I was very glad to discover this forum; have no one else who understands my bead passion. Have been reading past entries and trying to learn all I can.

Was recently "burned" by a bogus bead site that looked legit, so now am more cautious about buying on-line. Am tempted by the wares at thaisilverbeads.com, originating in Chiang Mai, which looks legit. Wondered if anyone else has ordered handmade silver beads from this site (or another Thai exporter) and if there is anything I should beware of before hitting the "order" button. The shipping/insurance costs are clearly stated, and I've looked up the U.S. customs duty, which appears to be 7% for silver jewelry components.

Thank you for any advice.