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Honored Contributor
Posts: 34,519
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Another “mall saga” jewelry

DH goes walking every morning at our round the corner mall. One day last week he visited the jewelry store from he**.

He was trying to surprise me, so when he told only PART of the story, I kind of could guess why.

It started with him arriving  home 🏡 and telling me that he had been a victim of”bait and switch” at the mall that morning. I had no idea what he was talking about until he told me more.

He went into one of those “open air” jewelry shops that feature items that can be seen readily from the mall walkway. Something in the case caught his eye and he wanted it for me (jewelry, not the sales girl!)

He asked to see the item... something (a pendant necklace) with black diamonds. There were two sizes... one choice was large and the others (same style) were smaller.

He held the larger one in his hand and decided he would take it. 

The sale sign was in the mall walkway, not in the store, and claimed, in general, “up to 80 % off...big sale”

The price, it seems, was not set in stone. Originally, the price was $1800. But today he could have the price of $375. Big difference.

As they were preparing the item for sale, getting the box and paper, a young man at the back of the store held up the item in the box and shook his head so if to say “yes? Isn’t this the one?”

When the sales lady and the younger man came back to the counter, they laid the paperwork in front of DH.

He asked to look at the necklace again.

He told them “this isn’t the same necklace.” !!!!

 

He asked them to bring “the other one back out.” They said they didn’t have ANOTHER one that size.

 

He told them he didn’t want the necklace at all from them AND HE LEFT — NO NECKLACE, NO SALE AND HE DID NOT SIGN THE PAPERWORK.

 

They charged his card! (So he had to wait for a new card to arrive from the bank because the bank had to turn the transaction over to the FRAUD division).

 

The mall security guard told him “there have been a lot of similar complaints about that store.”  The salesman at Kay Jewelrs told him that he used to work for an outfit like that ...he had heard things.

 

Our mall is the one heavily run by foreign companies notorious for outrageously priced cosmetics...and employing young men to stand outside the shops ton”hawk” merchandise. (same operation)

~Have a Kind Heart, Fierce Mind, Brave Spirit~
Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,451
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Another “mall saga” jewelry

That is so "not right."  What a terrible experience.  That's fraud, and theft, and even deceptive trade practices.  They should be run out of the mall, too.  Malls want paying customers who are happy, not rigthfully angry, defrauded and scammed customers who will walk away and never return. 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,735
Registered: ‎10-29-2016

Re: Another “mall saga” jewelry

Live and learn.  I stick with who and what I know.  Even if it means a higher price. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 30,916
Registered: ‎05-10-2010

Re: Another “mall saga” jewelry

I think when they claimed that your husband could buy an $1800 piece for $375, the man should have run for the hills.  That would never happen.  They were luring in men like your husband.  Your husband caught them in the act but 99% of the customers they pulled them on would not have been any the wiser.  They would have thought "gee, it looked bigger in the store" but never have thought that they were fleeced, that the store switched the piece for a cheaper one.  

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,510
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: Another “mall saga” jewelry

Awful, and shouldn't be allowed. Hope those crooks are run out of business.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,095
Registered: ‎03-17-2010

Re: Another “mall saga” jewelry

Please go to the Mall Office and lodge a formal complaint.  And then call the BBB and also lodge a formal complaint.  What they are doing is fraud and that's illegal,  To go ahead and charge the purchase is also fraud and they need to be shut down.

 

Our Mall has Kiosks in the center and one has two male individuals who are selling some kind of skin care.  They go after the women.  They used to spray cologne on people without their permission and some people have alergies!!  They stopped spraying after a serious complaint about a young girl.. they asked me to try some of the skin care and I said "No Thank You"... and he kept coming at me talking while I was walking away.  I said No Thanks several more times escalating my anger.  He never backed off.  I turned into him and stepped towards him and said very loudly  "NO I don't want it and BACK OFF".... He did but not without laughing....  I did report him but the Mall took no action.  It's extremely uncomfortable walkng the Mall where they are and it's stupid because most ladies will avoid walking by them and the Mall loses potential sales to the brick & mortars up and down the Kiosk line.....

 

I'm sorry your DH (and you) had to deal with this....       

*~"Never eat more than you can lift......" Miss Piggy~*
Honored Contributor
Posts: 34,519
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Another “mall saga” jewelry

@chrystaltree@makena

 

He knew...but only sort of.

He has been a dedicated customer of a well-known jeweler, K, but this time he fell for something that made him curious.

He was so upset by this happening and just had to tell me, the very day it happened. Just maybe someone else will read this and keep their eyes on the product and sales people.

My lovely necklace came from K, and also came with the guarantee papers, in case a stone would fall out. Stones have never fallen out❤️

 

@Jersey Born

 

You are so very right. The experience made me start questioning our”usual” jewelry store in my mind.

~Have a Kind Heart, Fierce Mind, Brave Spirit~
Honored Contributor
Posts: 34,519
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Another “mall saga” jewelry

[ Edited ]

@Q4u

 

Yes... a couple of years ago the outfit you are referring to did the same to me. Yelling across the crowded aisle for me to pay attention! Very rude. The word is out about them in our city. 

This store is not registered with the BBB.

DH sent a formal complaint to the Attorney General.

A formal complaint has been lodged with the mall office who said this isn’t the first time.

 

FYI: THE MALL SECURITY OFFICER SAID IT IS NOT ILLEGAL FOR A BUSINESS TO RUN A CHARGE THROUGH ON UNSIGNED TRANSACTIONS!

 

About those beauty products... look up Premier and Supreme beauty products! A bit of research will show their questionable corporation who use unethical if not fraudulent business practices.

~Have a Kind Heart, Fierce Mind, Brave Spirit~
Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,152
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Another “mall saga” jewelry

@LTT1- I know it's a hassle, but you should also report this to your state's Attorney General's Office.  They have the authority to do something about it.  The BBB doesn't have any legal power.

 

We have those kinds of kiosks in our own mall and I hate them.  The one with the guys selling "hand cream" or whatever it is - yuck!  I simply just ignore them now and keep on walking, but I wish the mall would get rid of them.

 

But here's a true story from when I lived in Pennsylvania.  My then husband worked for about a month in one of the jewelry kiosks.  One day a young boy came up to the kiosk wanting to buy a present for his mother.  He had $5.  (Even all those years ago, not that much.)  He pointed to a "bracelet" he liked but it was a watch band.  So my ex showed him a sterling silver bracelet and said it was "just exactly $5".  Guess who paid for that?  We did (and we didn't have much money; he was a student).  I understood why he did it though; the boy was so thrilled and my ex even wrapped it for him!  I've often wondered what the mother thought, when she saw it.

 

So there are some good people who work at those kiosks.  A shame the bad ones ruin it.

Regular Contributor
Posts: 258
Registered: ‎12-31-2010

Re: Another “mall saga” jewelry

Thank goodness your husband was paying attention and realized the scam before signing anything! They probably didn’t count on that! Not only would my husband likely not have noticed the difference, he would have signed the charge ticket never even double-checking the amount being charged! Sorry this happened to your DH, but thanks for the warning.