Has anyone heard from Elana / FF since June 30 ?

[that_someone_special]

I've purchased through FF four times now. (3 necklaces and 7 loose pearls). She was great every time. The time that there WAS an issue (sent me the wrong necklace, and let me keep it at the price of the original necklace which was like $200 less)... I've been very pleased.


I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt right now and maybe some of you should too...... but *eh* when you are spending that much money on a luxury then I can understand the hesitation.

PP is also a great place.
TPO, I am just irked with right now.

 

[HHPmom]

Risingsun,

I highly recommend PP. They've always been professional and the quality of their pearls has always been superb and as stated, which isn't always true of some other vendors I've purchased from. Personally, I find all this stuff with Elana sketchy and not worth the hassle. You can get equally nice or better pearls for a fair and appropriate price without all the drama at PP. Some of Elana's pearls are well priced, but I've also seen some massively overpriced items on her site. I've read on PS that she gives a big PS discount which would bring the overpriced items down to a more reasonable cost, but why do you have to post on a jewelry forum to get a fair price? That just means someone else who doesn't belong to PS is likely getting ripped off.

I have noticed the massively overpriced items on her site. I believe those are also sold by other vendors, for example Baggins Pearl, thepearlexchange.com. At least one of her Tahitian strand is from Tara & Sons (I recognize the ID tag, not her hand written one that she sources from elsewhere).

 

[that_someone_special]

Do you guys mean ALL items or just some?? I thought some of the tahitian strands that I got were fairly priced.. no??

 

[y2kitty]

Some of the strands are fairly well priced. The ones that are not her's seem to be overpriced. For example: This pendant costs as much as some of her full strands, for three pearls. It seems that the items that are not her's use a more stock type photo, and those are the ones that seem expensive.

 

[ededdeddy]

Hi Anne my friend took a cue from you and posted a message on her blog. I'll let everyone know if Elana gets back with them.

 

[risingsun]

I appreciate everyone's opinions on FF and PP. I will have to do some thinking, before I make a purchase. I will probably start out with something small, so that I don't have a large investment to worry about. I know of Elana through another forum and she hasn't posted there in quite some time. That's one of the reasons that I asked the question. I will let you know what I decide. Thanks for helping me

ETA: I will probably have more questions before I purchase anything!

 

[LGK]

What I've purchased from Elana @ FF- one round AAA Tahitian strand, one huge multicolored Baroque Tahitian strand, and one smaller peacock Tahitian baroque strand, and a pair of diamond & Tahitian earrings. All were well priced- and though I really like the baroque Tahitian strand I got from PP, the ones from Elana were a higher quality- noticeably better lustre, better quality (the pearls from E were less circled, less blemished and more vividly colored), and somewhat cheaper, too. I also like the more unusual stuff Elana stocks, like the more unusual colors of baroque strands and whatnot- the AAA round strand was all interesting cool toned pearls which I really love.

The first bunch of stuff I purchased from her the communication was *great*. The last item, the AAA strand, I couldn't get an answer via email to my question, and I finally purchased it without getting any reply from her. But she shipped it just as fast as always.

Anyway, while the lack of communication sucks I personally have had a good shopping experience with E, and would probably order again w/o hesitation. And I tend to cut her some slack/give her the benefit of the doubt since I have had a good experience, I suppose.

For a new customer not getting an answer would be really worrisome and I would TOTALLY understand not wanting to risk it. Personally I would just because I have seen her stuff and really felt like it was great quality for the money- the strands I purchased anyway- and that I couldn't find some of the more unusual colored strands elsewhere.

The whole weirdness with her local PO not scanning packages is par for the course too. Most of the packages I got from FF showed no scanning at all until after I received them- going straight from "electronic shipping info received" to "delivered" with nothing in between. (My local PO has a great habit of losing 1st class mail- if I send anything of any importance at all, I have to do priority... some POs are just not so great and it does really irritate everyone!)

 

[Streeter1]

I recall that post about the two Tahitian strands. You did indicate that the PP strand was substantially larger in size, which accounts for a difference in luster and a slight difference in cost.

 

[HHPmom]

Hi Anne, I have tried contacting her by phone and email for the last month and have heard no response. A friend that ordered something from her in MAY has had the same issues. They got part of the order in June (after being told in May it would be ready at the end of the week) but have heard nothing since. They aren't sure what to do at this point.

