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If you can't afford it - you shouldn't be looking at it!

GliderPoss

GliderPoss

Ideal_Rock
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Sep 25, 2008
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That's what the manager of a mall jewellery store told me on Saturday! :eek:

I was killling some time so wandered in to take a peek. Saleslady was lovely and flatly admitted she didn't know much, we were having a good chat while I tried on some rings and louped them etc. Manager wandered out and was listening to our conversation. She offered a few "gems" of advice including:

  • "It doesn't matter what colour grade coz we don't use lower than I."
    "No one actually sees inclusions so they don't matter"
    "Why do you want to loupe it?"

She then decided I wasn't planning to actually buy anything on the spot and told me "If I couldn't afford to buy it then I shouldn't even be looking!" I was shocked and rather embarrassed by the whole incident. I was wearing several other pieces of nice jewellery at the time, dressed nicely and carrying an Oroton handbag so didn't think I exactly looked like a homeless person! I thanked the kind saleslady and quickly left.

Obviously she was correct in that I wasn't planning to whip out my credit card right there and then but I was looking for my upcoming anniversary. Now I will never enter that store or even that chain again, certainly not part with my $ for that kind of attitude! :angryfire:
 
HotPozzum said:
That's what the manager of a mall jewellery store told me on Saturday! :eek:

I was killling some time so wandered in to take a peek. Saleslady was lovely and flatly admitted she didn't know much, we were having a good chat while I tried on some rings and louped them etc. Manager wandered out and was listening to our conversation. She offered a few "gems" of advice including:

  • "It doesn't matter what colour grade coz we don't use lower than I."
    "No one actually sees inclusions so they don't matter"
    "Why do you want to loupe it?"

She then decided I wasn't planning to actually buy anything on the spot and told me "If I couldn't afford to buy it then I shouldn't even be looking!" I was shocked and rather embarrassed by the whole incident. I was wearing several other pieces of nice jewellery at the time, dressed nicely and carrying an Oroton handbag so didn't think I exactly looked like a homeless person! I thanked the kind saleslady and quickly left.

Obviously she was correct in that I wasn't planning to whip out my credit card right there and then but I was looking for my upcoming anniversary. Now I will never enter that store or even that chain again, certainly not part with my $ for that kind of attitude! :angryfire:
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Feel free to post the name and location of this store, so other PSers know whose establishments to avoid :nono:
 
If the store/company has a website I would write your complaint to the customer service department. A manager should not be acting like that. period. I had something similar happen to me at a Kays store a few years ago and I emailed their Customer Sat Department. I got a really nice response back saying how sorry they were plus they have me some promotional discount off anything I purchased there. I never used it but it was nice of them to offer.
 
Ouch! I hate that feeling - and I never know what to say in the moment.... but it would have been great to say that you were shopping for your anniversary. Too bad - so many stores loose so much business like this. I have voted more often with my feet than with my words. :((

Good for you for leaving! They don't deserve your business - particularly given who was involved. They don't get it from top to bottom.
 
I hate to say it but some jewelry stores will only take a woman seriously when she come with her man since the sales staff assumes the fiance holds the purse strings. And when the ladies are out "looking" they have no clue as to what their man can afford.

I like internet shopping.
 
Funnily enough I did mention that I was looking specifically for my anniversary but the Manager hadn't come out at that point so she didn't hear it. It was at Michael Hill which is a large chain store in Australia, clearly not the best quality but I was more interested in the necklaces and was trying on the rings for fun. Irnonically the ring she was particularly snooty about was only $4.5K which I'm sure is a drop in the ocean for many purchasers on PS! :lol: Yes, I won't bother looking in there again....
 
I don't care what her assumptions were but any jewelry store "manager" who is spreading a "If customers look like they can't afford anything, don't bother serving them" message should be fired. What the heck does she know about what you can or can't afford. Some of my richest friends look pretty slob-like on the weekends - think flip flops and sweatpants in public (from time to time). Their money doesn't define them or their look. Or their choice to wear designer suits and gorgeous jewelry on the weekdays.

A good long term business plan should include serving and treating every potential customer as important - because even if they don't buy today, they could come back tomorrow or next year.... with more money.

People who already have money, or people who inevitably earn their money through time, do not revisit retail stores where they have been treated with disrespect.
 
