# Bracelet bought at Costco is not gold!



## DianeH (Jan 19, 2007)

OK I know the Tuggers can help me with this one.

While in Scottsdale in November 2004, I bought a gold bracelet.  I have just gotten around to having it repaired and appraised with my other jewellery.

Guess what?  Even though it is stamped 14K Gold, it is not gold.

I still have my bill (I save everything), and I am wondering what my next step should be, or should there be a next step?

Remember I'm a long way from Scottsdale.

Diane

PS And to make it sadder, Mark bought it for me for our anniversary.


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## Luanne (Jan 19, 2007)

I would take it back.  Since it sounds like you're a long way from a Costco, try calling and see what they can do for you.  Even though I've never had a problem with anything I've bought there I've heard they are very good about returns.

I came back to add, what you should do depends on what you want.  Do you want to keep the bracelet, but think you were charged too much since it's not what it was advertised to be?  If this is the case, tell Costco you'd like to keep the bracelet, but want an adjustment on the price.  If you don't want the bracelet any longer, then ask for a full refund upon return.


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## BevL (Jan 19, 2007)

Have you contacted Costco here in Canada?  Or the one in Bellingham?  They're excellent about returning things.

Bev


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## nightnurse613 (Jan 19, 2007)

Diane. If this is the Costco on Hayden call 480-948-5040. Not sure if the phone number is on the receipt. #1They may already have discovered this and have alternative set up.  I have also heard good things (which is why I just bought an Aerobed from them yesterday) about their exchange policy. #2- I'm not sure how they would match up an 8 inch bracelet (?) with a Costco receipt for an 8 inch bracelet but, if you want to pursue it and need a local contact PM me.  The other postings are important to consider-do you want a price adjustment or a refund?  This seems VERY UNLIKE COSTCO but STUFF Happens.  I am sure they would do whatever is right.


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## DianeH (Jan 19, 2007)

Hi and thanks for your replies,

Luanne, I don't want to return it, and it was just repaired (link broke).  It is special to me because of the occasion and the reason we were in Scottsdale.

Bev, I haven't done anything yet, I just picked up my items from our jeweller and got the news.  

Nightnurse, thanks for the number as its not on their receipt but the address is Hayden.  The receipt has an item number on it (I have both, the actual Costco itemized and the credit card copy....)  I'll try calling them first and see what they say.  Thanks for the offer and I may need that contact person eventually.

Maybe it doesn't sound like Costco, but it was and they did.  Here's hoping they make good on this as I have always felt they were good to the consumer.  Remember that this was purchased in 2004 which is a good reason for them to tell me to fly a kite.  

Diane


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## JEFF H (Jan 20, 2007)

Costco policy is if your not sastified with the product you can return it in the original packaging for a full refund.
If you want to keep it and expect a price reduction after more than 2 years
that may be alot harder unless its a known issue with that Item number.
If it was advertised as 14 K Gold by the Manufacture Costco would need the bracelet to appraise the item and investigate if its not 14 K gold.


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## pedro47 (Jan 20, 2007)

Return it asap for a full refund and let them know of your finding.


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## Ann-Marie (Jan 20, 2007)

It makes me wondr if this was a pure innocent mistake, or was it deceptive advertising.


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## Janis (Jan 20, 2007)

I'm going to go with "honest mistake"

Costco is one of the most upfront, friendly, courteous, customer-oriented, employee protective companies with whom I've ever done business.

They stand by their products and will do what it takes to make it right.

Just as an aside.....Are you sure your jeweler is correct?


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## Tia (Jan 20, 2007)

Costco may need to look into a supplier. Most people would never find out as most don't get things appraised I'd guess. I have an ankle bracelet that was marked 14K and it's not, bought it on vacation 2,000 miles away too.


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## happymum (Jan 20, 2007)

I think that it is important that you let Costco know. I feel that Costco is an excellent consumer-friendly retailer who would want to know if they has sold a product that was not as advertised. They sell alot of jewellery and it is imperative that customers can trust the integrity of their product.


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## DianeH (Jan 20, 2007)

I just called Costco in Scottsdale.  I must say I was not impressed with the person I spoke to.  He was rude and actually tried to argue with me.  I didn't bite because I have nothing to argue about!  

He implied for the price I paid I couldn't expect a gold piece.  I stated the fact that regardless of the price, it was advertised and marked as 14K.  You can't argue with fact.

My jeweller is reputable, have been dealing with them for over 20 years. No they are not wrong.

