The worst customer service and buying experience of my life

[Deactivated member 42515]

I’m writing this to caution anyone thinking about purchasing from Jamesallen.com to think twice. I want to make sure no one else has to go through the same awful experience I had.

I have never bought anything from JA but don't you think that this comment is a bit harsh? Yes, they messed up but they also apologized and tried to work with you. To blatantly post a public outcry telling people to not use JA is kind of rude. Yes they are a business, and I understand you were looking forward to something and that it's disheartening but as a consumer, you should understand that businesses make mistakes. They are human after all

 

[MissStepcut]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

If a vendor agrees to sell a diamond and the customer pays for the diamond... surely thats a contract? How can the vendor then back out of the sale?

Does the JA contract stipulate that the sale is contingent on availability?

 

[Maisie]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

If a vendor agrees to sell a diamond and the customer pays for the diamond... surely thats a contract? How can the vendor then back out of the sale?

Does the JA contract stipulate that the sale is contingent on availability?

I've no idea. It just seems a bit odd to accept someones money on the off chance something is available.

 

[hotskate]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

I’m writing this to caution anyone thinking about purchasing from Jamesallen.com to think twice. I want to make sure no one else has to go through the same awful experience I had.

I have never bought anything from JA but don't you think that this comment is a bit harsh? Yes, they messed up but they also apologized and tried to work with you. To blatantly post a public outcry telling people to not use JA is kind of rude. Yes they are a business, and I understand you were looking forward to something and that it's disheartening but as a consumer, you should understand that businesses make mistakes. They are human after all

I never stated to never purchase from them, I was indicating to be cautious and to think twice. We live in America and I have the right to voice my opinion.

in regard to me understanding about people make mistakes: Of course I understand that people make mistakes we are only human, but maybe my issue is not understood. I addressed my concern with them actually having this diamond on a numerous of occasions via email and via phone. That is the issue i was told one thing more than once and then at the end wound up with the short end of the stick. YayTacori if they were able to find me a comparable stone in the price bracket I would be more than happy to give them a second chance.

JA did keep me informed every step of the way calling me back promptly which I greatly appreciate. But once again and i don’t want to keep on mowing this over items shouldn’t be listed as available, confirmed via email, and phone to find out after purchase it is actually not available.

 

[mrssalvo]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

Mistakes happen to every vendor and it's really how they handle the mistake that will set them apart. I can certainly understand your frustration and disappointment but the were upfront with you when they found out the mistake and that should count for something IMO. And they did try to remedy the situation as best they could. This really is one of the reasons it's best to shop from in-house inventory's and why folks here all them time are recommending stones that vendors have and can lay their eyes on. You can't really tell anything about a cushion from numbers alone so you are really rolling the dice if purchasing one off a virtual list anyway. Good news for you, you aren't out any money and basically get a free do over!!

 

[Christina...]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

they do...here is there terms of use

http://www.jamesallen.com/about-us/term-of-use.html

 

[Lotus99]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

I would definitely say mistakes happen. Sometimes, an order, a job for a client or something else related to work turns into a giant clustermess. I'm sure we've all had it happen -- or been a part of the problem. It just keeps going from bad to worse, seemingly.

I don't assume an isolated incident is an indication of general poor customer service. It seems the staff were as nice as they could be, given the circumstances. They certainly weren't outright rude at any point.

I once learned in a customer service class (pre-Internet) that a customer who has a bad experience will tell 10 people. Someone who has a good experience will tell only one person.

I'm really sorry this happened to you, but you haven't lost any money and you didn't receive an inferior product. Something simply went wrong in the ordering stage.

I really hope you find the right diamond and that you're able to put this behind you.

 

[Maisie]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

they do...here is there terms of use

http://www.jamesallen.com/about-us/term-of-use.html

It says this:

While James Allen makes every effort to ensure that our products are described and priced accurately, in the event that an item is deemed to be priced incorrectly, James Allen reserves the right to refuse sale that item. If the pricing error is discovered after payment has been finalized, James Allen reserves the right to cancel the sale and refund the transaction in full.

This wasn't the reason the sale was cancelled though. They said the stone had already sold. I'm just wondering how they can sell a stone that wasn't available to be sold.

