Need help or experience(s) with returning purchase

[thego6girl]

My DS just returned from a wonderful cruise with a most "cherished" watch purchase. It was purchased from a "ship recommended" shop in Jamaica. Here's the problem. 1-One of the digits has already come off of the watch 2-The warrantee card was filled out by the salesperson with the wrong model # (so I cannot even send it back to the manufacturer for repair) 3-After coming home and researching the watch on line, the MSRP of the watch is actually 25% lower than the price he paid (after being told he was getting a "great deal" from the salesperson). I have already called RCCL Customer Service (their port purchases/on board customer service), have sent an email to the shop where the watch was purchased (don't want to say at what shop just yet and called the watch manufacturer directly. I don't need advice on what he should and should not have done (that's history). I am looking for any advice as to what else I can do in order to expedite the return of the watch and how to get a full credit from the seller, or your own personal experience with a purchase such as this.

[eandj]

What did RCCl tell you to do? They usually don't support the customer but give them info to work with the store. Pretty useless.

 

Could be not worth your time to return it. Lesson learned re buying anything while on a cruise. Hope it wasn't expensive and was a souvenier priced piece.

[weltek]

If it's one the cruise line recommended shops, they should be willing to work with you. You won't have any luck arguing the price issue, but the fact the warranty card was filled out with the wrong info seems fishy. I honestly wish you luck.

[thego6girl]

After sending an email to the retail shop in Jamaica, I followed that up today with several calls. I called, RCCL on board (they are responsible for recommended port vendors), and the watch manufacturer. Outcome: The watch manufacturer was willing to place a 3-way call to Jamaica where I spoke directly with the manager of the store. He apologized for the mix-up (telling me that he remembered well my son and his "charming" girlfriend"), and was VERY quick to tell me that he would immediately refund the full purchase price (even BEFORE I send the watch back). I then called RCCL back (needless to say, I did not wait for THEM to call me). The woman from RCCL could not believe what I had told her, she called Jamaica and called me back to tell me that indeed I was being credited by the end of the day. I am now waiting for the RCCL FedEx shipping # to return the watch (I had no intention of paying the shipping to return the watch). I sent a follow-up email to all parties to reiterate all of the phone calls and outcomes (a paper trail is a MUST in this case). Needless to say, I will monitor my credit card to make sure the credit posts. I do however find it very interesting that the mgr was so quick to "make this go away" so quickly. Hmmmmmmm. Anyway, my son learned a good lesson and will now live by my 100 and under rule while cruising. If you haven't done good research before you sail, make NO purchase for over $100. while in port because as soon as you're back on board, "that ship has sailed"!! Thanks for your feedback. That's why I love the boards!

[eandj]

Actually, just because a cruiseline puts a store on a preferred list, they are not required to do the grunt work to help you out. The cruiselines get a commission for passenger purchases at those stores. If the store however gives enough passengers enough grief, the cruiseline will drop them from their shoppers map.

 

 

We prefer to use stores of our choice. And don't even look at anything that we can purchase in the states by a dealer that will be there the next day. Hope your son gets it now. ;)

 

If you don't see the credit on your account in a week, I'd file with charge card company to dispute the charge until the credit comes thru. Good thing you charged it.

[Traveler353]

OP: Glad everything is working out for you on this. For most with purchase problems it is not so easy. You handled it just right. "make this go away so quickly" good customer service is so rare these days that it is shocking when you get it. This is the kind of business that I would be happy doing business with. What was the name of the shop?

[thego6girl]

OP: Glad everything is working out for you on this. For most with purchase problems it is not so easy. You handled it just right. "make this go away so quickly" good customer service is so rare these days that it is shocking when you get it. This is the kind of business that I would be happy doing business with. What was the name of the shop?

 

 

As soon as the credit posts I will be more than happy to share ALL information.

In addition, I got an email from the store's customer service mgr. apologizing for the original pricing error. I was actually quite impressed.

[thego6girl]

Actually, just because a cruiseline puts a store on a preferred list, they are not required to do the grunt work to help you out. The cruiselines get a commission for passenger purchases at those stores. If the store however gives enough passengers enough grief, the cruiseline will drop them from their shoppers map.

 

 

We prefer to use stores of our choice. And don't even look at anything that we can purchase in the states by a dealer that will be there the next day. Hope your son gets it now. ;)

 

If you don't see the credit on your account in a week, I'd file with charge card company to dispute the charge until the credit comes thru. Good thing you charged it.

 

No kidding!!! Next cruise he goes on...it's the hundred and under policy!

[FUN33]

As long as you purchased from a cruise line affiliated store there should be no problem. You actually will deal with a third party that will resolve the problem for you. We did this once and they went overboard to successfully resolve our problem.

 

If it was not affiliated with the cruise line your only option is to deal directly with the store. Good luck with that one.

[thego6girl]

As long as you purchased from a cruise line affiliated store there should be no problem. You actually will deal with a third party that will resolve the problem for you. We did this once and they went overboard to successfully resolve our problem.

 

If it was not affiliated with the cruise line your only option is to deal directly with the store. Good luck with that one.

 

 

Actually, the issue is resolved (I received a scanned, emailed copy of the charge refund) but with NO help from the cruise line. It was customer service from the manufacturer of the watch that was helpful in placing a 3 way call to Jamaica (which would have cost me $3.10 per minute if called directly from my landline). Although the store WAS cruise line affiliated, the contact person @ RCCL told me (I was actually calling her to tell her that the issue was resolved) that it would take a MINIMUM of 3 weeks to open a dispute. And the store manager told me he personally knew the woman that I was speaking with at RCCL....don't think for one minute that they are all not in kahoots with one another. As I stated in my post above, the new rule in our home is a hundred and under. That way nobody's vacation is ruined with by a bad purchase!

[Happy ks]

What was the brand of the watch (just curious)?

 

I have watches that are over 15 years old, worn daily or at least several times per week and have never had a digit come off. I've replaced bands and crystals, had them cleaned.

 

I'd like to avoid purchasing any watches that have digits fall off, no matter the savings!

[thego6girl]

What was the brand of the watch (just curious)?

 

I have watches that are over 15 years old, worn daily or at least several times per week and have never had a digit come off. I've replaced bands and crystals, had them cleaned.

 

I'd like to avoid purchasing any watches that have digits fall off, no matter the savings!

 

The watch is the ESQ Octane. ESQ is owned by Movado.