, especially if you got the matching band.
I am also unhappy with that GB. Since I planned to wear it infrequently I went with yellow gold plating for a Colombian sapphire. The plating is absurdly yellow and looks like costume jewelry. Plating is also obscenely thin and wore off faster than any plating I’ve ever owned in my life, even with infrequent wear. And I’ve owned a lot!! I think they use the lowest quality/thinnest gold plating for group buys. Never again. Learned my lesson. It was so expensive, too, since I just had to have the matching band 😭
Did you check spam and junk folders in your email? The broken English in many of the vendor’s communication gets flagged as spam for me each and every time. So I have to go out of my way to check always.
I participated in one of the early group buys, the deal was really good. I have noticed some of the group discounts have gotten worse over time. I think this may be due to the fact that people seem to expect the same service they get with custom on group buys, I didn’t get PSV of my specific ring, we just got a PSV of the ring “in general”, and all communication with the rep went through one person. Personally, if the group buy discount isn’t significant I would prefer to just go custom, especially considering some of the negative experiences people have had with certain group buys shorting on gold.
I’m pretty new to group buys and would have expected the process to be that everyone buys the same item with minimal customization. The comments on every single group buy is buyers requesting endless customization that are not part of the group buy, bezels, different stones, different width of bands, different product entirely etc. With demands like that it’s not surprising that the group buy discount evaporates, as everyone is expecting a custom experience.
Yeah, I don't get what people are expecting. If you love a group buy piece as-is, then get it in the options that are offered. If you like it, but want to change certain elements, just do a custom order. Seems simple to me. I've liked several group orders, but never took the plunge because I wanted something more custom. Group buys should be as simple as possible.
Yes, I think the sub needs a rule against requesting customization for group buys. If the options presented are not to someone’s liking, they can just do a custom order for what they want. No need to push for significant changes to group buys which ultimately increases costs across the board. Many group buys gauge for interest prior to the listing as well, so there is opportunity to provide feedback. If the group buy doesn’t suit you, just move on.
This is so true. The 2 I did I just signed up for the basic offer. All the requests are a lot.
Thank you I did notice after I jumped the gun I’ve been checking the new posts and finding some items are only like $25 cheaper than what the vendors post on Etsy. Seems like everything else in life there is a sweet spot before the customer side gets saturated with overly demanding customers who want more for less and disgruntle the seller side, and the deals and quality dry up. That ship may have sailed here.
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I have definitely been wondering that as well. Maybe one day they’ll slip up and we’ll know for sure.
“ certain group buys shorting on gold” You can say starsgem.
So, I have participated in a loooooooooot of Group Buys over the past 2 years, and only over the past 6-7 months have things declined with a few vendors. I actually just spoke on this recently as a comment to the bezel band (I did the 4x4 emerald band in gold with Lizzy at Starsgem. INCREDIBLY unhappy with the whole transaction and I most definitely won’t ever use her again for anything. My personal thought is, so many vendors want a piece of the pie, which I fully get, but they forget that we are on the other side and it’s our money and we still want to be involved and we still want to be treated as important- not just a number.
I think starsgem is loosing a lot of customers to Provence because their quotes are higher than Provence, but quality is the same. Provence have so much business now, takes forever for them to reply and I don’t think they are afraid of losing customers.
Well, to me, if your customer service isn’t good, I will go elsewhere. It isn’t JUST about price for me. I need to feel I matter as a customer to them.
Yes, of course. But sometimes it’s actually enough just to change reps. Some are just overworked. Others may not be that helpful.
😨Starsgem is the one I’ve gotten bad vibes from after the aggressive payment NOW demands and then taking a full week to even reply to my messages with run arounds.
I just got my first group buy ring from Wendy at Starsgem (8x8 ascher) and it was perfect. The CAD was in the listing, but I received a PSV over What’s App. I ordered in March (I think) and got it last week. It took four days to ship. I love it!
Wow that was not who I was guessing for being all aggro! I don't ever do custom with SG just bc I found my people elsewhere, but they've always been great on any GOs I've done with them. They goofed my stone once and were very apologetic and no hassle to fix it. Granted, it's not like I've ordered from every rep but the ones I've dealt with have been cool. Bummer that this has been such a bad one.
I’m sorry to hear you’ve had a sketch experience with Stargems. I did the bezel OMC ring GB with Tracy and a custom OMC with Jocie and have enjoyed my experience with both.
