should have kept my mouth shut... need advice pls

[TLS]

For the past few weeks I have been trying to figure out what setting I wanted and now I have created an unfortunate situation for myself. I finally had it down now to just a couple contendors. One in consideration was an well known designer very thin platinum semi mount with small 2 point diamonds across the top, with a square shank. The biggest issue was trying to determine a fair price. My local Jeweler initially quoted the engagement ring price at some absurdly high dollar amount compared to what I was seeing it listed for at couple other jewelers. My Jeweler even admitted that the price didn't seem right so she was going to call the designers sales rep to figure out what was going on.

I informed my local jeweler of the price I was seeing it listed for online and even emailed her the link to the other Jewelers website. Please understand I was just trying to get the fairest price for the setting, but I also hoped to work with someone local. I want my local jeweler to get the fair profit that she deserves if she can offer me the setting for the same price or in the same ball park, but I also don't want to be overcharged so we were trying to sort out the pricing issue. I understand that businesses have different profit margins, but the prices between the two were very different and it was getting confusing so I just wanted to get the pricing issue sorted out. I have no problem paying a couple bucks more to work with a local person, but there was over a thousand dollar discrepancy between the prices we were initially quoted so something didn't seem quite right. If my jeweler could have offered me a similar price I would have went with her, if she couldn't I was considering going with the online jeweler (who also has a B & M).

I had emailed the online vendor and they confirmed the online prices I was seeing. My local jeweler I believe even called them and also checked the price and they informed her that the price was as listed on the site (she called posing as a consumer). My local jeweler emails me and says she can't match the price and if they can sell it to me for that price then she understands if I need to buy it from them. She did however get the large price discrepancy sorted out with the designer and as it turns out her prices were going to be a few hundred dollars more each for both the band and engagement ring.

Next thing I know I contact the online vendor again to confirm the prices once more and suddenly they have realized a mistake occured with the price that was online????? Coincidence? Doesn't seem likely to me!

This is all way too coincidental to me... the price had been out there for god knows how long. clearly my local jeweler was talking to the designer sales rep and my theory is that she mentioned her frustration at being undercut by another dealer and either the designer told that online jeweler that the price they had it listed for was incorrect or that they could not continue selling it for that price for whatever reason. The online Jeweler may have been making an honest mistake with the pricing, but it seems as though my questioning this brought it to light...

I am just really upset with myself now because in trying to work with my local jeweler I now effectively just raised the price on myself... I know that this is all too coincidental.

Can anyone offer their input to this situation? I am so frustrated right now, I think I might walk away from the setting completely after this.

sorry for the long saga....

 

[Daniela]

It is an unfortanate situation, but you couldn''t have known, so try not to kick yourself (I now, it''s hard when we''re talking about hard-earned cash, right?).

I can''t think of a way to resolve the problem, except by trying to hold the onling dealer to their posted price that they quoted you recently.

And if that doesn''t work, then all I can say is that I sympathize and that the situation basically sucks!

 

[RockDoc]

I really don''t think that it is as bad as you''re imagining.

There are other B&M stores as well as internet sellers, that can probably get the same ring. Let''s say in the interest of chance that you find another internet person at a lower price.

Shop around... do your research... maybe you''ll even find it for less.

If this truly is a designer product, many diners "dictate" what markup shoud be charged. But there are low balls on the internet, particularly with ebay stuff. Could be that the internet person deliberately posted a lower selling price to attract shoppers like yourself.

You''re looking out for your own best interest, what''s wrong with that?

Rockdoc

 

[dtexan]

Aaww there''s no way you could have known they would do this. You were just trying to get them to compete with the online price. Tough situation! Your best bet is to tell them that you had seen this price on the website for quite some time and were quoted this, so it''s unfair they changed the prices without notifying you.

Since misery loves company, lemme say that my situation is just as bad and i even have the quote in paper with a deposit down! They inform me the designer''s price changed, first it was because platinum price was up. I told them it wasn''t up by but $2-3. Then they said the quote that was given was accidentally for 18kt gold, i clearly said the sticker price on the ring was for 18kt gold and that was already $700 less than what i was willing to pay for platinum. He checked and said, yes..let me send them an email and see what is going on, but i won''t know for some time. I have a quote on paper and 20% down and that still doesn''t seem to guarantee anything!!! It seems like they can do as they please! I''m a bit fed up of this whole designer setting/jewelery store bit. They won''t let me talk to the designer directly and they have to go through their corporate headquarters which is resulting in more time and bigger headaches. *phew*

Hope something works out for you atleast, i can understand how you feel.

 

[aljdewey]

I''m not sure you''ll like my input, but it''s this: You are being a smart shopper and trying to get the best possible price for yourself. That''s applaudable.

But, in doing so, the onus is on *you* to recognize when something is truly a fabulous price and to get that price from whoever offers it.

It''s commendable that you wanted to work with someone local, but that was as much for your convenience as anything I suspect.

As with any sale, you can only get the price offered at the time you lay out the cash. It doesn''t matter if it was cheaper last week, etc. Prices are subject to change at a retailer''s discretion.....especially if they identify and fix a mistake.

You tried to broker a better deal locally, and it cost you the ability to get that deal at all. You outsmarted your own self, unfortunately. There really isn''t anything you can do about it now except learn from it for the next time.

I''m sorry for you, though. I know how hard it is to crunch the numbers to get just what you want.

