Question for The Natural Sapphire Company

[liliangrae]

I am soo happy that I cam across PS when I did. I sent this thread to my soon to be fiancee who was considering this vendor.

 

[The_Natural_Sapphire_Company]

To the Pricescope Community,
As Loving Diamonds mentioned, I did promise to respond to any other questions regarding our policies in a separate thread, and I appreciate that this question was separated out from the malicious posts from our past developer. To the poster, TL: The “consumer complaint site” you mentioned that has the “unhappy customer” was recently made by the same ex-developer. You will see that it coincides with the same name he uses on this forum.

I apologize for the delay in a response; we don't check Pricescope that frequently and we only just came across this post. In the future, so we don’t have this issue, please notify me directly via my email that a response has been requested, so members don’t start believing that I have failed to keep my word. [email protected]

To address your questions: We are dedicated to showing our loose sapphires and our sapphire jewelry in the most accurate manner. Our sapphire images will undergo slight color correction to correct for any color or tone distortion during the photography process. We closely color match the photos to the actual sapphire, so customers can feel comfortable selecting a stone online and knowing that the color in the photograph accurately reflects the true color of the stone. We never manipulate or “photoshop” (when the term is taken to mean unfairly edit, distort, or manipulate) any of our faceted loose sapphires. What you see is truly what you get, and we always invite customers to take advantage of our viewing policy. We are more than happy to send out ANY stone or jewelry item to be viewed for a week while you make your decision. If the color, cut, size, or anything else, is not what you were expecting with the stone, you can just return it to us, no questions asked. This policy has always existed at our company, and I welcome any PS reader to view our items and not unfairly judge something they haven’t seen in real life.

In the situation of a sapphire pair, in the past our photography department has used a double image to represent a matched pair. The two stones of our pairs are selected to perfectly match, meaning their cuts, color, and clarity are going to be exactly the same. We have thousands of sapphires and the time and labor involved to accurately photograph and color correct each stone of a pair proved too constraining. As you know, I am not directly involved with our imaging department, but I do believe we are moving away from this practice. Many of our newer sapphire pairs do have individual images for each of the stones in the pair. The same issue applies to star sapphires. Because of the large number of items in our inventory, the time constraints allowed for photographing, and the difficulty in photographing star sapphires, we cannot accurately photograph each example of the asterism within a star sapphire. Again, if a customer or PS reader HAS received a sapphire pair that didn’t match as the image shown on the website, then they have the full right and guarantee to return it. I welcome members and readers to see for themselves the work my company has done in matching stones in real life. Once you have done that, and you have further questions, I will be happy to answer them.

Again, I am sorry for the delay in replying to this thread. I really wish a member of this board had notified me, so there wouldn’t have been posts saying that we “ran off” or about our “predictable lack of response.” Around the time of this first post and the subsequent ones, I was in London doing PR work for our company during the Royal Wedding. If it wasn’t for one of my assistants doing a Google search today, we would never have seen this thread.

I want to assure PS members and readers that I am working to open a clear line of communication with you, but I need your help in doing that. Our company is expanding every month, and I don’t always have the time to search for questions that are posted on the internet. Notifying me that they exist will greatly help me assist you. I have made an executive decision in removing the text you didn’t approve of in our Media Imaging Guarantee to show this. I hope what I wrote above answers any questions you may have had. As I have stated overwhelmingly in the past, we appreciate the knowledge and interest that the people of PS have in sapphires and sapphire jewelry, and we wish to work hand in hand in making anyone and everyone’s sapphire dreams a reality.

Evan Guttman
The Natural Sapphire Company

 

[Pandora II]

Thank you for coming back to respond.

Regarding the pictures of the star stones and in particular the pairs of matched stones I still find the practice of copying the same photo and rotating it or super-imposing a star to be completely unacceptable. In the UK you would have Trading Standards breathing down your neck as this would be regarded as complete misrepresentation.

