There's a difference between going to your local market and buying caviar there, and buying your caviar online. There are many reasons to consider online resources for buying caviar, including having more variety and a more competitive field for shopping.

Before you buy any caviar online, then consider the following five things. This way, you have a pleasant shopping experience and can get the caviar you need in a timely and efficient manner.

1. Shipping costs/times

Caviar is often shipped cold to prevent spoiling while in transit. For this reason, it may have higher costs to ship if you are buying caviar from overseas or from across the nation. Check shipping costs—and how products are shipped—when ordering caviar online so you can compare prices and shipping costs of various brands.

The longer caviar is kept in transit, the more likely it can be to overheat or reach its expiration date before you even receive it. Check the shipping times when buying Russian Osetra caviar for sale online or other types of caviar for sale, and pay extra for faster shipping and handling if it's available.

2. Item transparency

Caviar can be very expensive, but expense doesn't always mean great quality. When buying caviar, what you're looking for is item transparency: what's in the jar, where did it come from, how is it stored, and how many ounces are in a single jar. Any online caviar should show a photo of the jar itself and the product inside, as well as a description of what type of fish roe the container has. Traditional caviar is made from sturgeon, but other types of fish roe can be purchased with success, especially if you're online shopping.

Don't let your assumption caviar is great online be based on its cost. Some of the best caviar brands are cost-effective, so make sure you are looking at item transparency when buying caviar online so you aren't shocked when your product arrives.

3. Retailer loyalty

What are you planning on using your caviar for? A one-time dinner party? Just to try it out? Or to serve as a regular dish in a restaurant? When ordering online, make sure you know just how much caviar you really need. Repeat purchases can lead to discounts, so when buying a type of caviar, then consider sticking to the same retailer so you can get loyalty benefits in shipping and cost.