Wholesale transactions have historically been between a reseller of an item to a retailer who, in turn, sells to the end consumer. With logistics having become much simpler thanks to the Internet, there are and now wholesalers who sell items directly to consumers. This is no different with jewelry, including the wholesale purchase of rings.

If you decide to buy rings wholesale online, keep in mind two important ways to tell if your supplier is legitimate. A wholesale company will sell jewelry at genuine wholesale prices. That means that they are only interested in sales that are large enough to cover their costs. And they will usually ask for a tax id or permit number to prove you are a legitimate reseller. Use these two criteria to tell if the company you are dealing with is a real wholesaler.

When dealing with an online rings wholesale company, you need to do several things. First, you want to be sure that you are buying the real thing. There are many companies out there that will advertise that their jewels are 'authentic.' Read the sales copy very carefully, and educate yourself quickly. For instance, beware of words like 'faux' or 'realistic.' This is an indication that the metal used isn't real gold, silver or platinum, and also that the stones are fake.

Many websites offer wholesale directories and they vary in quality. I tend to use free sources first, that would be only normal, right? So, for example, if you are looking for an engagement ring at a wholesale price, simply go to Google or Yahoo and type "engagement ring wholesale" into the search box. The idea here is to type in different related keywords such as "distributor" or "manufacturer" and combine them to get different results.

Be aware that some wholesalers will only sell in bulk, so you need to decide exactly what you want to buy before committing your money into merchandise. Also, find out if the company has a refund or exchange policy, as well as a 100% money back guarantee. This is important as it will protect you if you discover that you are not happy with the pieces you have purchased, or if they are of lesser quality than you expected.

Also consider using eBay to find jewelry at wholesale prices. Again, use caution. Check the seller's feedback and ratings, and make sure that you are dealing with a reputable person or company. If the jewelry is an expensive piece, use the escrow service that eBay recommends - even if you have to pay the escrow fees yourself!