ID Jewelry sent me lower coloured diamonds by mistake and now want me to pay to upgrade? Please help!

[CalliopeCladdagh]

Seeking advice on whether I'm being unreasonable in this situation and how to proceed.

I initially enquired about I-J coloured diamond studs and after some emails back and forth about availability, diamond size, and budget, I was offered H colour at the same price as I-J which I accepted.

When the earrings arrived they are clearly very tinted and after I sent photos etc IDJ realised there was a mistake in their inventory system and I was in fact sent I-J colour instead of H.

Exchanging now involves international shipping and IDJ tell me they cannot pay for shipping as per their policies. To cover shipping to return this pair and to receive a new pair will cost me around $200.

In addition, they also now say that to upgrade to H colour I need to pay extra. See exact wording:

Unfortunately, we won't be able to upgrade for the higher color free of charge, because accordingly to your initial inquiry and amount of your purchase, we've provided the satisfactory quality of the diamonds. We apologize for the inconvenience you've experienced due to our system error, however the only way to get a higher color (H or G) is to pay the price difference.

This seems totally unfair to me since I was offered H at a certain price which is what I accepted and paid for. Am I wrong?

Edit - in addition to the colour issue one of the screw backs doesn't tighten at all so I'd be afraid to wear it anyway. This alone seems like it would be reason for IDJ paying at least for the return shipping to exchange the earrings.

 

[Rfisher]

Do they have lab reports?
doesn’t sound like it.
“mistake in inventory system“
doesn’t sound at all like
“We’ve provided satisfactory quality of the diamonds”

I know IDJ has lots of fans here, but if the returns dept will not honor what a salesperson makes a deal on - that’s crappy.
thats an aside to the international shipping costs. That’s a not rare complaint when things go awry.

my guess, in this case, is that the original salesperson didn’t feel a customer could or would visually tell a difference enough to complain between in-house graded H to I-J

sorry for your experience.

 

[lovedogs]

This isn't ok, IMO. I would ask to speak with someone higher up and provide email correspondence you recieved about getting the H color at rhe same I-J price.

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

IMHO you are not wrong. You were offered H colored diamonds at the price of I/J colored diamonds and this is what you should have received. We all make mistakes but their mistake should not burden you with extra costs. I hope they make this right.

 

[marymm]

ID Jewelry sent you something you did not order -- the mistake is their fault -- they are responsible for making it right, including covering return shipping and sending you what you did order and pay for -- escalate it up the chain, include screenshots of the relevant emails, and request pre-paid return shipping label and prompt shipment of the H-colored diamonds you ordered & paid for (at no extra cost to you) -- if they refuse or ignore or delay, I suggest filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau covering NYC [ https://www.bbb.org/local-bbb/bbb-serving-metropolitan-new-york ]

 

[LilAlex]

IDJ tell me they cannot pay for shipping as per their policies

This is not even a policy -- it's an "I-don't-wanna." As in: "It is our policy to not amicably address customer-service problems."

And even if it were, the role of management is to grant sensible exceptions to policy.

 

[autumngems]

Definitely call and speak to someone in management. They gave you the price for the H and that is what you paid. They sent you J color. You do not owe them more money as you paid the quoted price for H. They should be required to fix their mistake, you owe nothing and they should be paying shipping on their mistake. I would not do business with them ever again. If they refuse report to BBB and let them know that BBB and Pricescope forum is aware of the shady business practices.

 

[tyty333]

What was the wording on getting the Hs for the same price as the I/Js? Is that documented in text or email?

 

[Lookinagain]

What was the wording on getting the Hs for the same price as the I/Js? Is that documented in text or email?

When the earrings arrived they are clearly very tinted and after I sent photos etc IDJ realised there was a mistake in their inventory system and I was in fact sent I-J colour instead of H.

I agree that if you have it in writing that you would be getting H color for a particular price and since they admitted it was their mistake, they should make it right. They should cover the return shipping and there should be no increase in the price agreed upon. Since the stones were graded in house, then they probably feel like there is wiggle room on color but if they are clearly much warmer than even a low H would be, then I don't see how they can ask you for more money.

 

[seaurchin]

I agree with speaking to the manager. Sounds likely a sales associate made an error there.

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

This is one of those times that yes, Karen *is* going to speak to the manager.
It's inappropriate that they are forcing you to escalate in the first place.
Escalate, you will.

You have it in writing; and you do also have 'inventory mistake' as reasoning for inferior product, that they tried to pass off in the correspondence. Then, they provide, or you return with all funds refunded immediately- including shipping costs.
The fault isn't yours- this is breach of business practice. Bait and switch isn't legal.

 

[CalliopeCladdagh]

Do they have lab reports?
doesn’t sound like it.

No, no lab reports. They're only little (0.5 ctw), but still, it's a significant purchase for me and I could tell the second I saw them that they were not reasonably close to H colour.

I was quite surprised to have it confirmed to be a labelling error rather than just subjective differences in grading. But it made me feel like I wasn't crazy and they were definitely too tinted!

What was the wording on getting the Hs for the same price as the I/Js? Is that documented in text or email?

Yes. I was eventually offered 0.4ct H for $x and 0.5ct H for $y and I chose the 0.5ct for $y which happened to be the same original dollar amount as the 0.5ct I/J. I have that exchange documented in emails.

 

[CalliopeCladdagh]

Thank you all for your replies. I'm going to think on it for a couple of days and decide if I want to return or exchange, then decide how I'm going to handle whichever option I choose.

