A Custom-Design Client Betrays a Store by Shopping Their CAD Design Around Town. How Should the Store React?

EVERLASTING DIAMONDS WAS a local jewelry store specializing in custom made jewelry. The team took pride in being known for their customer service and satisfaction. But they also understood that there was a delicate balance between exceeding customer expectations and protecting their bottom line.

One afternoon, an engineer named David walked through their doors with a vision for a custom engagement ring. He was looking for something unique that would emulate his future bride’s specific style. After he was greeted by the store’s associate, Lizzy, he explained his desire for a ring that combined the side profile of a design he saw online with the top profile of another. Lizzy listened while she took detailed notes. She was confident the design team could bring his vision to life.

Lizzy outlined their custom design process, carefully detailing the steps involved. The design team would begin by creating a digital rendering of the ring and emailing it to him within 24-48 hours. David could then take his time looking over the details and request as many adjustments as he would like before the final design was submitted to the jeweler.

She further explained the store policy. Custom orders required a 50% down payment that was nonrefundable. This policy was also printed on the back of all customer receipts.

After listening to the details, David was impressed with the store’s careful process and their use of CAD technology. He agreed to move forward and placed a 50% deposit of $1,250 on the $2,500 quote and excitement began to set in.

True to their word, Everlasting Diamonds delivered the initial CAD rendering within the promised timeline. David reviewed the design and requested numerous revisions, each requiring a new CAD and another in-person meeting for discussion. This back-and-forth continued for five more visits before David reached a point of satisfaction. The final CAD rendering showcased a stunning ring, perfectly capturing David’s vision. The intricate details, painstakingly refined through the iterative process, resulted in a truly unique piece.

With the design approved, David and Lizzy found a 1-carat diamond (J color, SI2 clarity, GIA report) for $6,400, which David paid in full. Upon receiving the diamond, David surprised Lizzy with a request for a wax mold, a non-standard service. He felt it would help him better visualize the final piece before production commenced.

After the mold was completed, Lizzy scheduled what she thought would be her final meeting. However, things took an unexpected turn when David revealed he had been using the CAD designs to price shop with other jewelers. He had obtained a significantly lower quote at a mere $1,600.

David shifted from satisfied customer to shrewd negotiator. He presented the competitor’s quote to Lizzy and demanded a full refund if Everlasting Diamonds could not match the lower price. He claimed to have no recollection of Lizzy explaining the store policy clearly printed on the back of his receipt. The situation left Everlasting Diamonds with a critical decision: appease David with a price match, sacrifice their profit, or uphold their policy, risking the sale and future business.

Stacey H.
Lincolnwood, IL

The wax never should have left the store. This customer is an intellectual property thief and a jerk. I would tell him, “The wax isn’t yours as part of this project, and neither are the CAD renders. Please bring back the wax and we will refund the non-CAD portion of the deposit.” Someone like this will take unfair advantage every chance they get. Some competitor who is willing to try to steal the deal like this deserves to get that type of jerk as their punishment.

As my grandmother used to say, “God pairs them up.”

Drue S.
Albany, NY

This is something we deal with in my business daily. Obviously, the “client” is very shady and unethical by using them to create the exact design and having someone else (spending zero time) make the design. Of course they can be less in the price: They have zero skin in the game. It’s difficult to not email CAD designs, for the convenience factor alone. I do email all my designs, and to date, this difficult situation has not yet occurred here (hopefully never will). Having said that, do you even want this type of person as a client? I would “fire him” as a client and give the deposit back and tell him never to come into my store again.

Rebecca L.
Ketchum, ID

Do not price match because you already did the design! The price quote figured in was including the time it took to do the consultation, create a design and mold, then pursue the customer for approval. The cost to make it could be $1,600, but not for the whole process. You have to pay people for their time, too. You have to set standards; you have to train the customers. Keep the deposit for the work rendered because the policy was in writing on the back of the receipt. Tthere is no legal obligation to give that deposit back. It is NOT your fault the guy can shop a CAD design around for better price quotes but can’t be bothered to read the fine print related to a business transaction. If he is a dissatisfied customer because of this, that’s OK. Sometimes customers deserve to be fired. This leaves you more time to focus your energy on the ones who respect the process.

