Pearls on Etsy

[Nerida]

I have to agree.

I agree too, Sueki, and I find the seller's attitude frustrating. I can see her point, but it just leads to more misinformation, and more confusion.
And at no time does she say the pearls are dyed.... come on everyone, dyed pearls are dyed pearls... it doesn't matter how much the seller knows about pearls, it's about the consumer knowing what they have bought.

 

[pearlescence]

If the seller knows a lot about pearls does it not make the deception more serious?

 

[Nerida]

If the seller knows a lot about pearls does it not make the deception more serious?

One would think so.... I think in this instance, the seller didn't expect that the buyer would think they were Tahitians. She was just being light hearted, rather than deliberately deceptive. The end result however, is the same... a customer MAY still think they were buying Tahitians.

 

[Sueki]

One would think so.... I think in this instance, the seller didn't expect that the buyer would think they were Tahitians. She was just being light hearted, rather than deliberately deceptive. The end result however, is the same... a customer MAY still think they were buying Tahitians.

Light hearted maybe, but we have seen ebay sellers (rightly) slated on here for listing dyed freshwater pearls as Tahitian.
I see no difference between those Ebay sellers and the Etsy sellers or any others who describe dyed f.w.'s as Tahitian.

And quite apart from the honesty issue, I really wouldn't want to alienate my buyers by selling them something other than what they are expecting, and then having items returned to me.

 

[Nerida]

Light hearted maybe, but we have seen ebay sellers (rightly) slated on here for listing dyed freshwater pearls as Tahitian.
I see no difference between those Ebay sellers and the Etsy sellers or any others who describe dyed f.w.'s as Tahitian.

You are right. That's what I meant when I said that the end result is the same... there is no real difference between misleading the consumer by being light hearted, and misleading the consumer by being deliberately deceptive.

Sueki, I think it goes even further. I think that listing dyed freshwater pearls at all without stating that they are dyed is also incredibly misleading. The pearl-buying public, to a very large extent, has little knowledge of natural and dyed colours. To sell FW as "green" or "chocolate" or whatever without stating that they are dyed is just as misleading. I do sell a few chocolate pearls, and a few dyed black FW's. Most of my potential customers are truly amazed to hear that they are dyed. They just don't know.

And quite apart from the honesty issue, I really wouldn't want to alienate my buyers by selling them something other than what they are expecting, and then having items returned to me.
Today 08:26 AM

Or even worse, NOT have them returned to you and know that you have become part of the problem! Integrity is everything!

 

[Sueki]

You are right. That's what I meant when I said that the end result is the same... there is no real difference between misleading the consumer by being light hearted, and misleading the consumer by being deliberately deceptive.

Sueki, I think it goes even further. I think that listing dyed freshwater pearls at all without stating that they are dyed is also incredibly misleading. The pearl-buying public, to a very large extent, has little knowledge of natural and dyed colours. To sell FW as "green" or "chocolate" or whatever without stating that they are dyed is just as misleading. I do sell a few chocolate pearls, and a few dyed black FW's. Most of my potential customers are truly amazed to hear that they are dyed. They just don't know.

Again, I have to agree.

 

[pearlescence]

I agree (with myself?) and everyone else.
It would not enter my head to be economical with the truth.
I have some amazing big elliptical freshwaters which look like Tahitians. I have been trying to think of a way to convey this without making confusion. What do you all think of Tahitian-ish or Tahitian-like. Other suggestions?

 

[Nerida]

Wendy - how about - "Fabulous Freshwaters - you could swear these were Tahitians!"
These beautiful colour treated freshwater pearls are just amazing.... 12 - 13mm blah blah...?

 

[knotty panda]

Or, how about ...

... amazing big elliptical freshwaters which look like Tahitians.

... but aren't.

 

[pearlescence]

Well exactly. They aren't and they will not be described as being <insert hyperboles> or as tahitians, which was my point