Wracked With Guilt

[blue_chica]

OK - I have a quandry. I mentioned in the old thread picking out my setting. I don''t remember if I mentioned, but I went back twice to see it before finally deciding that it was the one, and the guy we talked to originally spent, literally, about 3-4 hours with me total going over the pros-cons of the setting, showing me it with different sizes of diamonds, and going over various diamond options with me. One of the cooler/fun things he did with me was take 5 diamonds, with varying colors and cuts, and shook them up in a bag. He then showed me each diamond in succession, taking time to go back if I felt stones were comparable, so that I could rank them, and get an idea of how cut/color/fluorescence affects the look of the diamond. I don''t know if that''s standard service, but it certainly isn''t based on my other ring shopping excursions. Also, he complimented me repeatedly about my diamond knowledge, THANK YOU PS! I''m a total novice compared to the people here, but wow is this a great resource.

Anyway, we told him that we were looking online for the diamond, and educated him a bit about how that works.. I''d set a minimum size requirement because I have pudgy fingers. A budget is a budget and I was going to stick to it, but I was willing to fudge on color or clarity to get to that minimum. He showed me one diamond that was a great color, my inclusion level, but a tiny bit on the small side, below my minimum, and it was going to put us $300 over the max, not counting sales tax. I talked to my BF and he said that''s fine, but frankly, I felt bad. I realize that when you''re talking about e-ring budgets $300 isn''t that much, but a budget is a budget, and I didn''t want to go over it. Anyway, that night I was scoping out other diamonds and one came up on whiteflash that was exactly what I was looking for, and would put us under budget by $500. We went for it. Diamond is at Fedex right now (!!!!!) and BF is taking it to Aaron (guy at jewelry store) right away to get his opinion. I was supposed to go, but I am feeling so guilty for not going with Aaron''s stone after he spent so much time with me. The stone I got is kind of an average of the two stones he was selling in size and color, and I just went with what I thought was the best balance in the one I picked. But I feel guilty, soooo guilty. I really don''t want to go.

What do you ladies think? Did I take advantage of his time? His demonstrations of how color affects things did help me make the decision on the whiteflash diamond. Do you think it''s just a comparison shopping deal? HELP!

 

[jennyann2]

i don''t think you should feel bad. he''ll win some and he''ll lose some, but i bet with customer service like that he wins more than he loses. it''s always nice to have an awesome local jeweler you can go to with your other purchases. maybe he''ll have the perfect wedding bands for you guys.

 

[njc]

I''m in a similar situation, and feel bad too. Its not with diamonds though, its wedding dresses. I went to a dress shop and the woman that helped me was A-MAZ-ING! She took her time, seemed very honest in her opions, pulled dresses off the rack she thought i would look good in. My mother and i left knowing we would be back, she had sold us on the dresses just by her service. Then later in the day we went to a shop closer to home and found the dress i want.

Jenny - my mom said something similar to me. It just something that happens when you are in a sales type job. You win some and loose some. And i think you are right. If you have that great of customer service with everyone that walks through your door, you will always win more than you loose.

I cant help but feel guilty though... like i led her on. I even said i would be calling later in the week to set up another appointment. When i left there, i thought thats where i wanted to come back to. C''est la vie right?

 

[blue_chica]

Thanks guys You''re right that it''s probably a win-some lose-some thing. I guess I can tell myself also that he seems to really love his job so it''s not a burden on him. At least there weren''t other people waiting. I have such a hard time in retail situations sometimes because I really want to please people, and what better way to please someone than buying what they''re selling you?

 

[palmbaybabe]

Blue chica - I wouldn''t feel to guilty, you said that he did know that you were looking to buy your diamond on-line and you did take it to him for the setting so......don''t feel guilty

 

[goldengirl]

Don''t feel bad... retail is its own beast, and the fact is whoever has the best product at the best price will win the customers. That''s why so many are flocking to online stores when they may get better service, or at least personal face-to-face service, at a B&M.

I''m sure you will purchase something from him later, or refer others to him, that will have made his time a worthwhile investment.

 

[psuheather]

This is a great example of the difference between men and women...women are always thinking about feelings while men just want to get a great deal! I am the same way....it took me forever to feel comfortable looking at engagement rings because I knew that we weren''t going to buy one right away and I didn''t want to waste the salesperson''s time. Finally my bf pointed out that we''d never get to the point of actually buying one if we didn''t look first!

Goldengirl is right...people in business give good service not only to make the current sale, but to keep you coming back and to get recommendations. That''s how they stay in business. Plus, you have to look out for yourself too...would you rather have a lesser diamond on your hand to spare a strangers feelings???!!! I think not!!! Congratulations on your new bling!