I'm All Fired Up!
FireMountainGems.com
Found out the other day that I'm a second-generation Fire Mountain customer. Back when Dad was making jewelry hot and heavy, he ordered basic findings from Fire Mountain. Recently when he was visiting and spied the Fire Mountain catalog, he was amazed and impressed by the extensive selection offered by the company today!
And that's one of the things I like best about Fire Mountain's companion web site. I can find darned near anything I need on their web site. From Swarovski crystals, to genuine stones, glass beads, findings, sterling spacers, wire, books and displays, and more...all my jewelry-making supplies are available at the click of a mouse.
Web site navigation is simple and easy to use. If I can't find something quickly via the navigation bar on the left side of my screen, there's a search engine within the site that will bring up what I'm looking for. A recent search for "pink Delica" (a tiny seed bead) brought up the entire listing of pink Delica beads as well as a sub listing by style (silver lined, translucent, opaque, etc.,) so that I could pick and chose my selections easily.
(One note, while the web site is easy to navigate and search, the free catalog (more of an encyclopedia — it's huge) is NOT. While I enjoy perusing a catalog, marking pages, and reading additional tips not included on the web site, the catalog is a pain in the rear if you need to find anything specific. If you have a specific "shopping list", and you are not just browsing, do your search and shopping via the web site, not the catalog.)
Prices are very competitive, even with my local wholesale shop. In fact, on most Swarovski crystals, Fire Mountain has the best prices for quantity that I've been able to find. Small increments of supplies will get you good pricing, and your savings will increase as you use Fire Mountain's Assortable Pricing, not available from most companies.
Assortable Pricing allows me to mix and match — 1-14 units, 15-49 units, 50-199 units, 200+ units. A unit can be one quantity of one item, with multiple quantities of the same item counting as separate units. You can purchase 200 pieces of a single item or 200 different pieces, and get the same tier pricing. Most wholesalers require purchase of multiples of the same item to get the deep discount... this is a BIG plus for Fire Mountain.
Every item in the online catalog has a nice, clear photo of the item. I won't purchase anything online unless I can see a picture, and a good one at that. Fire Mountain's photos are true to color, detail, and size and I have yet to be disappointed with the quality of their merchandise.
Fire Mountain has updated their shopping cart process since my first review, and I like the improvements. You can see what's in your cart on the right side of the screen, and while you still have to click the "ADD ME" button for each item, you don't have to go back and forth between the shopping cart and page you were purchasing from.
Shipping is via USPS, FedEx, UPS or Canada Air. Frequently, I've found Fire Mountain offers a flat $5 rate for FedEx, which is usually the most cost effective.
Product is packed neatly, carefully and there's always a little freebie included in your shipment. Lately the freebies have been a little cheesy, but every once in a while, you get something useful or fun.
Return policy for Fire Mountain is generous. Simply return the items for a full refund. Refund policy states: We are happy to accept returns, and there is no need to call for prior authorization on regular items. We do not accept returns on special orders. To make a return, please fill out the return form on the back of your invoice. All returns must include a copy of the original invoice. All returned merchandise must be sent in its original container/bag, and in a completely unaltered state. If ordering different items in exchange for the items you are returning, please add $5.00 to cover postage. Fire Mountain Gems is not responsible for postage on returned items.
If you need to call the toll free number, customer service is awesome. Every CSR from Fire Mountain that I have talked to is helpful, knows the product, and is willing to take the time to let me look for "just one more item".
Extras on the web site: Design gallery to look for inspiration, project sheets, articles on various gemstones and other interesting jewelry-related topics, a Virtual BeadBoard that allows you to design jewelry and order components directly (I believe this feature is exclusive to Fire Mountain, have not seen it elsewhere) and more.
Bottom line, Fire Mountain Gems is a terrific way to purchase supplies for making beautiful jewelry. While the company's come a long, long way from when Dad just ordered split rings and clasps in 1973, they still offer quality products, good pricing, and great customer service. Fire Mountain has a terrific formula for a long-standing business, and I hope the NEXT generation of jewelers in my family will shop from them as well.
