Jewelry is a big part of many people’s lives.
It can be worn as an accessory, given as a gift, or purchased for oneself to wear on special occasions. Jewelry stores often carry all different types and styles of jewelry to appeal to the variety in tastes that consumers have.
However, there are some things you should know about returning jewelry if you intend on buying it from a store.
Return policies vary by store, so it’s important to check the policy before making a purchase. If you’re returning jewelry that was given as a gift, you’ll need to provide proof of purchase. Individual items from a set cannot usually be returned separately. Most stores will exchange jewelry for something else, as long as the item is in good condition. Finally, always keep your proof of purchase and original packaging materials.
If this is your first time returning jewelry to a store, it’s important to be familiar with the return process.
Read on to learn more about return policies, purchase dates, original packaging, and what to do if you need to return jewelry that was given as a gift.
Table of Contents
What You Should Know About Jewelry Returns
First thing is first. Exactly where did you buy it from, that is, what type of store?
Why would that make a difference about the return? Well, considering that huge chain department stores are not depending on jewelry alone for their livelihood, and that smaller mom and pop stores are, then the returns can likely be handled very differently.
Some large department stores have a very generous return policy that allows for returns or exchanges for up to 90 days after a jewelry purchase as long as a receipt is shown, the box is included, and the condition is still like new.
Other stores like the ones found in mall kiosks will only allow up to 30 days with receipt, and the original tags must still be affixed and the condition must be as new.
- If an item had diamonds and was expensive, then a return may not be given in any type of store until the item is checked out by their jeweler to assure that it is the original stone and is not chipped or damaged in any way.
- Small jewelry stores often only allow for exchanging the item but usually not for refunding money unless the item was proven to be broken or in some way clearly defective at the time of sale. Those stores are usually the very small family businesses that you typically see downtown, and are rarely found inside malls or department stores.
- They are far more resistant to take returns in any form other than by granting store exchanges for a restricted period of time because they depend solely on sales from jewelry alone for their livelihood, rather than on a plethora of sales generated from other items found in larger stores.
- Their exchange/return policy is usually clearly posted and printed on the receipt so that customers understand up front that they are not usually going to be refunded for simply changing their minds or having regrets about spending money.
- Finally, there are the stores that are found online. Many sellers list their jewelry items on Ebay, Etsy, even Amazon, or have their own independent website to sell from, like ours.
Many of those may have a policy that states that they do not accept returns at all, especially if the designs were customized for the buyer, but more often than not, you can contact them if you have a legitimate issue and they will yield to fairness and reason.
Huge websites such as Ebay have an automatic buyers guarantee regardless of what the seller has stated as being his or her return policy.
Generally, the customer is always right regardless of the reasoning, and they will be refunded as long as the item is shipped back to the seller using an Ebay generated shipping label, tracked, and is shown to be received back.
If a seller feels that Ebay was unfair and that the return reason was unfounded, or the item was in some way abused by the buyer, the only recourse they have going forward is that they can block that buyer from future sales.
Most Common Return Policy of Jewelry Stores
The most common return policy of jewelry stores is a 30 day return with receipt and original box or packaging, especially if the item that was purchased had distinguished boxing and Certificates.
Items will be inspected to make sure that metals and stones were not chipped, broken, damaged or replaced with other stones, and is in the original condition sold at the time of the purchase.
A return policy is usually posted at the register where items are paid for.
There are instances where a return will not be given, such as if the item has been damaged or indications of wear or swapping out stones are obvious upon inspection.
However, sometimes a store that wants to retain a valuable or regular customer who has brought an item back may offer an exchange for the item even if it shows obvious use.
In that case, the item can be refurbished and resold for a lower price.
Finally, keep in mind that a customer who feels entitled to a return for just about any reason can easily call their credit card company and demand a chargeback for an item that was purchased within a certain period of time.
This means that the seller will suddenly see their bank account debited for the amount of the sale because a dispute from the customer is opened.
Again, the buyer is “always right” and the item simply must be returned to the seller regardless of its condition to insure a refund.
This is considered being the risk and cost of engaging in a retail business.
What Is The Process For Returning Jewelry?
If the item is a piece that was purchased from a brick and mortar store, whether large or small, you simply bring it, the receipt, and all paperwork and packaging back to the retailer and tell them that you want to return the item and why.
They will usually ask if there is damage or defect because they have different return policies depending on the condition if it differs from what it was at the time of sale.