Jennifer F.
Colorado Springs, CO

People will hear part of a conversation but not fully comprehend all the details. This is why a written contract beyond signing a sales receipt is critical to any agreement. Shrewd negotiations aside, it’s always fair to let a client know that just like mechanics or plumbers or electricians, not all jewelers are created equal. Other stores may be able to quote lower pricing because they have junior jewelers putting things together, or less overhead, or maybe they charge separately for design changes, but a quote is a quote. We will ask a client what their expectations are when they aren’t completely satisfied and try to find common ground. Perhaps the best answer is to offer a customer satisfaction discount and have a contract ready for next time.

Lisa B.
Reno, NV

We all know that there are “cheaper” places, but quality comes with a price — and the price was already named, agreed to, and deposit was made. There’s a huge difference between a designer who will make that ring to last without compromising the design and the one who will make it hollowed, flimsy and poorly set. The way you diffuse this situation is to show the customer the difference between a cheaply made ring and a quality piece. Help them understand that not all jewelry is made the same. Just like the brands that have a poor, medium, high quality line… the pieces seem to look the same, but the value is drastically different. Education can save this sale! The only thing to change from the sales side is the CAD delivery process. DON’T give your customer the CAD information (gold weight, dimensions, stone sizes, etc) — only the PICTURE of the design — then they can’t accurately “shop it around.” If they’re starting the relationship like this, do you really want them as a client anyway?

Stuart T.
Sommerville, SC

Some customers you are better without. When a customer starts to tell you what to charge, maybe he (or she) needs to be fired. In this case, I would figure a charge for the time used to make up the CAD rendering and inform the customer that rather than hold him to the sales price, you are charging him for the time involved to make it, and that if he doesn’t agree to it, then you will hold him to the agreed upon price. I believe that CAD drawings should not be emailed but should be shown in person, so the customer can communicate better. Doing this, the customer WILL be paying you for the service supplied and allowed to make the purchase where he thinks he will get the best deal.

Jeanne K.
San Jose, CA

Thank you, David, for all the research you have done on this custom ring. Yes, this other company is able to produce this custom ring for you for only $1,600 because they did not spend all the design time that we spent with you. We met with you five times in person and changed the CAD to your satisfaction each time, which takes hours and hours of time. We also spent more hours growing the wax for you to see the ring in three dimensions before casting the ring in gold. We appreciate the time you spent with us, and if you prefer to have the other company make your ring, we totally understand. As for the deposit that you placed on this ring, it will be used to pay for all the design time and the wax that was produced for you. At this point, $1,250 to complete the ring in gold will be much cheaper than the $1,600 you will be paying the other jeweler. Thank you so much for your patronage.

Mark S.
Plantation, FL

This is a scenario that we have been in. The no-refund policy was clearly stated, and we have them sign a custom order sheet that specifically states no refund on custom orders/CAD renderings. I would stick to my guns and explain the differences of what we do and what the other stores try to do. At this point, the client will not shop there in the future, so why not keep his money on this transaction.

Marcus M.
Midland, TX

Dang, I can’t stand people like this. I would stand firm with the store policy and say we don’t price match. Give him the reasons you don’t price match. Quality, service, experience, etc. They should also include in their explanation to David that someone is always willing to sell it cheaper and that doesn’t make it better. I think sending a CAD is fine, especially if you charge 50% up front. But you have to hold firm on the non-refundable 50% in case you get a snake like this guy again. That holds them to their word and agreement. The easiest option for the store would be to refund this clown, but then you take a shot at your integrity and let him get away with this garbage. I think I would hold his feet to the fire and he can either take the loss of the down payment or he can keep his agreement and have the ring completed like a respectable human would.