He did say I could take it to any Costco, as Bev mentioned so I will take it to Coquitlam them week.  I don't want a refund, I don't want to return it.  But I do think they should be made aware of this.

I'll keep you informed. Meanwhile, I'm going to send an email to Costco in Scottsdale regarding this employee I spoke to.  

Diane


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## nightnurse613 (Jan 20, 2007)

Well, it looks like you are on the way to resolving this.  The bottom line is if the item is stamped 14k then it darn well be 14k. As you can see, MANY people have a very high regard for Costco.  I am sure they do not want people to know that they misrepresented a product and then treated you poorly.   Costco never sells one of a product.  If yours isn't 14K gold then neither are the other 1,000s that they sold.   While I hope this is an isolated case, thanks for bringing it to our attention.


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## Jestjoan (Jan 20, 2007)

There are already 365 people (and counting) who know of this problem.

I hope you get it resolved to your satisfaction. Good luck.

I'm glad you are reporting the person you spoke to on the phone.


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## Janis (Jan 21, 2007)

Good luck with resolving it. And definitely report the employee who was rude!  That's surely not the person they want representing their company to the public.


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## Blondie (Jan 21, 2007)

A few months ago I went to BJ's whloesale club to look at a $399 Marc Jacobs handbag. I had been researching them for awhile and knew that this bag ususlly sold for around $900. The clerk took it out of the case and I knew before she handed it to me that it was a fake. It was a shoddy knockoff and did not have the swiss-brand markings (lampo or riri depending on the bag) which always appear on the zippers of his bags. The clerk was unsure what to do so she took it off the floor. I called the main headquarters to ask about more of these bags and was told they had about 34 in inventory around the country. I asked to speak to the buyer and boy- was she a  moron. She had no idea about what a real bag looked like and said they would just remove all of them from their shelves. I suggested that maybe not all are fakes and perhaps someone returned a fake one so before she tosses out 34 pricey bags she could check. She said rudely, "What am I supposed to do, go to every single store?" I said, "No, just call each one and ask them to check the zippers." I then asked if they have inventory tags on the pricey items to prevent fraudulent returns. She responded, "Duh- they would need a receipt to do that." I said, "So, I can buy the real bag and return a fake one in its place couldn't I?" She said, Oh, I see what you mean.  BUT-   I tried to get her to see that the bigger picture was that someone was likely selling BJ's knockoff bags and wouldn't she want to know that and find out? She just did not get it and was actually, not happy to be discussing this with me. She just kept saying they were going to get rid of all the bags. What an idiot she was. I would just say, buyer beware. I should have contacted Marc Jacobs and told them. Maybe Marc has timeshares and reads this board!!  Anyway- I think big stores ARE getting crappy knockoff items becaue they do not pay their buyers enough to get educated people to do the buying. The buyer I spoke with knew nothing about handbags, especially designer ones. I would bet that much of what we buy at the discount giants are fakes.


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## Keitht (Jan 21, 2007)

Just a thought, but are you certain it wasn't advertised at 14k gold _*plated*_?  That is obviously a very different beast to 14k gold.


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## ctreelmom (Jan 21, 2007)

Hi all,

I'm by no means an expert on fine jewelry, but let me share with you what knowledge I have picked up from working for an upscale jewelry store--family business for many generations, not a chain.

The lab that appraised your bracelet can only tell you it's not 14k by a chemical test--you should be able to request a copy of those lab results to help you back up your claim with Costco.  Is it not gold at all? Only 10K?  14K plated?


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## DianeH (Jan 21, 2007)

Thank you for your comments.  As I understand it, you cannot mark a piece as gold karat unless it is.  Plated would not be marked. I just read this after doing a search:

_Gold
The word gold, used by itself, means all gold or 24 karat (24K) gold. Because 24K gold is soft, it's usually mixed with other metals to increase its hardness and durability. If a piece of jewelry is not 24 karat gold, the karat quality should accompany any claim that the item is gold.

The karat quality marking tells you what proportion of gold is mixed with the other metals. Fourteen karat (14K) jewelry contains 14 parts of gold, mixed in throughout with 10 parts of base metal. The higher the karat rating, the higher the proportion of gold in the piece of jewelry.

Most jewelry is marked with its karat quality, although marking is not required by law. Near the karat quality mark, you should see the name or the U.S. registered trademark of the company that will stand behind the mark. The trademark may be in the form of a name, symbol or initials. If you don't see a trademark accompanying a quality mark on a piece of jewelry, look for another piece.