Wow! The good thing is they don't have YOUR money. After you have bought your anniversary ring you should go back again when she works. Buy a gold polishing cloth and stop to browse afterward. Tell her how much you love the jewerly but you will have to save up after spending so much money on your new ring. Smile sweetly. She won't dare be rude because you are a customer.
 
You should have asked her for the name of her manager. Would have maybe made her think twice the next time she was tempted to say something smart to a customer. That's just totally unacceptable and rude.
 
That is a terrible story :( Back when my husband and I were ring shopping for our wedding, we went into one store that only sells platinum jewelry. Well, the salesman came up and asked us what kind of jewelry we were shopping for. When we told him we were just browsing the wedding rings to see what they had, he followed up with "what kind of metal are you looking for?" I told him I was leaning toward white gold. Instead of realizing that I had just given him the opportunity to upell me to a platinum setting, he responded condescendingly "Well, WE only sell platinum here! Do you know anything about platinum?" I responded that I did, after which he started badgering me to list off all the qualities I knew that made platinum a superior choice. When I didn't list them all off, he just looked disgusted and said "I guess we don't have anything for you here." Needless to say, we never returned to that store and I rejoiced when it went out of business a few months later.

I went into my "regular" jewelry store this past weekend and the man that always helps me mentioned that shoppers are "weird about wedding jewelry, you know, kind of snooty." Maybe that sends some salespeople over the edge.
 
I think that's appalling behavious from the shop assistant, but then with the store being Michael Hill I probably shouldn't be surprised.

But still, ugh. :nono:
 
Rae~ said:
I think that's appalling behavious from the shop assistant, but then with the store being Michael Hill I probably shouldn't be surprised.

But still, ugh. :nono:
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No kidding, this amazes me! Do they have bottomless pockets that can afford anything themselves? Maybe they do, but even still? I know the original poster is in Australia, but I can't imagine people treating customers poorly in this economy in the US when many would love to have their job.
 
HotPozzum said:
She then decided I wasn't planning to actually buy anything on the spot and told me "If I couldn't afford to buy it then I shouldn't even be looking!"
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She has it all wrong. If you can't afford it, then you SHOULD be looking at it. The reason has to do with maintaining an interesting and motivated life. Most of us can not afford art or jewelry residing in museums and yet we end up looking quite a lot. For some of us a jewelry store can be like a museum of fine things that we can see and touch and perhaps eventually one day own. To shoo someone away from that is doing the salesperson and the looker a real disservice. Many salespeople forget that getting people looking is the core of their job, (since looking is the first step to eventually buying).

I wouldn't be mad at her though, more like feel sorry for her. I've found that the more arrogant a person is, the more unsure of themselves they really are.
 
Well said Michael.

I would add a tidbit of advice for jewelry salespeople. When a customer comes into your store and spends BIG money, it's rarely their first visit. The first time they came in they were 'just looking' or they needed something like a watch battery or some other small thing. The decision to come back was based on how they were treated during that first visit. My favorite thing to hear a salesperson say in response to a customer who is 'just looking' is 'Great! You came to the right place. Have a look at THIS!!' and proceed to show them the coolest thing in the store. They probably won't buy it, but they sure will be remembering that you're store is the one that has good stuf and they just might give you a better clue as to what they are looking for. Total cost to you. Zero. I'm not seeing the downside.
 
Michael_E said:
I wouldn't be mad at her though, more like feel sorry for her. I've found that the more arrogant a person is, the more unsure of themselves they really are.
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Yep, I think that the person has had bad luck and hasn't made many sales and is taking it out on those who she knows won't increase her sales on that particular day.

I've gone into shops looking for .50ish stones and made clear that is my budget and one time I saw a massive ring and commented on it. Turned out it was 2 cts and when I commented on it, the sales gal insisted I try it on FOR FUN! ;)
 
You're right - she may well have been having a bad week and just took it out on HotPozzum. Not very professional still, but yes, somewhat sad.

SiameseKitty - I just want to say that while I know I said I shouldn't be surprised by this, I don't think we have an abnormal number of rude salespeople here in Aus - I was really making a comment on the quality of the store overall. I don't know what to compare Michael Hill to in the UA, but it's a fairly middle-of-the-road chain B&M that I think has outlets pretty much all over Aus. Since I mainly window shop for coloured stones, from memory I can say they only have very basic jewellery made mainly from peridot, amethyst and blue topaz, with a few sapphires here and there.

