ALL SALES ARE FINAL

You see it all the time.

Jewelry marked down to unbelievably low prices.

50% off.

60-70% oFF!

Prices never been seen before.

Blue light specials. Red dot deals. You really can’t afford not to buy.

Right?

Who could pass up these huge discounts? It sounds too good to be true…

Until you see the signage:

All sales final.

More and more businesses are falling into this trap. Sadly, the customers are the ones to get caught.

A lot of stores are now slapping the “All Sales Final” verbiage onto any marked down price. “30% Off” now gets the “final” treatment. Not cool.

Why are stores doing this?

They do it because it ensures that a sale doesn’t get returned. It’s simple. It’s easy. Having a policy that states “marked down pieces are final.” is a no-brainer. Who wants to try to sell the customer something else, or exchange it, or give them their money back?

All sales are final is quick, painless and the jewelry stores win.

They get your money.

You get the product

End of discussion.

Tread slowly:

You have to proceed slowly with sales like these. You can’t return it. So if you don’t like it, or it doesn’t fit like it should, you are stuck with it.

And the thing is, with jewelry, you never really know if you’ll love the piece until you wear it.

Wearing an item for a couple of days will show you whether it fits good, spins around because it’s top heavy, gets caught on things, is sharp or jagged, digs into your skin, or just doesn’t go with the rest of your jewelry.

There are so many things that could affect your attitude and mood towards the ring, pendant or earrings. A lot of jewelry buying is impulsive and not thought out too well. This is sad, because with sales being final, there is no backing out.

Jewelry needs to be tested.

Jewelry is not like buying a photo album or a TV. You know how those look, you know how they work. Jewelry is a different kind of experience. It has to be worn to be tested. You can’t tell how it feels just by looking at it in the showcase. You have to try it on. Wear it. Take it for a test drive.

Not having that test drive is no laughing matter.

Even if it’s a really good deal… It might not be worth it.

If you decide you don’t like it or won’t wear it, then it’s not such a good deal after all.

It’s a waste of money.

You can’t sell it.

If you’re stuck with a piece of merchandise that you don’t want, you could try to sell it, but that’s not a great plan. You’d be lucky to get 20% of what it’s worth. That’s a sorry situation, but it’s true.

The thing to learn here is to slow down. Shop smart. Don’t let the “All Sales Final” deals nab you. Think about it.

As-is jewelry too!

Most jewelers will put the all sales final policies on merchandise that are sold “AS-IS“. As-is usually means there is something wrong with the item. Something’s missing, broken, bent or damaged. Be careful.

Buying a ruby ring and finding out later that the ruby is chipped is not an exciting experience. That’s why you should always microscope any as-is pieces. Look for defects or damage to the mounting or the stones. Ask why it’s marked down. 70% off sounds good, until you find out that the setting is so thin and fragile you can bend it with your fingers.

Plus, Murphy’s Law will get you.

You’ll buy that 14kt yellow gold chain only to get it home and have the $150 clasp break. Ouch! Or the pearl comes off the post, or the diamond falls out…

Something, sometime is bound to happen. And with a no return policy, it’s bound to happen more often. Think twice before making these kinds of purchases.

Ask yourself these questions:

Do you really need it?

Do you really love it?

Can you live without it?

Because I’d hate for you to spend money on an item and regret it later. Great sales are not always great buys.

All sales final should really be given a lot of thought.

Final is FINAL!

Which of course, is costing you money.

Is final really worth it?

Cheers! :)