Solid gold refers to an item made of any karat gold, if the inside of the item is not hollow. The proportion of gold in the piece of jewelry still is determined by the karat mark.

Jewelry can be plated with gold in a variety of ways. Gold plate refers to items that are either mechanically plated, electroplated, or plated by any other means with gold to a base metal. Eventually, gold plating wears away, but how soon will depend on how often the item is worn and how thick the plating is.

Gold-filled, gold overlay and rolled gold plate are terms used to describe jewelry that has a layer of at least 10 karat gold mechanically bonded to a base metal. If the jewelry is marked with one of these terms, the term or abbreviation should follow the karat quality of the gold used (for example, 14K Gold Overlay or 12K RGP). If the layer of karat gold is less than 1/20th of the total weight of the item, any marking must state the actual percentage of karat gold, such as 1/40 14K Gold Overlay.

Gold electroplate describes jewelry that has a layer (at least .175 microns thick) of a minimum of 10 karat gold deposited on a base metal by an electrolytic process. The terms gold flashed or gold washed describe products that have an extremely thin electroplating of gold (less than .175 microns thick). This will wear away more quickly than gold plate, gold-filled or gold electroplate. _

This is getting interesting now, 
Diane


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## Jestjoan (Feb 5, 2007)

*"jewelry justice"*

There’s jewelry justice  (Consumer Reports Feb. 2004)

An appraisal may reveal that you didn’t get what you paid for, but suing your jeweler probably wouldn’t be economical, after you paid legal fees. Instead, you can file a complaint for $50 with the Jewelers Vigilance Committee, an industry watchdog. Acting as mediator, the JVC, which mediates about 250 disputes annually, will work with the jeweler to resolve your dispute quickly.

You must submit your complaint in writing with supporting documentation (receipts, appraisals, correspondence) to the Jewelers Vigilance Committee, 25 West 45th St., Suite 400, New York, NY 10036. If you have questions, visit www.jvclegal.org.

I just found this but I don't know if this would help in your situation or because you live in Canada.


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## rlblack (Feb 5, 2007)

I have had wonderful luck with the response of all Costco employees re returns.  But I have found with any business, if I call, and go up to a supervisor, and I do not get what  I would say a "responsive" response I write a letter to the company- letters to the president, quality control manager,the marketing manager normally, get high priority.  It is a pain to sit down and draft a letter, one page if possible,(since you loose most folks by the second page), and e-mail it and send it via postal.  When I have gotten to the folks really in power, I have found immediate reaction from someone, and on the whole, my problem has been solved better than I though would happen. 

I would suggest, if your next attempt verbally, does not go well,  I would go to the top of the heap via writing.

Ruth


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## Big Matt (Feb 5, 2007)

I'm curious as to whether this was out of the Costco jewelry case or if it was purchased from a person selling jewelry on the floor.  There are a lot of vendors that come to our Costco selling jewelry, and I'm never quite sure what they are really selling.


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## DianeH (Feb 5, 2007)

Sorry, water issues (see another thread I started) made me neglect adding to this one I started....

I talked to one of the managers at Costco in Scottsdale and he asked me to return the bracelet to my Costco for a refund and ask them to send the bracelet and original bill to him.  I did and there were no problems at this end.

I'll let you know if I am notified of the the result of the tests on it.  Maybe they will let me buy it back!

I bought it from the case, Big Matt.
Thanks for looking up the info Jestjoan.  I am glad I won't need it though!  And yes Ruth, the Costco manager and the employees here were great.  I guess that one guy I spoke to was having a bad day.  We all have one of those at some time.


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## beejaybeeohio (Sep 17, 2008)

*Need update*

This thread was started in *FEBRUARY 2007*!  So what was the final outcome?


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## DaveNV (Sep 17, 2008)

I just happened on this thread.  I know it's ages old, but I would like to share my opinion, as a way to offer some education to Costco shoppers.

My partner has been a Refund Cashier at Costco for more than ten years.  We discussed this situation, and I was informed about a few things:

Costco buys jewelry all over the world.  The corporate buyers deal with vendors and manufacturers to obtain the best value product at the best price.  If something is found to be NOT what Costco thinks it is, they take it VERY seriously.  Charges are filed, even lawsuits, if necessary, to prevent fraud.  Costco's intention is to offer the best possible products to its members.  They made their reputation on being fair and honest.  There is absolutely no sales advantage to Costco to try and deceive anyone.  So if there is a problem, they want to know about it.

