Quick Question: Whiteflash Restocking Fee

[ussd]

I am buying this ring.

link

The confirmation email reads:

You will receive an e-mail from processing department the day your package is shipped. The day your package is delivered to FedEx begins your 10-day viewing period. In the event you are not satisfied with your purchase, you will need to submit a written request for return BEFORE 2 pm CST of your tenth viewing day. You will then be given return instructions. Your package must be post marked no later than the 11th day. Once we receive your diamond ring and has been checked by an independent appraiser, and it is in its original, undamaged condition, you will be refunded via company check the full purchase amount less $50 shipping/insurance and 20% re-stocking fee for the setting. Once your order has been processed, should you then decide not to proceed, you will be charged $50 to pay for the return shipping/insurance of the diamond and 20% re-stocking fee for the setting.

______________

Is this correct? I thought that there was only a re-stocking fee for custom settings.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[pebbles]

Here''s what is says on the web site:

Refunds
We offer 100% money back guarantee on all diamonds and standard settings and 80% on all designer and semi-custom rings returned in its original condition with RAN less original shipping.
All custom work and special orders cannot be returned for a refund unless there is an error by Whiteflash . All shipping charges are refunded when there is an error by Whiteflash.


Now the question is -- what is a "standard" vs. a "designer" or "semi-custom" ring? It looks like only the 4 or 6 prong tiffany type settings are the standard ones; everything else is designer. So it looks like the setting you chose with the pears would be a designer one.

I just ordered a flower pendant from them as well and I received the same e-mail you did -- 20% restocking fee + shippings costs. For me, it will cost over $100 to return it which is hard to swallow. I am still debating about whether or not I want to keep it.

 

[lmurden]

IF the pendant is what you want then go for it, but if you''re not sure than think about it long and hard.

 

[solange]

Is the 20% restocking fee for the stone or just for the setting? I thought they gave a full refund less shipping charges for a stone if notified by the deadline and a 20% restocking fee for a semi custom setting.
I think the standard settings are those they have in stock.I guess semi custom or designer possibly involves a special order for a seting not in stock. A custom design is one that they have designed specifically for you and would be difficult to resell.
Perhaps John can come on here and answer this question.

 

[belle]

well...since you got that email directly from wf, i would guess that pertains to your situation and by the quote pebbles posted from the site, it is certainly possible.
curious, why would you question the policy here and not speak to wf directly? it seems crazy to have people guessing at your situation when you could just call or simply reply to the email. that seems the most logical to me... get the answer from the source.

 

[noobie]

Date: 2/8/2006 10:39:14 AM
Author: belle
it seems crazy to have people guessing at your situation when you could just call or simply reply to the email. that seems the most logical to me... get the answer from the source.

I couldn''t agree more with this. Just ask. If you are not happy with the answer, ask if they will make some accomodation to make you happier. If not, then take that into consideration when making a purchasing decision.

 

[ussd]

I felt like WF was giving me the runaround. I may have been wrong but that is I why I asked here.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

If I had to take a wild guess, that setting is probably semi custom in that it has to have the right size head for your diamond...maybe?

I''d love to see it..please post pictures!

 

[Mara]

Date: 2/8/2006 12:25:36 PM
Author: noobie

Date: 2/8/2006 10:39:14 AM
Author: belle
it seems crazy to have people guessing at your situation when you could just call or simply reply to the email. that seems the most logical to me... get the answer from the source.

I couldn't agree more with this. Just ask. If you are not happy with the answer, ask if they will make some accomodation to make you happier. If not, then take that into consideration when making a purchasing decision.

Ditto hugely...there sometimes is something to be said for just flat out asking the vendor what is going on instead of the forum at large where people have to take wild guesses.

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 2/8/2006 12:25:36 PM
Author: noobie

Date: 2/8/2006 10:39:14 AM
Author: belle
it seems crazy to have people guessing at your situation when you could just call or simply reply to the email. that seems the most logical to me... get the answer from the source.

I couldn''t agree more with this. Just ask. If you are not happy with the answer, ask if they will make some accomodation to make you happier. If not, then take that into consideration when making a purchasing decision.

