FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Ordering
How do I place an order? Top
  • Online: www.gemmall.com . Find the item. Enter the quantity. Add it to your shopping cart. When you are done shopping, proceed to checkout.
  • Fax: 1-866-686-4397
  • Phone: 480-759-2090
  • Mail: 6100 W Gila Springs Pl, Suite 11, Chandler 85226
  • Email: customer.service@gemmall.com . Please do not send credit card information via emails.
How do I register on your website? Top
Click the login link located at the top of every page.
  • If you are a new customer, please click "Create Account". On next page, fill out the rest of the information, click on "Create Account" to finish your registration. You will receive an email confirmation right away.
  • If you are an existing customer, fill out your email and password to login. If you have forgotten your password, click "forgot your password" link to have a new password email to you. You will receive an email along with your new password within a few moments. If you do not receive your new password email after a while, say a few minutes, it is MOSTLY(99%) because the email was rejected by your email account or was mistakenly moved to your SPAM/BULK folders.
To ensure you receive your GemMall's emails, please add customer.service@gemmall.com to your Address Book or Safe List.
What are the minimums for orders? Top
There is no minimum for retail (general public) customers and $50 for wholesale (business) customers.
What are your methods of payment? Top
We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Diner?s Club and PayPal.
Do you accept checks, bank transfers and COD? Top
Normally we do not. We encourage you to use one of the payment methods listed above. If you have any concerns regarding the security or privacy using our website, please refer to our privacy statement.
However, if you really prefer other payment methods, please contact us after you register with us. We will then setup your account to accept these payment methods accordingly.
Do you accept the Visa or American Express gift cards? Top
No. Our payment system requires a billing address and will not take these cards because they do not have any billing addresses.
Would I be able to place an order outside of the United States? Top
Yes. We welcome orders from countries all over the world. In fact, we have served customers from more than 78 countries around the world as of September of 2009.
Will my shopping cart saved? Top
Yes. All shopping carts are automatically saved for 30 days. When you use the same computer next time, our system will recover the content of your shopping for you.
Do you store my credit card information? Top
If you add your billing information into your profile, then it will be stored on our secure server, so every time you place an order, you do not need to retype those information. If you do not want it saved, simply delete it from your profile. Please see our security certificates located on the bottom of each page. You can click on each one of them to verify their validity.
Please note that security codes are not saved. You need to enter your security code manually each time you order.
Do you send out samples? Top
No. We do not send out samples to customers. We recommend you order a small order before you place a substantial order if you are not confident with our quality or not sure whether that is the right product for your project. If you do not like that, you can always return it for full refunds.
Where is a coupon code entered? Top
In the shopping cart, under the "Checkout" button, enter the coupon code in the text field, and then click "Apply".
I entered my credit card information several times and now I received duplicate charges from GemMall. Why? Top
First, we want to guarantee that we never double-bill our customers. Those "duplicate charges" are just authorizations from your card issuing bank. They will be automatically dropped by your bank in 2 to 3 business days. The following is the detailed explanation for this matter.
When you enter your billing information in our system, it has to clear two banks; our bank (merchant) and yours (card issuing bank). More than likely, your bank has authorized us to take the payment, however our bank saw that the billing information did not match (or due to other security-related precautions) and therefore did not approve the transaction. Under this circumstance, you would still have a pending authorization with your bank. But such authorization will be dropped by your bank automatically without any involvement from both parties. This seems odds and confusing to many people, but it does exist and is very common scenario in credit card processing.
Can two forms of payment be used for one order? Top
No. If you have to use two forms of payments (e.g. two credit cards), you can submit two orders and using one card for each of the orders. If the shipping addresses for both orders are the same, our shipping department will combined two orders into one shipment and our accounting department will refund the shipping cost saved with combined shipping.
Do I have to pay sales tax? Top
Only California residents that do not have a resale license need to pay sales tax.
Can I make change or cancel my order? Top
Orders can be changed or canceled before we process them. In that case, please contact us via email or phone as soon as possible with the order number. If the change is significant, we recommend you to just submit a new order and we will combine the shipping, if necessary
Orders can not be changed or canceled after we start processing them.
I could not find the item I ordered before. What happened? Can I still order? Top
Our inventory is updated constantly and any items can become out of stock or disabled. If an item is disabled, you will not be able to see that from our website.
If you can not find an item online, you can not order it.
How do I generate a special order? Top
Special orders require a minimum of $200 per product and take approximately 4 weeks to manufacture.
After the products are made, we can ship it to you in two ways.
  1. Air shipment. This is from our factory abroad to you. You would have to pay the international shipping cost. It takes about 3-5 business days.
