Calling all jewelers - is this normal?

[ruby59]

http://www.etsy.com/help/article/483#transaction_problems

Found the etsy web page dealing with returns of items not as described. Unfortunately, when it comes to a custom order, the information provided is very vague. The first step is to contact the vendor, which you did. I would then escalate it as per their guide.

I have never sold on etsy, so I do not know the dynamics there if they favor the seller or the buyer. The seller is protected if they show accurate pictures. Did she show you how this was supposed to look. Etsy considers it not as described if it is the wrong size or pieces missing, but nothing about poor workmanship. It is worth a try, though.

 

[Gypsy]

You aren't asking for a return. You didn't change your mind.
You had a contract- the terms of the contract were that you paid them for a well executed bezel. They did not meet their obligations. And now you are due a refund because the contract is void.
Custom doesn't mean you are stuck with whatever POS they decide to give you. It just means that you can't change your mind once you commit.

 

[momhappy]

^It's not a custom order - it was a custom listing, but I prefer not to go into the details just yet. I have no real recourse with PayPal (and likely not Etsy). I could have recourse with my bank if I choose to go that route. The BBB allows you to file a complaints and then contacts the business in an attempt to resolve the issue. It would take effort on my part, which Im okay with. However, I think I'll just return for a replacement (which she has agreed to) and keep it for myself since the quality (at least of the necklace that I've already received) is not something that I would gift to someone else). I'm hopeful that a replacement necklace would be of better quality.

 

[RockyRacoon]

The BBB allows you to file a complaints and then contacts the business in an attempt to resolve the issue.

Filing anything with the BBB might not be the best usage of your time.

BBB complaints don't really do anything.

If a business pays the BBB for the proper membership level, they can have all of the complaints removed and get an A+ ranking.

Used to be a valuable consumer service, but is an advertising tool, at this point.

 

[momhappy]

The BBB allows you to file a complaints and then contacts the business in an attempt to resolve the issue.

Filing anything with the BBB might not be the best usage of your time.

BBB complaints don't really do anything.

If a business pays the BBB for the proper membership level, they can have all of the complaints removed and get an A+ ranking.

Used to be a valuable consumer service, but is an advertising tool, at this point.

Perhaps not the best use of my time and I agree that the BBB doesn't really have any teeth. Having said that, the process takes less than 5 minutes and it at least throws a complaint out there that could be damaging to her credibility as a business owner. That's worth it to me in that sense.

 

[Venti25]

After this has been sorted do you mind naming the etsy vendor? I would like to never give my custom there ever.

 

[BhavinJ]

Sorry to hear about your experience with this jeweler. I totally agree with you that one should teach a lesson to that jeweler as he/ she is not co-operative and also least bothered about her business. Honestly, to me loosing one customer means loosing 100's of future customer. Business not only depends on advertisement but also on word of mouth.

I would like to share my experience with you...

Few years ago I use to work from home, take orders of customized jewelry's from my clients and use to make those jewelry's on my own. During that time we never had this idea of taking images of the jewelry's and sharing via emails with the clients instead I use to personally visit or call my clients to my residence and show them the process of manufacturing at each stage. This was kinda tedious job but all I wanted was to see a satisfied customer at the end of the day. Till date I have never received a single return order. Now things have changed and we share the images via BBM, Whatsapp, Instagram or emails.

I've also worked for an online jewelry company where for any custom items, 1) Customer has to pay advance 2) No return 3) No refund and 4) takes around 3-4 weeks for custom items. The only after service they provide is free re-sizing. and I guess most of the online stores follow the same policy (I may be wrong as with other online stores it may depend on the kind of relation you have with stores for example if you are a repeat customer they may consider redoing the work.)

Regards,
B

 

[momhappy]

After this has been sorted do you mind naming the etsy vendor? I would like to never give my custom there ever.

Now that my replacement necklace is on the way, I am sharing the vendor so that others don't have to go through what I did. It is Cestsla. She is on Etsy and has a web site (she's based out of New York).
Her extremely unprofessional emails have continued throughout this whole process. In one email, she went on and on about how she and her jewelers had a good laugh over me and that the picture that I sent her of the actual necklace, wasn't even real I honestly think that she knows that my necklace was made poorly (she even admitted that she was in a hurry to ship it out to me) and that's why she got so terribly defensive when I said that I had a quality issue. We all make mistakes, and yes, it sucks when we do, but sometimes you've got just to admit when you're wrong and fix it. I don't fault her for a bad product, I fault her for how she handled it.
She sent me a picture of the shipping label yesterday, so I'm assuming my necklace shipped, but there was no communication with it. Not sure what the quality will be of the second necklace but I'm stuck with it because I certainly don't want to EVER be dealing with her again. Buyer beware!!!

