Negotiating Prices at a Mall Jewelry Store??????

[Razzle]

Hello All,

I have found a beautiful setting that both myself and my girlfriend love at a local mall jewelry store. It is 14K white gold with three round channel-set diamonds on each side (.80tcw). The diamonds closest to the prongs is the largest with the successive diamonds decreasing in size. The diamonds are G in color..not sure about the cut or clarity. The tag price is $1895. This is definately the setting that we want to buy. I have not seen it in any other store or on the internet.

It looks overpriced compared to similar settings I have found on the internet. My questions:
1. Do you guys and gals feel it is overpriced?
2. If so, what is a "fair" price?
3. How do you suggest I begin to negotiate with a mall jewelry store to have to most success??

Anyone have experience doing this?? Any response would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!

-Razzle

 

[mike04456]

At the very least, you need to know the individual carat weights as well as the clarity grades to know what might be a fair price for it.




But almost anything you get at the mall is going to be overpriced compared to the web.

 

[pqcollectibles]

Why not get the store to give you some promotional material or a brochure that contains a pic of the ring. Then you can have someone custom make the set for you. You can pic the side stones so you will know the quality of the Cut, color, and clarity. Custom does not always mean more expensive and you get much better quality.

Someone had a ring made similar to what you are describing. I finally found the pic. Here's the link:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-well-really-soon-to-be-hers-ring-thanks-gog.11119/

 

[Razzle]

Thanks for the suggestion regarding a custom made setting. I have toyed with the idea before, but I live in a rural area and felt that it would be daunting to find a great jeweler to do this...but I am going to start looking around...you never know who is around

Anyone have any suggestions on how to negotiate with the Mall stores???

Here is a setting similar to the one I am interested in..

 

[hoorray]

The easiest way I know to negotiate something like this is to provide an comparable price for like quality from somewhere else, and see if they will get close or match it. This means that you need to know the general specs of the ring and the stones before you can know what you would be able to get it for elsewhere or if their pricing is reasonable.

Otherwise, sometimes just saying..."this is more than I had budgeted to spend. Is it the best price you can do?" will come back with a surprising answer. You never know until you ask

.

 

[karenb]

Razzle,

I had a similiar experience. I found a setting I liked at a local store. I would find who the designer of the ring is then see if they have a website...usually they will list authorized jewelers. I went to a few jewelers to see who would sell me the setting for the lowest price.

If that doesn't work, do what Lop suggested and find a setting that is similiar for price comparisions. I know CoastDiamonds have similiar setting like the one you posted.

The setting I bought is similiar to yours, except mine is platinum with 4 round channel-set diamonds (.50tcw)with largest by the prong. (G color) The original price quoted was $1760, but I received a "discount" and only paid $1372.

Hope this helps

 

[Razzle]

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On 2/23/2004 9:37:47 PM karenb wrote:

Razzle,

I had a similiar experience. I found a setting I liked at a local store. I would find who the designer of the ring is then see if they have a website...usually they will list authorized jewelers. I went to a few jewelers to see who would sell me the setting for the lowest price.

If that doesn't work, do what Lop suggested and find a setting that is similiar for price comparisions. I know CoastDiamonds have similiar setting like the one you posted.

The setting I bought is similiar to yours, except mine is platinum with 4 round channel-set diamonds (.50tcw)with largest by the prong. (G color) The original price quoted was $1760, but I received a 'discount' and only paid $1372.

Hope this helps

----------------

Thanks for the advice. I am going to call the store today and try to get the exact specs and company info...then I can do some price shopping? I am wondering if they will have a problem giving me all the info..they probably realize I am shopping around

Anyone else have experience negotiating with mall stores?

Thanks!

 

[PrincessClyde]

Karenb, do you happen to know if CoastDiamonds has a website and if so, do you know what it is?
Thank you!

 

[Razzle]

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On 2/23/2004 7:25:40 PM LawGem wrote:


At the very least, you need to know the individual carat weights as well as the clarity grades to know what might be a fair price for it.