 

[hotskate]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

I would definitely say mistakes happen. Sometimes, an order, a job for a client or something else related to work turns into a giant clustermess. I'm sure we've all had it happen -- or been a part of the problem. It just keeps going from bad to worse, seemingly.

I don't assume an isolated incident is an indication of general poor customer service. It seems the staff were as nice as they could be, given the circumstances. They certainly weren't outright rude at any point.

I once learned in a customer service class (pre-Internet) that a customer who has a bad experience will tell 10 people. Someone who has a good experience will tell only one person.

I'm really sorry this happened to you, but you haven't lost any money and you didn't receive an inferior product. Something simply went wrong in the ordering stage.

I really hope you find the right diamond and that you're able to put this behind you.

Life goes on, and back on the hunt. This was intended to keep people informed, like I have said I am not here telling people NOT to use JA but to think twice and if possible maybe some other way to confirm they actually have the stone they want before (even though I did that).

I am glad I will be getting a full refund and will not have to do any disputes, but it does really put a damper on my outlook in the online purchasing.

 

[Christina...]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

they do...here is there terms of use

http://www.jamesallen.com/about-us/term-of-use.html

It says this:

While James Allen makes every effort to ensure that our products are described and priced accurately, in the event that an item is deemed to be priced incorrectly, James Allen reserves the right to refuse sale that item. If the pricing error is discovered after payment has been finalized, James Allen reserves the right to cancel the sale and refund the transaction in full.

This wasn't the reason the sale was cancelled though. They said the stone had already sold. I'm just wondering how they can sell a stone that wasn't available to be sold.

This is what I was referring to...

Disclaimer of Warranties and Limitation of Liability
THE MATERIALS AND INFORMATION PROVIDED BY James Allen ON ANY OF ITS WEB SITES ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS. James Allen MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO THE OPERATION OF ITS WEB SITE(S) OR THE INFORMATION, CONTENT, MATERIALS OR PRODUCTS INCLUDED ON ITS WEB SITE(S). YOU AGREE THAT YOUR ACESS TO, AND USE OF ALL James Allen WEB SITES(S) IS AT YOUR OWN RISK.

 

[mrssalvo]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

they do...here is there terms of use

http://www.jamesallen.com/about-us/term-of-use.html

It says this:

While James Allen makes every effort to ensure that our products are described and priced accurately, in the event that an item is deemed to be priced incorrectly, James Allen reserves the right to refuse sale that item. If the pricing error is discovered after payment has been finalized, James Allen reserves the right to cancel the sale and refund the transaction in full.

This wasn't the reason the sale was cancelled though. They said the stone had already sold. I'm just wondering how they can sell a stone that wasn't available to be sold.

It is my understanding the the virtual database isn't kept in real time so it may take some time for that information to be updated.

 

[Christina...]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

hotskate, I do feel bad that this happened to you, I would be very disappointed as well, but this situation isn't unique to buying diamonds, I can think of times that I've ordered merchandise online (best buy, amazon, VS all come to mind) that I had placed and paid for my order, only to be later notified that the item was no longer available. It's frustrating, and of course I understand that, but it happens to every large vendor, regardless of the merchandise being sold. I think it's particularly disappointing for you because of the reason for the purchase. It's an exciting time and a lot of effort goes into finding and purchasing the perfect diamond. There are so many people here that will now be following your thread and will be more than happy to help you find that perfect stone, and change this story to a happy ending!

Maybe you should post what it is that your looking for again, that way if someone missed your previous thread they will have an idea of what you want and what to keep an eye out for.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

oh no! I'm so sorry!

I did find a 2.14 ct diamond in boston for 16K I passed on because it was out of budget (we're hoping for 15k total for the ring unless we find a steal) and I saw a tiny inclusion I thought would bother me on table. I can give you the guy's name if you're interested? I think the HCA on that stone was 2.0 - so, borderline. Spread if I remember right was 8.3x8.3

Please send me the information on this. I am open to all options within budget thanks

That sounds like a round, hotskate, not a cushion.

He is looking for a cushion, everyone.

 

[hotskate]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

oh no! I'm so sorry!