 

[fire&ice]

Now we have some internet sites also getting these same designer lines.. Do some searches and you will see 90% of them all have the same price, or within a few dollars of each other.. And then you stumble across one that is $1000 lower than everyone else.. This guy is throwing the designer''s rules out the window and charging whatever they want.. So, your jeweler calls the deisgner, who calls the web guy, who wants to keep selling the designer line, and adjusts his price to keep the line..

Is this what happened to you?? No idea without knowing the line.. Is it possible?? Yup..

High probablity. Seen it happen.

 

[TLS]

Thanks for everyone's input. I am still frustrated by this, but if I decide to buy it at this point I might as well go with the local jeweler since the prices are now about the same between the two.

I am not generally very good at hiding my emotions and I really do want to tell the jeweler what happened and about my frustration now since i think the sales rep got to the online jeweler. Obviously she will be suspicious of why I am going with her if their prices are much better.

I know it is not her fault and she has the right to complain to the sales rep, but I am frustrated that this has now cost me money... I am frustrated to the point where I almost don't want to work with her at all now. I understand she wasn't being malicious but she just cost me money. If I express my displeasure it might not make for a good working relationship at this point though....

 

[AndyRosse]

Date: 1/22/2005 12

4:49 PM
Author: TL1

I know it is not her fault and she has the right to complain to the sales rep, but I am frustrated that this has now cost me money... I am frustrated to the point where I almost don''t want to work with her at all now. I understand she wasn''t being malicious but she just cost me money. If I express my displeasure it might not make for a good working relationship at this point though....

Just wanted to comment on the last part...I have to agree, if you tell her how upset you are, I think you might be compromising your working relationship with her later.

I had some problems with a jeweler regarding my e-ring, and I let him try to fix it three times. After that I couldn''t help it any longer and when the last problem arose, I went in there and told him exactly what was on my mind. And when he tried to explain the mistakes with INCORRECT information, well, I corrected each and every mistake of his until he was speechless. My future father-in-law was with me, and he couldn''t help laughing as we walked out because it was so odd to see a consumer correcting the jeweler on about five or six MAJOR mistakes in his explanations (i.e. all platinum rings are sized with white gold soder). But my point is, at this point, we couldn''t have a working relationship any longer. At the end of the conversation, he blatently asked me if I trusted him, to which I immediately responded "no." He handed me back my cash, I gave him the ring, and I left in tears. But unfortunately, there was no way to keep working together, because it was true, I just didn''t trust a word that came out of his mouth.

Of course, your situation is quite different and definitely not so drastic. But still, if you let her know how you feel, it might come out too strong, and in effect, may affect how she services you in the future. I''m not sure you would want to take that risk. I certainly wouldn''t.

But good luck, and I''m soooo sorry about what happened. I know how you feel....

 

[strmrdr]

I honestly dont get it why would you want anything from that designer after what happened?????
Get ticked off and vote with your wallet and get a different setting.
Why would you even consider supporting that designer with your money????

If you like the style just have someone else make you something close to it.

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 1/22/2005 12

4:49 PM
Author: TL1

I am frustrated to the point where I almost don''t want to work with her at all now. I understand she wasn''t being malicious but she just cost me money.

I don''t want this to sound at all unsympathetic, but I have to respectfully point out this: *she* didn''t cost you money.....you did.

It''s pretty clear the online vendor shouldn''t have priced the set as they did initially. You had the chance to buy from them at that price. You wanted to have your cake and eat it too (as we all do!...not being critical, believe me!), and you pressed your local jeweler to match the price so you could have the convenience of a local contact AND the benefit of someone else''s mistake (the online vendor).

What would you have had the local jeweler do in this situation? As I see it, she has these choices: 1) Price match and lose money; 2) refuse to price match and lose a sale, therby losing money; or 3) correct the problem so she has a fair opportunity at the sale without losing money. I really don''t see what else she could have done or what else you would have expected her to do. Why should she be the one to lose money for someone else''s mistake (intentional or unintentional)?

It doesn''t seem right to entertain expressing your displeasure at the local jeweler. She''s not the one who asked to price match.....you were. Again, you had the chance to purchase it from the online vendor. You didn''t take that opportunity. That''s really not the local jeweler''s fault.

 

[TLS]

Aljdewey I hear what you are saying and I respect your opinion, and it really has nothing to do with the fact the jeweler did anything wrong.... I know that she did not. It is more just my complete annoyance at the situation at this point. I think if you were in the same position you might be annoyed even if it was your fault for trying to price shop? I am not blaming the jeweler, it is certainly not her fault, i didn''t mean to imply that... it is just an annoying situation that I know I may have created but I can''t help but be annoyed by her now, even if it isn''t really her fault per se.

 

[rms]

TL1,
If the person who quoted the price you wanted stated that there was a mistake, were the mistaken prices corrected in the documentation on the website? If yes, there is probably nothing you can do really. If not, why not call them and discuss further? It seems like you have discussed it with them more than once, so another time certainly won''t hurt.

If that doesn''t work, I agree with some other advice that you were given...keep shopping until you find what you want. Why not go the custom route? In many cases, it seems that those who got custom made rings got everything they wanted for the prices they wanted.

In a way it seems that you haven''t fully decided in your heart and head what you really want, hence the reason you didn''t jump on the "good" price.

I am sure it will work out for you...