  2. Ocean shipment. Your order could be included in our ocean shipment which arrives every 3-4 weeks. When it arrives at our US warehouse, we will ship that to you. You would then pay for shipping from our warehouse in San Deigo, California to your destination.
For all special orders, please contact us via email or phone.
Do you sell gift certificates/ gift cards? Top
No.
Do you have a catalog that I could download or that you can send me? Top
No. Our online inventory is up-to date and constantly changing.
Do you have a store that I could visit and shop? Top
No, we are online only. Our warehouse is located in San Diego, California. 
However, if you are local customers and would like to pick up your orders in our warehouse, please let us know. We will then notify you when your order is ready.
Do you offer wholesale pricing for business? Top
Yes.
Shipping
How do I know my shipping cost before I place an order? Top
All shipping costs are calculated by our system based on the weight of your shopping cart. At checkout and before paying, you will know exactly how much your shipping will cost.
Therefore, if you want to know the shopping cost, you should add those items in your shopping cart. Proceed to check out when done shopping. You will be asked to login (or register if you have not done that yet). You will then enter your shipping address. After that, our system will present you a list of shipping methods with corresponding costs. You can choose the shipping method you want to continue your checkout process, or you can just stop there for any reason. We are very confident that our shipping cost is at least fair (if not much lower) compared to other dealers due to our large shipping volume.
How soon do you ship an order after it is submitted? Top
Most orders are shipped the same day or next business day. Please note that this does not include weekend and holidays.
How soon do I receive my order after it is shipped? Top
This depends on the carriers and the shipping methods. The followings are some estimate:
  • UPS Ground: 5 business days
  • UPS 3 Day: 3 business days
  • UPS 2 Day: 2 business days
  • UPS Next Day: 1 business day
  • USPS First Class Mail: 3 to 5 business days
  • USPS Priority Mail: 2 to 5 business days
  • USPS International First Class Mail: 5 to 15 business days
  • USPS International Priority Mail: 3 to 10 business days
For international customer, the above estimates do not include the delay in customs clearance.
How will I know if my order has shipped? Top
We send a shipping notification email with tracking numbers once we have shipped your order.
Please contact us if you do not receive such emails a few days after you place your order.
You can also check order status or view order history online.
What carriers do you use for shipping? Top
We use US Postal Service and UPS for domestic and US Postal Service for international. If you prefer UPS for international orders, please let us know in the shipping instructions and we will contact you with a shipping quote.
I want my order left on my doorstep/porch/etc. Can I do that? Top
We cannot instruct the carrier how to leave your package. They will use their own policies to deliver your package. If you have a specific requirement for delivery, please contact the carrier directly with your tracking number available.
I need "signature required" for delivery. How can I do that? Top
Please write that down in the "shipping instruction" area when you checkout, or contact us right after you place your order. We will then purchase this option for you when your order is shipped.
Please note that we do not purchase this service option by default.
I went to usps.com to track my order and it has been at the same place for a few days now. Why is that? Did you send my order? Top
If you have received a shipping notification email from us, then we have sent your order.
The US Postal Service does not provide point to point tracking. If your item is in transit or held in customs, it will not show online. If your package is being sent outside of the US and it has been over 10 days, please contact us with your order number so that we can start an investigation.
Does shipping insurance cover damaged/lost goods? Top
Insurance covers lost and damaged merchandise. We offer insurance on all orders.
Please note that shipping insurance is not available to some shipping destinations. For those shipping addresses, we can not purchase insurance and the customers are responsible for lost or damage package.
What should I do if my order is lost? Top
We will call the courier and start an investigation if your package is lost or delayed. If you would like to reorder before the investigation has been completed, you can do so. If you would like for us to send a replacement, we are able to do that after the insurance claim has been filed.
  • For US Postal service shipments, the insurance claim cannot be filed before 30 days for domestic and 45 days for international packages.
  • For UPS shipments, the insurance claim cannot be filed before 21 days but before 90 days from the ship date for domestic packages. For international you must wait 45 days but before 90 days of the ship date. The exception would be shipments to Italy which have to wait 60 days before the claim is filed.
Do you offer drop-shipping? Top
No.
Can I have my order gift-wrapped? Top
Sorry, we do not offer gift wrapping services.
I live close by, can I come pick up my order? Top
Yes, you are welcome to pick up your order at our warehouse in San Diego, California. Please let us know in the shipping instructions and we will let you know when your order is ready for pickup. We will also refund the shipping costs (if there is any) to you.
Can I have each item labeled? Top
We can not label products per customer request.