 

[yssie]

After this has been sorted do you mind naming the etsy vendor? I would like to never give my custom there ever.

Now that my replacement necklace is on the way, I am sharing the vendor so that others don't have to go through what I did. It is Cestsla. She is on Etsy and has a web site (she's based out of New York).
Her extremely unprofessional emails have continued throughout this whole process. In one email, she went on and on about how she and her jewelers had a good laugh over me and that the picture that I sent her of the actual necklace, wasn't even real I honestly think that she knows that my necklace was made poorly (she even admitted that she was in a hurry to ship it out to me) and that's why she got so terribly defensive when I said that I had a quality issue. We all make mistakes, and yes, it sucks when we do, but sometimes you've got just to admit when you're wrong and fix it. I don't fault her for a bad product, I fault her for how she handled it.
She sent me a picture of the shipping label yesterday, so I'm assuming my necklace shipped, but there was no communication with it. Not sure what the quality will be of the second necklace but I'm stuck with it because I certainly don't want to EVER be dealing with her again. Buyer beware!!!

That! That's why I'm pretty sure no-one who reads this thread will ever use or recommend her business!!

I hope the replacement is satisfactory

 

[chrono]

I hope the replacement necklace has decent workmanship. I am so sorry the entire transaction was very unprofessional and the product even worse.

 

[momhappy]

Thanks everyone

 

[CharmyPoo]

I hope the new one is better too. I am not sure though given the quality of her other work.

 

[momhappy]

^At this point, I just want to be rid of that woman. I have my doubts about her overall quality too, but it is what it is. Guess you can't win 'em all. Shopping handmade items can some times be a gamble. I'm sure it will work as a layering piece (I have lots of other rose gold necklaces in various lengths).

 

[momhappy]

Update: The replacement necklace arrived and it's fine (no quality issues this time around). I haven't thoroughly inspected the bezel, but I'm just wanting to be done with it and it looks normal (no flaws visible with the naked eye). I could take a pic if anyone is interested. She put it on a shorter chain for me, which was nice and not something that she had to do. I'm not sure how to proceed with her feedback? I have a necklace and life goes on, but the whole experience was quite unpleasant. Suggestions? I would like to keep it professional and remove emotion from the equation.

 

[Christina...]

I'm happy that the issue appears to have been resolved and you finally have a necklace you are happy with. As far as feedback....I think the only way it should be handled is honestly. There were certainly bumps along the way and in the end you received a satisfactory piece that you no longer needed or would have otherwised purchased. I've had similar experiences from purchases I've made on ebay and wondered what an appropriate response would be. Each time I chose to answer honestly.....for instance..'received damaged item, seller resolved satisfactorily (or not) within x amount of time. On one occassion I chose not to leave feedback at all because I just wanted to wipe my hands of it all. In hindsight I wish I had written something so that someone else wouldn't go through the same crap I did. Feedback only works when people use it and use it honestly.


I would love to see pics of your new necklace and I hope that after all this you enjoy it each and every time you wear it.

 

[Uniquestyle]

Hi,
My name is Meghan and I'm the owner and designer of c'estsla jewelry.
I finally have time to address this post as I will not only summarize and list the actual events, I will also provide evidence in my favor.

8/22/13
**edited by moderator to remove name* or rather "momhappy", emails me via ETSY inquiring about my .30 carat emerald cut diamond and 14k rose gold necklace. She explains that she would need it in a hurry and asked if I could do this on 18" chain. The listing was for a 16" chain and on a sale price however I offered her a free upgrade for the 18" chain. I so explained to her that since I had been running a sale on this listing I had to make this for her also seeing that I do not use 18" chains, this will be a custom piece. She agreed, I listed the item with her details and name. Oh prior to her purchasing she stated "gosh, this piece is so beautiful I want this for myself!" I offered her a better deal, than the already highly discounted sale price but apparently that wasn't in **edited by moderator to remove name* budget. She purchased for $475 and retails for $825.

8/25/13
Days go by with the listing up.
She purchases listing and I immediately write back and assure her prompt delivery.

8/29/13
Buyer receives the necklace and she claims that while "your diamond and gold is gorgeous" she would like a refund due to "poor craftsmanship". She then attaches a photo in which at first glance I did not think that was my necklace I had sent and the reason being is because she magnified the photo to 10000000%. Anything that you enlarge to that degree, you are sure to find flaws.
To avoid controversy I apologized, it was seemingly polished too much on one side and to send it back and I will gladly replace the bezel which BTW when I received the necklace back her magnified photo looked nothing like the actual piece.
She then sends a string of emails berating me with insults and threats saying she's going to leave negative feedback on pricescope- (thanks for the heads up so i can state what actually happened .

