True Tales - INSTOREMAG.COM

Humor: This Client Was All Dirt and No Pay

INSTORE Staff — Thu, 04 May 2023 01:41:40 +0000

A guest told us he had found some pure gold and asked if we could sort through and test it. We, of course, said we could, not knowing … He proceeded to bring in a cooler filled with dirt for us to “sort through.” He insisted there was gold in there and talked a sales associate into checking it, saying we could take our time. One of our staff graciously sifted through it to find a tiny amount of pyrite. We called the guest to say we found no gold and only a small amount of pyrite and to please pick up your cooler of dirt. He never returned, and the cooler sat in a corner in the back room for years until we threw it out. Never again! — Katrina Sustachek, Rasmussen Diamonds, Racine, WI

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This Customer Gave The Salesperson a $500 Tip

INSTORE Staff — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 01:03:41 +0000

(During the pandemic) after a couple of months going back and forth on a custom design sketch (customer kept making changes), when the job was complete, my customer reached over and kissed my hand through his mask and gave me a $500 tip. He said I was very patient with him and his platinum and diamond band came out exactly as he envisioned it. Not to say but I took the tip happily. — Lyla Ismael, Lyla Jewelers, Oak Lawn, IL

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Humor: That Time Mr. Clean Came to Visit

INSTORE Staff — Tue, 14 Mar 2023 02:19:19 +0000

I was helping a customer on a Saturday, and she had brought her husband along to pick up her new wedding band. While they were sitting there checking out, her husband asked if he could use our restroom. Typically, I don’t let the public use our restroom, but they were nice and spending some money on an expensive band, so I said sure. I hear him wrestling around in there, and he was in there for almost 20 minutes. By the time he came out, I had already rung her up and we were just shooting the breeze waiting for him. They said thank you and left, so I went in to check the damage. Turns out the guy found the Clorox wipes, cleaned the facility first, then got himself his own new toilet paper roll, made himself at home and did his business. I have never seen this in our store before and didn’t know what to think. At first, I thought, ‘Who does this?’ But then I couldn’t help but laugh that he made himself at home. At least he was clean! — Marc M., Midland, TX

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Humor: One Jeweler’s Great Service is Another’s … Waste of Time

INSTORE Staff — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 08:50:44 +0000

WITH ALL THE COVID issues, we offered curbside service and delivery. Along comes a young mother who wants small hoops or studs that won’t come out of her 1-year-old’s ears. After being shocked that what she wants costs $500, she settles on a pair of sleepers for $35. Then asks us if we can deliver them to her home for free. I am sure some jewelers would say that is what great customer service is about, but I would humbly disagree and say that is how time is wasted. The offer was made to mail the item or arrange a delivery service … at a cost. — David B., Calgary, AB

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I’ll Be Back to Pick It Up … As Soon as I Get Out of Prison

INSTORE Staff — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 03:00:48 +0000

A man dropped off a pocketwatch with my father-in-law for repairs. He came back 25 years later to pick it up. Another time, a guy dropped off a bag of watches for batteries. He came back five years later after he got out of prison. The batteries were all dead and we had a hard time getting him to pay for new cells, but he eventually did. — Contributed anonymously to the 2022 Big Survey

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True Tales: Sometimes Your Refund Policy Is No Match for the Waterworks

INSTORE Staff — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 23:45:29 +0000

A gentleman bought a nice bracelet for a woman he’d been seeing the past few months. He was proud of what he picked out and was excited to give it to her as a token of his love. A few days after Christmas, he called asking about our return policy, which is store credit only. The cost of the bracelet was $3,000 and he really wanted a full refund returned to his credit card, which I (the store manager) could not authorize, so I encouraged him to come in person to appeal to our owner. When the gentleman came in, an employee asked how they could help him, and he started crying in the middle of the store, saying he bought this bracelet for the wrong girl who broke up with him and said she couldn’t accept his gift. The owner refused, but the man starts crying harder, saying, “Well, who else am I going to buy any jewelry for? I don’t have anyone else to give this bracelet to!” The owner felt so bad, she refunded the full amount to his credit card and gave him a box of tissues along with suggestions of some good dating sites. — Rebecca Larson, Barry Peterson Jewelers, Ketchum, ID

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Humor: This Customer Was Angry That The Store Was Open on a Monday

INSTORE Staff — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 05:36:53 +0000

“We have never opened on Monday. However, we open Mondays after Thanksgiving through Christmas. A new customer came in very mad that we were open on Monday but it wasn’t written on our door. ‘And yet here you are!’” — Rick Nichols, Nassau Jewelry, Fernandina Beach, FL

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This $5,000 Sale Needed Permission from Beyond the Grave

INSTORE Staff — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 04:07:52 +0000

“A woman was talking to her recently passed husband, asking if she should buy a $5,000 sapphire bracelet. He said yes!” — Kas Jacquot, Kas A Designs, Jefferson City, MO

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These Are All Real Projects Requested of a Jeweler

INSTORE Staff — Sun, 21 Aug 2022 04:17:30 +0000

“I’ve been asked about several interesting projects. 1. ‘Can you copy my tattoo design into a ring?’ Yes! 2. ‘Can you create a pendant out of my dog’s teeth?’ Yes! 3. ‘I have some old gold to sell you …’ Oh wow, there’s gold teeth in that bag. I’ll take it, I guess. 4. ‘I read about turning ashes into diamonds. Can you do that?’ Not me. 5. ‘Can I borrow jewelry for my rap video/wedding/photoshoot?’ NO!” — Submitted anonymously to the 2021 Big Survey

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Humor: This Customer Wanted to Know If Her Charm Looked Like a Penis

INSTORE Staff — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 01:18:06 +0000

“A customer once asked if a charm looked too much like a penis for her to wear on her charm bracelet. (It didn’t.) Our engraver overheard and told her that if that was what the penis looked like of anyone she knew, she would throw them back to sea.” — Submitted anonymously to the 2021 Big Survey

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