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Need advice on how to handle Tiffany & Co. repair situation.

meesmom

meesmom

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Feb 25, 2015
Messages
904
Hello all! So i have an issue going on that i need advice on. I have patiently been waiting on my 1/2 eternity band to be sized, and it came today. I was so happy.....until i opened the box. You see, I sent the ring out in its original black clam shell box from Tiffany. What i got back was a blue cardboard box and suede bag, like the silver pieces come in.
So i call tiffany customer service, and am told that i should have been advised not to send in a box because they dont "keep them" (i was never told this). WHAT!!??? So she puts me on hold to contact the repair situation. While im hold, i checked all over their website for any disclosure stating not to send in boxes. Nothing. But it does say that they reserve the right to replace lost items with similar items.
So the rep. comes back, says they cant find the box, and shes very sorry but i shouldn't have sent it. So i told her what info. I found on their website about lost things getting replaced. She told me that she will call me back tomorrow after she speaks to management. I am so beyond upset, i cant even enjoy the ring. What should i say tomorrow if they hold their ground and wont replace my box?

TIA!
 
Rubies-R-Me said:
Hi Meesmom.. I'm sure Tiffany will make it right for you. They won't lose a customer over a box.
Don't fret. :wavey:
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Thank you for replying!! I keep telling myself this too, but im trying to think of worst case senario and what to say (and not blow my top). My mainquestion is.....what was i supposed to send the ring in, a ziploc sandwich bag, lol? And i have to send in my earrings in for new posts, how can i safely send them in without the box? I am so perplexed.
 
I would be equally upset. But, as @Rubies-R-Me said, they should make this right. BUT IF YOU STILL HAVE TROUBLE, you should definitely take this up the line as high as you need to for resolution. And I would say, flat out, that because you "value your Tiffany piece", you sent it in it's box for proper protection, yada yada... they can just give you a new one, like honestly!!! Don't let this one go!
 
meesmom said:
I am so beyond upset, i cant even enjoy the ring. What should i say tomorrow if they hold their ground and wont replace my box?
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... It's a box.
I get that it's a pretty box, and it's the original box, and it's a unique box, and they shouldn't have taken your box, and they should just replace it when asked - but it's a box.
If lack of a box is causing you to no longer enjoy your jewellery I'd say there are much bigger problems at play.
Seriously. How much angst are you willing to put yourself through over a box?
 
@yssie I do see what you are saying, but I also see the point that part of the whole "Tiffany" experience and value is having all the packaging. Your last sentence about how much angst, etc., is exactly something my husband would say to me lol! But I do get how @meesmom is seeing this... I'm kind of into having all the packing, as well, I must admit!
 
That’s terrible of Tiffany. The box is very important. Especially, if for whatever reason, OP wants to sell her piece. I’m a Tiffany fan but this is unacceptable. I hope they make it right for you. Definitely take it up the line. We all know we pay a premium for Tiffany pieces for things like the box and what should be stellar customer service.
 
Sorry they’re putting you thru this grief over a box. Geez. It really just depends on who you talk to. When I bought one of my eternity bands from them, I needed a quarter size which they don’t stock. They packaged the ring in the box, walked me over to the resizing dept, took the ring and left me the box. When I came back to pick up the ring, the associate thought I hadn’t received any packaging yet and without a second thought gave me a new box so she could present the final product in Tiffany style.
 
when i had my mother's ring sized on mass,.the jewler i took it too put them into a little bags, docketed and photographer them and gave the boxes back to me

not tiffiny of course

has anyone here got one of these clamshell boxes they could give to OP
 
erislynn said:
Sorry they’re putting you thru this grief over a box. Geez. It really just depends on who you talk to. When I bought one of my eternity bands from them, I needed a quarter size which they don’t stock. They packaged the ring in the box, walked me over to the resizing dept, took the ring and left me the box. When I came back to pick up the ring, the associate thought I hadn’t received any packaging yet and without a second thought gave me a new box so she could present the final product in Tiffany style.
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I agree. Last year I bought 5 sterling jump rings from Tiffany ($20-something each). Each one came with; a pouch, a box, a white ribbon and a gift card!
Now...the velvet boxes are another story, but still....
 
yssie said:
... It's a box.
I get that it's a pretty box, and it's the original box, and it's a unique box, and they shouldn't have taken your box, and they should just replace it when asked - but it's a box.
If lack of a box is causing you to no longer enjoy your jewellery I'd say there are much bigger problems at play.
Seriously. How much angst are you willing to put yourself through over a box?
Click to expand...

