Headlines

“Problem” Jeweler Coughs Up Cash to Disgruntled Customers Every Time Local TV Station Visits

Published

8 years ago

May 4, 2016

INSTORE Staff

Investigative reporters have dropped by four times since 1999.

For the fourth time since 1999, a local TV station in New York paid a visit to Lee Rosenbloom, a jeweler-consignor with a reported track record of “problems spanning nearly two decades and the consumers frustration so similar” – but who ultimately relented to the media scrutiny each time by paying cash to unhappy customers.

The article says the latest visit from WABC-TV news reporters, after earlier visits in 1999, 2001 and 2004, came last week after customer Aviva Ben alleged that, two years ago, she had given a gold watch and a diamond and pearl necklace on consignment to Rosenbloom. At the time, according to Ben, Rosenbloom had promised to pay her $20,000 or return both items. However, Ben claimed that, as time passed, the jeweler neither paid her nor returned her jewelry, repeatedly telling her to come back in a week. In Ben’s interview with WABC-TV, she said that Rosenbloom finally told her at one planned meeting that he had been robbed the day before and her jewelry had been lost in the theft.

After reporter Nina Pineda showed up to investigate the case for the WABC-TV news show’s “7 On Your Side” consumer-advocacy segment, Rosenbloom offered to pay Ben $8,000 – still shy of the $20,000 the customer says she is owed. According to Pineda’s report, Rosenbloom later lowered his offer to $6,000, blaming the customer for being unreasonable. The article says that Ben is now suing Rosenbloom.

The big takeaway for viewers, according to Pineda? “You have to have your jewelry appraised by an independent appraiser before you take it anywhere.” She also suggested customers save their receipts, and get the terms of the consignment in writing.

When There’s No Succession Plan, Call Wilkerson

Bob Wesley, owner of Robert C. Wesley Jewelers in Scottsdale, Ariz., was a third-generation jeweler. When it was time to enjoy life on the other side of the counter, he weighed his options. His lease was nearing renewal time and with no succession plan, he decided it was time to call Wilkerson. There was plenty of inventory to sell and at first, says Wesley, he thought he might try to manage a sale himself. But he’s glad he didn’t. “There’s no way I could have done this as well as Wilkerson,” he says. Wilkerson took responsibility for the entire event, with every detail — from advertising to accounting — done, dusted and managed by the Wilkerson team. “It’s the complete package,” he says of the Wilkerson method of helping jewelers to easily go on to the next phase of their lives. “There’s no way any retailer can duplicate what they’ve done.”