Poor workmanship a cost for customers

I regret only looking at the reviews of NWJ now, when I’m already part of the statistic. I bought sapphire studded earings in NWJ Woodlands in July 2019. I then noticed that the clasp on the one earing was loose and not holding. I took the pair back. These were sent back to head office for repair (no cost involved) and I had to wait a couple of weeks, which I did not mind at the time.

Head office could not fix or replace this pair. We agreed that they sent the pair to some jeweler in Menlyn. The opening for the clasp was even wider (worse), upon return.

I had to leave the earings at the store again, and this was already in October. No cost was mentioned, or a bill from the Menlyn jeweler mentioned. Not surprising to me, as this was obviously the result of poor workmanship.

I then had to be the one following up with the store (Elsa). She at some point told me that Romona from Head office would call within 24hrs, and I’m still waiting. In one of my follow-up calls, the story from Elsa suddenly changed: NWJ has a new supplier, who has offered to repair the earings (both of them, to avoid further come-backs), BUT I now will be the one paying for this repair. I made it clear right away, that I cannot pay for poor workmanship on an item I have not used. The store manager, Korede (whom I last met while collecting something else from the store, and while still waiting for the earings), now claims that they had discussed repair payment with me and I agreed to it (where? when? how? I have no idea.) This fabrication of events, coming from a manager, just left me wondering....

I explained why I need this very pair fixed, if cannot be replaced. It is however, quite sad that the store would rather refund me, lose this sale only because they are not prepared to pay someone their own supplier to fix their previous supplier’s errors. I still have to hear from the head office, as Elsa indicated on 23 Dec that the relevant people (including Romona again) have been on leave for a while already.

It would help also, if NWJ made it clear to their customers that we are being sold sub-standard quality items, and at our own risk (if this is indeed the case?) - meaning we’d have to pay for any manufacturer’s faults we are likely to come across. The countless negative reviews of this store leave a lot to be desired.