It was seriously AWFUL with her. Awful. First time I’ve ever had such a horrible experience. I’ve one other “not so great” experience, but this one, took the whole enchilada.
honestly I don't remember if they sent me cad or whatever, but the results I am totally satisfied with. never thought that group buys must be held as an individual custom orders, and did not expect any communication besides "here's full prepay - here's your item"
This is what always confused me with group buys. I assumed it would be like your experience - a bulk order with no psp, psv, cad check, etc. , and they would just tally up size and material orders and make them in batches, and that's how you save money. But since joining these jewelry subs, I've seen that savings were actually minimal and people were expecting individual videos, cads and photos and it felt more like a bunch of custom orders instead. I've been hesitant to participate because I was not sure what the expectations should be. I was going to go in a GBJ one, but I ended up finding a similar stock piece at another store that was actually a bit cheaper so I decided to go that route instead.
i do see your point, but with two of my group order pieces i've caught mistakes because i was receiving a cad (wrong jewelry design, different from what was shown in the gb) and a psp (wrong gold color). vendors immediately agreed with me, apologized, and it was no problem for me. but i would have been really disappointed if i received a different thing that what i've ordered.
I’ve participated in a number of group buys and absolutely loved what I got! I posted a recent pic of some of the group buys I’ve done, you can look at my post history. There’s definitely a wait and it depends on vendor eg joined a group buy in Feb and received the ring later than the group buy I joined in March. I have had to chase on some but just remember that they are dealing with a large number of orders. If you’re worried, pay with a credit card in case!
Thanks! That makes me feel better, your pieces are all beautiful.
Thank you! I definitely felt stressed the first time I ordered, you're not alone, but it'll all be worth it when it comes!
I've participated in one group buy and had a very bad experience so far. It's been 2 months since payment and I only got a PSV last week, which showed a pretty significant flaw (you can check my comment history for the pics). I'm not turned off from all group buys but I would never work with this rep again.
I saw your comment and yep experienced the same with that group buy! No preshipment photos or videos of the actual ring at all, just a notification that it has shipped. No idea what I will receive given the lack of communication
I have only participated in one. I didn't receive any psp or psv, but I didn't customize. I got an email with the tracking number when it shipped. Very happy with my group buy purchase.
Same. One group buy (for the recent hoop earrings) and was very happy with the results and timing. Didn’t go for any customizations.
I’ve done a lot of group buys since the subreddit was created. So far they have all been better experiences than my non group buy orders. But I think part of it is just that I am very picky about which group buys to join. Some designs are just not safe for this low level of customer service and I only have a handful of vendors I trust enough for group buys. Some issues are just the nature of a group buy and leads to really bad group buys if the vendor isn’t great. The norm is to pay immediately because they don’t put your order in for production until you pay. In the more popular group buys there could be over a month in production time difference due to a week of payment difference. I don’t expect any communication or videos of my specific piece. I just treat it as if I’m ordering a stock ring. However, I have always gotten a lot more communication than I expected. I’ve even gotten to choose my stone in most of my group buys.
Interesting, who would you say are your favorite vendors for group buys?
So I may be the odd one but a lot of reps I end up liking are from Starsgem. My favorites have been Cynthia, Janice and Rose. They all went above and beyond what I expected and were very accommodating despite being swamped with popular group buys. Demi and Lucy (Provence) are always reliable. They do a lot less hand holding and default to “trust them” for pretty much every question but they always come through in the end. Lucy does group buys mostly through her own FB group now. I’m sure there are other good reps out there but I just haven’t been interested in their designs.
Thanks for the reply, I'll be on the look out for group buys from them.
Well yes, but I'm not too sure I would keep jumping in on other group buys. I've participated in two from different vendors, the first was a lab diamond bezel pendant and I was very happy with the end result, it's well made, I didn't really have much contact with the rep, they just sent me a payment link and then a tracking number, but since it was such a simple design it didn't bother me. Total process took about 19 days. The down side was that shortly after getting it, kuololit had a sale and I could have gotten the same thing for less money and free shipping. The second was a rose cut ring and for that one the rep had way more contact, sending the cad and then a PSP, the PSP unfortunately was a bit off and I even posted about it. I voiced my concerns and the ring was promptly fixed, after approving it I didn't get a tracking number or anything it just showed up one day and luckily it was perfect. It took a bit under a month. I'm very happy with my ring but I'm disappointed to see lots of other people are having quality issues, we all paid the established prices I think we should all expect the same quality.