Most our strung beads and pendants do not have labels. Most of our silver and the Swarovski crystal products have labels outside the plastic bags.
Returns
How many days do I have to return my items? Top
All orders can be returned for full refund within 30 days of receipt with the following restrictions.
  • All items must be in their original conditions. All strung beads must be in their original strands and all products must be in their original packages with original labels.
  • Shipping costs are not refundable.
  • Sterling and Gold-Filled chains (by foot) can not be returned.
  • Sterling wires in coils and spools can not be returned.
  • Returns after 30 days of receipt can not be accepted.
How do I return the items to you? Top
Please follow these steps:
  1. Contact us for a return authorization number (RA#). Please have your order number ready when call or include that in your email.
  2. Write your RA# on the outside of the package.
  3. Wrap the items with enough cushions and package your shipment carefully to prevent damage. Please also securely enclose your package with enough tapes (sometimes, we received pages almost open, so just be careful).
  4. Send the package to us using a proper shipping method. We recommend you purchase shipping insurance to protect yourself in case the return package is lost or damaged.
When can I expect my refund? Top
All returns are processed within 5 business days after we receive. We will notify you by email once your return is process and refund is issued.
Order Problems
A bead/pendant that I received was damaged/chipped, what do I do? Top
Our beads are double checked to give you the best quality, however there are imperfections sometimes. Please contact us with your order number and the item code and we will start an investigation and response to you as soon as possible.
I am missing an item from my order. Top
First of all most of these reports are due to overlook of our customers. Therefore, we recommend you do the followings before contact us.
  1. Double check the box for all packaging, especially looking for small packages for silver and pendants.
  2. Count the number of strands/pieces that you received and compare that to the total number of items you have ordered.
  3. Go over your invoice. If the item is out of stock at the time of fulfillment, we would have adjusted the total at the bottom of your invoice.
  4. If there is still a problem, please contact us.
Of course, you are very much welcome to contact us with any questions. The above procedures are created to save both yours and our time.
I received a wrong item. What should I do? Top
Our orders are double checked to ensure accuracy, however, mistakes do occur. Please contact us with your order number and we will start an investigation to resolve the issue immediately.
The pendant that I ordered does not have a hole. What should I do? Top
Please look very carefully in the light. There is wax in some of the holes that make them difficult to see. The holes are sometimes on the black part of the pendant or on the inside of a petal. If you still do not see a hole, please contact us with your order number and item code and we will start an investigation immediately to resolve the issue.
I placed an order a few days ago and now I see that some of the items are on sale. Can I request a refund? Top
Most sales events are for future order only and they do not apply to previous orders.
Product Information
Do all pendants have holes? I received mine and there are no holes. Top
Yes, they have holes. Please look very carefully in the light. There is wax in some of the holes that make the holes difficult to see. The holes are sometimes on the black part of the pendant or on the inside of a petal. If you still do not see a hole, please contact us and we will start an investigation and resolve the issue as soon as possible.
What is the hole size in the beads? Top
It varies because they are hand drilled. But .7-1.2mm is an industry ad-hoc standard. This size is sufficient for absolute most threading material used in jewelry making.
Are the pictures of the products the actual size? Top
Most of the pictures are proportionate to the actual product. However, resolution settings vary in monitors, so the actual size cannot be determined by the picture.
Do the beads arrive ready to wear? Top
No. They should be cut loose by a designer and placed on string used specially for jewelry making.
Why are some of your beads made of glass? Top
The man made glass makes the bead harder and when chipped, it will not have a sharp edge.
What does FWP mean? Top
It stands for "Fresh Water Pearl".
How many beads come on one strand? Top
The number of beads varies, depending on the size of beads and the length of strands.
  • For those bead strands that do not have spacer between beads. The number of beads can be determined using this formula: length_of_strand / size_of_bead. If the strand is 16", the numbers of round beads in such a strand are: 4mm: 100; 6mm: 66; 8mm: 50; 10mm: 40; 12mm: 33.
  • For those bead strands that have spacer between beads (most of the briolette strands), the number of beads in a strand can not be determined by above formula. Please contact us if you have any questions.
How does the Chinese crystal compare to the Swarovski Crystals? Top
Chinese Crystals are used as replacement to Swarovski Crystals in many budget projects. Compared to Swarovski Crystals, they are not as shinning as the later, and the colors are not as accurate. If your project do not need to use the highest quality of crystal and budget is more important, we recommend you use Chinese Crystals. Otherwise, you should just use Swarovski Crystals.
What is "Quartz Glass"? Top
Quartz glass is man-made glass. It is made to have the same luster and look of natural quartz.
