A couple in New Mexico tried to return a gold ring with a price tag of $11,000 after it had been tried on for no more than two minutes.
Thomas Gunderson said his wife tried on the diamond-encrusted jewelry when it arrived, but quickly realized it was too big.
The couple immediately put the gold ring in the box and returned the online purchase to the retailer, but were shocked when Saks returned the ring and refused to give their money back.
‘The ring was too big for my wife. She literally had it out of the box for two minutes. We returned the ring the next day. Saks received the ring but then returned it to us because it was damaged,” Gunderson said.
The 18-carat gold band, from the Origami collection, is decorated with pavé diamonds and designed by David Yurman, a company founded in 1980 by artists David and Sybil Yurman.
Saks claimed the couple damaged the ring after discovering scratches, but Gunderson said his wife only had the ring out of the box for “two minutes.”
The couple, in their 60s and 70s, admitted their eyesight is ‘not the best’ and they had seen no damage. After all, the ring had only been out of the box for a short time before it was put back in the packaging.
After taking photos of the returned ring, they enlarged the photos to see that the ring was indeed damaged by scratches.
With just a short handling of the expensive jewelry, the couple was confident they could not have caused the damage and continued to press Saks for a refund.
“I’ve gone back and forth with Saks to get my money back, but they refuse. “I can’t prove I didn’t damage the ring, and they can’t prove they sent us an undamaged ring either,” Gunderson said.
The couple speculated that the scratches appear “superficial” on the gold band and can likely be buffed out.
The $11,000 18-karat gold ring, covered in pavé diamonds, was designed by David Yurman and sold through Saks
The state reported that Gunderson’s correspondence with Saks “seemed to have overlooked a few things, after Gunderson was referred to a third party who sold the ring through Saks.”
That third-party seller then sent Gunderson back to Saks, who then had the option of filing a claim with his insurance company or through the shipping company.
However, Gunderson was simply told to accept the ill-fitting ring without a refund.
Saks’ return policy states that they accept returns eligible for a refund through the mail or in-store up to 30 days after delivery.
“Returned items must be presented in the same condition as received: unworn, undamaged, unaltered, and with original tags, packaging (if applicable) and proof of purchase,” the retailer’s returns policy reads.
The company recently charged a $9.95 return shipping fee, which will be deducted from the refund amount upon confirmation and receipt.
Thomas Gunderson tried to return the ring after his wife tried it on, but was denied a refund due to ‘damage’
Unfortunately, a retailer has the most power in this situation and the best way to protect yourself is to preemptively assume the worst.
The best way to protect yourself from a similar conundrum is to preemptively document your delivery and returns process by taking photos of your items and keeping track of any communications regarding the returned item.
It is also important to follow the return policy closely. Saks also states in their return policy that gourmet, monogrammed, or personalized items cannot be returned, as well as “final sale” items.
The Gunderson’s were eventually able to get their money back after Saks Fifth Avenue was contacted by the state. A business escalation specialist contacted the couple and agreed to accept the return, the outlet reported.
DailyMail.com has reached out to Saks for comment.