BEWARE of Brownwood Jewelers

[sands]

I recommend staying away from Brownwood Jewelers. They never give a refund, only store credit - but be careful, they don't always tell you that up front.

My husband bought something there before Christmas and worked with the owner, who told him it could be returned if done within three weeks (but didn't mention anything about a "store credit only" policy...or the purchase would not have been made.) When we returned it, the employees said they only give store credit. My husband told them who he had worked with and explained that wasn't what he was told. They said the person my husband worked with was the owner and that he was on vacation but they would leave a note for him to call to resolve the issue when he got back. Of course, he never called. So my husband had to call him. The owner refused to honor the refund and now we're stuck. I would recommend staying away.

[rivaridger1]

A jeweler who has a " no return " policy on all merchandise, except that which has been personalized,
does indeed bear watching. The three week policy seems reasonable, except during the Holidays. I would think they do not want to discourage early buying.

[ColdNoMore]

I recommend staying away from Brownwood Jewelers. They never give a refund, only store credit - but be careful, they don't always tell you that up front.

My husband bought something there before Christmas and worked with the owner, who told him it could be returned if done within three weeks (but didn't mention anything about a "store credit only" policy...or the purchase would not have been made.) When we returned it, the employees said they only give store credit. My husband told them who he had worked with and explained that wasn't what he was told. They said the person my husband worked with was the owner and that he was on vacation but they would leave a note for him to call to resolve the issue when he got back. Of course, he never called. So my husband had to call him. The owner refused to honor the refund and now we're stuck. I would recommend staying away.

While 'in-store credit only' is not all that unusual, it should certainly be stated...and physical notices posted.

Sometimes however, it is in the 'fine-print' on the receipt...so you may want to look at it.

Regardless, having the owner not even mention it...I don't blame y'all for being peeved.

[Brawnwy123]

[QUOTE=sands;1616058]I recommend staying away from Brownwood Jewelers. They never give a refund, only store credit - but be careful, they don't always tell you that up front.

My husband bought something there before Christmas and worked with the owner, who told him it could be returned if done within

ANSWER ******

Hi, thanks for the tip.
Unfortunately, the Villages is or has been a place to cheat the unsuspecting senior citizen and they do have a major problem here. Try Crimes against Seniors????
We bought a Villa and got lied to big time.
We bought a new car and got lied to big time.
THE WAY IT IS HERE,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, BE CAREFUL AND IF YOU BUY ANYTHING that may need some follow up,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,WRITE IT UP AND HAVE THEM SIGN IT. Then YOU CAN GO TO SMALL COURT IF NECESSARY ?

Good luck and be wary, very WARY :bigbow:

[graciegirl]

[QUOTE=sands;1616058]I recommend staying away from Brownwood Jewelers. They never give a refund, only store credit - but be careful, they don't always tell you that up front.

My husband bought something there before Christmas and worked with the owner, who told him it could be returned if done within

ANSWER ******

Hi, thanks for the tip.
]Unfortunately, the Villages is or has been a place to cheat the unsuspecting senior citizen and they do have a major problem here[/COLOR]. Try Crimes against Seniors????
We bought a Villa and got lied to big time.
We bought a new car and got lied to big time.
THE WAY IT IS HERE,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, BE CAREFUL AND IF YOU BUY ANYTHING that may need some follow up,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,WRITE IT UP AND HAVE THEM SIGN IT. Then YOU CAN GO TO SMALL COURT IF NECESSARY ?

Good luck and be wary, very WARY :bigbow:


I don't agree with your above post.

We bought two new houses here from The Villages and didn't get lied to.

We bought a new car last year from a car dealer in Leesburg (The Villages doesn't sell cars) and didn't get lied to.

[seoulbrooks]

[QUOTE=sands;1616058]I recommend staying away from Brownwood Jewelers. They never give a refund, only store credit - but be careful, they don't always tell you that up front.

My husband bought something there before Christmas and worked with the owner, who told him it could be returned if done within

ANSWER ******

Hi, thanks for the tip.
Unfortunately, the Villages is or has been a place to cheat the unsuspecting senior citizen and they do have a major problem here. Try Crimes against Seniors????
We bought a Villa and got lied to big time.
We bought a new car and got lied to big time.
THE WAY IT IS HERE,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, BE CAREFUL AND IF YOU BUY ANYTHING that may need some follow up,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,WRITE IT UP AND HAVE THEM SIGN IT. Then YOU CAN GO TO SMALL COURT IF NECESSARY ?

Good luck and be wary, very WARY :bigbow:



Appears to be a very broad stroke of the brush......

[retiredguy123]

I don't know much about jewelry, and I am too cheap to spend a lot on it. But, it looks like most independent jewelers do not like to provide refunds or even exchanges. However, if I were buying an expensive piece of jewelry, especially a large diamond, I would buy it from Costco. You can return it for a full refund at any time, even years later. What a deal!

[villagerjack]

[QUOTE=sands;1616058]I recommend staying away from Brownwood Jewelers. They never give a refund, only store credit - but be careful, they don't always tell you that up front.

My husband bought something there before Christmas and worked with the owner, who told him it could be returned if done within

ANSWER ******

Hi, thanks for the tip.
Unfortunately, the Villages is or has been a place to cheat the unsuspecting senior citizen and they do have a major problem here. Try Crimes against Seniors????
We bought a Villa and got lied to big time.
We bought a new car and got lied to big time.
THE WAY IT IS HERE,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, BE CAREFUL AND IF YOU BUY ANYTHING that may need some follow up,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,WRITE IT UP AND HAVE THEM SIGN IT. Then YOU CAN GO TO SMALL COURT IF NECESSARY ?