The generous return policy exists not only to ensure members are getting what they expect from their purchases, but also to make sure Costco is selling what they think they are.  Sales trends are closely tracked, but so are refund trends.  Part of the contract price to buy every item Costco sells is calculated to cover the cost of reasonable returns on that item.  If too many of something is returned, Costco corporate people take strong notice, and they take action.  The same applies to items that turn out to be less than what the company expected it to be.

So that means that members are STRONGLY encouraged to return ANYTHING they aren't happy with.  It can be a big-ticket item such as the jewelry mentioned in this thread, right down to something modest, like a "bad" pizza you get from the food court inside the warehouse.  That Refund Desk is right there at the entrance precisely to make it as convenient as possible to get your money back.

And in fact, at any day during the year of your membership, if you feel you are not satisfied, they will cancel your membership, and refund the entire year's fee - even if it's the very last day of your membership period.  They take your membership VERY seriously.

So Diane, I know you returned the jewelry a long time ago and got a full refund (including the Arizona sales taxes you paid), and this is all kind of old news.  But I'm sure Costco investigated things afterwards to find out what was really going on.  I'll be curious as well to hear the final outcome.  (And I'll also mention that you were given a cheerful refund on something purchased in another country over two YEARS prior to the return date.  To my mind, that's one EXCELLENT return policy!)

My partner points out that it's also highly likely that your local independent jeweler was trying to discourage you from buying jewelry from somewhere other than their shop, because they know most independents can't compete with volume prices at a place like Costco.  Jewelers LOVE to slam jewelry merchandise purchased at Costco because it is being sold for substantially lower markup than the average 200% markup taken by most jewelry stores.  So there may not have been anything wrong with your jewelry at all.  

As for the Scottsdale employee who was rude to you:  Chances are he was a new-hire who thought he knew it all, or he was just someone who happened to answer the phone that day.  Did he even work in Refunds?  Either way, he was out of line.  If you ever have questions when speaking with someone at Costco, ask to speak to their Supervisor or a Manager.  Get names and write them down - Costco employees are held accountable for what they do and say, especially to members.

As an aside, I'd also like to remind everyone that Costco Wholesale has nothing whatsoever to do with BJ's or Sam's Club, or any other warehouse company.  Those others modeled themselves loosely after Costco's programs and policies, but have strayed very far from the original.  The shopping experience you have at one of those other places may be markedly different than your shopping experience at Costco.  They are not all created equal.

Dave


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## JoeWilly (Sep 17, 2008)

Too funny Dave.  Are you sure you don't work there?  You sound like a salesperson for Costco.  Just joking!!!  I too am a huge fan of Costco.  I love their products, refund policy, etc.  I've never had a bad experience returning anything to Costco, even without a receipt.  As long as Costco keeps business practices like they do, I'll continue shopping at Costco.  And their customer service is great.  It's service like you don't find very often anymore.
When I retire, which won't be anytime soon, I want to work for Costco.  I hear they treat their employees very good too.


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## dougef (Sep 18, 2008)

Blondie said:


> A few months ago I went to BJ's whloesale club to look at a $399 Marc Jacobs handbag. I had been researching them for awhile and knew that this bag ususlly sold for around $900. The clerk took it out of the case and I knew before she handed it to me that it was a fake. It was a shoddy knockoff and did not have the swiss-brand markings (lampo or riri depending on the bag) which always appear on the zippers of his bags. The clerk was unsure what to do so she took it off the floor. I called the main headquarters to ask about more of these bags and was told they had about 34 in inventory around the country. I asked to speak to the buyer and boy- was she a  moron. She had no idea about what a real bag looked like and said they would just remove all of them from their shelves. I suggested that maybe not all are fakes and perhaps someone returned a fake one so before she tosses out 34 pricey bags she could check. She said rudely, "What am I supposed to do, go to every single store?" I said, "No, just call each one and ask them to check the zippers." I then asked if they have inventory tags on the pricey items to prevent fraudulent returns. She responded, "Duh- they would need a receipt to do that." I said, "So, I can buy the real bag and return a fake one in its place couldn't I?" She said, Oh, I see what you mean.  BUT-   I tried to get her to see that the bigger picture was that someone was likely selling BJ's knockoff bags and wouldn't she want to know that and find out? She just did not get it and was actually, not happy to be discussing this with me. She just kept saying they were going to get rid of all the bags. What an idiot she was. I would just say, buyer beware. I should have contacted Marc Jacobs and told them. Maybe Marc has timeshares and reads this board!!  Anyway- I think big stores ARE getting crappy knockoff items becaue they do not pay their buyers enough to get educated people to do the buying. The buyer I spoke with knew nothing about handbags, especially designer ones. I would bet that much of what we buy at the discount giants are fakes.


