5601 Schaefer Dearborn, Michigan 48126
After some of the things that happened to us in the last month of last year we are looking forward to having a better 2015. It’s not often that I can honestly say that I’m unhappy with owning a jewelry store. the last month of 2014 made me start to reconsider owning a jewelry store and ask ourselves some important questions. One of the largest questions that had to be answered is ‘just how much abuse do we have to take from customers?’ I’m not talking about my customers, clients, family, friends those that have been with us from the day we opened or soon after. No, I’m talking about those off the street walk-in customers the ones that have found us by way of the internet. Of course, we are so thrilled to have new customers in the store and we have them on a daily basis. There however is something about December that brings out the worst in people. Yeah, you heard it right the ‘worst’ many of the new customers we get in December. These are the one time only customer for the most part are doing a search on the internet for watch repair/watch battier replacement or they need to have a few links taken out of their new watch. It could be the customer that needs to have that new ring they bought at another jewelry store and they won’t size it for them before two weeks. They’ve bought the watch or ring or whatever jewelry they are looking to have work done on from another jewelry store that either can’t or won’t do the work for them right away. In many cases, these jewelry items are being bought from jewelry stores in the malls. These stores send all repairs out and have a turn around time of two to three weeks.
Here I’m going to tell of just a few of the stories of what we had the misfortune to deal with this past December. The first of many was a man who came into the store and had bought a diamond engagement ring in early December he needed it sized up 2 sizes. White gold two size up not from our store that’s $75.00 and that’s ready in three days. He was outraged that I told him $75.00 and told me this is Dearborn you guys are a “small nothing store” everything is done so cheap in Dearborn how can you charge me that much? Before I could say a word he went on to tell me and you want me to wait three days for that amount of money you can do it for me while I wait and for less than that. He took $30.00 out of his pocket laid it on the counter and said ” $30.00 is good and you can do it for me now while I wait.”
With the biggest smile I could find I slid the money back to him said that it’s $75.00 and three days and I know how much other places charge my price is cheap and I know how much time they make you wait for your repair. Please don’t presume because we are an independent jewelry store in a City that you think does everything cheap that our craftsmanship is cheap. That our time is free, or you can come into any business and insult years of hard work. While you have insulted us I understand you’ve been to many places and have been hit with high prices to do the job. I will take your repair for the price I gave you and the time period I stated not one penny less or one day soon. You however should be able to take it back to where you bought it and I’m sure they would be willing to size the ring for you for free. At least this is what they should do at least one size for free I’m sure however that they will not have it before two weeks. Now what size did you need that ring sized to?
Two weeks before Christmas lady comes in with a brand new watch she’s bought to give to her husband for Christmas. She needs two links taken out of the watch yes we sure can do that for you. How much she asked? That’s going to be $10.00 and it will be done in three days. She looked and said are you joking $10.00 to take out two links you should be doing it for free it’s so simple and why do I have to wait three days for it? I told her that yes if you bought this watch from our store we would be more than willing to take out a couple of links at no charge, but you didn’t buy this watch from my store. The reason you have to come back in three days is because this is the store policy on all repairs I can’t put your repair before others that came before you. For the record, it’s not so simple if it was then you could take care of it yourself at home and wouldn’t need to come to a professional to do it. Furthermore, time is money and the time we spend on taking out those watch links cost money. I’m sure the store that you bought your watch from would be more than willing to accommodate you it might be best for you to check with them first. With a long sigh, she explained just what the store was going to charge her and how long she wold have to wait. $50.00 to take out two links and 10 days before it was done. I smiled and asked if she would like to leave the watch or try her luck at another store gave her a few names of some other stores who might be willing to do it for her.
Man comes in two days into December wants to make a name plate and have it put on a chain. Price given and two-week turn around time. He pays upfront and we make the name for him when the name comes in we call to tell the man his name plate is in and ready to go. He calls back and tells us that he’s broken up with the young lady and wants his money back. I explain as I did when he paid for and placed the order that this is a custom order (no refunds.) he wasn’t happy about it and tried to have us give some of the money back. Again sorry this isn’t something that we have a customer for and could maybe sell this is someone’s name. How can you expect us to wait for someone with that name to walk into the store and want that nameplate with that design on it? The chances of that happening are zero that’s why as I told you custom orders are paid for in advance and not refundable.
More.. http://njdiamondsjewelry.com/2015/01/04/happy-new-year-oh-we-hope-it-will-be/
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