The Things Vendors Say.....

[theredspinel]

I need to start this off by saying I love our beloved recommended vendors here; you're all great and I definetly genuinely love talking to/dealing with many of them. However this thread is a bit of a cheeky one... from a consumer perspective

One vendor said to me once when I asked if any discounts were possible "I brought this rough ages ago but I'm already giving it to you at the same prices X years ago, not today's prices".

Ummm a) I've done my shopping around and I know what today's prices are so.... yep you are selling at today's prices lol. And b) why would you buy rough cheaply X years ago only to hold onto it for X years then not sell it at the profit you very (ligitmetly) could be selling it for

I didn't say anything to the particular vendor because I understand the psychology of sales and etc; nothing wrong with it but thought we could share similar stories for a bit of a light hearted laugh.

Btw I did buy that stone.

Oh also another time, another vendor told me colour change stones means they change colour as they age over time....

Disclaimer* this thread isn't just referring to our vendors here but any genstone/jewellery vendor. Even mall store ones.

 

[dk168]

Can't comment re: colour change means colour change over time.

However, and I could be wrong about this being inexperience, CS are inorganic minerals, and they should not change colour over time.

As for cutters stocking up roughs and not cut them right away, as far as I am aware, this is a common practice with the cutters I had purchased from in the past.

As a consumer, I have a stash of CS that I have yet to set. Even projects already planned with designs in mind and stones already sent to the bench can be delayed by newer CS purchases.

Therefore, I am not at all surprised that cutters have a stash of uncut roughs waiting to be cut.

DK

 

[theredspinel]

I didn't take it to mean the rough was uncut, the comment was more X years ago the gemstone would have sold for $100. Today it sells for $500 but I'lll sell it to you for $100 because this is old rough.....

Businesses don't really work that way lol.

 

[dk168]

For the cutters I have purchased from in the past, when they informed me they were holding the prices of the roughs acquired X number of years ago without increase, I believed them.

I do not like to haggle, and am only prepared to pay for what I am willing to pay, jewellery or otherwise.

Usually I have a budget in mind, after performing the necessary research first. If it is outside my reach, I walk away. If they want my business they would come back to me with a lowered price. There is no hard feelings if they don't.

This worked in foreign markets while I was holiday too - some vendors would drop their prices the moment I started to walk away.

DK

 

[lilmosun]

Agree with DK.

While some vendors calculate their price on weight and current market price, I do know a lot of small vendors who simply price their material on a xx% markup of their cost. It's too much work to remark things due to market fluctuations. If their prices are reasonable and their product is good, things tend to turnover quickly enough. You can get a great buy if you find a nice piece at old prices. But in your case, it sounds like the price really wasn't below current market.

Back in the old gem show days, negotiating was expected by the majority of vendors. Not as much today. I think it's okay to ask if the price is firm if you aren't familiar with the vendor's practices. I personally hate when I pass and a vendor asks "What are you willing to pay?". My reply is always "Just give me your best price and I will decide if it's what I am willing to pay" (assuming that price is the reason I am passing). Because like dk, I buy when I want something and I can justify the price. My vendors know that.

(I do know people who will respond to the question with a low ball price when asked. Oddly enough, there have been a few times where the vendor has sought us out at the end of a slow gem show and offered to sell at the low ball price because they are looking for cash flow to cover their show expenses. But these are vendors who know us and don't mind as we've made other purchases in the past).