I understand this position.
I also understand the OP’s position.
Tiffany is a brand. A HUGE part of their brand is their packaging, specifically, their signature BOX.

OP, I’m shocked and appalled at how Tiffany’s has handled your situation. The BOX is their key signature. They should be insisting you have THEIR box. It’s their advertising SIGNATURE, and their MARK.
Take this to the top. You put your $ into their brand. You deserve every piece of the brand they include with your purchase. They base their prices on their signature brand, which, honestly, pumps their prices higher. You paid for that box when you (or your SO) paid for your ring.
GET YOUR BOX.
 
yssie said:
If lack of a box is causing you to no longer enjoy your jewellery I'd say there are much bigger problems at play.
Click to expand...

I must admit, not having the box back was only part of my issue. Before calling them up, I was totally expecting to hear an apologetic tone and a promise to send my box or a new one. What I got was blamed for sending it in, in the 1st place. I cant imagine getting treated like that at my local jeweler, or anywhere, for that matter. I think that might be upsetting to just about anyone, lol.
 
headlight said:
Your last sentence about how much angst, etc., is exactly something my husband would say to me lol!
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Yup, thats pretty much what I heard when I told my husband. He was all, "with all the problems in the world, you are upset over a BOX??" But here I am, upset over a box (and my treatment over the situation).
 
@meesmom, I get it...it's not only about the box, it's them being nasty and blaming you. How were you to know not to send it in your box? I don't blame you for being upset about this. I'm annoyed for you and I hope Tiffany does the right thing here.
 
@Matthews1127 hit the nail on the head. Part of their brand experience - and charging the price premium for it - is the pretty packaging and signature box.

On top of that, as a luxury retailer priding themselves on the brand experience, they are blaming YOU, the customer, for turning in your ring with the original box when their staff didn't inform you of such an odd policy and refusing to take any responsibility for it.

They have dropped the ball on so many levels. We don't even expect this sort of customer service at the mall stores.


I seriously hope they make it right for you @meesmom.
 
If anyone at Tiffany tells you 'it is just a box' ,( then ask them to check that statement with their mechandising people - a few might have PhDs in 'just a box'.
 
yssie said:
... It's a box.
I get that it's a pretty box, and it's the original box, and it's a unique box, and they shouldn't have taken your box, and they should just replace it when asked - but it's a box.
If lack of a box is causing you to no longer enjoy your jewellery I'd say there are much bigger problems at play.
Seriously. How much angst are you willing to put yourself through over a box?
Click to expand...

i hear that but the box is more than just a box if the OP ever wants or needs to resell the piece.
 
yssie said:
... It's a box.
I get that it's a pretty box, and it's the original box, and it's a unique box, and they shouldn't have taken your box, and they should just replace it when asked - but it's a box.
If lack of a box is causing you to no longer enjoy your jewellery I'd say there are much bigger problems at play.
Seriously. How much angst are you willing to put yourself through over a box?
Click to expand...

If it’s just “a box,” then Tiffany shouldn’t have any problem happily issuing another one to @meesmom. But it’s not just a box. It’s part of the Tiffany buying experience and these boxes add value to the item. Tiffany probably doesn’t want to give another one because they worry about people selling them on eBay and diluting the prestige of their brand (which they already did with all their silver stuff, but that’s a whole other kettle of fish).

@meesmom I hope they do the right thing and send you the darn box!
 
Laila619 said:
If it’s just “a box,” then Tiffany shouldn’t have any problem happily issuing another one to @meesmom. But it’s not just a box. It’s part of the Tiffany buying experience and these boxes add value to the item. Tiffany probably doesn’t want to give another one because they worry about people selling them on eBay and diluting the prestige of their brand (which they already did with all their silver stuff, but that’s a whole other kettle of fish).

@meesmom I hope they do the right thing and send you the darn box!
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HEAR, HEAR!!! :appl:
Btw, you cant sell the boxes (via ebay, anyway) i have so many if the carboard ones and suede bags from purchasing pieces that i tried to sell some, just to get rid of them, and ebay removed my listing. Reason was it promotes counterfeiting. Never even considered that. I wont do that again!!
 