In the photos on the first page it appears that the pavillion shots are of different stones which would lead me to suspect that there is something wrong with one of the pair when viewed face-up. Perhaps this is an issue that will look worse in a photograph that it would to a customer holding the stones in their hand, I can understand that as photos at many times real size can lead to this problem. However it does raise suspicions of a deliberate cover-up.

If the problem is time then I suggest that you might like to employ more staff to take these photos.

In my opinion jewellers have enough problems convincing consumers that they are not about to be conned and that what they are buying is real - especially when the vendors are mainly active online. By acting in this way you tarnish the reputation of the industry in general.

I hope you had a good trip to London and enjoyed our Royal Wedding.

 

[kenny]

You DO have the time and money for whatever is important to your company's reputation.
That should include photographing each stone and each star.
Shoppers do not care that you are positive with every fiber of your being that the pairs match, or returns are easy.
Shoppers have specific attitudes about photography and are very sensitive to misrepresentation.

I do gem photography too and agree it can take a long time to achieve the lighting and set up that gives the result we feel is accurate.
But once I've spent the time I can take pics of several stones in very little time.

Meticulously documenting the set up and lighting would drastically cut down the set up time for the next session.
Pics of the set up helps, along with precise measurements of where the lights, camera and gem are.
Don't start shooting till your lights are fully warmed up and their color has stabilized.

May I recommend you carefully document the set up and lighting that captures the star well?
Then have the photographer follow that recipe.
If it still takes a long time, improve your recipe.
If deviations from the recipe are needed for stone X, Y or Z, document that too.

No matter how complex, every process can be documented.
The photographer won't like doing this (giving up her/his secrets) but it is the right thing to do for your company.

 

[kenny]

Is it true your company refuses to send sapphires to AGL?
If so, why?

Isn't AGL the most respected lab for grading of sapphires?

 

[The_Natural_Sapphire_Company]

In our opinion, the GIA, GRS and Gubelin are the most respected labs for grading colored stones. We have worked with GIA for many years and have a very good relationship with them. They are our preferred laboratory for sapphire grading. We certainly don’t refuse to send stones to the AGL. If a customer requests an AGL certificate, we can submit the item on their behalf for certification.

 

[VapidLapid]

Thanks for responding & whatever. I must point out that it is in no way our responsibility to contact you when your company is mentioned or discussed. If you care about your reputation you can monitor it yourself, but if you don't earn a good rep dont blame others. Having gotten a bad rep it is harder to get a good one back. So it is your responsibility to attend to and maintain your reputation, even in online forums like this. That's just business in the 21st C. The implication that you wont know you are being discussed if we dont tell you says you says your contempt for pricescope is deep seated. You can be sure we don't check YOUR website much either. And yet every time we do there are real issues.

 

[The_Natural_Sapphire_Company]

VapidLapid: With all due respect, I never asked anyone to contact me when my company is mentioned or discussed. I simply requested that I be notified when there is a direct question that has been asked of me. And I never blamed anything on others. I don’t know why asking such a simple request has gotten such a harsh response from you.

 

[LD]

VapidLapid: With all due respect, I never asked anyone to contact me when my company is mentioned or discussed. I simply requested that I be notified when there is a direct question that has been asked of me. And I never blamed anything on others. I don’t know why asking such a simple request has gotten such a harsh response from you.

Evan I need to reiterate that it is NOT for us to notify for a response and I doubt very much whether you will ever be notified. I don't mean to sound negative but that's simply a fact. My question was posted on the same day that you were answering the other posts and was in response to your invitation to start a new thread. It is not in my interest to contact you to ask you to respond but it most definitely IS in the NSC's interests that you do so. You'll appreciate that unfortunately the NSC's credibility and reputation is not the best here. A bit of PR and proactivity might be helpful.

Thank you for explaining your policies regarding photographing gemstones. Like others, I would much rather see an honest photograph - warts and all - than a retouched photograph. As Kenny has mentioned, it's perfectly possible to photograph asterism and if I can do it with a Canon point and shoot then I'm astounded professional photographs may struggle! Having said that, it would be good to see less polished and more true to life photos - it actually gives credibility (as strange as that sounds).