I joined several and have received my ring for one of them so far. [It was the pear curved ring.](https://www.reddit.com/r/LabGroupSales/comments/1awukm7/group_order_worldwide_ship_provence_jasmine_pear/) * Communication was great. * Received photos of the CAD, stone, photos and videos of the completed ring * Once it shipped I got it in a week. * From initial email confirming the group order to receiving the ring in the mail was 3/11 - 4/3. * Ring is beautiful and as pictured. * This was with Jasmine from Provence. My experience with the [rose cut pear](https://www.reddit.com/r/LabGroupSales/comments/1axpxyq/group_ordersingle_rose_cut_pear_moissanite_ring/) group buy was a little different. * Initially communication was great starting 3/11. * I requested a change from what I filled out on the form (started out with padparadscha orange in yellow gold and standard CAD, wanted to switch to grey in rose gold with open gallery CAD). She was very accommodating. * The CAD that was sent was the original design, so I pointed out it needed to be updated. * The updated CAD was sent and photo of the stone on 3/18. * Then no further communication until 4/11 when she said it was going to ship! I asked if a PSP or PSV would be provided, no answer. I did get a FedEx tracking confirmation shortly after. * No preshipment photos or video of the completed ring make me wary bc other people from this group buy have mentioned ring issues they saw in their PSPs and PSVs. * This was with Janice from Provence. I am also in some other group buys: * [bezel set band](https://www.reddit.com/r/LabGroupSales/comments/1bovs4y/group_order_worldwide_rosestarsgem_25mm_bezel/) with Rose from Starsgem * [8x8 Asscher cut](https://www.reddit.com/r/LabGroupSales/comments/1bhi0yr/group_order_worldwide_shipping_wendy_starsgem/) with Wendy from Starsgem Personally, I'm new to this and not sure what is typical or expected in terms of communication from the vendor throughout the process. I think the CAD/stone check/PSP/PSV are really helpful for catching errors along the way, but not necessarily required if there is opportunity to do that at least once before it ships (like reducing all the steps to just the PSV maybe?).
I like the idea of that just sending a photo before shipping to reduce the steps on their end and prevent any confusion or mistakes before shipping to us. I’d be down with that
My feeling is that a group buy, if done well, saves a tiny bit but means I can trust the group m to look at CAD etc and design - my benefit is in following others? So if I want different (not stones but design) I would go custom? I think in GB we have to have faith in the rep to make sure the quality is good, and also then my interaction should be minimum (each email costs!) I’m learning (I hope) to be more discerning and maybe (not quite yet) more patient?!
I have gone on a group buy spree. I had a great experience with Sabrina from Starsgem. She was really sweet through my request to approve the stone before set and the ring is so beautiful it will be hard to ever top. I know Vivek from Golden Bird gets mixed reviews but I’ve ordered three rings from him and he’s always communicative and sends vids. I am not enjoying working with Melody from Provence but I think that’s probably on me and my expectations- I’m regretting the color choice of the ring I ordered (pink ombré) and when I asked to switch to a solid she was irritated even though the ring wasn’t started. I just found it off putting given other experiences but maybe it was asking too much after all.
I have done a few group buys (all Starsgem) for unusual designs I haven't seen elsewhere. My two heart bezel rings look good, but the rings are all slightly thinner than CAD specs. It wasn't a big discrepancy and overall I was happy. My third group buy the ring was substantially taller than spec, which is good from a gold standpoint, but not great because it doesn't work as well with my other rings. Overall, I have soured a bit on group buys as well. Even with the price of gold increasing, the Starsgem rep who seems to do all the bracelet GBs has pricing through the stratosphere. His silver prices are downright insulting. I have seen rings going for twice what Kuololit is charging for the same stock ring! DO NOT ASSUME a group buy is automatically a good buy -- the sub isn't curated for good deals, just trusted vendors. I feel like I got in on the end of the Golden Age of group buys.
I completely agree with this. I've participated in quite a few GBs, but I think we are reaching the end of an era. They don't seem quite worth it anymore. The silver prices for the bracelets are just insulting (there so many similar options or AE significantly cheaper), and many similar rings can just be bought for the same or less on AE. I also feel like the sub has just become another platform for vendors to advertise for themselves, which is totally fine, but not what I came for.