I did find a 2.14 ct diamond in boston for 16K I passed on because it was out of budget (we're hoping for 15k total for the ring unless we find a steal) and I saw a tiny inclusion I thought would bother me on table. I can give you the guy's name if you're interested? I think the HCA on that stone was 2.0 - so, borderline. Spread if I remember right was 8.3x8.3

Please send me the information on this. I am open to all options within budget thanks

That sounds like a round, hotskate, not a cushion.

He is looking for a cushion, everyone.

Based on the L x W i would agree it does sound like a round, thank you though.

 

[mandasand]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

I'm sorry about your experience and I don't think what happened was stellar customer service. I understand James apologized and offered you a discount. It does sort of bother me that he defended the situation. I bet he has asked his staff to work towards finding you some other options that work within your budget. At least, that would be helpful.

I have also been looking into James Allen and originally worked with Stacy. She was very prompt and provided a quote to have one of their settings customized. The custom setting ended up being way out of our budget. Stacy recommended that I stick with the stock setting to leave more room for the diamond (which makes a ton of sense). I received an email from Emily the next day introducing herself and asking if I was still interested in the setting and she offered to help me find a diamond. I explained that the custom setting doesn't work in our budget. She then found me a couple of stones that were priced so that I could also get the custom setting. But the setting and diamond were the same price. Now, I'm no expert, but that isn't a very smart idea. I know I should be spending more on the stone and less on the setting...I had to explain my preferences several times and she still came up with options I would not be interested in, including trying to sway me towards a crushed ice stone. She never came up with any recommendations I would be remotely interested in - PSer DISTRACTS came up with better options for me from the JA website! One other thing that bothered me about Emily is that every time she sent me an email, it started and ended in a "canned" response - even if I responded back asking a question, she would start the email off: "This is Emily with jamesallen.com and I wanted to thank you for your feedback..." The other sales rep didn't do that, so it just felt more personal.

Even though the experience has been mixed for me thus far, I am still considering using this vendor. Even though I could afford a $15k cushion, my SO and I decided to spend around $5k because I'm not a really flashy person and I actually PREFER a smaller diamond. I think JA is a good option for someone looking in many budget ranges. I'm still on the fence on what I want to do.

 

[hotskate]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

I do truly want to thank each and every one of you guys for your help and understanding with this unfortunate situation.
I really appreciate it.


I am looking to spend under $15,000 ideally in the $10,000- $13,000 range.

As close to 2 carats as possible

Very clean, eye clean

Good - Excellent cut

F,G,H color

VS1, VS2

No florescence

Table % 58-70

Depth % 58-70

None to very small Culet

Preferably more square than rectangle but would not be a deal breaker

I know I am looking for that diamond in the rough; someone else scored a deal minutes before I did so I feel there has to be another one out there hopefully

 

[hotskate]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

I'm sorry about your experience and I don't think what happened was stellar customer service. I understand James apologized and offered you a discount. It does sort of bother me that he defended the situation. I bet he has asked his staff to work towards finding you some other options that work within your budget. At least, that would be helpful.

I have also been looking into James Allen and originally worked with Stacy. She was very prompt and provided a quote to have one of their settings customized. The custom setting ended up being way out of our budget. Stacy recommended that I stick with the stock setting to leave more room for the diamond (which makes a ton of sense). I received an email from Emily the next day introducing herself and asking if I was still interested in the setting and she offered to help me find a diamond. I explained that the custom setting doesn't work in our budget. She then found me a couple of stones that were priced so that I could also get the custom setting. But the setting and diamond were the same price. Now, I'm no expert, but that isn't a very smart idea. I know I should be spending more on the stone and less on the setting...I had to explain my preferences several times and she still came up with options I would not be interested in, including trying to sway me towards a crushed ice stone. She never came up with any recommendations I would be remotely interested in - PSer DISTRACTS came up with better options for me from the JA website! One other thing that bothered me about Emily is that every time she sent me an email, it started and ended in a "canned" response - even if I responded back asking a question, she would start the email off: "This is Emily with jamesallen.com and I wanted to thank you for your feedback..." The other sales rep didn't do that, so it just felt more personal.