 

[Barrett]

I for one am happy NSC came back and posted a response. Shows they took some notice and maybe will address some of the issues. What they must remember is these concerns come from the "conoissuers" of colored stones. The ones that buy many many stones over the course of a year or even a lifetime. Most people might buy a sapphire for an e-ring or maybe a set for christmas one year and thats about it. Those people won't care about the image manupulations and thats fine but when it comes to Business 101, repeat customers are a must. Who are the repeat customers? In the case of colored stones it's pretty much the same type of people that post on here(Pricescope). So the concerns and issues that the gem folks on here have are what those of a person who buys lots and lots of stones will have as well..ie. repeat customers.

A sale from a returning customer is 6 times more profitable than a new sale!

So why is that? – well, consider how much it costs you in time and effort to get a new customer:

•Purchase of customer lists or market research
•Phone calls, mailers, letters, emails, …
•Numerous meetings and the associated expenses like travel, hotels, food, …
•In fact every aspect of the ‘new sales’ process will cost you money...etc...etc

But of course, when it comes to the second sale from that customer you can avoid all of this time, expense and effort …because they are already your customer!(or in the case of Pricescope members the 10th or 15th or higher purchase )

‘How do you get the customer to return?’ – and the obvious answer is ‘Just ask them’!
Your customers’ justification in returning to your business is in your current AND prior actions. When your business acts in an appropriate way it is very easy for the customer to return when asked – better still, do everything right and the customer may well return on their own accord.

Make sure and take the concerns and questions from the CS conoissuers and PS members with a lot of thought as they are the ones that let you know what it takes to become a part of their buying experience and what it takes for them to keep coming back time and time again as they are the ones that buy most stones and are the trend of what a repeat CS stone buyer would want.

As Kenny said, once you have you lighting and camera setup in place it's fairly easy to knock out quite a few stones in a short amount of time. In your case, since you do have a higher volume of stones than many others you may want to have a permanent setup in some room in your offices where stones can be switched out and pictures expedited easily.

 

[Rae~]

In the situation of a sapphire pair, in the past our photography department has used a double image to represent a matched pair. The two stones of our pairs are selected to perfectly match, meaning their cuts, color, and clarity are going to be exactly the same. We have thousands of sapphires and the time and labor involved to accurately photograph and color correct each stone of a pair proved too constraining. As you know, I am not directly involved with our imaging department, but I do believe we are moving away from this practice. Many of our newer sapphire pairs do have individual images for each of the stones in the pair. The same issue applies to star sapphires. * Because of the large number of items in our inventory, the time constraints allowed for photographing, and the difficulty in photographing star sapphires, we cannot accurately photograph each example of the asterism within a star sapphire. Again, if a customer or PS reader HAS received a sapphire pair that didn’t match as the image shown on the website, then they have the full right and guarantee to return it. I welcome members and readers to see for themselves the work my company has done in matching stones in real life. Once you have done that, and you have further questions, I will be happy to answer them.

<some text snipped here>

I want to assure PS members and readers that I am working to open a clear line of communication with you, but I need your help in doing that. Our company is expanding every month, and I don’t always have the time to search for questions that are posted on the internet. Notifying me that they exist will greatly help me assist you. I have made an executive decision in removing the text you didn’t approve of in our Media Imaging Guarantee to show this. I hope what I wrote above answers any questions you may have had. As I have stated overwhelmingly in the past, we appreciate the knowledge and interest that the people of PS have in sapphires and sapphire jewelry, and we wish to work hand in hand in making anyone and everyone’s sapphire dreams a reality.

Evan Guttman
The Natural Sapphire Company

*bolding is mine

Evan, would you please link to some of the more recent listings which, according to your words above, have individual photos representing the stones, rather than rotated / flipped / coped images to make the pair? I would very much like to see them. Even one or two.

Also, a point of clarification please - When you said "The same issue applies to star sapphires", did you mean that you are also "moving away from" the policy of photoshopping stars onto your star sapphires, or did you mean just to try and defend that policy? That detail was unclear to me.

