I’m not pleased with the level of service at Kay Jewelers after stopping in at their NYC location across from Macy’s on 34th street. Wendy and I went there to pick out a pair of rings, and settled on these two:

Color: HIJ, Clarity: I1-I2 – 14K White Gold 1/2 Carat t.w. Diamond Anniversary Band

Color: HIJ, Clarity: I1-I2 – 14K White Gold 1/4 Carat t.w. Diamond Band for Him

Not bad rings, not a terrible price. However, in the store once we purchased them, things got bad fast. First, they quoted the rings at the $699 price, but when I received the itemized receipt, the rings were billed at $599 (the correct online price, which we didn’t know at the time). Second, although we had declined their insurance option, there was magic insurance at $75 a piece. You can checkout an uploaded receipt image here, if you like. Tomorrow, I’ll be dropping by again to return both rings and receive a full refund.

Where my ire really gets irked is when I began to shop online for an alternative to the Kay rings (since I’m planning to return them). I took a look at Zales, and found a nearly identical ring, for the same price:

Color: H, Clarity VS1-VS2 1/2 CT. T.W. Diamond Five Stone Band in 14K White Gold

This Zales ring is the same price as the Kay’s Jewelry ring, but at a superior clarity. With free shipping and a $50 off coupon, the total price is $135 less than what Kay’s charged me. Yes, and that’s for a better ring! Zales even offers the Jewelry maintenance services as a free service, whereas Kay tries to tack them on as a $75 additional charge.

Some other red flags about Kay’s Jewelers:

• RetailMeNot doesn’t have any coupons for them. There’s a notice that reads, “Sorry for the inconvenience but this merchant has specifically requested to have all user contributed coupons removed from the RetailMeNot system.” That seems sketchy at best.
• Their Santa Certificates are only good if you spend in $300 increments, at which point you get $100 off. Although, there’s the possibility that at this point Kay’s will quote $100 of list, not advertised price.

I am pleased to see that they have a 2 star rating (out of 5) on RateItAll, a nice consumerist horror story, and something titled Kay Jewelers RUINED MY ENGAGEMENT RING!!!.

One Response to “Kay Jewelers (Kay.com) Sucks”

1. Napier says:

   12/8/2009 at 2:49 pm

   Sterling Inc.
   c/o Mark Light, C.E.O.
   375 Ghent Rd.
   Fairlawn, OH
   44333
   United States

   08 December 2009

   RE: Sterling Inc., dba Kay Jewelers Account: xxxxxx6527 / Christopher N

   Mr. Mark Light –

   I would today light to enlighten you as to the failure of your company to uphold its product and service and credit reporting obligations on my account.

   First I tried in vane to correct the matter on the merchandise that I purchase to NO RESOLVE and I was stuck with a faulty One Thousand Dollar watch and ruined credit.

   I have since “settled” the matter with your accounting department in full and yet your company is refuses to remove the “CHARGE OFF” to all three of my credit bureaus. This has been a long a disgusting process with Kay Jewelers and I am not a happy camper. I have told many of my family and friends never to use Kay, Jared, and or Sterling for ANY of there needs.

   I am also going to start a blog and you can go to http://www.ripoffreport.com I will be spreading the word there as well until the matter of my credit is RESTORED IN FULL.

   Your company is the WORST in customer service, product service, and overall business I have ever dealt with. I have a letter releasing me of the obligations and I refuse to pay for an item that was never rectified in full and to make it worse I even purchased your lackluster “WARRANTY” which apparently is about worthless as the paper it is printed on.

   I will in my campaign in the next several month, weeks, and or years find a way to put the “GOOD WORD” out as to just how Sterling, Kay, and/or Jared does business. I have written twice to you before and this time I am faxing it hopefully this will get your attention. I just want what is fair – YOU GOT YOUR CASH I WANT MY CREDIT RESTORED AS PAID OR EVEN BETTER DELETED FROM MY BUREAUS!

   Respectfully,

   Christopher N
   0

   P.S. Ignore this and I will have my attorney contact you next with a defamation suit!

   Reply