If my diamond purchase through an online company goes dodgy, is there really anything I could do? Could I actually sue them if it went that far?

This is an excellent question and I hope I could ease your worries in outlining your basic consumer rights and steps you could do in the event that your diamond deal turns bad. Under the UK Sale of Goods Act 1979, your rights and responsibilities as an online consumer are fully clarified. You should be aware of the fact that this Act falls under civil law, thus any wrongdoings committed by an online jewelry company will not be considered as a criminal offence. The police will not get involved with this matter and it is up to you to take action yourself. That's why it's so crucial that you, and any other person reading this right now, are fully aware of their rights and responsibilities as an online consumer. The three main clauses that a vendor must fulfill are: (1) providing you satisfactory quality product, (2) supplying a product which is fit for its purpose, and (3) giving you the product as it was described out to be.

If a seller were to break any of the three guidelines described above, then you could pursue your desired course of action and keep in mind that the seller is actually liable for the items he sold you for up to six years from the purchase date. When dealing with online diamond purchases, chances are that if you were to be deceived it's going to be due to the fact that the online company didn't provide you with the product they described it would be (clause number 3). It is crucial for you to be very clear on the fact that you have not accepted the goods provided to you by your online company. As soon as the company thinks you have accepted their product, you won't be able to claim for a refund and it will be very difficult to do anything in that case. First try to reason with a customer service representative to explain why the jewelry you received is not acceptable as it is different to the description provided by the online company. If all fails, write a formal complaint and send it to them, preferably by registered mail so you will be in possession of a written proof that the company is fully aware of your complaint.

Most of the traders will be very responsive because they want to avoid customer confrontations. However, if this is not the case and you are still not satisfied with the method in which the online company decided to follow there are more steps that could be taken. With online purchases, it is most likely that you paid through your credit card and if this is indeed the case contact your bank and inform them of your foul shopping experience. It is possible to claim your money back through your credit card company if the goods are worth more than 100 pounds and less than 30,000 pounds. After providing them all your receipts and formal correspondence with the online company, they will retract the purchase. Don't be alarmed by the possibility that the online company you purchased your diamond jewelry from is bankrupt, because still your rights persist and you'll be able to get your money back. As a last resort and only if all else fails, you could always contact the Trading Standards Office or the Citizens Advice Bureau for severer courses of action.

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