James Allen Reviews: Is it a Legit Store?

Last Updated on September 6, 2023 by Juli "Jewels" Church

Wondering where to find affordable diamonds and rings?

You're in the right place. 

There are many online retailers for engagement rings and other fine jewelry nowadays, it can be hard to know who to trust. 

In this Learning Guide, we'll talk about James Allen one of the most popular online diamond retailers

is james allen a scam

Some james allen ring reviews seem to put to much focus on the less important stuff. Unlike most James Allen reviews, we address the question we all want to know: Is James Allen is a scam?  And more importantly—Is James Allen a good brand? 

But its popularity has people wondering, is James Allen reputable to buy rings from?

Customers who are on the market for rings are often ripped off by online dealers, who take their money and then sell them an inferior quality diamond. It can be as simple as receiving an h-color diamond ring instead of the d-color engagement ring that you purchased.

In this learning guide, I'll answer the most popular questions on if you as a consumer that shops for a ring, should invest your time at James Allen like:

Is James Allen A Good Brand To Buy From?

Bottom Line Up Front:

James Allen is one of the best online jewelry retailers in the business.

Why? 

Since they are an online only shop, jamesallen.com can deliver a better quality product at a lower price compared to brand name brick and mortar shops like Tiffany or Zales stores.

They also offer high definition 360 degree 20x zoom imaging experience for their entire stock which besides the traditional engagement ring also includes a loose diamond collection, as well as gold and platinum jewelry, so you can see every detail of your ring before you buy as well as 24/7 customer support, warranty and easy risk free returns if there's ever an issue.

Click here to shop James Allen's selection of premium diamonds.

Without a middleman to check the diamond quality of the ring, consumers are more vulnerable to these scam dealers.

James Allen is a popular online diamond retailer that ships rings and other jewelry worldwide. They claim to offer a better value than other retailers, allowing you to get a higher grade diamond jewelry and rings for less. 

But a lot of people wonder, is James Allen a scam?

You'll be surprised how the price of their wedding rings and other jewelry truly complements its beauty compared to the rings of other diamond retailers. 

However: 

Because James Allen has no retail operation in most areas, potential customers often ask if the company can be trusted...

...which makes sense because you don't want to be ripped off on a high ticket item like a diamond ring or necklace. 

So good on you for diligently doing your research before buying rings and other jewelry.

After all, why are James Allen diamonds so cheap?

James Allen is completely legit. If you are on the market for a new diamond, gemstone, or other ring or piece of fine jewelry, you really can't go wrong with them. They offer a huge selection of rings and jewelry at very competitive prices paired with great customer service.

By offering diamonds and rings direct from the vendor, jamesallen.com can cut out any markup fees for carrying inventory online. The diamond ring is only shipped to them once its purchased to set it and then shipped to the customer. 

Here, we’ll discuss some of the James Allen negative reviews.

Although the company is not a scam, there are some issues that you should be aware of before you choose to buy a diamond ring or other jewelry from jamesallen.com

Does James Allen Bait And Switch?

A common complaint is that many diamond sellers will try to pull you in with a low offer. Once you’ve agreed to take the diamond ring or other diamond jewelry piece, they’ll then tell you it’s no longer available. They’ll then try to sell you a more expensive diamond than the one you picked out.

Unfortunately, James Allen have been known to try this strategy. After a diamond ring has been ordered, customers have said that the company claimed it was unavailable. Instead of offering an alternative in the same price range, they tried to push more expensive options.

Diamonds rings and other diamonds often run out of stock, so you may not always get the one you initially picked out. However, a good diamond dealer will understand your price range, and try to find an alternative that is similar to your first preference. James Allen does not always do this, putting a dent in their reputation.

But does it mean that James Allen is a scam?

It's not as if they're substituting your diamonds with a simulated stone. You'll never have to ask yourself, Are James Allen diamonds real? Because the answer is always yes. 

They're just trying to upsell. 

Still, it still has some people wondering. 

Is James Allen Legit? Reputable?

There were also complaints that James Allen would not follow through on upgrade offers to existing diamonds and diamond rings or other jewelry. They would sell a ring, claiming that it could later be altered. When time came for the upgrade, they would claim it was no longer possible, and that a new ring would need to be purchased.

Are James Allen Diamonds Real?

One of the major fears people have about buying rings and buying diamonds online vs in the store is that the product they order will not be the one they receive. Unfortunately, there are a lot of retailers that confirm these fears, sending out inferior rings and other products to cut costs.

James Allen have a mixed reputation when it comes to delivering on diamond quality that matches the exact product description of the invoice. Many customers say that they received exactly the ring that they ordered, and that the quality was as expected. 

However, there have been complaints that the cut of the diamond was different than how it was described. In some cases, the difference was one of style, where the diamond was of the same quality but had a different cut. There were also some customers who said they received a lower quality diamond ring  than what was promised.

Are James Allen Diamonds Conflict-Free?

Yes, James Allen diamonds are conflict free. They are certified by the Kimberley Process (KP), which is an international certification scheme that aims to prevent conflict diamonds from entering the legitimate diamond trade. James Allen also has its own internal conflict-free policy, which goes beyond the KP requirements. This policy includes:

  • Only purchasing diamonds from suppliers who are members of the KP and who have been vetted by James Allen.
  • Requiring suppliers to provide documentation that proves the origin of the diamonds.
  • Conducting random audits of suppliers to ensure compliance with the policy.

In addition to being conflict free, James Allen diamonds are also ethically sourced. They are all certified by one of the top three grading laboratories: GIA, AGS, or IGI. This means that the diamonds have been graded for their quality and authenticity.

Is James Allen Good to Order From?

