My BeyondJewelry3 Review :(

[iLander]

So, I ordered a setting from Beyondjewelry3 on ebay, with a bit of customization. I wanted this ring head to be sized to hold a 7.5 mm stone;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Round-8-5mm-14kt-WG-Gold-0-43Ct-Diamond-Semi-Mount-Ring-/310370065954?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item48437f5e22#ht_3791wt_940

Beyond Jewelry asked me to send them my paypal address, and we would complete the transaction outside of ebay. I should have stopped right there.

But I went ahead and when it arrived, it was obviously the wrong size. I think they just sent out the standard 8.5 mm ring. I took it to a jeweler and he confirmed that the head was too large and the only way to save the setting was to build a support for the stone. I decided to send it back.

I emailed BeyondJewelry3 from within ebay's email system. They said to send my stone and they would set it for free. I said no way (thank goodness!) and they sent me this address to return the item(copied and pasted here).

Peng JiaWei
Room #302 6stairs 1 Building Jin-Ze-Yuan
Jin Sha Wan Garden,Zhonghua Road Panyu distrist,
Guangzhou 511483
China

They also said to mark the package for $50 value (I should have ignored that). And not to use DHL, FedEx, or anything other than USPS, even though they sent it to me via DHL. I sent the package on December 15th. It was marked as leaving Hawaii on December 19th. And that's it. No further tracking.

So here I am, almost a month later, and I have no recourse. I'm outside of ebay, I only have $50 insurance, and all the seller does is tell me to send it back. I contacted Paypal and they said to send the ring to this address:

Rm 102 4stairs 3Building Jin-Sha-Yuan
Jin Sha Wan Garden,panyu
Guangzhou
, 511483
China

Notice how the addresses are slightly different. What is that about? Is this a handy way that Beyond Jewelry makes money? They can claim they never received the ring (though they might have) at room 302 and I can't get my money back.

Paypal is no help, they seem to be run by a computer.

I just wanted to share my tale of woe. I won't be ordering from them again.

My rating for Beyond Jewelry 3 is 0 stars out of whatever number you pick.

 

[K9]

SO sorry this happened to you, iLander. I had the same misfortune when returning a setting from this seller - and was out $400. No recourse and no ring... a disappointment to say the least.

Anyway... I just wanted to say I'm sorry that it happened to you. I know others here have had a lot of luck with this seller (who sells under other names) both on purchases and returns, but sometimes it's just not the case for all. *hugs*

 

[CharmyPoo]

I have never attempted to return anything for the fear of what you described happening. Most of the time my normal mail to China never arrives. I once sent something 4 times and it never arrived. I guess it might not be a dishonest seller but bad postal system?

Anyways, I once shipped a stone to lan.bo4 and it never arrived. The second time I shipped with tracking and signature - it arrived. I guess story is .. make sure you are protected with tracking even if it cost you more.

 

[JewelFreak]

What a bummer, iLander! Wish I had anything intelligent to add but I don't. Just sending hugs & dust. Lousy experience for you.

--- Laurie

 

[LD]

I'm so sorry this has happened. I just want to tell you of my experience to reassure you that you may still get the refund:

1. Address details may be slightly different in Paypal because of the amount you can actually type in there! Also it's not uncommon to rent "rooms" in buildings so even though the building name/address is similar, the room number might be different. On it's own, this isn't a worry.

2. I have never ever returned either a stone or a setting using FedEx or other courier. I have always returned it as you described BECAUSE it eliminates theft in the postal system which is a real issue and also means that the recipient doesn't have to pay tax on the returned package (I'm not passing a judgement on this). However, in the UK, we can insure the package separately despite putting a lesser amount on the customs declaration which does get around the issue of recompense for loss.

3. I fully appreciate how annoying it is when a setting is sent without the customisation. From experience, you have to keep repeating what you want until they type it back to you! Frustrating but necessary. I never pull the trigger until this is firmly understood and documented. I'm sure you did this but it's worth repeating for others who may not know this is essential.

4. Buying outside Ebay shouldn't be a problem - especially as you've used Paypal - and this is common practice with Lanbo, LOGR etc. Don't worry about this. If you customise a setting you will be buying out of Ebay anyway (normally).

5. Phone Paypal and/or report your item as returned but not refunded (or whatever option you have). Keep doing it. Finally you will get a human rather than a frustrating automated response. As the item was not what you ordered and (presumably) you have proof of return postage, you should be refunded in full by Paypal even if BeyondJewellery don't cough up. You MUST open a dispute case within x number of days (think it may be 30 or 45) so please don't delay. Often just the filing of a claim will be enough for a slow vendor to respond.

I hope the above helps and wish you the very best of luck in getting your refund. Thinking of you.

 

[pregcurious]

I hope this works out for you iLander.

 

[fussykiki]

Have you email the seller and enquire whether they have received the package?

I suspect the postman in China can't read English address properly and it may take longer time to arrive. Good luck to you. Hope it will arrive soon.

 

[stargurl78]

How frustrating iLander!!! I really it hope it all works out for you. I wouldn't give up hope just yet though because every time I send a package back internationally it always seems to take longer than expected.

I previously posted this thread out of similar frustration:
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/how-to-return-gemstones-internationally.168292/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/how-to-return-gemstones-internationally.168292/[/URL]

My international shopping will be much more limited now since I realize registered mail doesn't cover the full value and its so expensive to fully insure items.

 

[iLander]

UPDATE!

Thank you for your kind words, K9, Charmypoo, Jewelfreak, LD, pregcurious, fussykiki, stargurl78. I appreciate all the advice (thank you for the long post LD!) and kind thoughts, you really helped me feel better. Hugs!

I just got an email from Beyond Jewelry that they have received the ring setting, and they gave me my refund! Yeah!

I had opened it on Paypal as a dispute, and I think that may have helped the seller look a little harder. Paypal didn't address any of my concerns (different address, seller asking for reduced value declaration, thus my reduced insurance) they just sent a form email asking for the original tracking number. I supplied it, and decided to forget it an chalk it up as live and learn.

It was a nice surprise to find out it finally got there, over a month later!

I promptly spent the money On a watch, not a setting this time . . .

 

[K9]

Yay! I'm so glad it worked out for you!!!

 

[JewelFreak]

Yayyyy, iLander!!!!

 

[LD]

Brilliant news! Very pleased for you!

 

[Arcadian]

Very glad it worked out!
-A

 

[minousbijoux]

Oh, I do so like a happy ending!

 

[iLander]

Thank you guys!