If you are indeed starting to post real photos of your star sapphires as well (rather than manually adding the stars through software), then please do post samples of those as well. Unfortunately your site does not seem to allow a search according to "date listed on the site", so it is not possible to easily identify, from the outside, which are your most recently posted stones.

I appreciate your taking the time to respond.

 

[The_Natural_Sapphire_Company]

Rae: Below are a couple of links to some of our newer pairs that show the individual stones.

http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/Sapphires/Pairs/PR1020-B/Round/stoneid=PR1020-B
http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/Sapphires/Pairs/PR1181-B/Round/stoneid=PR1181-B
http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/Sapphires/Pairs/PR1229-B/Cushion/stoneid=PR1229-B
http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/Sapphires/Pairs/PR1227-B/Cushion/stoneid=PR1227-B

For stars, we do take real photos of the stone under ambient lighting. This shows the sapphire’s color and clarity under the circumstances of everyday wear. Star sapphires make up very little of our inventory and market, and time and labor constraints prevent us from lighting and photographing the asterism within each star sapphire.

 

[kenny]

Rae: Below are a couple of links to some of our newer pairs that show the individual stones.

http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/Sapphires/Pairs/PR1020-B/Round/stoneid=PR1020-B
http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/Sapphires/Pairs/PR1181-B/Round/stoneid=PR1181-B
http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/Sapphires/Pairs/PR1229-B/Cushion/stoneid=PR1229-B
http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/Sapphires/Pairs/PR1227-B/Cushion/stoneid=PR1227-B

For stars, we do take real photos of the stone under ambient lighting. This shows the sapphire’s color and clarity under the circumstances of everyday wear. Star sapphires make up very little of our inventory and market, and time and labor constraints prevent us from lighting and photographing the asterism within each star sapphire.

Nonsense; It does not prevent you.
You have made the business decision that it is not important enough.
There's nothing wrong with operating a business in a profitable way, but I think there is a way for you to improve your profits...photograph every star.

IMHO this is a huge mistake to Photoshop a star onto a star sapphire - and to admit it on the Internet is unthinkable.
I think you are loosing sales because of public perception of your integrity.
I suspect profit from these lost sales is larger than the cost you to photograph the stars.

The quality of the individual star dramatically affects the value of a star sapphire, yet you are pulling up another star (probably a good one) and placing it onto sapphires.
I want to know what the star looks like in the stone I'm purchasing.

Depending on returns is a cop out.
Many buyers are not educated enough.
Imagine selling VS2 stones as VVS1s (or 1.75 ct stones as 2 ct.) but justifying it by offering refunds for any unhappy customers.


In gems the value can be enormously different based on qualities that the novice cannot see or is not trained to evaluate.
That's why there are independent grading labs, and inappropriate vendor Photoshopping raises so much concern.
Apparently you see nothing wrong with a "happy" customer who is unaware that what they bought may have been misrepresented.
Trust and perception of ethics and integrity is essential to a jewelry business, no matter how many years they've gotten away with something.

This is the Internet age now.
Customers are more educated, and bad news travels fast.

Thank you for responding to the earring concerns.
Photographing BOTH stones is the right thing to do and kudos to you for changing your policy.

 

[The_Natural_Sapphire_Company]

Dear Kenny - We are working to improve our policies and our communication with customers and the members of PS. This is one of the areas that we hope to improve in the future. Each of our star sapphires has a detailed description about the item including the star’s appearance and strength. We invite all of our potential customers to use our previewing period. Customers are free to view any stone or piece of jewelry they wish, with only a credit card authorization. If for any reason the sapphire is not what they were expecting, then the customer can send the stone back to us.

Regarding selling a stone that is not the weight or clarity we have stated it is, that is a horrible thought and will never, ever, ever, happen with our company. Our customers ARE informed as they already have the knowledge of looking for a natural untreated sapphire instead of a cheaper treated one. Nevertheless, if a customer does have any questions, we offer the same option as our faceted stones to have a star sapphire graded by an independent laboratory.