It's a shame. I chose IDJ after seeing so many great reviews on here, they seemed to be just what I needed for this particular purchase. Now I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all.

 

[KBM]

Thank you all for your replies. I'm going to think on it for a couple of days and decide if I want to return or exchange, then decide how I'm going to handle whichever option I choose.

It's a shame. I chose IDJ after seeing so many great reviews on here, they seemed to be just what I needed for this particular purchase. Now I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all.

Reach out to Yekutiel directly. There is a reason so many of us highly recommend IDJ and customer service is one of those reasons. I have only worked with Yekutiel for each of my purchases so I recommend you ask to speak to him directly. Good luck!

 

[adlgel]

Were you offered a specific pair of H diamonds for $y? Or did they agree $y for H color, .5 ctw for a pair of diamonds they would select and send?

 

[LilAlex]

Reach out to Yekutiel directly.

I agree with this. I am not a "speak to the Manager" type of person but front-line folks can be too rigidly adherent to a script -- so this sounds like the right context to reach out to the boss (i.e., for a head-scratcher like this from a well-regarded vendor).

 

[CalliopeCladdagh]

Were you offered a specific pair of H diamonds for $y? Or did they agree $y for H color, .5 ctw for a pair of diamonds they would select and send?

This wasn't specified, so I assume a pair they would select.

Here is the relevant email exchange:

"So, please, find attached: it's 0.40ct F/SI1 and 0.50ct H/SI1"

"I will probably take the 0.5ct H, can you please just remind me of the prices for each of the options?"

"Sure, here are all prices: I will do 0.40ct for $x and 0.50ct for $y."

"I will take the 0.5ct H please"

and then I paid the $y

 

[CalliopeCladdagh]

I am going to email Yekutiel now.

 

[Lookinagain]

This wasn't specified, so I assume a pair they would select.

Here is the relevant email exchange:

"So, please, find attached: it's 0.40ct F/SI1 and 0.50ct H/SI1"

"I will probably take the 0.5ct H, can you please just remind me of the prices for each of the options?"

"Sure, here are all prices: I will do 0.40ct for $x and 0.50ct for $y."

"I will take the 0.5ct H please"

and then I paid the $y

Well that sure should be specific enough to get you the .5ct H for $y. Whether the sales associate made an error here (which may be what is going on), that isn't on you. You got a quote for a certain color for a certain size and price. They need to honor that and they should pay for the return shipping as well since this is their doing.

 

[lovedogs]

Well that sure should be specific enough to get you the .5ct H for $y. Whether the sales associate made an error here (which may be what is going on), that isn't on you. You got a quote for a certain color for a certain size and price. They need to honor that and they should pay for the return shipping as well since this is their doing.

This

 

[Mreader]

@CalliopeCladdagh did you get a resolution?

 

[SandraLynn]

I would completely return them, I don’t believe they made an error. Sounds to me like they were banking on you not noticing and they were trying to just “ complete the sale”. You are not happy with them and the issue with the screw back is all the more reason to return them and take your money somewhere else. Even if they were hoping you’d be happy with them, upon your expression of discontent they should have exchanged them out for you. Bad business practice.

 

[oncrutchesrightnow]

@CalliopeCladdagh did you get a resolution?

+1 the request for an update. It would be helpful and fair to know whether IDJ resolved the issue.

 

[LLJsmom]

I am going to email Yekutiel now.

I’m giving Yekutiel the benefit of a doubt and hope they just need to correct their training program. Because making a mistake and then making their customer pay for it is not what PSers have experienced. I’m so sorry you have to go through this. Please keep us updated. Wishing you a speedy and satisfactory resolution.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I don't understand how there was not an invoice describing the items being purchased. I have always had an invoice/bill of sale for all the PS companies I have dealt with. Yes, we start by email or text, but there should have been an invoice.

 

[CalliopeCladdagh]

I don't understand how there was not an invoice describing the items being purchased. I have always had an invoice/bill of sale for all the PS companies I have dealt with. Yes, we start by email or text, but there should have been an invoice.

There is, the invoice states H colour.

 

[RMOO]

So, has there been any resolution? Or any movement at all?

 

[CalliopeCladdagh]

Hi everyone, thanks for following up.

Eventually I got hold of Yekutiel via whatsapp at his request. He was happy for me to return the earrings for a refund but reluctant to send me a replacement H colour pair due to high international shipping costs. Eventually, we came to a compromise that I would pay to ship the I/J colour ones back and he would pay to ship me the new pair. This was a verbal arrangement, so I hope it holds up once we get to that stage. The I/J pair are currently in transit back to him, so we will see what happens once he receives them.

I would prefer to receive the pair I ordered rather than getting a refund and having to start over somewhere else.

 

[WillyDiamond]

Hi everyone, thanks for following up.

Eventually I got hold of Yekutiel via whatsapp at his request. He was happy for me to return the earrings for a refund but reluctant to send me a replacement H colour pair due to high international shipping costs. Eventually, we came to a compromise that I would pay to ship the I/J colour ones back and he would pay to ship me the new pair. This was a verbal arrangement, so I hope it holds up once we get to that stage. The I/J pair are currently in transit back to him, so we will see what happens once he receives them.

I would prefer to receive the pair I ordered rather than getting a refund and having to start over somewhere else.

Your decision not to start over and take the replacement. But you should not have had to pay for return shipping, it was their mistake. If they did not want to pay return shipping, I would have just returned to a full refund, and yes, start over. There are a lot of vendors who can do what you want.

 

[RunningwithScissors]

Sending you good vibes for a happy resolution. I'm sorry it's been an aggravating experience.