Good luck and be wary, very WARY :bigbow:

Bought here 11 years ago and spent my share of money in a lot of different establishments and never felt I was cheated. BTWwhich car dealership doesThe Villages own ? ...Ans. None.

[retiredguy123]

I recommend staying away from Brownwood Jewelers. They never give a refund, only store credit - but be careful, they don't always tell you that up front.

My husband bought something there before Christmas and worked with the owner, who told him it could be returned if done within three weeks (but didn't mention anything about a "store credit only" policy...or the purchase would not have been made.) When we returned it, the employees said they only give store credit. My husband told them who he had worked with and explained that wasn't what he was told. They said the person my husband worked with was the owner and that he was on vacation but they would leave a note for him to call to resolve the issue when he got back. Of course, he never called. So my husband had to call him. The owner refused to honor the refund and now we're stuck. I would recommend staying away.
I agree that the return policy should have been explained better, and their website contains a lot of detailed information, but nothing about the return policy. But, apparently, their policy is the same as many other jewelers. FYI, I emailed the Brownwood Jewelers, and here is their return policy in writing:

Items may be returned for store credit or exchanged within 21 days from date of purchase. Merchandise must be in original and unworn condition with the original packaging, all warranty cards and explanation booklets intact. Closeout, special orders, altered pieces (including ring sizing) and custom pieces are not returnable or exchangeable. Gift certificates and gift cards are not redeemable for cash and may be used for purchases only. No refunds will be given; a store credit will be issued for returned items. We stand behind all of our products and services with a lifetime manufacture defect warranty.

[BK001]

[QUOTE=sands;1616058]I recommend staying away from Brownwood Jewelers. They never give a refund, only store credit - but be careful, they don't always tell you that up front.

My husband bought something there before Christmas and worked with the owner, who told him it could be returned if done within

ANSWER ******

Hi, thanks for the tip.
Unfortunately, the Villages is or has been a place to cheat the unsuspecting senior citizen and they do have a major problem here. Try Crimes against Seniors????
We bought a Villa and got lied to big time.
We bought a new car and got lied to big time.
THE WAY IT IS HERE,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, BE CAREFUL AND IF YOU BUY ANYTHING that may need some follow up,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,WRITE IT UP AND HAVE THEM SIGN IT. Then YOU CAN GO TO SMALL COURT IF NECESSARY ?

Good luck and be wary, very WARY :bigbow:

We are from Brooklyn and I think that qualifies us as being very cautious, suspicious and wary by nature. The no cash refund policy is so common that I am shocked that anyone thinks it is not standard policy with small businesses. Unfortunately both parties relied on the word "return" without a further explanation of what that entails -- cash, credit, etc. So seller and buyer had a miscommunication. But it is Caveat Emptor and the seller absolutely did what he promised -- to return the item.

As far as being lied to in The Villages? Absolutely not our experience at all. Bought a house, two cars, tons of items from TOTV, and lots of household furnishings and services from various local businesses. Never had a problem.

[NotGolfer]

[QUOTE=Brawnwy123;1616072]

We are from Brooklyn and I think that qualifies us as being very cautious, suspicious and wary by nature. The no cash refund policy is so common that I am shocked that anyone thinks it is not standard policy with small businesses. Unfortunately both parties relied on the word "return" without a further explanation of what that entails -- cash, credit, etc. So seller and buyer had a miscommunication. But it is Caveat Emptor and the seller absolutely did what he promised -- to return the item.

As far as being lied to in The Villages? Absolutely not our experience at all. Bought a house, two cars, tons of items from TOTV, and lots of household furnishings and services from various local businesses. Never had a problem.

We're from the midwest so with that, are more trusting of people and their "word". So being wary has to be learned from experience. That said though...we haven't ever been lied to by The Villages or car people neither. We did have "one" experience with someone (NOT even from The Villages) but that's on us for not doing further investigation. Lesson learned! New folks also need to be skeptical of landscapers, handy people and the like who ask for $$$ up front and don't show up. THAT wasn't a part however of our "one" experience. It was for a product sold that didn't offer the results promised or the full-return if it didn't. I will also add it wasn't from a local business neither---but an independent contractor who was prevailing upon people's needs and left the area. Lesson learned!! THAT was 2 yrs ago

[sands]

I agree that the return policy should have been explained better, and their website contains a lot of detailed information, but nothing about the return policy. But, apparently, their policy is the same as many other jewelers. FYI, I emailed the Brownwood Jewelers, and here is their return policy in writing:

Items may be returned for store credit or exchanged within 21 days from date of purchase. Merchandise must be in original and unworn condition with the original packaging, all warranty cards and explanation booklets intact. Closeout, special orders, altered pieces (including ring sizing) and custom pieces are not returnable or exchangeable. Gift certificates and gift cards are not redeemable for cash and may be used for purchases only. No refunds will be given; a store credit will be issued for returned items. We stand behind all of our products and services with a lifetime manufacture defect warranty.

But when the owner knows you are buying a Christmas gift and you ask if it can be returned and he tells you it can be returned within three weeks for a refund, you believe them - if they are a reputable company. Even if the owner had not specifically said it could be returned for a refund, to be asked about a return policy only say it could be returned within three weeks without also saying you could only get store credit is dishonest.

[Villageswimmer]

I agree. It certainly seems misleading. I’m disappointed, though, I’ve never heard anything but good things about this store.