Amen.

 

[ussd]

Spoke with WF and they explained everything. I was worried for no reason.

I will post pics when my ring arrives.

Thanks everybody!

 

[Jelly]

Date: 2/8/2006 7:07:02 PM
Author: ussd
Spoke with WF and they explained everything. I was worried for no reason.

I will post pics when my ring arrives.

Thanks everybody!

And their reply was....?

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 2/8/2006 6:24:28 PM
Author: Mara

Ditto hugely...there sometimes is something to be said for just flat out asking the vendor what is going on instead of the forum at large where people have to take wild guesses.

Date: 2/8/2006 6:24:28 PM
Author: USSD

I felt like WF was giving me the runaround. I may have been wrong but that is I why I asked here.

I have to agree with Mara.....there is no substitute for flat out asking the vendor.

I guess I''m missing something. If you felt like you were getting the runaround, how does that get alleviated or resolved in asking here? Is it verification of information you''re seeking, or is there something else I''m missing?

 

[Kaleigh]

I think it''s a good reminder to go to the source. They know better than we what your situation is etc... I prefer to call with my personal questions. But that is just my preference.

 

[aljdewey]

I decided to comment on this separately next piece, because I don't think it's really a motivation of USSD's thread at all. I think he honestly came looking for a bit of help and nothing more.

There has been a recent "flavoring" to some of the posts in our community lately. There have been a lot of posts lately about policy issues.......WF policies, Quest policies, etc. etc. Some of them have been innocuous and posted with the mildest of intentions, and some are the result of "corralling" privately (off-the-board). The latter have been done as a subtle form of exerting peer pressure.

That's a potential pitfall of any community, especially one as intimate as Pricescope is. I really believe this could hurt us all in the long run.

Every vendor has different strengths and weaknesses and different business models. Each has decided how to best navigate the waters of his targeted consumers. I really think it's important to recognize some of those differences benefit us. Exerting peer pressure on vendors over policies can ultimately hurt us.

I hope Wink won't mind if I use him as an example. When shopping with him last year, I asked him about his trade-up policy. The gist of what he said: He has some limited ability to work on trade-ups, but his business model doesn't really support a lot of that because of the tremendous capital it would require. He's a local jeweler, so he's not as readily able to move a 1.5 or 2 ct. stone to someone else. He doesn't have the 'deep pockets' that Blue Nile has, so he can't just sit with a $20K stone in inventory without it affecting the rest of his inventory. As a small jeweler, he doesn't have the capital to shell out $30K for the trade-up stone without converting the $20k stone to cash first.

But....then again, he provides some wonderful personal touches that Blue Nile doesn't. I decided to purchase the $1k stone, and he said "well, I figure you're good for it, and I KNOW where to find you, Al, so I'll send it out today and it can cross in the mail with your check. WOW! Did I expect that? Nope. Do I think he should do that for every fly-by-night who comes in the door? Nope....but gee, it was certainly something that made me feel special to him, and we spent 20 minutes or so talking during the transaction.

More importantly, would I now expect Blue Nile to do the same thing? Not on your life! They don't know me. Their business model works differently. If the clerk on the phone at BN makes that offer to me today, he's probably going to be fired that evening. He's not the owner and not empowered to make those decisions.

Using the community to press Wink into reluctantly agreeing to a trade-up policy that he's not equipped to handle would be a lose-lose situation.....and it would be so for nearly any vendor. It sets up a conflict and tension between the consumers and the vendors. Vendors WANT to please us; they want to earn our business.

It's actually GOOD that different vendors have different policies, because those differences can become negotiating elements within sales transactions. As a customer, I ALWAYS ask for things that are important to me. The vendors can agree to accommodate me or not, and as Noobie pointed out, those accommodations will dictate how I decide who to use.

Personally, I like having choices, and if everyone were forced to be the same, choices diminish. If all the vendors do the exact same thing, there is no incentive for any of them to be creative in their policies, to be innovative, or to find new ways to add value. Instead, they would worry about maintaining the status quo and nothing more. That's not good for consumers.

 

[belle]

well said alj.