Joseph V.
Austin, TX

Since the customer never indicated that he was price shopping and was handed a receipt or other paperwork explaining custom orders, he is NOT due a refund. The salesperson did everything right. Our policy is similar, clear, and upfront. Also, custom designs can be considered “intellectual or artistic property.” The majority of our custom design drawings are proprietary. We make sure our clients know this, and we include a statement on the sketch or design that explains so. The sketch/drawing is signed by the client so there is no misunderstanding. The bottom line is, we would not issue a refund — even at the risk of losing a crappy client!

Mary T.
Leavenworth, WA

I would first make sure you are comparing “apples to apples,” as we say here in Washington State! Same karat gold, same expertise making the ring, same time frame? Engineers are really interested in how the pieces are manufactured and their strength over time. What does your store offer in the way of manufacturing expertise that the other store doesn’t? Explain why yours is more valuable. Look for holes in the quote from the other store; how many stars does the store have on Facebook? Did he show you the quote or is he just trying to get a discount?

Next time, only show the CAD in person. Having said this, I feel you must stick to your guns! He was told the truth all along the way. You were very clear about your policies. Hang tough! The people to whom he will complain know him, and as my mother used to say: “Well, consider the source!”

David B.
Calgary, AB

The scenario got me mad reading it as it happened to me. First thing I would stress is that David is not a future client. He is a ‘butterfly’ flipping around for the best deal. This is where the policy stands, and David has to take his ring and he can do all the badmouthing he wants. I would stick to my store policy, which is actually very similar to Lizzy’s. Any bad reviews can be dealt with an honest reply. As for the store that quoted on the CAD, it happens and is part of business, but I would also stress to David how many times he visited and received the service as part of the cost of doing business. Or you could just do what so many of us would really like to do: Tell him what a low, disagreeable and immoral thing he thinks is correct, all for a small amount!

Amy C.
Grove, OK

This has likely happened to practically everyone in here! I tell customers that half of the work is in the CAD and the details of the concept. It is also important that they know the skill of the jeweler is the remaining half and finishing skills are what set us apart. Would you want the lowest bid on your building your house?! No, you do not. You get what you pay for. I would not give a refund, but they could certainly go on down the road if they cannot be talked back into letting my store finish the ring. Pretty sure that is not the customer to keep.

Henry H.
Greenwood, SC

We do not require a down payment, so refund would not be an option. Engineers are the most difficult to design for, so I would let the problem proceed to the other store with the explanation to him of being an engineer that takes the lowest bid usually gets what they pay for. Good luck with the ring and your career. Likely going to be a problem when ring is delivered as well …

Peter T.
Show Low, AZ

This situation is a reminder that we need to show bad customers to the door. He paid the non-refundable deposit. Despite his lies about ‘not remembering’ that the deposit was non-refundable, he still should not get that back. If he was in my store, I would give him two options: 1, pay the balance and receive the ring, or 2, just leave my store (I keep the deposit). I will not “price match.” Would a Rolls Royce dealership price match with a Volkswagen dealership?

Mark S.
Saratoga Springs, NY

This scenario raises a concern for emailing CADs, and it’s worth noting that it’s not mentioned where the one-carat center stone was purchased. In any event, the deposit isn’t refundable. The lower price from a competitor doesn’t necessarily guarantee that their custom is the same scope as the original custom that was already approved. A best practice could be to track customs, including following up with custom customers who didn’t end up purchasing from the original store. If the close rate seems artificially low, consider an in-house only practice of revealing CADs during an appointment, which would all but negate this type of situation in the future.

Jo G.
Oconomowoc, WI

First mistake was working with the engineer (we as designers fear them). Second, never ever send the rendering to a client. I make them come in and sit with me so we can discuss it together. One, the file is kept proprietary, and two, they can look at it the size it will be on their finger, not the size it is on the screen. We also take 50% down. It shows we both know what the estimated final amount will be. We both know it is non-refundable. Their engineer is trying to be a savy consumer and doesn’t realize what a jerk he really is. That said, super-smart people often could not find their way out of the room of life with four doors. Tell him it was a pleasure doing business with him and keep his money. As long as they really do have it all in writing, that is.