It’s so odd that they blamed you for using their box to mail it back. What were you supposed to use? A baggie?

I once lost a nice personal ring box when I mailed my item to a vendor with it. They apologized profusely for tossing it out and promptly sent me a nice rosewood box of theirs to make up for it. Very kind customer service! Tiffany is known for their wonderful service so, TBH, I’m very surprised. I do think they will make it right for you.
 
Last edited:
Tiffany is very proud of their boxes and if they can so cavalierly discard yours, doesn't that undervalue their boxes?? Anyway, I purchased two platinum wedding rings recently and was very surprised to see them arrive in the suede pouch like their silver items. I've bought gold wedding rings and non-wedding rings, with diamonds and no gemstones, from them and they've all come in the velvet box, so it was disappointing to see otherwise with two plat rings.

Anyway, this is straight from their website (in short, it's more than a box, to them. It's A Box):

After the company introduced the Tiffany® Setting, its original engagement ring, in 1886, its blue box packaging became as famous as the ring itself. People would come to the store asking to buy the boxes, but Charles Lewis Tiffany refused to sell them for any price. He famously told the New York Sun in 1906 that he would happily give you one for free, as long as you selected a design to put in it.

Tiffany Blue® was trademarked by Tiffany in 1998 and was standardized by the Pantone® Matching System to ensure that no matter where you were in the world, no matter the medium the color was reproduced in—whether it was on a shopping bag or in advertising—it would be instantly recognizable and always the same. The custom color that PMS created for Tiffany is called “1837 Blue,” named for the year Tiffany & Co. was founded.

The Tiffany Blue Box® has become an icon of luxury and exclusivity the world over, but beyond being beautiful, it’s also green. Tiffany works hard to ensure that all Blue Boxes and bags are made with paper from sustainable sources and recycled materials and seeks to advance the use of sustainably sourced paper and wood-fiber materials.
 
ClassicSAC said:
I


I have an extra blue velvet box and blue outer box from a ring I returned. I will happily give it to you if you can’t get one from Tiffany’s.
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That is so sweet of you, thank you so much for the offer! I'm not quite ready to give up yet, even tho its 4:30 here and i was promised a return call by 5:00pm today. What should i do tomorrow if no call?
 
Logan Sapphire said:
Tiffany is very proud of their boxes and if they can so cavalierly discard yours, doesn't that undervalue their boxes?? Anyway, I purchased two platinum wedding rings recently and was very surprised to see them arrive in the suede pouch like their silver items. I've bought gold wedding rings and non-wedding rings, with diamonds and no gemstones, from them and they've all come in the velvet box, so it was disappointing to see otherwise with two plat rings.

Anyway, this is straight from their website (in short, it's more than a box, to them. It's A Box):

After the company introduced the Tiffany® Setting, its original engagement ring, in 1886, its blue box packaging became as famous as the ring itself. People would come to the store asking to buy the boxes, but Charles Lewis Tiffany refused to sell them for any price. He famously told the New York Sun in 1906 that he would happily give you one for free, as long as you selected a design to put in it.

Tiffany Blue® was trademarked by Tiffany in 1998 and was standardized by the Pantone® Matching System to ensure that no matter where you were in the world, no matter the medium the color was reproduced in—whether it was on a shopping bag or in advertising—it would be instantly recognizable and always the same. The custom color that PMS created for Tiffany is called “1837 Blue,” named for the year Tiffany & Co. was founded.

The Tiffany Blue Box® has become an icon of luxury and exclusivity the world over, but beyond being beautiful, it’s also green. Tiffany works hard to ensure that all Blue Boxes and bags are made with paper from sustainable sources and recycled materials and seeks to advance the use of sustainably sourced paper and wood-fiber materials.
Click to expand...

I think they may be downgrading on their boxes. I bought something recently, i think it was my gold dbty necklace, and it came on a tiffany blue necklace card inside of a blue pouch. No velvet box! I was very suprised!
I remember reading the story of the tiffany box a long time ago. Maybe thats why i want it back so badly, it is iconic!!
 
Thats exactly what i thought! I dont have any throw away ring boxes on hand, what was i supposed to use? And im supposed to have my earrings worked on next, how do i send those in without the box? Do i use 2 zipper bags and hope they dont lose an earring??
 
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