Is eBay Fraud and Misrepresentation Eroding the Reputation and Value of Saltwater Pearls
China has a lot of freshwater cultured pearls that need to be sold and eBay is a great venue for sellers to display their wares. Unfortunately, over time, many sellers have gravitated to using unscrupulous tactics in an effort to compete with each other.
eBay users believe that they are buying real Tahitian, Akoya and South Sea pearls. This hurts honest sellers and devalues the real saltwater pearls sold by jewelry stores.
This presentation was delivered live at the Pearl Guide Ruckus in July 2016, so you will not hear the accompanying talk, but I hope that you will find it enlightening.
Jeremy Shepherd's comments on direct selling from pearl farms:
The farms in China are freshwater pearl farms. Pearls are always processed and this is done in massive processing factories. Pearls are an agricultural crop in China and are sold to these processing factories by weight or while still in their shells. Most small, family-run farms produce just a few kilos - nowhere near enough to match a single pair of perfect earrings let alone a strand.
Every pearl dealer in China claiming they are farmers and original wholesalers is lying. Even those selling freshwater pearls. Those making the same claims about akoya, Tahitian and South Sea have almost certainly never even met someone who farms those types of pearls.
Blaire Beavers
Managing Editor
Pearl Guide News
China has a lot of freshwater cultured pearls that need to be sold and eBay is a great venue for sellers to display their wares. Unfortunately, over time, many sellers have gravitated to using unscrupulous tactics in an effort to compete with each other.
eBay users believe that they are buying real Tahitian, Akoya and South Sea pearls. This hurts honest sellers and devalues the real saltwater pearls sold by jewelry stores.
This presentation was delivered live at the Pearl Guide Ruckus in July 2016, so you will not hear the accompanying talk, but I hope that you will find it enlightening.
Jeremy Shepherd's comments on direct selling from pearl farms:
The farms in China are freshwater pearl farms. Pearls are always processed and this is done in massive processing factories. Pearls are an agricultural crop in China and are sold to these processing factories by weight or while still in their shells. Most small, family-run farms produce just a few kilos - nowhere near enough to match a single pair of perfect earrings let alone a strand.
Every pearl dealer in China claiming they are farmers and original wholesalers is lying. Even those selling freshwater pearls. Those making the same claims about akoya, Tahitian and South Sea have almost certainly never even met someone who farms those types of pearls.
Blaire Beavers
Managing Editor
Pearl Guide News