Has anyone received their merchandise? Ededdeddy, it's about 2 months since your friend ordered. Does she have a plan B? As consumers, we have to think of return policy, lost in-transit, etc. issues. Has her credit card been charged in full for all products? If she does not receive her shipment within the right timeframe, she might have no recourse. I think you have up to 90 days for credit card dispute.

 

[anne_h]

I still have not received mine, and the shipping info continues to not be updated on the USPS website. Yes, my credit card was charged in full.

After I managed to reach Elana by leaving a Comment on her blog (not public) ~1.5 weeks ago, she emailed me back with the hospital explanation/story and said she did in fact ship my order and that I should wait a bit longer. In the same email she said she'd call me to discuss, but I never received a call or voicemail.

Sigh. I figured I'd give it till the end of this week before deciding if I have to take "real" action (that will be 3.5 calendar weeks of waiting for the parcel to arrive from US to Canada). This is by far the longest shipment of jewelry I have experienced EVER! And I buy from the US on a regular basis.

Arg.

Open to any new ideas or suggestions. I just want what I ordered!

Anne

 

[ladyzee]

Anne I am sorry that you still have not received your necklace. Have you also been tracking the number on Canada Post? Sometimes once it has entered Canada there will be more info available for CP than USPS.
Have you tried calling Elana again? Maybe she can open an investigation from her end with her post office.
Please keep us updated and fingers crossed for you.

On another note, I ordered 2 small items (from the same seller) from the US. I received on last week and the other is still not here. It has been almost a month!! I really don't know what's up with these postal services, but I have found more times than not it is Canada Post who presents all the delays because of customs. For days my items sit with no movement, very frustrating indeed!

ETA: Anne I just checked on a few of my orders from Elana and they took 3 1/2 weeks to get to me. You mentioned that they were sent on June 30 so you are just at the 3 week mark. Fingers crossed for you that you will have them by week's end!

 

[anne_h]

Hi Ladyzee,

Correct, it's only been 3 weeks now.

I tried your idea of checking the USPS tracking code on Canada Post's site, but no luck yet. Yes, I will just keep waiting.

Thanks for your thoughts. It's good to know that another fellow Canadian has had similar slow shipment experiences, but they ended well. I hope mine does too!

Anne

 

[ededdeddy]

HHPmom Elana never responded to their comment on her blog nor has she responded to emails. They got part of their order but not the leather cord w/clasp that they ordered. They will have to dispute the charge on their credit card.

 

[that_someone_special]

wow this really sucks for everyone I am so sorry that you guys are having to deal with this

 

[ladyzee]

I really hope there is nothing serious happening with Elana or her family that is causing her not to communicate with her customers. Her site, and blog and even facebook do not seem to have any updates in weeks.
This just doesn't sound right. When I shopped with her on all occasions there was always communication even if it was a day or 2 later.
Hope all if OK!

 

[cushioncutnut]

I agree ladyzee. I hope things are o.k. with her...it is so not like her to not have little to no communication at all. I hope it works out for everyone involved.

 

[Kaori Oku]

Her blog is changed now. So somebody is home.

 

[ladyzee]

I have just read what Elana has written on her Facebook page and she had been ill and the person who works for her had a terrible accident. I feel just awful and knew that her lack of communication could not have been something that she chose to ignore. I truly hope her uncle does not have a permanent injury and she recovers from her illness. Just my 2 cents, she has always been lovely and very professional with all my purchases and I would not hesitate to shop with her again. That being said, Anne have you received you purchase? Please update when you get a chance!

 

[Kaori Oku]

UPDATE - I have finally made contact!

Brightlight - your blog idea worked! I left a comment on one of her latest blog entries yesterday (it goes to the blog owner first, so it will probably never actually appear in public). ANYWAYS - here is the scoop. Elana emailed me back saying she's been in the hospital but is now home. Someone else was updating her blog for her while she was away, saw my message and asked her to contact me.

This one is from 17 day ago. It is not matching the Facebook story. I still feel what I feel before and don't trust it even the email number because on the other forum she post a different number for every day when she was missing last time so i think they are just made up.