It is best to return an item within the posted time frame to avoid petty disputes about return policies.
If the item was purchased online, then you must also adhere to their return policy.
You will be given a return shipping label if the return is found to be warranted and falls within the timeframe allowed. If there is a dispute, it will automatically generate a chargeback from the buyer’s credit card company.
Additionally, online returns on items costing over $100 will usually require that the buyer provide detailed pictures of any kind of damages, whether the packaging or the item itself.
Returning Damaged or Broken Items
Returning damaged or broken jewelry items, if purchased from a brick and mortar store, are sometimes looked upon with great suspicion.
This is because when an item is put out for sale, it is usually brand new and has been inspected for integrity prior to being put inside a case.
Something happened to break an item that is made from metal, or to crack/chip a stone that is contained in the piece of jewelry.
If the store inspects the item and sees plain evidence of prongs being torn off, or indications that the item was smacked against a hard surface, that can create a dispute.
Often, if the store is a large chain, the clerk will point out the damage as being done after the sale, but may, instead of arguing with the customer, simply tell them that a return will be issued “this time”.
Again, for online sales, pictures will be required, a dispute will be opened particularly if the item costs hundreds or thousands of dollars.
Returning Jewelry Given As A Gift
When you buy jewelry to be given as a gift from a brick and mortar store of any size, you should be given a receipt; oftentimes two receipts if you tell the clerk that the item is going to be a gift.
This way, the person receiving the gift can go into the store and bring the item for exchange and inspection if it is not something that they liked or wanted, but they also need to have proof that the item was purchased for them at that particular store.
Oftentimes, the item will not be given a cash refund, but a store credit will be issued so that something else can be obtained by the person who was gifted.
If cash back is desired, then the person who received the gift should ask the giver to return the item for them.
When an item was purchased as a gift online, then the buyer of the item must be the person who is responsible for returning the item to the seller simply because the transactions are restricted to the buyer’s information and their credit or debit card.
Any refund must be given to the card that was used for the purchase, and a person who is being gifted a piece of jewelry does not have access to that transaction or card.
The timeframe of the return will need to be followed, which means that the person who receives the item must give the item back to the person who purchased it in a timely manner.Pictures will still be required if the return is generated as being done because of damage.
Can You Return Individual Items From A Set Separately? (Rings, Earrings, Necklaces, etc.)
Sometimes, when a set is purchased, one or more of the items may not be liked by the customer.
In these circumstances, returning just the one(s) that were not liked can become complicated because most return policies are created for the return of a complete set.
If items in a set are not sold separately, they cannot be returned separately.
You may be able to exchange something sold as a part of a set if you can bring in or send the item back with proof of damage to one of the pieces.
Oftentimes however, the store will simply ask you to return the entire set and will either issue you a refund or will give an exchange depending on their store policy.
Can You Exchange Jewelry For Something Else?
Although exchanging jewelry for something else is technically not a return, it may be considered a return by many retailers because your possession of the jewelry prevented it being purchased by someone else.
With that said, in many cases you can exchange an item as long as there is nothing specifically posted in the store that indicates “All sales Final.”
Additionally, there are time limits for exchanging jewelry, especially if the item looks to have obvious wear and tear on it.
Most stores are happy to offer exchanges because the original sale amount is not being lost.
Just keep proof of purchase and all boxes, certificates, appraisals or other packaging materials so that the store can resell the item, unless of course, it was damaged or broken to begin with.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to return policies, there are usually time limitations on when an item can be returned.
Although every store is different in their return and exchange policies, it is always a good idea to familiarize yourself with the return policy before making your purchase.
If you purchased a piece of jewelry and regret your choice soon after, or if the item was received by someone as a gift who is not happy with the choice, or if you began to wear the item and soon thereafter noticed that there is a defect or damage that was unseen by the seller or yourself at the time of sale, then you will more than likely be able to return your purchase and receive a cash, debit, or credit card refund, or else, be issued a store credit.
This is far easier done if you purchased your item in a brick and mortar store, and have followed the return policies stated by the store in a timely manner.
It is also fair to say that an online store who has the same type of policies will issue a refund once they receive the item back.
There are only a few exceptions to this, and that is if the amount of time for a return has passed, or if the item has been clearly abused in some way by the buyer, or if the item is proven to be not in the same condition that it was when you bought it.
Online sales of jewelry usually have a more restricted return policy because of the risks are higher all the way around.
Pay attention to return details before you make a purchase!