Even though the experience has been mixed for me thus far, I am still considering using this vendor. Even though I could afford a $15k cushion, my SO and I decided to spend around $5k because I'm not a really flashy person and I actually PREFER a smaller diamond. I think JA is a good option for someone looking in many budget ranges. I'm still on the fence on what I want to do.

Thank you for your sympathy and I am glad there is some people that somewhat agree with me. As I have stated I am not telling people NOT to use JA but to be cautious and most importantly I would say not to get your hopes up, as I did.

They are very prompt on returning emails and phone calls which is nice. I completely agree with you regarding the “formal” emails. For example I purchased the diamond at the time from Stacy and then this morning I got confirmation again that the “stone was mine and will be shipped out on Monday”. The odd part was “she” was re-introducing herself in the email and the email was probably automated which is not very personal considering the relationship we built previously.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

I'd suggest going back to your other thread and looking back through all the stones we linked. Because really, we linked the best stones available for you there. You can't get a 2 ct. nicely cut cushion in the specs you listed for the price you want to pay. (That stone through JA obviously didn't have the correct pricing on their site, so you do not know that it sold for anything close to that.) You will have to go down in size or down in color and clarity.

I just wonder if you showed her this ring, if she wouldn't rather have it than a ring that is not as nice for the money:

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/forum/post3186948.html#p3186948']https://www.pricescope.com/forum/post3186948.html#p3186948[/URL]

This stone has the spread of many 2 ct. cushions and the designer setting would cost close to $5k alone.

 

[hotskate]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

I'd suggest going back to your other thread and looking back through all the stones we linked. Because really, we linked the best stones available for you there. You can't get a 2 ct. nicely cut cushion in the specs you listed for the price you want to pay. (That stone through JA obviously didn't have the correct pricing on their site, so you do not know that it sold for anything close to that.) You will have to go down in size or down in color and clarity.

I just wonder if you showed her this ring, if she wouldn't rather have it than a ring that is not as nice for the money:

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/forum/post3186948.html#p3186948']https://www.pricescope.com/forum/post3186948.html#p3186948[/URL]

This stone has the spread of many 2 ct. cushions and the designer setting would cost close to $5k alone.

I will do that

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Cushion-Diamond-1488042.asp

http://www.zoara.com/diamonds/p_cushion_excellent_cut_h_vs2#p=679200

http://www.zoara.com/diamonds/p_cushion_excellent_cut_g_vs2#p=663654

http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-2936468-2.07-carat-Cushion-diamond-H-color-VS1-Clarity.aspx?cid=DiamPG

http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-2912766-2.02-carat-Cushion-diamond-G-color-VS2-Clarity.aspx?cid=DiamPG

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

Okay, the first stone is not very attractive compared to the others linked. But I am glad you did link it because at 1.81 carats, the diameter is 7.16 x 6.57.

The ring I linked for you above has a 1.67 diamond with measurements of 7.80 X 6.72!!!!! A definite larger appearance than the 1.81!!!!

The rest are virtual stones again with no pictures. But.......

1.9 4.57x6.75 !!!

1.91 4.72x7.02 !!!

2.07 7.31x7.07 better than the previous two but about the same surface area as the 1.67

2.02 7.39x7.14 " "

See, you really have to look at the measurements because 2 cts of weight means little when the stone looks like a diamond less than a carat!

 

[Christina...]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

Be very careful of EGL certs, I think I posted to you about this in the other thread. A G color VS2 clarity is very likely going to be an I or J (maybe worse) color and SI1 or SI2 clarity. The diamond with an EGL report can not be compared to a diamond with a GIA or AGS report because of the soft grading done by EGL. EGL fools consumers into thinking that stones graded by them are a better value, when they actually are just diamonds with inferior grading. You'd be angry if a car dealer told you the camero you purchased at a great deal has an 8 cylinders, to get home and find out that it's only 4!

 

[Mico]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

I'm with diamondseeker on this one, I always thought I wanted a 2ct too - you can see in my search, however, that I'm avoiding actually going into the 2ct range due to the price jumps.

Instead, I'm looking at diameters (p.s. sorry I forgot you wanted a cushion) which is tricky in a round.

