HELZBERG - THEFT BY INCOMPETENCE

ONLINE PURCHASE RETURNED - NO REFUND IN 10 WEEKS

My wife and I have been customers of Helzberg for 10 years now, and one of my first purchases I put on my wife’s ring finger on our wedding day. But folks, after what has gone on with these people over what I thought was a simple return, I am happy never to go back there again.

My wife had gone to visit friends out of state over her birthday, and I wanted to send her something that I usually give her every year (guess what?). The Helzberg online store seemed like a good idea. Payment options included Paypal, which I have used in the past to make purchases on Ebay, etc. with no problems. In any case, I made the purchase, payment went through, and she got her usual birthday gift with the usual caveat from me: If you dont like it, it wont hurt me at all to return it. So as it turned out, she took me up on it.

First we went in to a local store, assuming it would be best that they could see and confirm they were getting back what they sold me. WRONG. They said we needed to ship it back and they would refund back through Paypal. Fine. We shipped it back with confirmation. They received the purchase within the 60 day policy on Dec 31 2010.

AT NO TIME SINCE THEN HAS HELZBERG EVER CLAIMED THAT THEY RECEIVED ANYTHING OTHER THAN EXACTLY WHAT I HAD PURCHASED FROM THEM, THAT THE RETURN WAS DAMAGED IN ANY WAY, THAT I HAD NOT RETURNED THE ITEM IN THE TIME ALLOWED OR THAT I WAS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR A FULL REFUND.

After 2 weeks or so, we called to ask the status of the refund. They claimed they sent it back through Paypal, who we called also. Paypal said they had not received it. Since then I have called twice taking time off (Note Helzberg's 'Customer Service' is available 9-5 Monday-Friday) so I could be in a position to call both Helzberg and Paypal on conference so we would get ONLY WHAT IS FAIR. Nothing more. We did that on Feb 4 2011. We still do not have the refund.

Fast forward to Feb 18. After taking time off AGAIN to call them and get all parties on the phone at the same time to get our money back we called customer service. The operator answering the phone claimed the following:

1. She was not the one 'handling' our case.

2. The one 'handling' our case was not available.

3. The operator had no access to the 'files' associated with this case.

4. ALL OTHER PERSONNEL WERE IN DEPARTMENT MEETINGS ALL DAY.

No supervisors, no other contacts AT ALL.

So after threatening them with all the fame that goes along with consumer ripoff report websites (like this one) we actually got a call back late on Feb 18:

Helzberg would send us a check for the full amount.

On Feb 25 we got it in the mail: Remember this was originally purchased online, with full correct billing information and so on.

THE CHECK WAS ADDRESSED TO THE WRONG PERSON.

Today is Mar 4 2011.

We just wanted what was fair. Nothing more. If they offered for us to go in to a local store for a refund, fine. If they would have offered to send us a refund in the mail, fine. Helzberg's position was that it MUST go back through Paypal.

Today we only have what both Helzberg and Paypal have told us, and what other experiences we've had. I have returned Paypal purchases through other online retailers (like Ebay, etc.) in the past, and I have been refunded.

Would you go back????