will you receive better service ...

[Dancing Fire]

walking into a jewelry store fully loaded with diamonds vs no jewelry?

 

[minmin001]

walking into a jewelry store fully loaded with diamonds vs no jewelry?

lol, fully loaded, that's funny~

 

[Enerchi]

I think "fully loaded" does. I think the staff treats you a bit more seriously as a knowledgeable consumer and someone who is likely to purchase. We all judge people on appearance (whether we want to consciously acknowledge it or not! ) and if you present looking like you are a viable consumer, I think they treat you as such.

HOWEVER....

I think Howard Hughes/Donald Trump/Warren Buffet could all go in looking like bums with their bazillions in their pockets and be treated poorly. That's unfortunate because you never know what ANYONE's circumstances are. The person who visually looks most unlikely to purchase, could be the one who buys high end and pays with cash!

Retailers should reinforce with their staff - treat everyone equally.

 

[JewelFreak]

I agree with Enerchi. From the serving side of the counter: The good stuff gets better service, whether diamonds or colored stones or simply high-quality gold in most stores. Salespeople size up customers -- it's natural; anybody selling anything wants to qualify potential buyers. If you're wearing a couple of very nice pieces you look like a better prospect than somebody without. On the other hand, once the conversation begins & it's obvious you know what you're talking about, it doesn't matter how you look -- you get respect (or should if the salesperson is smart), anyway. That's why intelligent managers insist that all comers be treated equally. Often folks with piles to spend don't dress up; they don't feel they need to.

But -- However you appear, experienced store people can tell quickly whether you're looking seriously (& may buy now or be back) or just messing around for the moment. They allot their time & effort accordingly.

--- Laurie

 

[yssie]

I've found that bringing my DH is most helpful in getting better service in places that don't know me

 

[pregcurious]

Bringing my husband has the greatest effect. Wearing my Rolex has also made a difference, even if I am just wearing only a plain wedding band.

 

[Dancing Fire]

I've found that bringing my DH is most helpful in getting better service in places that don't know me

but when i go into the store alone i'm usually invisible to all the SA.

 

[luv2sparkle]

Going into a jewelry store as a couple gets the most attention. They somehow seem to think that a woman won't buy something pricey for herself without consulting a man. Annoying.

 

[CedarRapids]

As a guy, it helps when I bring my loupe and/or Idealscope.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

No matter how I'm dressed, I get good service. A lot is about how you carry yourself! One trick I've found is asking to have my jewelry cleaned. While it's being cleaned, the sales gals love to help me look at other stuff. I never bring my DH. He is not a fan of jewelry and always looks tortured if I bring him in (just as I look unthrilled if taken into Best Buy ), so it's better that I send him to a video game store while I browse the mall jewelers for entertainment.

Actually, I did go into a store the day before yesterday and was ignored. The shop is going out of business and I was curious b/c they have really cute stuff. Well, I start looking and their 40-70% off prices were MORE than full-price online. Maybe it was my attitude as I had a "you gotta be kidding me" look on my face. ETA - oh, now that I think back, I didn't have my eng ring on. I took it off because I've been cleaning and prepping for company on Saturday. I was wearing my studs though!

 

[Haven]

I always receive better service when I walk in with a warm smile on my face.

 

[kenny]

I always receive better service when I walk in with a warm smile on my face.

That's because you wear that dental grill.

 

[Gypsy]

Fully loaded. Absolutely. When I wore the Aurora Band, I got VERY good service.

 

[Rhea]

Interesting. I guess I'd never thought about it. I don't wear any jewellery if I'll be jewellery shopping. I mostly like vintage stuff and tend to bargain if it seems acceptable. I always thought that wearing a nice piece would mean people would see me as having more money and therefore make them less likely to bargain.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Probably fully loaded. I look younger than my real age so I don't think SAs would take me very serious without nice jewelry.

 

[Imdanny]

The last time I went to the mall I had to wait for SO to shop at the AT&T store so I went to Zales and the SA was more than happy to show me a 1 ct diamond. I guess I'm a male, I flatteringly must look young enough for her to have thought I could be in the right demographic, and she assumed I was straight which notion I could have disabused her of in a New York minute but didn't. She had no way of knowing I would buy a diamond from her and recommend a friend or relative do the same when hell freezes over and to her credit she did everything right. If you're in sales don't assume you know what my intentions are because you probably don't have a clue.

 

[Haven]

I always receive better service when I walk in with a warm smile on my face.

That's because you wear that dental grill.

Now THAT'S funny.

 

[Imdanny]

I always receive better service when I walk in with a warm smile on my face.

That's because you wear that dental grill.

Ok, that's sick, how are you supposed to keep it clean? Yeah, I have a hard time keeping my pave clean... In my mouth.

That's photoshop. How could that be real?

 

[kenny]

I always receive better service when I walk in with a warm smile on my face.

That's because you wear that dental grill.

Ok, that's sick, how are you supposed to keep it clean? Yeah, I have a hard time keeping my pave clean... In my mouth.
That's photoshop. How could that be real?

I don't know whether that particular image was Photoshopped or not, but people really DO wear this kind of diamond jewelry in their mouths.

Check out the FAQ from one of the vendors:

http://www.goldteethusa.com/faq.htm

 

[AprilBaby]

I was just down in Georgetown, Cayman Islands and went into the jewelry stores fully loaded. Sales people fell all over me. And I didn't see a single bargain. "lady, lady, over here! I have great bargin for you!!!!"

 

[TristanC]

Its an interesting question. I tend to get service, but I prefer to shop completely without for a good long while till I'm ready to buy.

Unfortunately I am of the belief that 99% of salespeople are not interested in educating customers, only to close a sale (honestly, who can blame them).

As forumers, most of us are anally retentive information hoarders or are self-research people. It would extend to at least some other fields as well typically. But the disappointment is how poorly 90% of salespeople know their wares. Most times 15 minutes online and you'll know more than what the sales person tends to know (what's printed on the box, if that)

Of course when it comes to jewelry shopping... its not very different at all. Sigh. Unless you speak to people like Victor Carnera and some of the much loved vendors here like Rhino from GOG... most times people just want you to close out a sale. If you're lucky, they won't hurry and will have a beatrific smile on their face from start to finish. So I prefer well intentioned polite service to sales person education these days.

I tend to get service all the time except when I'm wearing a T-shirt and slippers with berms at Tiffany. And even then, if you skip past the silver and move purposefully towards the plat/gold items, someone will come around to smile and greet in short order. I think service standards are on the up and up overall where I'm from.

 

[Imdanny]

I put sellers in their place. The day they're rude to me is a day they're going to regret not turning the alarm clock off and going back to sleep.

They're usually not good at their jobs, they usually don't know anything about the product, they make all kinds of amateur mistakes like affecting an attitude when they're making $12 an hour plus commission which makes them high and mighty, and the greatest mistake of all with me is to pull this "rank" on me when I know it's perfectly meaningless and have the verbal and social skills to rip them to shreds.

I don't walk into VC&A boutiques and ask for a class of champagne because I'm couldn't afford to but if I decide to do business with you, and you treat me badly, trust me, you will have a worse day then me. I'm perfectly capable and willing to be a kaleidoscope of aggressive, passive aggressive, mean, and a total bitch. Try me if you dare or if you're that stupid.