The estate piece she listed DOES have a good spread, might not be a bad idea to re-think it.

 

[hotskate]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

Okay so i will have to be a little bellow 2 carats.

Cut clarity and color is more important.

MY LOVE is the most important

 

[Christina...]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

I know that your gf isn't crazy about having a halo, but you wouldn't have to keep the diamond in this setting, and the stone would still be a great deal. If I were you, I'd buy the DanielK have the diamond removed and reset in the setting your prefer and then list the danielK ring on diamond bistro to recoup some of your cost. It would be a gorgeous setting for someone else looking to set a colored stone and would be a great value for them as well as that setting is running in the 5k range new. Thats what I would do!!!

 

[gms2011]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

Thanks for posting your experience hotskate. I completely understand why you're upset; while the 1k discount offer does seem very generous, they may have realized that there would be a very low probability of your going over 9k your original budget, so it's a moot point anyway. From what I've read on these forums, JA does seem like a great vendor, but it's also useful to see less-than-stellar experiences. I think to pooh-pooh his account by saying "well they're human too and humans make mistakes" is reminiscent of a recent famous quote "corporations are people." Vendors should be held accountable to their mistakes, and it's an unideal situation. I'm not saying they had any ill intent going into this, but they did waste much of your time, and that is something you're justifiably upset about.

 

[gms2011]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

Also, IMHO, it isn't rude at all for someone to post a poor experience with a vendor. This is supposed to be an impartial forum with room for both positive and negative experiences. I've seen plenty of negative comments about LM--why is it OK for people to post their negative experiences about that vendor and not another? Just because a vendor has a great track record doesn't mean that all contradictory experiences are somehow invalid.

 

[astro]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

Just to add another data point, I actually had a somewhat similar experience that turned me off a bit from buying from JA.

Back in January I was looking for a diamond and found one i really liked for about $1400, so I put it on hold to have a gemologist take a look at it. The next day I was told the diamond was not available, as it had been sold earlier and the system just had not updated.

I thought "fair enough" and continued my search. But then saw it was listed ON HOLD on the website, so I called again to double check. Again I was told it was a glitch and it had been sold a while back.

Then it got weird when I received an email from the gemologist telling me how nice the diamond was and that they thought it was a good buy. Confused I called another time, and was told again that the diamond had been sold a while back, and it must be a mistake, even though the gemologist quoted the diamond number.

A few days later I saw the diamond listed as available but this time for about $1900.
When I called and asked, they said that it was in fact available, but at this new price. It was attributed to a computer glitch which "very rarely happened" and I had to continue with my search.

I tried to assume nothing shady was going on, but at the very least it put me off due to the misinformation they themselves had.

I will say that they certainly were quite nice throughout, but I'm not gonna lie and say it didn't leave me with a sour taste.

Didn't really bother to post about it before, but since it's being discussed now I figured I'd share.

 

[distracts]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

Okay, the first stone is not very attractive compared to the others linked. But I am glad you did link it because at 1.81 carats, the diameter is 7.16 x 6.57.

The ring I linked for you above has a 1.67 diamond with measurements of 7.80 X 6.72!!!!! A definite larger appearance than the 1.81!!!!

The rest are virtual stones again with no pictures. But.......

1.9 4.57x6.75 !!!

1.91 4.72x7.02 !!!

2.07 7.31x7.07 better than the previous two but about the same surface area as the 1.67

2.02 7.39x7.14 " "

See, you really have to look at the measurements because 2 cts of weight means little when the stone looks like a diamond less than a carat!

DS, the 1.9s have the depth listed first, so they're actually not as small as the measurements you copied suggest.

I would honestly buy the preloved one... I don't know how else you're going to get a diamond that big in your budget with your specs, though many on PS can work magic with finding diamonds.

 

[oldminer]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

When a vendor says a diamond has been "SOLD" to someone else after you have a confirmed order in your hands, the meaning may be that the error in pricing was discovered and that diamond, for that incorrect price, is not going to be sold to you on purpose once the error in pricing came to light. Typically, the lists of diamonds which are for sale are entered somewhere into a database by a human who is making entries on a keyboard, not by a diamond expert, but more of a data entry person. They are unaware of occasional typos, as most all of us might make.