It's really just a mass market jewellery store, not anything special. Since I now don't live in a large city, I really notice the difference in quality/knowledge of staff.... and while the rudeness isn't always standard, a lack of effective sales technique often is.
 
MC said:
Michael_E said:
I wouldn't be mad at her though, more like feel sorry for her. I've found that the more arrogant a person is, the more unsure of themselves they really are.
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Yep, I think that the person has had bad luck and hasn't made many sales and is taking it out on those who she knows won't increase her sales on that particular day.

I've gone into shops looking for .50ish stones and made clear that is my budget and one time I saw a massive ring and commented on it. Turned out it was 2 cts and when I commented on it, the sales gal insisted I try it on FOR FUN! ;)
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Ditto this - it's just poor salesmanship. I have a friend who's still holding a grudge against a store that snottily ignored us when we were young and poor ... which sucks for them now that we're older and have cash. And on the other side of things, my very favorite jewelry store is the one where the salespeople insisted that I try on some 8 carat total weight studs - when next I have some mad money, they will certainly be one of my first stops. I have to admit, I'd call and complain - that woman's behavior is bullying and inappropriate!
 
Hi HotPozzum,

My name is Kevin and I am the General Manager for Michael Hill in Australia. I was horrified to read your comments regarding your experience at a Michael Hill store. Our goal is to ensure that everyone who visits one of our stores has a pleasant experience. It saddens me to hear that your visit was the exact opposite.

I would love the opportunity to speak to you personally to ensure you do visit one of our stores again, even if it is just to browse and try on some of our beautiful jewellery. I would also like more details regarding your unpleasant experience, so I can follow up and ensure that no one else ends up being treated as poorly as you were.

Could you please send your details to (mobile/home no. or email address):

[email protected]

Or you can leave a message for me on (07)3399-0200

As soon as I receive your details, I will get in contact immediately.

Kind Regards,
Kevin
 
That was a very good development...
 
Hot pozzum, I also have had horrible experiences at Michael Hill. Recently, I was looking at a 2ct solitaire and asked what colour the stone was, the salesperson told me it was an SI2 coloured stone. I said that cannot be correct as SI2 is a clarity grade not a colour grade and she proceeded to tell me i QUOTE "if you are so knowlegeable about diamonds why did you even ask??"

I left the store immediatley and have vowed to never go back.

I strongly beleive that companies like this need to invest more $$ in quality training for their staff. The consumer is armed with knowledge and is not going to stand their a listen to a salesperson fumble their way through the 4c's. We will take our business to a jeweller who appreciates our knowledge and tries to build on it. Unfortunately chain stores like this do not cut the mustard and i will not spend a cent with them.
 
Top marks to Kevin for contacting HotPozzum.
I'm in Australia and I know of Michael Hill, although have not shopped there.
Based on the original post, I would have been put off going there (one bad apple spoiling it for other stores), but the fact that Kevin has taken the time to post shows that the management has heard public feedback and is interested in improving.
 
Circe said:
Ditto this - it's just poor salesmanship.
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Absolutely right and anyone who is truly good at sales will tell you the same thing.
 
delighted to read Kevin's reply, hoping further conversations are helpful and constructive :appl:
 
Hi Kevin,

Thank you for joining this thread and I sincerely appreciate your desire to improve customer service at Michael Hill.

I wish to emphasise that the sales lady who intially served me was wonderful and very helpful. It was the manager who made inapproriate comments and made it very clear that if I wasn't there to purchase an item immediately then I shouldn't waste her time.

Whilst I feel this experience is not unique to me - I think I can say on behalf of everyone at Pricescope community - that we wish for better training of staff at jewellery stores. I asked for the colour and clarity rating of several rings whilst at Michael Hill only to be told it didn't matter as they won't use less than XXX. Please don't insult me and tell me what is or isn't important to me. If I were planning to buy a special or expensive ring or other piece of jewellery I would like to know everything about it before I part with my hard-earnt money. EVERY staff member should know about the minimum 4 C's and should be able to have an intelligent discussion about jewellery - why else would they chose to work there?

I'm sure the majority of your staff are lovely people and I hope that this was simply a one-off event. Thank you again for participating in Pricescope.
 
