Why I gave up on my local jewellers. Painful!!!

I have given up on the local jewelery stores in Toronto. Pain is part of love. Well, anyways, here I summarize the painful experiences:

1. The local retailers are much more expensive. There is a huge overhead on the rent, property management, staffs, insurance, inventory, etc. The cost is reflected on the price tags.
2. Some sales girls are trained to manipulate your situations. Suppose you want to buy an engagement ring. You don't want anything to screw up. This is a very good chance to break the greatest bargain hunter in town.
3. You won't be able to take advantage of the strong Canadian dollar. Diamonds come from the United States. Today, the exchange rate is around 1 US = 1.16 CDN, which was 1 US = 1.5 CDN just a few years ago. Diamonds should be much cheaper today in Canadian dollar term comparing to a few years ago, but it is not the case!
4. There is absolutely no refund or exchange. Some retailers won't even issue a receipt. Sorry, no can do...
5. The store may not accept credit cards. This is well-known in 1st Markham Place and Pacific Mall. You are not getting any credit card points, extra insurance, or extended warranty.