 

[ladyzee]

Kaori Oku maybe don't concern yourself with all these details, maybe just lending Anne a little bit of support through one's own experience with Elana is probably all we can do. If you have never shopped with Elana maybe attacking her, and her business by playing detective really serves no purpose. There are those of us who have purchased from her and have been absolutely thrilled and then there are those who maybe have not been thrilled. Maybe we should all stick to our own experiences with Elana and not stir the pot with experiences that don't exist.

 

[Kaori Oku]

I guess I don't understand you about the experience that don't exist. I know i was gonna get attacked by the purse people when i tell what i see and feel. I really don't like lying and it makes me upset especially because it can be so easy to see and even she had to apologize once but no one is gonna say something because they know they gonna get attack.

I don't care if her pearl are beautiful. I don't trust somebody who is gonna lie about so much so many times. The Facebook thing doesn't match what was said before. I'm don't know how much, but some is clearly lie again. Maybe you are ok with that. I think most peoples are not.

 

[that_someone_special]

Oh no.. what went on about the lying?

 

[ladyzee]

I guess I don't understand you about the experience that don't exist. I know i was gonna get attacked by the purse people when i tell what i see and feel. I really don't like lying and it makes me upset especially because it can be so easy to see and even she had to apologize once but no one is gonna say something because they know they gonna get attack.

I don't care if her pearl are beautiful. I don't trust somebody who is gonna lie about so much so many times. The Facebook thing doesn't match what was said before. I'm don't know how much, but some is clearly lie again. Maybe you are ok with that. I think most peoples are not.

You are only basing this on what you are reading. Have you purchased from Elana, had discussions with her, any interaction at all with her? If you have had no personal communication with her maybe it would be best not to comment. If you feel you don't trust her then don't do business with her. But to say she "lie about so much so many times" is just simply wrong. I don't suspect you were part of any discussions she has had with others or with her customers so please maybe it's best we keep our judgements to ourselves.

 

[anne_h]

Thanks for asking, but unfortunately still no pearls here. I am still waiting.

Anne

 

[Kaori Oku]

Oh no.. what went on about the lying?

She tell two customer (at least) that pp buys pearls from her and low quality pearl when she was try to make a sale over pp. They both contact pp and Elana's email wasmposted on their forum. PP said they never buy pearls from her and that they don't know her and she apologized to their CEO for lying about him and his business and promise not to again.

Ladyzee, you weren't here before but only come to be defending when people have problem now on this forum because she is disappeared again now three times and always in the hospital. She said she is home 17 days ago from the hospital and today she saying last week. It's another lie. You want to do the business it is fine for you. But I think its good for people to know the truth.

 

[vivianv]

I purchased from FF in May and had a serious issue with the order and it took me over 2 weeks to get ahold of Elana. When I did she told me a similar story...was sick /in hospital....love her pearls but unfortunately could not recommend her and will not buy from her again. So sad as she has lovely pearls and seems a lovely person but too iffy.

 

[anne_h]

Sadly, I think I'm with Viv on this. This was my first purchase with Elana, and while she was very friendly and nice (when I *could* manage to get ahold of her), I feel there is something not quite right with all the stories. I myself received several not-quite-convincing stories/explanations from her (not discussed here) and to me something just doesn't add up.

My impression is that she just ignores her business for periods of time, for whatever unknown reason(s). I don't think I'll be comfortable ever doing business with her again. And for SURE I would never return something to her to be adjusted or exchanged. It's hard enough to receive something in the first place!

I hope I'm wrong, and I respect that some people here have had great experiences with FF in the past. For now, I just want the items I ordered. I'll keep this thread updated...

Anne

 

[ladyzee]

Anne I'm so sorry that you have not had a good experience and still have not received your pearls. You must be so frustrated to say the least. I think this forum is a great place for people to share their own experiences about sellers and put all the information out there so each of us can make an educated decision where and from whom they want to purchase their pearls. I think respectfully we can share what we know without bashing a seller or posting total BS especially when we have had no personal experience with that seller.

Anne please keep posting and let us know any updates!

 

[Kaori Oku]

Of course you are talking about me. Please tell me the BS you mean. Many people here know it what has happened only I say it. Please tell me. What part is BS? I only am writing the truth. It like it is ok with you if she is telling the lies to customers because you like her. That is the only thing I have problem with. I see it and it make me upset when so many people from **edited by moderator. Please do not bring other forum drama onto PS** say she is always so honest.

 

[Ella]

Please remember no personal attacks and keep the language civil or I will need to close the thread.