Why do some products have different colors than what I see online? Top
Most of our pictures are very factual due to our strict quality control.
However, color difference does happen, especially for natural stones. This difference in color is based on the atomic structure of the stone. Although the different stones formally have the same chemical composition, they are not exactly the same. When there are very big variances in color, we let you know in the descriptions so that you may plan correctly for your application.
What is the grade of your products? Top
We do not use the grade system like other dealers are using. It is because different dealers use different grading systems and this itself causes a lot of confusion to consumers. We do not want to confuse you and therefore we do not want to use that.
What does AAA mean? Top
It is designated that such a product is the top quality among its kind.
Do you sell loose, un-drilled gemstones? Top
No.
There is a product that I used to order, but I no longer see it on your website. When will you restock this item or do you have it in your warehouse? Top
We receive regular ocean container shipments every 3-4 weeks and cannot guarantee which items will be restocked. The inventory that you see online is accurate. If you do not see it, we do not have it at this time.
Accounts
How do I change my email address? Top
Login to your account. Go to your account profile. Click "Update" to the right of your email address.
What emails do I receive from GemMall? Top
Emails are the primary means we communicate with our customers. We send out following emails.
  • Registration Confirmation. Sent after you complete a registration. This email has the email address used for this registration.
  • Order Confirmation. Sent after you place an order. This email has the order number, and a detailed list of order items.
  • Shipping Notification. Sent after we ship your order. This email has your order number with tracking number or confirmation number.
  • Return Notification. Sent after we process your return. Usually this email also contains the refund amount we have issued.
  • Newsletter. Sent once in a while to notify our customers about new arrivals, sales events or other important messages.
To ensure you receive your GemMall's emails, please add customer.service@gemmall.com to your Address Book or Safe List.
I never received an email from GemMall. Why is that? Top
Most probably it is because your email software mistakenly flagged our emails as spam or junk mail. You should take the following procedures to ensure you can successfully receive our emails.
  1. Check your spam and junk folders and move all email from GemMall.com to your inbox folder.
  2. Add customer.service@gemmall.com to your Address Book or Safe List.
  3. Create an email filter to save all emails from GemMall.com to your inbox folder.
  4. Notify your ISP (internet service provider) that you are expecting emails from GemMall.com.
My account was disabled, what happened? Top
Please contact us if you think your account is disabled.
Wholesale
What kind of documentation is needed to set up a wholesale account? Top
We need to have your business/resale license.
How do I send my business/resale license to you? Top
  • Email: license@gemmall.com
  • Fax: 1-866-686-4397
  • Mail: 6100 W Gila Springs Pl, Suite 11, Chandler 85226
How can an overseas business get wholesale account setup? Top
For international customers, we have the following requirements to become a wholesale customer:
  • One trade reference from a US company
  • Initial order of $1000 USD at the minimum.
My state does not have sales tax, how do I apply for a wholesale account? Top
We know that some US states do not require any license to conduct business. For those states, we need to have your tax ID number and a phone number to the tax authority, so that we could verify.
I am a wholesale customer, why don't I get free shipping? Top
Wholesale customers receive lower prices than retail customers. Our profit margin does not allow us to offer free shipping for wholesale customers.
What percentage off of retail do I get as a wholesale customer? Top
You cannot base your prices off of the retail prices. Wholesale customers are priced based on their order history with us. If you do not have a history with us, you will still be able to price our products comfortably in your retail business.
Are there restrictions on wholesale for lower prices? Top
No. You can buy as little or as many strands as you want, you will still get a low price with a low minimum order of $50.
My account was upgraded, but I still see the same retail prices. Top
Please login to your account to see your wholesale prices. If you are already signed in, please try to logout and then sign back in.
Miscellaneous
Do you send a lot of marketing emails? Top
No. We only send out email newsletter once in a while.
Do you sell my personal information to other companies? Top
No. We follow the strictest practice and guidelines in protecting our customer privacy. Customer information, whether public or private, will not be sold, exchanged, transferred, or given to any third party, except our service providers as described in our privacy policy. We are certified by TRUSTe.org - the most esteemed trust company in the industry. Please refer to our privacy statement for further details.
Is shopping in your website secure and safe? Top
Yes. Our website is built with maximum security inside out. We adopt the best practices of online shopping security. All pages with personal information such as email, password, names, addresses, payment information are transported using the strongest HTTPS encryption. All these information are also encrypted before storing in our database. In addition, this site is daily monitored and certified by Hacker Safe and VeriSign - two of the most important companies enforcing online security.
We take security and privacy matters very seriously. We wish you a safe and happy online shopping experience!