I explained to her I have a no refund policy on a custom pieces, in which she knew was custom as we discussed it (I have proof in my correspondences stating her item would be custom). Also the refund policy is published in my shop... Clearly states the policy, there are no grey areas.


8/30/13
She files dispute with Paypal

8/31/13
Paypal favors me

She then starts her string of weird emails saying she's calling her bank, calling the BBB, shutting down my ETSY shop and the list goes on.
Keep in mind I've offered many times to fix it she just wants her money back.
Also keep in mind that my last email offered to fix the situation but her blasts of emails just kept going without me even responding as it was a holiday wknd. I open my messages to her rants.

She opens another case with Paypal.

9/2/13
Paypal favors me.... Again.

Bottom line, there's not a chance she would win, with Paypal, her bank, in the court of law. The piece is handmade and we are human. It happened to be .0001 mm polished too much however the naked eye would never pick it up. Also there shouldn't have been a problem as I offered from the beginning to just fix it.

I read in her forum that she wants this to just "go away" and that's because I actually said that to her. In my response to one of Her string of harassing emails, I actually did say, "just go away!" And offered to pay her to never order from me again. Very unprofessional of me, I'm aware. I do not speak to people like this more importantly my customers. "Momhaopy" happened to an extraordinary unique situation.

She then sends an email, "change of plans. I'd like the necklace custom size 14,5". I explained that while I will fix the bezel, she received a free upgrade on a SALE item and to re-size it requires me to have it laser'ed which costs money so I said its $20 in which She refused to pay and sent the piece back to have bezel fixed.

Long story short:
I replaced the bezel, gave her a bigger, nicer diamond and custom sized the necklace for her - in which I took money out of my wallet to pay for her changes... Meanwhile I basically sold the piece at cost because I'm generous.

I've emailed her to confirm she received it and have heard nothing. Not even a thank you for custom sizing the chain at my expense.

In the interim if sending back her necklace I receive a fictitious email from "jack", a made up Hotmail account saying, "I read your review on pricescope... Have fun going back to your cashier job...


Now we all know who "Jack" is. .. Hi Jack!!

Given I have many years in the professional industry at many large firms in NYC, in addition having a psychology degree, her fictitious email is not only mind numbing, but also SO ignorant... Just to list a few.

Regarding my feedback... She wonders why it's all positive? Because, I sell quality diamonds, quality gold, unbeatable prices, and unique designs that I create myself. I don't replicate or copy other styles. So if you wonder why it's all positive it's because I offer a service that people like. Sorry yours did not work out.

So SELLERS beware of this lady.

I hope this clears any confusion. Please feel free to contact me for any further questions at [email protected].

I will be uploading additional information soon!

 

[Uniquestyle]

Regarding refunds... The money she sent was used for her custom necklace. I explained to her policy's are in order to protect the buyer and the seller. The piece was 100% not poor craftsmanship. I hope that before you form an opinion on something, you know know the facts.

 

[kenny]

How dare you reveal a customer's real name here!

Your post was hideously unprofessional.
I will bend over backwards to never buy from you and tell everyone I know about you.

 

[Uniquestyle]

Hi "Kenny"-

Per your response, I'm wondering how using a someone's first name offends you... Had I have revealed her first and last name, than that's reason for the repetition for your angry faces.

No need for bending over backwards....

 

[kenny]

Hi "Kenny"-

Per your response, I'm wondering how using a someone's first name offends you... Had I have revealed her first and last name, than that's reason for the repetition for your angry faces.

No need for bending over backwards....

It does not offend me, personally.
It breaks the rules you agreed to when you signed up here.

Few non-professionals here use their real name.
It's a diamond forum and this is the Internet so people are understandably wise to keep their identity private.

Respecting people's privacy is basic here.
It is beyond reprehensible for a VENDOR to reveal one of their customer's real name here.
Discretion is important when customers are deciding which jeweler they will give their business to.
You've just shown the world that their personal information may be blurted out to the world on the Internet.

At the bottom of this page look for "Forum Policies".
When you registered at PS you claimed you read these ...
Quote:
For your privacy and security do not post any private information including emails, personal pages, and usernames on other sites or IM's on the open forums."

May I recommend you get out of the business where you deal with the public?
Perhaps you could work as a bench jeweler where someone else deals with the customers.