In my opinion, comparing BJs to Costco is comparing apples to oranges.  Costco has one of the best reputations in the retail industry for customer service and employee relations.  BJs - at least the one nearest me - is a dump and its employess are seemingly untrained in customer service.


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## nicklinneh (Sep 18, 2008)

there's gold, gold filled, and gold plated-- all different; but a jeweler would know that. -ken


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## gretel (Sep 20, 2008)

*Love Costco!*

I buy all my electronics at Costco. I don't have to deal with pushy salespeople trying to make a commission or items not in stock. I know that what I want is right there for me to take.  Their return policy is the best. I've returned a gps (bought online at costco.com) long after any store would accept it and Costco refunded my money with no questions. For this kind of service I don't mind paying a few extra dollars for items. I also buy all of my meat at Costco.  They have the best steaks!


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## Blondie (Sep 20, 2008)

dougef said:


> In my opinion, comparing BJs to Costco is comparing apples to oranges.  Costco has one of the best reputations in the retail industry for customer service and employee relations.  BJs - at least the one nearest me - is a dump and its employess are seemingly untrained in customer service.



dougef- thanks for your sage observation, but clearly I am not comparing anything to anything. If you read my post I mentioned that many large stores are getting substandard merchandise and that the customer should be aware that even the store may not know it is selling inferior goods. Just do a search for all the conterfeit goods that have resulted in lawsuits and you will see.


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## Passepartout (Sep 20, 2008)

*Dieing to know how this works out!*

Gosh, I thought I was the 'World's Best Costco Shopper", but here I see many who put me to shame!

I, too, buy darn near every major purchase there because of the wonderful customer service and satisfaction guarantee. HOWEVER:

As I re-read the OP, I see that the original purchase was made in November 2004. That's 46 months ago. With all due respect, should a retailer be held responsible for the quality of a product they acquired from another source indefinitely? I really don't think so. Maybe for the first 6-months or a year, if they really want to be generous, pro-rate it out like tire or battery guarantee. At some point, the buyer should take the view that they got the enjoyment from the purchase and move on.

If Costco had, at some point discovered that this line of jewelry was in fact mis-marked 14k and issued a buy back, then it's up to them, but nearly 4 years after the purchase, I doubt it. 

Good luck, and let us know how this comes out.

Jim Ricks


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## wauhob3 (Sep 20, 2008)

Passepartout said:


> Gosh, I thought I was the 'World's Best Costco Shopper", but here I see many who put me to shame!
> 
> I, too, buy darn near every major purchase there because of the wonderful customer service and satisfaction guarantee. HOWEVER:
> 
> ...


\\

They already refunded her money according to the OP. I know I would expect a refund from any store sellling fake merchandise as real. Gold has sky rocketed so the OP actually lost money since it should have appreciated. If you bought a diamond ring and found you had a fake diamond years later don't you think the jeweler should be held accountable or do you think since you were fooled for so long they should get a pass?


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## Passepartout (Sep 20, 2008)

wauhob3 said:


> \\
> 
> They already refunded her money according to the OP. I know I would expect a refund from any store sellling fake merchandise as real. Gold has sky rocketed so the OP actually lost money since it should have appreciated. If you bought a diamond ring and found you had a fake diamond years later don't you think the jeweler should be held accountable or do you think since you were fooled for so long they should get a pass?



Well, back in post #12, the OP said she didn't want to return the piece, or a refund.

While I'm aware that gold has increased in value, very few people buy jewelry for it's metal value as investment. Those who do, buy 18k minimum (jewelry) or ingots or coins in 24k. As a matter of fact, since the bracelet in question was purchased in a warehouse store- not a jeweler- nearly 4 years earlier, I DO think there should be a statute of limitation on the liability. I don't think there was fraud on the part of Costco, and if the analysis of the jewelry had been performed within a reasonable time, ie. when they could get recourse from the manufacturer, they would/should replace/refund the item as they are famous for.

You are comparing apples to basketballs, but if I bought a diamond without an appraisal by a gemologist, I'd expect to be cheated. If years later the gemologist's appraisal proved faulty then there might be a case, but that's not what  happened here.

Jim Ricks


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