As you can see with the pairs examples, our imaging practices are changing for the better, and we continue to work towards a higher standard of photography to help all customers make informed choices and purchases that they are 100% happy with.

 

[MonkeyPie]

All the talk about how much "time and labor" you spend on photographing makes me wonder what kind of person you hired to take your photos. Yes, it's best to work with someone that knows what they're doing (obviously), but if the person you hired is so slow and/or incompetent to get photos of every single stone, then maybe it's time to look elsewhere.

Glad you returned, and I'm glad you're changing your tune on the photoshopping.

 

[LD]

Dear Kenny - We are working to improve our policies and our communication with customers and the members of PS. This is one of the areas that we hope to improve in the future. Each of our star sapphires has a detailed description about the item including the star’s appearance and strength. We invite all of our potential customers to use our previewing period. Customers are free to view any stone or piece of jewelry they wish, with only a credit card authorization. If for any reason the sapphire is not what they were expecting, then the customer can send the stone back to us.

Regarding selling a stone that is not the weight or clarity we have stated it is, that is a horrible thought and will never, ever, ever, happen with our company. Our customers ARE informed as they already have the knowledge of looking for a natural untreated sapphire instead of a cheaper treated one. Nevertheless, if a customer does have any questions, we offer the same option as our faceted stones to have a star sapphire graded by an independent laboratory.

As you can see with the pairs examples, our imaging practices are changing for the better, and we continue to work towards a higher standard of photography to help all customers make informed choices and purchases that they are 100% happy with.

Actually not all your potential customers benefit from this. Overseas customers don't. I wasn't allowed to use this service (I'm in the UK) and had to buy the stone (and then send back). I wonder if it's possible somehow to extend this gesture because I actually thought it was a very good, sound practice and one that I would have taken advantage of if I had had the opportunity (AND it would have encouraged me to look more).

 

[The_Natural_Sapphire_Company]

LovingDiamonds – I am sorry that you were not able to see your item on authorization. I’ve spoken with our billing and account department to find out why this might have been the case. They informed me that because the card holder is not in the United States, international authorizations have too high of a liability because of credit card fraud. For international orders, we usually will charge the credit card rather than run an authorization only, but our return policy still applies, and the customer can return the stone no questions asked.

Additionally, since shipping times with international clients can sometimes take longer for arrival, we are very open to extending the preview period. Just call us/email us to make accommodations for you.

 

[Pandora II]

LovingDiamonds – I am sorry that you were not able to see your item on authorization. I’ve spoken with our billing and account department to find out why this might have been the case. They informed me that because the card holder is not in the United States, international authorizations have too high of a liability because of credit card fraud. For international orders, we usually will charge the credit card rather than run an authorization only, but our return policy still applies, and the customer can return the stone no questions asked.

Additionally, since shipping times with international clients can sometimes take longer for arrival, we are very open to extending the preview period. Just call us/email us to make accommodations for you.

I'm also in the UK and I can tell you, as I'm sure LD also can, that returning a stone is no easy business. For a start the only company that will ship loose stones and insure them is Brinks and the cost is incredibly high (several hundred pounds) - otherwise one is left sending things via normal post and hoping for the best. Add to that the issues involved with customs in importing the stone in the first place - a cost to us of 20% of the value of the stone plus the handling fee of £15 sterling.

I would be absolutely furious to receive a stone and find that the photo I had based my judgement on was photoshopped and this was considered fine as I could 'return the stone'...

 

[FrekeChild]

Why should ANY PSers care to do you the favor of letting you know when someone asks a question of your company, ESPECIALLY when your company has such a shoddy reputation on this website?

I feel like it's more expensive to have some schmuck photoshopping images onto a stone than to take a photo of the actual stone. And I'm not talking about paying the photoshopping schmuck + the photographer. I'm talking YOUR REPUTATION.

Just imagine if you had PSers as repeat customers on a regular basis! I have 18 "engagement rings"! I have SIXTY TWO loose stones.