But almost anything you get at the mall is going to be overpriced compared to the web.
----------------

I called back the store to ask for some more specs on the ring. They said they couldnt tell me the individual carat weights of the side settings because they are channel set and they dont have that information....all they know is that it is .80 tcw. The clarity is a VS2 and G color on the side stones. They also said that it is one of their own settings, and is not a name brand. So now I cant shop from store to store to get the best price. I guess I will need to find a similar one and haggle them down.

Any suggestions on a price with the information I provided? Any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[Nicrez]

Not knowing the stones size and such from someone who MADE the actual ring...Weird. I once bought a topaz and diamond ring from a jeweler in NYC, and he made the ring, gave me the specs, etc...I got it appraised at exactly the same as what he said. If someone MADE it, why don't they know what the use.




If anything, they try and find out for you...This seems a bit fishy...Are you sure you want to deal with someone so unhelpful? But if this is the ring your heart is set on, find a comperable one and ARGUE the price down!

 

[mike04456]

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On 2/24/2004 3:24:21 PM Nicrez wrote:







Not knowing the stones size and such from someone who MADE the actual ring...Weird.




----------------

Well, if this is a big mall chain, these items are mass-produced at their factories (or wholesale manufacturers) and by the time the rings get to the store, the sales associates know nothing beyond what is on the tag or what's listed in their company catalog. So it's not too surprising.

 

[mike04456]

deleted this--realized that I was misunderstanding the design.

 

[icelady]

----------------
On 2/24/2004 11:36:27 AM PrincessClyde wrote:

Karenb, do you happen to know if CoastDiamonds has a website and if so, do you know what it is?
Thank you!----------------

PC,

Coast Diamond's web site is simply www.coastdiamond.com .

 

[karenb]

Razzle,

Is there another mall within reasonable distance with the same jeweler? Maybe you could go there or call them to see if they have the same setting. Do some investigating...See if they tell you the same information as the other store. Maybe they do design that setting or maybe they don't want you to shop around. Im sure many people do that and they dont want to provide you with the actual designer. If the other store has the same setting (or can get it for you), maybe they will give you a better price to get your business....that's how I got my discount.

It took me three conversations with the sales person to find out the designer. She was very reluctant to provide the information. I ended up going to one of their other stores, who was very open and honest, and had them forwarded the setting there. I refused to give my business to the other store.


PrincessClyde

If your interested in CoastDiamond, their website only posts a few of their designs available. Authorized jewelers have a catalog with many more designs. They have very nice settings.


Karen

 

[Griffin]

Without knowing the specs on the stones, it is hard to pin down a price. However, if there are 6 or 8 stones for .80 tw, you can be sure that they probably aren't going to be but 10 or 15 points for the largest of them.
Prices will vary based on quality of stones, but even with some very decent stones in a 14k setting it shouldn't set you back more than $1000 or so give or take.

So no, $1900 isn't all that great of a deal, but keep looking - that is a really cool design and similar pieces can be sourced from a number of online suppliers.

 

[Razzle]

----------------
On 2/24/2004 9:53:14 PM karenb wrote:

Razzle,

Is there another mall within reasonable distance with the same jeweler? Maybe you could go there or call them to see if they have the same setting. Do some investigating...See if they tell you the same information as the other store. ----------------

KarenB,

There is actually another store in the area. The stores aren't a national chain, there are only 2 of them and they are both in the Binghamton, NY area. One is in a shopping mall and the other a strip mall. I did look in the second store at one time and did not see this setting there.

Would one store really fight against the other one for a sale if they are owned by the same family/company? Or would they stick together since the profits are probably going into the same pockets? I could ask the second store to look up the price and make me an offer to get my business. What do you guys think??

Thanks for all the advice...keep it coming!!

-Razzle

 

[fire&ice]

I wouldn't try to haggle persay.

But as Lop suggested, go into the store - say you like the setting - it's in the running - but way more than your budget - I have to give this some thought - but - what is your very best price?

Can you get the same setting effect for less - probably. Do you want to buy from this particular vendor? How much of a premium do you want to pay for tactile viewing?