H. Samuel is Ratners

To Whom It May Concern: Ratners, if you recall, acquired the reputation of selling shoddy, cheap goods in the name of high street retail, as well as of disreputable customer services. It now appears that H. Samuel, Jewellery seller to the High Street masses, is now emulating Ratners. Imagine my surprise when I found out that Signet, the parent company of H. Samuel was actually formed out of Ratners. How many people realise that, I wonder? Have I got your attention? Then perhaps you will be so good as to read on to see why this travesty has come about. I present to you 2 cases close to my heart. Case 1 Two years ago my husband bought me a multi-coloured gold, twisted, necklace and bracelet set from the H. Samuel store in Witney, Oxon. for my birthday. I was of course delighted. However, one day I forgot to take the necklace off and slept with it on, only to find on awakening in the morning, that it had snapped in the middle. I was naturally very upset, but as I don't get to go into Witney very often, I put it away for safe keeping until I could find the time to get to the store to see about getting it repaired or replaced. When I finally did take it in I was told that the warranty had run out, so I asked for it to be put in for repair. I gave my name and telephone number and was told that I would receive a telephone call in about 10 days to tell me it was ready for collection. A month later I had occasion to go into Witney and took the opportunity to go into H. Samuel's to enquire about the status of my necklace as I had not received a ‘phone call; just to be informed that someone had forgotten to send it off for repair. They said sorry and it would be sent off immediately and they would call me when it was ready. Three months later I went in to the store to be told that it had been returned to the store as it couldn't be repaired due to its twisted style. I was of course very upset at this news. What I would like to know, is why are you selling goods that break at the drop of a hat, yet cannot be repaired? Then, on top of that, you insult the customer by treating them very shabbily? As you can imagine I was very upset about the way I was treated and extremely disappointed with your obviously crap jewellery that I have had to throw my broken necklace (and it's now useless matching bracelet) in the bin as they were, it seems, worthless. So, like the original Ratners, you sell your customers an item costing £200 knowing damn well that when (not if, but when) it breaks, you won't be able to repair it so they'll have to waste more money to replace the item they gave to a loved one, in good faith. So, now we are £200 and one lovely gift in debit, thanks to H. Samuel! The apple obviously doesn't fall far from the tree! If you would like to gain back some small token of credibility, I would not be adverse to an offer of compensation, but NOT in the form of a voucher to be spent in store! As if things couldn't be any worse, I will now relate to you a second case of H. Samuel's Ratnersim. Case 2 In June 2006, my mother, who is a pensioner, took a 9ct gold watch into H. Samuel's store in Witney, to be serviced. She was told that she would get a telephone call within 10 days giving her a quote and asking if she was still happy to go ahead with the service. Mother gave her name and telephone number, telling the staff that she had an answering machine if they called when she was out. Of course, she never received a telephone call or a message. Two months later I took mother into Witney to enquire upon the status of this watch. We were told that it hadn't been sent off for service yet because they had received the quote for £59 and needed mother to agree to it. Feeling quite put out we explained that we had been waiting for 2 months for a ‘phone call regarding the quote; the staff apologised and said it would be sent off to the repairers for servicing immediately and that this time she would get a ‘phone call within 10 days. No phone call came. In September, we once more went into the H. Samuel store in Witney to ask what was happening with mother's watch. They did not know. A member of staff said they would call the repairers to find out. The repairers had no knowledge of mothers gold watch, so a member of the store staff was sent upstairs to see if it was still there. When she came down, she produced a gold watch, but it was not mothers. After another search we were told that mother's watch could not be found but they would do their utmost to locate its whereabouts and that they would (don't laugh!) call mother within 10 days. No call came. In November, mother and I went in search of information once again. The watch had apparently been found (we didn't bother to ask where!) we were told and was now being serviced; we would be called when it was ready for collection. Phew, at last! On my birthday, New Year's Eve 2006, I once again took mother to Witney to see if the watch was waiting patiently for us to telepathically realise that it had been serviced and was finally ready for collection. After a member of staff had failed to locate any information regarding mother's watch, the manager asked what the problem was. I gave him the whole sordid story, informing him in no uncertain terms of my disgust, distress and anger at H. Samuel's total and utter incompetence. The Assistant Manageress attempted to call the repairers, but of course as it was late in the day on New Year's Eve, there was no-one there; but oh joy of joys, the store would contact them in the New Year and guess what? They'd call us with news! Surprise, Surprise we've not received a call! What makes this deplorable sequence of events even worse is that the watch was a present to my mother from my father shortly before he died in 1989, so as well as costing £500 in 1989; it also has immense sentimental value, which cannot be replaced. I informed the manager of the Witney store that I was going to complain to a lot of people, and that is what I am doing. I await, but definitely not with bated breath, for your reply. Yours, Mrs Donna Harper

Donna Harper - 26/02/2007 | report this review