And I'm HELLA PROUD that NONE OF THEM CAME FROM NATURAL SAPPHIRE COMPANY.

 

[The_Natural_Sapphire_Company]

Granted, it is more difficult shipping goods internationally, even for the merchant. However, the same return shipping instructions for our US and International customers applies.

First, of all a loose sapphires would be marked as a corundum samples and jewelry items marked as finished jewelry. We ask our customer not to insure the package, as our insurance overage covers the return shipment’s as well. This saves all of our customers this added expense. The customer will be responsible for sending us the tracking details and purchasing expedited return postage. International carriers such as Fed Ex are quite expensive, so we urge our customers to use national mail. In the case for a UK customer, British Royal Mail postage would be ideal. If the package would be lost in the mail, the customer is not responsible for the loss. As our merchandise is fully insured, the customer would be refunded and insurance would cover our loss. We have never requested a customer use Brinks for return shipments. This is usually used by jewelry companies for very large parcels of goods.

However, that being said, return shipping costs are certainly not inexpensive so we urge customers to contact our sales reps in order to make an informed decision based on more than the online image. It is a common request that we photograph a gemstone or jewelry item on a hand in regular lighting conditions so our customers have these additional images on which to base their order.

We actually have very few requests for returns, so that is positive for both our customers and our company as well.

 

[Pandora II]

Granted, it is more difficult shipping goods internationally, even for the merchant. However, the same return shipping instructions for our US and International customers applies.

First, of all a loose sapphires would be marked as a corundum samples and jewelry items marked as finished jewelry. We ask our customer not to insure the package, as our insurance overage covers the return shipment’s as well. This saves all of our customers this added expense. The customer will be responsible for sending us the tracking details and purchasing expedited return postage. International carriers such as Fed Ex are quite expensive, so we urge our customers to use national mail. In the case for a UK customer, British Royal Mail postage would be ideal. If the package would be lost in the mail, the customer is not responsible for the loss. As our merchandise is fully insured, the customer would be refunded and insurance would cover our loss. We have never requested a customer use Brinks for return shipments. This is usually used by jewelry companies for very large parcels of goods.

However, that being said, return shipping costs are certainly not inexpensive so we urge customers to contact our sales reps in order to make an informed decision based on more than the online image. It is a common request that we photograph a gemstone or jewelry item on a hand in regular lighting conditions so our customers have these additional images on which to base their order.

We actually have very few requests for returns, so that is positive for both our customers and our company as well.

So you also think it is acceptable to defraud HM Customs & Excise by declaring a sold gemstone as a corundum 'sample'?

 

[VapidLapid]

Well gosh, I think it is no less acceptable than HM Customs & Excise taxing these things in the first place. AND since the stone is sent on approval and may or not match the photo it was purchased as, it truly would be a corundum sample on entering the country, until such time as the customer accepts or rejects it.

 

[Pandora II]

Well gosh, I think it is no less acceptable than HM Customs & Excise taxing these things in the first place. AND since the stone is sent on approval and may or not match the photo it was purchased as, it truly would be a corundum sample on entering the country, until such time as the customer accepts or rejects it.

Those are the rules if you live in the UK, and the VAT man is way, way nastier to deal with than the tax man.

Any item entering the UK that is worth over $18 is liable for VAT and or duty. This increases to a value of £40 for a personal gift.

Samples are exempt from these payments as long as they:

-can only be used as samples
-are of negligible value and
-are intended to obtain orders for the type of goods they represent.

HMC&E actually employ gemmologists on their staff specifically to do valuations of items that are imported and claimed as something they aren't.

The 20% VAT and the duty (3-5% for jewellery, loose stones don't have duty applied) are also calculated on the items value plus the cost of shipping.

Even if the stone is sent on approval it isn't possible to reclaim these costs if you decide to send the item back. (as far as I can see - will check for definite)

Granted it is quite possible to get away with this - although they are tightening up, I've had far more parcels arrive stuck up with HMC&E tape in the last year than the previous 5.

