Terrible experience buying pearls from a department store

[Ren]

So this is my first topic, and most of you probably know better (I didn't), but I had a truly awful experience trying to buy a pair of pearl earrings from a major department store. I'm a college student, so my budget for Christmas presents is usually pretty low, but my mom asked for a pair of pearl earrings that matched the pearl bracelet I got her from PP for mother's day. I had planned to buy a pair from PP because I've never been disappointed by their pearls, but I saw a cheaper pair at Macy's while I was Christmas shopping, and wanting to save a few bucks, decided to pick it up.

I examined them very thoroughly before buying and they had nice lustre, were round, the right size, white, and a blemish-free surface. The lady said I could get 25% off if I picked them up a few days later - they were preselling for their friends & family sale. So of course I agreed, I paid and watched her put my pearls in a box and in the safe.

Well I came back a few days later to pick them up, and the lady that helped me was very rude and was rushing me to sign saying I received them and then ushered me out the door. I didn't get a good look at them until I got home that night. The pearls she gave me were almost YELLOW! And there was a huge dimple on one of them - right in the very front! These were absolutely not the pair I picked out and paid for. Needless to say, I returned them the next day and took advantage of the PP Cyber Monday sale and picked up a pair I know I & my mom will love.

Sorry for the extremely wordy rant, but I just wanted to let any newcomers know about these dishonest practices. If you can't walk out of the store with the piece you picked out, I just wouldn't bother. This experience left a really bad taste in my mouth and I will definitely not be purchasing fine jewelery from a department store anymore.

 

[pearlsngems]

Re: Terrible experience buying pearls from a department stor

Appalling behavior by the saleperson, who absolutely deserves for you to go have a talk with the manager about her deceptive behavior. Be calm and factual, but do complain. Or she will do again it to someone else.

 

[baby monster]

Re: Terrible experience buying pearls from a department stor

That's terrible that they switched the pearls on you. The salesperson probably has a show pair of pearls and then puts the regular stock in. I wouldn't stop buying from department stores because of a dishonest employee but it would make me more careful when examining purchases.

 

[blingbunny10]

Re: Terrible experience buying pearls from a department stor

Sorry you had a bad experience, especially when you were shopping for a gift. But I'm glad it worked out in the end!

(Although in her defense, perhaps she thought you would actually prefer a "new" pair that hadn't been handled? It doesn't sound like she was necessarily knowledgeable enough to intentionally switch the pair you picked with an inferior pair. )

 

[cmd2014]

Re: Terrible experience buying pearls from a department stor

Ren,

That's horrible. I'm sorry that happened to you.

 

[Tucs]

Re: Terrible experience buying pearls from a department stor

That's terrible. Hopefully this is not a store practice but rather just this one specific salesperson who is dishonest. However if I ever buy pearls at a B&M store I will be careful to take the pearls with me right then!

 

[cmd2014]

Re: Terrible experience buying pearls from a department stor

Or just insist on looking at them before leaving with them regardless of what a rude salesperson says. What are they gonna do? Call security? It's SOP at higher end stores to take a look when picking things up.

 

[ennui]

Re: Terrible experience buying pearls from a department stor

Yellow? Maybe you got someone's golden South Sea pearls ... imagine the person who paid for goldens and got freshwaters.

 

[blingbunny10]

Re: Terrible experience buying pearls from a department stor

Yellow? Maybe you got someone's golden South Sea pearls ... imagine the person who paid for goldens and got freshwaters.

LOL, I can picture it now....

 

[Fly Girl]

Re: Terrible experience buying pearls from a department stor

I have learned the hard way to always check my order when I pick it up. Even my takeout lunch, unless I really don't care all that much if it is ham instead of turkey. I also always counted my change, back in the days when you paid with cash. The baker was not happy with me a couple of months ago when I insisted on opening about three dozen boxes to count desert items for my son's wedding reception. But they did it. I was paying for it, and I didn't want to be short-changed.

And, now I suspect that you will do the same, in spite of a pushy salesperson.

 

[Pirard]

Re: Terrible experience buying pearls from a department stor

Fly girl, so true on the take out orders especially on a busy evening or lunch hour! We are all humans and do make mistakes...but I agree that this pushy sales woman took advantage of a trusting customer. That was horrid.

 

[pkinnew]

Re: Terrible experience buying pearls from a department stor

I'm sorry this happened to you but I'm glad PP could save the day! If it were me I would send an email/letter to the store manager describing the bait & switch!!!

 

[akoya]

Re: Terrible experience buying pearls from a department stor

i love pearls, but i get them all from japan, multi color from japan/china. just placed an order for earrings too. i have tried visiting mikimoto but price too high. japanese departmental stores pearl pricing is also high but the quality n services is there

i think as consumers we tend to prefer to find the best deal with the best price available. i have been to local pearl shops where they claimed they sell > 7k of pearl strands to china and high end customers... but a look at their pearl strands will know its not worth the value. if i am a newbie i will probably take their words for it. however, i have went through counters checking out the various pearls quality etc. pearls r something that can be marked up real high.... its useless to those that find pearls old school etc.

anyway back to topic, its always a good practise to check the item one received from the shop assistants. this is to protect us, not their dignity or face. if inside is empty, who is to be blamed? it can be human errors or do it on purpose.

of coz i went some bag shops n they packed up everything nicely etc so i have to really pray i get the right bag lol. ... but for something like jewelry, its easy to just untie n open, let them tie it again or just let them tie the case with a ribbon in front of us. otherwise if anything goes wrong, whose words can be trusted?