Most buyers have high standards for their diamond rings and loose diamonds, and want it to match their specifications exactly. While you may be willing to accept a small mistake with a cheaper item, it’s unacceptable with an investment as large as a diamond ring.

James Allen have received numerous complaints about mistakes in orders. These mistakes include sending the wrong ring or diamond, not following jewelry specifications, and shipping flawed diamonds.

That said, James Allen also have received a number of positive reviews and feedback from clients who got exactly the rings that they asked for. They do have good diamonds and rings, and can produce great engagement rings and jewelry. However, consistency is lacking, and they make too many mistakes given the size of the investment and the sentimental character of a ring purchase.

Is James Allen Good With Shipping?

James Allen will often send out rings with next day delivery dates. However, customers have complained that the delivery date for their ring is continually pushed back, and that they don’t receive their order on time.

When they reached out to customer service, they would not get a clear answer on the status of their ring order, or they would be told that the ring  order was on its way.

The company could have stock issues, and are waiting for diamonds to become available. Or they are saving money on shipping by using standard instead of next day delivery. Either way, the practice is misleading, and frustrating given how much you have to pay when you buy a ring or other diamond jewelry.

Issues with shipping appear to be worse for customers outside of the US, as more shipments are delayed.

Does James Allen Honor Refunds?

When buying a ring or any kind of diamond online, things won’t always turn out exactly how you expect. Reputable diamond sellers handle this problem with generous refund policies, quickly fixing any mistakes so that you get the perfect diamond.

Here's what the James Allen negative reviews say.

James Allen gets a number of complaints about its customer service. One of the most common is that the refund policy is not always clear, and that processing refund requests can take quite some time.

Others say that they had to make multiple calls just to reach the right person, and that they had to pay for shipping every time an adjustment needed to be made to an order.

Other customers have claimed that the company did not honor their refund after making a mistake with the ring order. This is an online diamond buyer’s worst nightmare, and it’s a shame to see it happen with a large online retailer.

There have also been some issues with refund policy timelines. Customers have tried to initiate the refund policy for rings and jewelry, but were not able to reach customer service. By the time they could get someone to review the refund request, James Allen would claim that the refund period had expired.

More JamesAllen.com Reviews from Consumers

Bad and Negative Reviews

Customer reviews from various review sites not affiliated with companies themselves is a good way to get an idea of what you could experience with the company. While not every experience is bad, know that some bad experiences are put on the internet in retribution or to deter others from buying.

On Reddit

Over the last year, the reviews on James Allen from Redditors have been mixed. As a whole, many people love their James Allen Engagement Ring. They are very happy with their diamonds. 

There is a small group of people who are reporting trouble with their settings and repairs. One indication that might affect it is because JamesAllen.com jewelry can be serviced at some local Jared stores. Jared, Kay, and Zales, all use the same service centers, which have plenty of complaints from their customers too. 

On Yelp and the BBB

There are many negative reviews online about James Allen, especially within the last year. Many people indicate this has been due to the company being bought out by Signet Jewelers. However, you should also expect to read more negative reviews on these sites as many post to serve as a warning to future buyers. These types of reviews aren't often written for positivity. Reddit is a better avenue for that. 

Yelp Rating 2.6: Over the last 6 months, the reviews on Yelp have been very low, with almost all of them having 1 stars. The issues being reported are common issues that normally happen at Signet's other retail stores. 

BBB Rating 4.53: Almost like the polar opposite, the Better Business Bureau reviewers have much better things to say about the company. Majority of the reviews have nothing put positive things to say about their experience using James Allen. Not only do they say putting an engagement ring was easy, but their other diamond jewelry seems to stand up to quality as well. 

Canada, UK, NZ & Australia

James Allen has free shipping to customers worldwide. Every package is insured and items $500+ are shipped via FedEx priority overnight.

However, under James Allen's BBB profile, there were a few Canadian customers that said they had a lot of problems dealing with their repairs, so something to look out for. 

Now it got me thinking, is Blue Nile a scam? Since we talked so much about JA in this article, I believe it'll be worth your while to read my article to check if Blue Nile is a rip off. 

Are James Allen Negative Reviews a Dealbreaker? 

The long list of complaints from customers who bought their rings and jewelry outlined above might make you think that James Allen shouldn’t be trusted with your money.

However...

There are some caveats that you should keep in mind.

Diamonds are a significant investment, and people expect them to be perfect. This is reasonable, given the amount of money involved. However, it also means that customers will speak up loudly, and sometimes unfairly, if there is anything wrong with their order.

Mistakes will happen with online diamond orders, both for rings and for other fine jewelry, especially if there are exact specifications. Even the most reputable diamond dealers make errors, which can lead to angry complaints online.

James Allen have received complaints on the occasional ring purchase, but there have also been many positive customer experiences with the company. When making a decision about James Allen, you should keep both of those facts in mind.

Is James Allen a Good Brand to Trust?

James Allen offers a range of different options when it comes to rings and other jewelry, many of which are great value for the money. 

However, the company will often turn to sales tactics that are a bit misleading.

One of the biggest issues with jamesallen.com is transparency. It’s hard to know what you’re going to get, and pricing is not always clear. They may also try to upsell you on a more expensive diamond ring if your initial choice is not available.

Mistakes will happen with online diamond sellers of rings and jewelry. But you need to trust that they will be willing to do everything possible to quickly fix the mistake and get you the right diamond. James Allen has a poor track record when it comes to customer service, and are known to not always honor refund requests.

Many customers have purchased excellent diamonds from James Allen, so they are a company and not an outright scam. But if you choose James Allen, you should watch out for upselling of rings and bait and switches. If you do have an issue, customer service is not always responsive.

Overall, you’re in good hands if you choose James Allen. In most cases, you’ll probably get what you want (and more) from your ring or jewelry order. 

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