Doing Business With Quality Gold

Hi Folks -

Last week I received an unsolicited findings catalog from Quality
Gold, along with about 15 of their other smaller catalogs.

In the catalog I found a clasp that I had been seeking for a
customer order and called to order it.

I was told that they don’t take credit cards, only COD or line of
credit, so I first have to go through a process with their
accounting department to set up an account, and to expect to hear
from accounting. So I wasn’t surprised when I received an e-mail
later in the day from accounting. What did surprise me, however, was
that it contained an invoice for $12.90 for shipping a Sterling
Silver catalog that I didn’t order.

The next morning, Fedex delivered the unsolicited Sterling Silver
catalog. I called Quality Gold and they explained that I was charged
in error, that they had caught the error on the invoice, and all was
well. In fact, my account had been approved, I could go ahead and
place a COD order, and would I please return the application on page
309 of the silver catalog just as a formality.

So, yesterday, I placed the order for the clasps I needed. Scheduled
to be delivered COD next Tuesday. Total order about $16.

This morning, Fedex rings my doorbell with a COD delivery from
Quality Gold. I’m very impressed that my order is arriving early.
However, the COD amount is $12.90. I can see that the outside of the
box says, “Here are your four free catalogs from Quality Gold.” I
refuse the delivery.

I call Quality Gold and ask what’s up. They tell me that catalogs
are free, but they charge for shipping them. I tell them that I
didn’t order any catalogs, and I have never been charged for
shipping for any catalog - that I get several each year from Rio
Grande and don’t get charged shipping, they didn’t charge me for
shipping the Sterling Silver catalog, and that if I have to pay for
shipping, I don’t want the catalogs and I didn’t order them in the
first place. They tell me, reluctantly, and after much back and
forth with a supervisor, that they will accept my refused order and
not charge me for the return!

I am reporting this here in case some of you have also received
unsolicited catalogs and are considering doing business with them.
All I have to say is that what they offer in the catalogs looks
good, but they are severely lacking in the customer service
department, and I suggest taking this into consideration if you plan
to do business with them.

We shall see what happens when and if my order arrives.

Linda

And as it goes on this forum, I have done business with Quality Gold
for years (maybe 10), I have an account, net 30 days, I get an
invoice for what I order. I get catalogues regularly, all free.
Never had these or any problems.

As matter of fact, about three days ago I got a new catalogue,
similar to Stuller’s. The first findings catalogue to rival
Stuller’s in the quantity and diversity of finds.

Richard Hart

And as it goes on this forum, I have done business with Quality
Gold for years (maybe 10), I have an account, net 30 days, I get
an invoice for what I order. I get catalogues regularly, all free.
Never had these or any problems. 

Same here, exactly. Never a problem from QGC, nor a charge for
catalogs. It seems like somebody made a mistake in regard to the
original poster’s account.

As matter of fact, about three days ago I got a new catalogue,
similar to Stuller's. The first findings catalogue to rival
Stuller's in the quantity and diversity of finds. 

I got the same catalog about 2 weeks ago. I’m still far more
familiar with Stuller’s catalog, so I doubt it will replace it
anytime soon, but it definitely makes for some competition.

James S. Duncan, G.G.
James in SoFL

I also do business with Quality Gold and have found them to be
helpful, but in order to get their catalogue, I did pay for it but I
asked them for one, they did not solicit me for it.

Laurie

This is not directly about Quality Gold - we do occasional business
with them with no problems. There does exist an organization called
the Jewelers Board of Trade (JBOT). It is basically the Better
Business Bureau of the jewelry trade. Becoming a member of the JBOT
costs like $350 (more maybe) a year, and you need to supply
financials and all, and then you get rated. If you are rated #1 or
#2, then you automatically have an account most anywhere. What this
has to do with us poor jewelers is that any legitimate jewelry maker
can be LISTED for free. They want anyone and everyone who is serious.
They will ask some basic things - years in business, number of
employees, main focus of your business and the like. Once you become
listed with the JBOT, things happen. They will update you annually -
if you don’t send back the mail, they will call you, and anything
they hear about you, good or bad, goes in your file. If you call a
vendor and tell them you are listed, it’s no where near being a
memeber and being rated, but doors will open. You will start getting
every jewelry catalog on earth, from being on the list. Check it out,
it’s a good thing.

http://www.donivanandmaggiora.com

Hello-

I am Veronica DeBra, the Customer Service Manager at Quality Gold.
This is a specific response to the posting left by Linda Castellani.
I will first address the findings catalog that Ms. Castellani
received. This catalog was sent to our customer base as well as a JBT
listing, and The Society of North American Goldsmith’s which Ms.
Castellani is a member of- thus being the reason that she received
our findings catalog. I am glad that the findings catalog proved to
be a useful resource in locating the clasp that Ms. Castellani spoke
of. The other catalogs that were sent to Ms. Castellani were done so
on the basis that she had just recently opened a cod account with us.
Under no circumstances, however, should she have received an invoice
for the catalogs or for the shipping of the catalogs. This was a
system generated error that unfortunately occurred within our
database. The that Ms. Castellani received stating that
we do not charge for catalogs but we do charge for the shipping of
catalogs is completely incorrect. The first set of catalogs that one
receives after opening an account with Quality Gold are completely
free of charge including the shipping. I will reiterate to my
department that we do not charge for the initial set of catalogs or
the shipping of them. Had Ms. Castellani ask to speak with a member
of management during the conversation with Customer Service this
situation would have been taken care of at that time. Please accept
my apology for the incorrect that was given to you
regarding these charges. The Customer Service department at Quality
Gold is far from perfect, however, we do strive daily to improve our
standards and become more efficient with our customer in mind first.
The statement, “they are severely lacking in the customer service
department”, is in my opinion, a bit inflated. Again, Ms.
Castellani, I apologize for the system problem that occurred as well
as the incorrect that was given to you. Please feel free
to contact me directly if future issues should arise. I cannot
correct issues that I am unaware of. We look forward to a continued
business relationship with Ms. Castellani, our current customer base,
as well as all potential future customers.

Respectfully,
Veronica DeBra

Just a follow-up:

I received my clasps today without incident. Quality Gold told me to
expect them to arrive at about 4:30 on Tuesday, when in fact they
arrived on Monday afternoon but I wasn’t home.

Thanks for the reassurances from all the satisfied Quality Gold
customers that my experience is not the norm.

Linda