 

[Trudii]

May I recommend you get out of the business where you deal with the public?
Perhaps you could work as a bench jeweler where someone else deals with the customers.

+1

 

[Uniquestyle]

Trudi-

I've always worked in an industry dealing with the public, on many levels. One of the most pleasurable experiences that I get out of doing this is developing new relationships with many people all over the world. In fact, I recently had a client visiting NY from China who asked to meet with me to say hi. All day long I'm corresponding with past clients, and it's not for business. It's because we actually do form a friendship. Read my reviews on ETSY. They speak for themselves. This situation from this one buyer is not an indication of how I run business, nor is it an indication of the quality of my pieces that I put out.

 

[momhappy]

Hi "Kenny"-

Per your response, I'm wondering how using a someone's first name offends you... Had I have revealed her first and last name, than that's reason for the repetition for your angry faces.

No need for bending over backwards....

It does not offend me, personally.
It breaks the rules you agreed to when you signed up here.

Few non-professionals here use their real name.
It's a diamond forum and this is the Internet so people are understandably wise to keep their identity private.

Respecting people's privacy is basic here.
It is beyond reprehensible for a VENDOR to reveal one of their customer's real name here.
Discretion is important when customers are deciding which jeweler they will give their business to.
You've just shown the world that their personal information may be blurted out to the world on the Internet.

At the bottom of this page look for "Forum Policies".
When you registered at PS you claimed you read these ...
Quote:
For your privacy and security do not post any private information including emails, personal pages, and usernames on other sites or IM's on the open forums."

May I recommend you get out of the business where you deal with the public?
Perhaps you could work as a bench jeweler where someone else deals with the customers.

Thanks Kenny
I'm actually not even going to address the posts because I think that they pretty much speak for themselves.....
For what it's worth, though, I absolutely did not email the seller a fake email under the name "Jack." I don't play games like that, but if she wants to think that, then so be it.

 

[momhappy]

Sorry, double post

 

[momhappy]

Also, I just wanted to say that for the record, I have no problem with the seller coming here and posting her side of the story. After all, it's only fair. Some of her details aren't true, but it's her perception of the events and I guess that's all that matters.
When the seller refused to refund me, she was aware that at that point, I had become an unsatisfied customer. When consumers are unsatisfied, the natural recourse is things like making returns, filing complaints with the BBB (which I decided not to do by the way), negative feedback (which I haven't yet left), reviews/testimonials, etc. I realize that her return policy was "no refunds" but I felt that my situation should have been an exception to the rule (to any professional small business owner it would have been). I needed the necklace as a gift, it arrived and had a quality issues, and a replacement necklace could not be sent in time. You'd think that in an effort to maintain good customer relationships on Etsy, that you'd refund your customer at that point and relist the item for sale in your Etsy store. The seller perceived my recourse (negative feedback, etc.) as "threats" and that's when her previously professional dialogue, turned horribly unprofessional. Again, we all make mistakes, but sometimes its not the actual mistake that's the issue, it's how it's handled.
At this point, none of this is productive. I posted my negative experience, the seller posted her side of the story, the replacement necklace arrived, and I posted to say that it was fine. That about sums it up, so rather than creating any more drama, how about moving on before this turns any uglier than it already has.

 

[bgray]

to my eye the issues go beyond polishing-the stone is crooked in the bezel

 

[ChristineRose]

Regarding refunds... The money she sent was used for her custom necklace. I explained to her policy's are in order to protect the buyer and the seller. The piece was 100% not poor craftsmanship. I hope that before you form an opinion on something, you know know the facts.

Okay. Where's the part where you explain why a whole bunch of people, including a jeweler and an appraiser, thought it was 100% poor craftsmanship? It looks to me like the magnification was about 1000%, not 10000000% BTW. I know you are trying to exaggerate, but you are saying the whole piece is about this big: - Whereas it appears to me that the metal is about this big on one side --- and about this big on the other - And people can see that.

 

[Uniquestyle]

Here u go darling... An untouched photo of the exact necklace that was sent to her. The one in question. Tell me what you see? The necklace I'm referring to is the longer, 18" piece. May I remind you that I'm not Cartier, nor do I manufacturer jewelry, it's hand made. In addition to that she paid $475 for a .30 G quality diamond on a 14k rose gold chain.

 

[kenny]

Here u go darling...

Darling?

Imagine John Pollard, Jonathan, Wink, Paul, Garry, or other pros here using such snotty sarcastic language when publicly addressing one of their customers.

 

[Uniquestyle]

Kenny!
You've put a lot of thought into this post. Thanks for your opinion as it really does matter to me