Tahitian Pearl: Buyer Beware TERRIBLE experience with vendor

[bgray]

I purchased a Tahitian for several hundred dollars from http://tahiti-pearl-online.com/.. It was described and pictured as a 12.3mm "rare silver pink" and the picture was exactly that. I was sent a plain silver with an ugly yellow green cast. Awful. Just beside myself.

 

[katbran]

Re: Tahitian Pearl: Buyer Beware TERRIBLE experience with ve

What did they say when you emailed them to say you are unhappy with the pearl. They seem to have a reasonable return policy.

 

[NacreLover]

Re: Tahitian Pearl: Buyer Beware TERRIBLE experience with ve

I remember you starting a thread a while back looking for trusted vendors. Just saying.

 

[bgray]

Re: Tahitian Pearl: Buyer Beware TERRIBLE experience with ve

no reply...

 

[Kay]

Re: Tahitian Pearl: Buyer Beware TERRIBLE experience with ve

If they do not reply to your request to return the pearl, then you should contact your credit card company to dispute the charge because the merchandise was not as described.

 

[bgray]

Re: Tahitian Pearl: Buyer Beware TERRIBLE experience with ve

I remember you starting a thread a while back looking for trusted vendors. Just saying.

yes i did. I reached out to all of them and was underwhelmed by all of them. no one really went out of their way to find what I was looking for. It was more like--here is what we have that is closest to what you want.

 

[bgray]

Re: Tahitian Pearl: Buyer Beware TERRIBLE experience with ve

If they do not reply to your request to return the pearl, then you should contact your credit card company to dispute the charge because the merchandise was not as described.

i guess you are right.

 

[cmd2014]

Re: Tahitian Pearl: Buyer Beware TERRIBLE experience with ve

I'm sorry you've had a bad experience. Tahitians often don't look anything in real life like they do in light box photos online. It can be so disappointing. How long ago did you email? I might suggest contacting them by phone to arrange a refund. If they refuse, I'd call the credit card company like others have suggested, but I wouldn't assume anything until you have spoken to someone there.

 

[4Ranch Girl]

Re: Tahitian Pearl: Buyer Beware TERRIBLE experience with ve

I remember you starting a thread a while back looking for trusted vendors. Just saying.

yes i did. I reached out to all of them and was underwhelmed by all of them. no one really went out of their way to find what I was looking for. It was more like--here is what we have that is closest to what you want.

Sorry you were underwhelmed but I think the point you are missing is that pearls are made by a living creature not mined from the earth cut and polished by man. With each harvest the farmer has no clue what he will find when he opens up the oyster if he finds anything at all. What you want just might not be availiable this year and maybe next year too.

 

[katbran]

Re: Tahitian Pearl: Buyer Beware TERRIBLE experience with ve

Send another email , sometimes these things just get overlooked. Definitely cancel the card payment. If nothing else that will get their attention.

As to being 'underwhelmed' I agree totally with 4RanchGirl . I know myself from going to the HK show where there are thousands and thousands of strands ... that sometimes exactly what you want is just not there at the time you want it. The HK show in September is approaching rapidly, I would suggest requesting someone to search for the pearl or strand that you are looking for. Be sure to give them a budget and the exact information. Size, shape, colour,grade.

Have you checked on Kojima? She often has loose Tahitians as does Agustus Antiques / Eastern Trade Winds. Both are very reputable.

I had a quick look at the web site you used..they seem pretty expensive tbh.

 

[NacreLover]

Re: Tahitian Pearl: Buyer Beware TERRIBLE experience with ve

I don't think you can cancel a CC payment when you have their merchandise. Dispute, yes. Sven (Agustus) is in Bali. There is more than one reason many of us choose to do business with trusted vendors in our own country. Many of us have things on vendors shopping lists when they head out in Sept. Perhaps you will ask them to find you what you're looking for.

 

[pkinnew]

Re: Tahitian Pearl: Buyer Beware TERRIBLE experience with ve

bgray - Sorry about your disappointing experience. I agree with the others, follow-up with another email and see what kind of buyer protection your credit card offers. And if there are pearls you really want contact one of the vendors mentioned throughout these posts and they might keep an eye out for them.

 

[cmd2014]

Re: Tahitian Pearl: Buyer Beware TERRIBLE experience with ve

bgray: I was wondering if you had any luck returning your pearl? I was hoping that you might have gotten a response by now...

 

[Pearlescence]

Re: Tahitian Pearl: Buyer Beware TERRIBLE experience with ve

Hi
I agree with Katbran. The pearls seem to be a bit pricey for grade, although there is, of course, a provenance premium.

 

[bgray]

Re: Tahitian Pearl: Buyer Beware TERRIBLE experience with ve

bgray: I was wondering if you had any luck returning your pearl? I was hoping that you might have gotten a response by now...

nope totally non responsive

 

[Kay]

Re: Tahitian Pearl: Buyer Beware TERRIBLE experience with ve

bgray: I was wondering if you had any luck returning your pearl? I was hoping that you might have gotten a response by now...

nope totally non responsive

Did you buy with a credit card? Call your CC company, tell them the seller sent you merchandise that does not match what you ordered and that you have attempted to return the merchandise using the merchant's return policy, but they are not responding to your requests to make a return. I find that sellers become more responsive once the CC company contacts them.

 

[ckrickett]

Re: Tahitian Pearl: Buyer Beware TERRIBLE experience with ve

bgray: I was wondering if you had any luck returning your pearl? I was hoping that you might have gotten a response by now...

nope totally non responsive

Did you buy with a credit card? Call your CC company, tell them the seller sent you merchandise that does not match what you ordered and that you have attempted to return the merchandise using the merchant's return policy, but they are not responding to your requests to make a return. I find that sellers become more responsive once the CC company contacts them.

+1 to this

 

[cmd2014]

Re: Tahitian Pearl: Buyer Beware TERRIBLE experience with ve

bgray: I was wondering if you had any luck returning your pearl? I was hoping that you might have gotten a response by now...

nope totally non responsive

Did you buy with a credit card? Call your CC company, tell them the seller sent you merchandise that does not match what you ordered and that you have attempted to return the merchandise using the merchant's return policy, but they are not responding to your requests to make a return. I find that sellers become more responsive once the CC company contacts them.

+1 to this

+2. I had a furniture store take my deposit on a $$$ dining room set once and then go out of business the next day (stealing everyone's money), and my CC refunded me my money off of my card. Most cards offer consumer protection services.

 

[Pearlescence]

Re: Tahitian Pearl: Buyer Beware TERRIBLE experience with ve

The card handling company does the refund from the funds they hold from the retailer, just to clarify. Enough complaints and they will close the account. One reason to beware of a seller who takes only paypal..it is a way to keep trading.
Paypal is much more open to frauds than a direct card transaction.