Kevin,

Michael Hill would be best served if they followed this model from Tiffany. The following is from JewelFreak, who worked at Tiffany's -

BUT -- it is a BIG thing in Tiff training not to be snotty to anyone, ever. Especially due to how they look. The lesson happened about 20 yrs ago: a guy wandered around the jewelry cases in the NYC store, wearing crummy old torn jeans, a ratty t-shirt, filthy sneakers, 2-day beard before it was cool. Had a hard time getting a salesperson to even look at him & whoever helped him was very arrogant, thinking she was wasting her valuable time. The man bought nothing but went to the Pres. of Tiff's, whom he knew, & complained. He was from the Mott family, heir to the Mott's applesauce & canned fruit fortune & Tiff's lost a longtime big customer; he never shopped there again. That example was always used in training & was a good one. Many times salespeople sold mega-jewels to customers who looked like they slept under a bridge.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/pretty-woman-moment-at-local-jewelery-store.150508/page-2#p2730376']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/pretty-woman-moment-at-local-jewelery-store.150508/page-2#p2730376[/URL]

It doesn't cost the company any additional dollars (with the exception of training) to instill a culture that every person who walks through your doors deserves respect. To receive this kind of attitude from a manager should be very upsetting to your company as a whole.

Hotpozzum's comments on the education level of the staff is also important. You can't imagine how frustrating it is to hear "oh the clarity and/or color doesn't matter", when the price for a D costs about an arm more than an I. And for the record, I can see the color in an "I" - not necessarily in the jewelry store lighting, but outside, I can definitely see it. Some people like a slight warmth; some people like the savings. If asked about the specifications of any piece, a salesperson should offer what they know - not give attitude.
 
iota15 said:
Hotpozzum's comments on the education level of the staff is also important. You can't imagine how frustrating it is to hear "oh the clarity and/or color doesn't matter", when the price for a D costs about an arm more than an I. And for the record, I can see the color in an "I" - not necessarily in the jewelry store lighting, but outside, I can definitely see it. Some people like a slight warmth; some people like the savings. If asked about the specifications of any piece, a salesperson should offer what they know - not give attitude.
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(Bolding mine)

Oh, hear, hear. :appl: If I could change just one thing about jewellery store experiences, it would be this. I realise not all staff can know everything about coloured stones or diamonds if they are just sales staff and not certified gemologists, but they can at least lose the attitude and be willing to accept that sometimes the customer *might* actually know something they don't.
 
How awful you were treated that way. I too will not go back to a store where I was treated poorly. A salesperson has no idea who can afford to buy something or not. It's not like the jewelry stores are so busy these days they can't take the time to treat all customers as their most valued customers.
 
I went into a mall store after a day at work in a cabinet shop. I was dresses in old clothes and wasn't wearing any jewelry. When it was my turn to be waited on the saleslady did her best to ignore ma and pointed looked past me to the next couple that was waiting. As I was about to open my mouth they pointed out to her that I was there first. She was really rude and arrogant toward me, and kept trying to blow me off and go the the next couple. I finally had enough and told her I was going to talk to the manager. She laughed in my face.

I went back to the service counter and asked for the manager. I also pulled out a layaway ticket for a fairly expensive pair of earrings I was about to pick up. I told the manager I had just changed my mind and wanted my money back, and I told him why. He tried, but couldn't change my mind. As he returned my money the look on his face told the tale. I caught the saleslady'e eye on the way out and she saw the refund ticket in my hand and her boss walking out with me still trying to change my mind. If only I had a picture of her expression.....
 
Andelain said:
I went into a mall store after a day at work in a cabinet shop. I was dresses in old clothes and wasn't wearing any jewelry. When it was my turn to be waited on the saleslady did her best to ignore ma and pointed looked past me to the next couple that was waiting. As I was about to open my mouth they pointed out to her that I was there first. She was really rude and arrogant toward me, and kept trying to blow me off and go the the next couple. I finally had enough and told her I was going to talk to the manager. She laughed in my face.

I went back to the service counter and asked for the manager. I also pulled out a layaway ticket for a fairly expensive pair of earrings I was about to pick up. I told the manager I had just changed my mind and wanted my money back, and I told him why. He tried, but couldn't change my mind. As he returned my money the look on his face told the tale. I caught the saleslady'e eye on the way out and she saw the refund ticket in my hand and her boss walking out with me still trying to change my mind. If only I had a picture of her expression.....
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Good for you! I'm guessing she got a sound and well-deserved verbal spanking, as I'm sure you weren't the first customer she treated poorly - though hopefully the last!
 
Good for you Andelain.
 
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