But, would you want to buy an expensive stone based on a doctored photograph, pay £100's in taxes and then find it wasn't what you saw in the photo? If your business is via the internet and you are going to sell to overseas customers then you need to be aware of these things.

 

[VapidLapid]

Wow that is some intense tax system. How can anyone afford to live in the uk? Quite a disincentive to buying things from overseas. I have never been able to wrap my head around the VAT. What value added when and how? Still one would rightly be livid to have paid 20% to the government to look at a stone and send it back.

 

[Pandora II]

Wow that is some intense tax system. How can anyone afford to live in the uk? Quite a disincentive to buying things from overseas. I have never been able to wrap my head around the VAT. What value added when and how? Still one would rightly be livid to have paid 20% to the government to look at a stone and send it back.

Don't, our top rate of tax is 50% - base rate is 20% rising to 40% if you earn over £35k. VAT is like sales tax in the USA - it doesn't apply to things like books, children's clothes and children's shoes but does to pretty much everything else including service - ie if you have a builder round to decorate your house you pay VAT on his bill as well.

Add to that the cost of housing - a 750 sq ft 2-bed apartment on a welfare project will set you back at least £250k in London. On the other hand we have free health-care, state pensions, a very generous welfare system... still, it is uber-expensive over here.

Anyway, you get the point that being able to see things on approval could prove a very expensive mistake. If I buy stones from overseas I make very sure that I am going to like them before they arrive - so far I've never returned anything and not because it was too much hassle - the stones looked exactly how I expected them to. Then again the vendors I have bought from have gone above and beyond to ensure this.

 

[LD]

Wow that is some intense tax system. How can anyone afford to live in the uk? Quite a disincentive to buying things from overseas. I have never been able to wrap my head around the VAT. What value added when and how? Still one would rightly be livid to have paid 20% to the government to look at a stone and send it back.

Don't, our top rate of tax is 50% - base rate is 20% rising to 40% if you earn over £35k. VAT is like sales tax in the USA - it doesn't apply to things like books, children's clothes and children's shoes but does to pretty much everything else including service - ie if you have a builder round to decorate your house you pay VAT on his bill as well.

Add to that the cost of housing - a 750 sq ft 2-bed apartment on a welfare project will set you back at least £250k in London. On the other hand we have free health-care, state pensions, a very generous welfare system... still, it is uber-expensive over here.

Anyway, you get the point that being able to see things on approval could prove a very expensive mistake. If I buy stones from overseas I make very sure that I am going to like them before they arrive - so far I've never returned anything and not because it was too much hassle - the stones looked exactly how I expected them to. Then again the vendors I have bought from have gone above and beyond to ensure this.

For now! And let's face it, it's incredibly miserly and how anybody lives on a state penio alone, is nothing short of outstanding.

I agree with Pandora, that VAT/Customs/Shipping etc is a killer.

Evan - I HAVE returned a stone to NSC as it wasn't as described/expected (yes I did contact a salesperson beforehand). Granted, I didn't love it either but it became an expensive look-see and one I'm unlikely to repeat unless I can see real, undoctored photos up front. I have to tell you that when I told NSC I wanted to return the stone I was bombarded by a series of emails that were asking me to reconsider, did I know what I was doing, etc etc.

 

[The_Natural_Sapphire_Company]

LovingDiamonds – I am sorry that you didn’t love the stone you received from us. I am wondering when you had viewed the stone, as it has always been our policy since I have been here to issue RMA’s with no problems. I have never seen any sales person ask if a customer “knew what they were doing,” and they would have been reprimanded if they had. Maybe this return was from years ago, with a different sales person that is no longer here?

At the same time, when a RMA is issued, a sales person MAY ask if there was an issue and if it can be corrected in any way. This is standard in every industry. We pride ourselves on our customer service, and as someone has mentioned earlier in this thread, repeat business is very important. While a customer may be returning an item because it doesn’t match what they are looking for, we are happy to suggest a different item. Certainly no customer is ever pestered, asked to reconsider, etc. If that ever happens to ANYONE, they are welcome to contact me directly via email to issue their return or to air any grievances.