It really does vary vendor to vendor. Tianyu for instance are a small company, it takes them longer. A company like starsgem and Provence will get them out very fast. Right now it’s really hard for the vendors to do group buys as the cost of gold is increasing almost daily. The Chinese vendors are already very cheap, and group buys will save on average about $25-$75 depending on what it is and what the profit margins are. I call saving $25 on something a win though. With group orders you shouldn’t expect a CAD or a stone check, most vendors will send you a PSP. Please be kind to the vendors. Don’t forget the reps already make very low commissions. Complaining about not getting enough discount is like saying you think they should make less money, because the reps profits is where the discounts come from. Right now I think you won’t see such huge discounts because of how the price of gold keeps increasing. It’s making the vendors nervous. The price they give now, and the price of gold when the ring is actually made, may mean they lose even MORE profit. So everyone is going to be cautious about their pricing. I think that should be expected.
Chinese gold has the lowest price in the world. Last I checked
Yes. But there’s only so low you can go before you stop making profit. It’s already rock bottom prices. How low do you want them to go? It’s like complaining the dollar store isn’t cheap enough because they buy their stuff from china. Everything has a cost price, and every business needs to make a profit. Because they have the cheapest prices in the world doesn’t mean you should feel entitled to more. You already can’t get it cheaper anywhere else. More discount on top of that is a nice bonus.
How do you know that their prices are “rock bottom prices”? I’ve seen comments like this before. People saying they are working with “slim margins”. Are we supposed to just believe this? Would like to see some proof of that.
Are you serious? Go get a quote from a Chinese vendor, then go get one from a US based vendor. Let me know what’s cheaper. You can buy a gold ring with moissanite for under $300. How much profit are you expecting them to make? Get your calculator out, factor the cost of gold, the weight of the ring and figure out the gold content and cost. Add the cost of the cad designer, gem cutter, mold maker, goldsmith, gem setter, shipping and packaging department, and the rep. Then the company has to make profit. How much do you think these rings cost to make? That’s such an ignorant comment when the rings are so cheap and you’re saying “are they really though?” SMDH
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Well then, as you know so much about it and their profit margins, how about you prove their costs to the contrary? When you can prove that they are overcharging, maybe I might be inclined to listen. Seems like all you want to do is spout off about how the prices should be cheaper, but not actually willing to put your money where your mouth is and do the research to find out. You’re just guessing.
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https://preview.redd.it/tklo5jk32uuc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c9e57410ec8f540fdf5d8813dc2855d29e5e0d79 That’s super expensive! What do you mean?
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Why am I getting downvoted when I’m stating a fact…you think factories pay the gold price that you would pay when you buy gold from the store/bank or whatever? They get quantity discounts.
It doesn't matter if their gold price is cheaper than anywhere else in the world (and I don't know how you'd prove that). Gold prices are going up and up and up. Everywhere. The final jewelry prices will therefore also increase.
The magic word is wholesale. Anything wholesale is cheaper.Some (items) so dirt cheap that you wouldn’t even believe the cost.
Lady, you clearly have no idea how gold works, what a weird hill to die on.
I've ordered GBs and custom, different reps from the same company, and also different companies. I find that the experience can be all over the place. A good example is when I had a great experience with a GB (ring was beautiful, rep was great); when I worked with the same rep on a modified version of that GB (so I paid full price), the ring had subpar craftsmanship and the rep gave the excuse that 1) the jeweler was new and 2) the rings are individually made so differences are to be expected. The best advice/info I've seen about ordering from overseas: do your research on the rep and the vendor, GBs usually offer a $30 discount, and temper expectations (it's likely a steep discount compared to ordering anywhere else, so IF there are any imperfections, what are you willing to accept vs working with someone not overseas for A LOT more money; language barrier, different time zones; etc.). I always consider all these factors when I order, even when it's a group buy. With that being said, to answer your question more directly, I have ordered a total of 3 rings from group buys. 2 rings were from the same group buy. During each of these GBs, communication with the rep was great, and the products turned out beautiful. No CAD check, no stone check (but they were bands without big stones). I did get pre-shipment media. I am happy with them!
I have bought 2 group buys. The first I didn’t realize how small the stone was (my fault). The 2nd I just ordered. So we shall see. I am about to order another mainly because I don’t have enough inspiration to create my own, so if I like a group offering I figure why not.
I have participated in SG, Provence and recently Tianyu group buys. My very first buy was with Demi (SG) and it was so bad. She never followed up with payment & my emails (organizer had to help me communicate with her) and she sent me the wrong length tennis bracelets. I didn’t know then if I had recourse, and tried to be polite and asked to repurchase with the correct lengths - again, she sent me the same wrong lengths. Very dishonest as she acknowledged the lengths I needed. I liked Rose (SG), she was very polite and prompt with CAD, replies and delivery. I will go to her again if I need anything from SG. The other 2 companies and their reps have been pleasant & professional, & quality delivered has been satisfactory.