Thye owner of the diamond overseas, or wherever they are located, has a perfectly clear right to correct errors in offering prices at any time. Probably it would have been better all around to have told you that the stone had been erroneously priced and to have offered it to you at the correct price, less a courtesy discount, and to have let you make your own mind up about buying or passing on the stone. In fact, that might be a good suggestion for JA or any other vendor to change their approach to undeliverable stones due to pricing errors. Saying a stone is SOLD when it isn't may not ring true. Of course, maybe the stone was sold already by the owner. We are unaware of the exact timeline. We really can't ever know. Maybe the pricing error was not the culprit here. The use of virtual inventory or augmented inventory is a wonderful addition to shopping a very wide array of diamonds. The downside is that once in a while some small glitch hurts an individual who believed they found the perfect stone and an incredible price, but then had it grabbed away from them at the last second. I can feel how painful that must have been.

The end conclusion is that Pricescope vendors are true professionals in that they act in a way to make nearly every client totally pleased and when things go badly, they fully understand the consequences of a roasting on Pricesccope. Everyone here wants 100% of purchasers to do a great job and to come away pleased. Of course, the most exciting news and activity follows the mistakes, errors and glitches, just like the news of real life on CNN or FOX. The bad stuff is what the news is all about.

I have never been pulled over by a cop for my great driving skills, either. Hope you do find a perfect stone for you!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Mico]

Re: The worst customer service and buying experience of my l

When a vendor says a diamond has been "SOLD" to someone else after you have a confirmed order in your hands, the meaning may be that the error in pricing was discovered and that diamond, for that incorrect price, is not going to be sold to you on purpose once the error in pricing came to light. Typically, the lists of diamonds which are for sale are entered somewhere into a database by a human who is making entries on a keyboard, not by a diamond expert, but more of a data entry person. They are unaware of occasional typos, as most all of us might make.

Thye owner of the diamond overseas, or wherever they are located, has a perfectly clear right to correct errors in offering prices at any time. Probably it would have been better all around to have told you that the stone had been erroneously priced and to have offered it to you at the correct price, less a courtesy discount, and to have let you make your own mind up about buying or passing on the stone. In fact, that might be a good suggestion for JA or any other vendor to change their approach to undeliverable stones due to pricing errors. Saying a stone is SOLD when it isn't may not ring true. Of course, maybe the stone was sold already by the owner. We are unaware of the exact timeline. We really can't ever know. Maybe the pricing error was not the culprit here. The use of virtual inventory or augmented inventory is a wonderful addition to shopping a very wide array of diamonds. The downside is that once in a while some small glitch hurts an individual who believed they found the perfect stone and an incredible price, but then had it grabbed away from them at the last second. I can feel how painful that must have been.

The end conclusion is that Pricescope vendors are true professionals in that they act in a way to make nearly every client totally pleased and when things go badly, they fully understand the consequences of a roasting on Pricesccope. Everyone here wants 100% of purchasers to do a great job and to come away pleased. Of course, the most exciting news and activity follows the mistakes, errors and glitches, just like the news of real life on CNN or FOX. The bad stuff is what the news is all about.

I have never been pulled over by a cop for my great driving skills, either. Hope you do find a perfect stone for you!!!!!!!!!!

I agree, maybe changing the wording from "sold" to "in process" or "en route" and having the buyer send the money to "hold" until the stone is in the sellers hands is probably goign to prevent future episodes like this from happening. I know that JA has a great track record here, but in all honesty with the amouth of ups and downs I've had with diamond shopping, I completely understand where the OP is coming from. I personally wouldn't want to continue a relationship with an online vendor if I felt like I was one of the masses and after seemingly finalizing a purchase (which would be a huge relief) have it taken away.

I think we can all agree that we tend to buy from those we feel comfortable with - I understand both points of view and the plus side of this is that JA can possibly modify how they refer to the virtual stone buying process when dealing with buyers. I don't think the OP would have been quite as upset if he didn't think his purchase was set in stone because if the latter were to happen and he didn't have the money - he couldn't say WHOOPS, sorry, you should have known I was having funds coming and they fell through.

Thats all