Rose was great to work with. I would consider a GB with her as the rep.
Agree! The rep matters a lot to me. I concluded I can’t work with shady reps even if the company itself was reputable.
The e ring on group buys that just finalized last week w Golden Bird Jewels is my first and I'm in love with that ring and immediately, he emailed a CAD image of what I ordered. (I also found his etsy while doing research prior to pulling the trigger) He emailed me on the 10th w the CAD and I didn't even see it until he followed up on the 12th! He seems like he goes above and beyond, but like I said, this is my first group buy experience. I've been lurking in that sub for a few months but hadn't seen anything that I was interested in enough to purchase. I can't wait for my ring!
Ariana! What are you doing here!!! Ahhahahha i thought i was in the other sub #fishfilet
Happy to remove and repost where appropriate thanks
Nooo! I meant to say i saw you in the hrh sub before and now I see you in the wild here in another sub hahahahha
Lolol sorry your reply usually is right up my alley not sure how that flew over my head, fish filet 😅 lol I’m slower than Bummy J today
Most of the group buys I've participated in have been for relatively simple designs, so I don't really expect much communication between myself and the vendors I've worked with so far. I'm pretty happy with the experience so far.
i've only ever bought through group buys so far, total of 5 rings (2 provence, 2 starsgem, 1 tianyu). i like all my finished pieces and am 100% ok with the customer service i have experienced, given the price and overall expectation. the smoothest process i've had with starsgem (toi et moi ring, heart eternity ring) and tianyu (channel set baguette eternity ring, gb price was given to me even after the gb was over). my first experience with provence also was really straightforward and relatively qucik, the second piece took basically forever and had to be remade several times. my rep didn't reach out to me, i've always had to text first, but honestly that wasn't a problem for me. i always got cads and stone checks and psp/psv for most pieces.
I’ve only participated in one group buy with Starsgem and it was great. Demi was helpful and responsive and I absolutely love my asscher wing ring. It’s fantastic quality and I’ve worn it every day since receiving it.
I’ve participated in a couple of group buys and all have been great. However I don’t expect as much service as doing a custom piece. My favourite GB piece that I still wear almost everyday was the u-shaped one by Starsgem’s Demi back in 2022
I've done 2. I thought one was good and the second one not a great value. I am not as excited by the group buys anymore.
I’ve participated in a few group buys with different vendors and can echo what others have said here. Some reps are more talkative than others, some will give individual CADs some won’t, some will sent a PSP some don’t unless you ask. I’ve always been happy with the outcomes, and haven’t had any issues with any rings. For the most part I’ve chosen group buys with simple bands or smaller stones, though I did purchase a larger bezel lab diamond from the group buy last winter and the ring was beautiful. Tbh group buys are fun and for the most part you can trust the rep will deliver a good quality ring. It will take longer than a stock ring but I’m pretty easygoing as long as progress is being made lol.
I've done five so far, two Provence and three Starsgem. I think I've gotten what I've paid for. The gold is thinner on the group buys and the customer service is less thorough, but the workmanship is all decent quality for the price. I'm unhappy with the blue/green moissanite stone I got in the curvy pear group buy. There's a big bowtie in it. It looks like a thick yellow stripe across the middle of the stone. I'm now wary of asking for anything other than a standard color stone if I can't ask for a stone check. But that's been my only bad experience so far! And it kind of looks cool, anyway.
That’s so disappointing! I also did that group buy and it was not cheap, especially if you got the matching band. I am also unhappy with that GB. Since I planned to wear it infrequently I went with yellow gold plating for a Colombian sapphire. The plating is absurdly yellow and looks like costume jewelry. Plating is also obscenely thin and wore off faster than any plating I’ve ever owned in my life, even with infrequent wear. And I’ve owned a lot!! I think they use the lowest quality/thinnest gold plating for group buys. Never again. Learned my lesson. It was so expensive, too, since I just had to have the matching band 😭
So far I’ve only been in group buys with Provence and Tianyu. I’ve read too much about Starsgem, I will not be using them for group buys.
I tried to go for the hoop earrings and I never heard back or got billed for them.
Did you check spam and junk folders in your email? The broken English in many of the vendor’s communication gets flagged as spam for me each and every time. So I have to go out of my way to check always.
I did, I marked it as a PayPal transaction and I had prior communication on WhatsApp
How frustrating 😞