ComplaintsforFire Mountain Gems & Beads Inc

• Initial Complaint

  06/14/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Jewelry purchase ***** 16,2024 Order# R00000824 Paid $61.19 Item never arrived called company For a refund 3 times:First time twas discovered my unit# not on shipping label so ifollowing tracking # it was being shipped back to Co.No refund would be issued until they received it back. #2 call to customer service *****. 6/7/24 She said they sent me a replacement after my first call. Gave me tracking number. Rep saw FrdEx noted it was going to be late. I explained that I was not supposed to get another shipment sent to me. I was supposed to get a refund. She seem to continue to ignore my request and said she was going to research things and call me back by the end of the day which she never did. After I looked up the tracking number she gave me ***** noted there was a delay in the shipment dated May 16 package shows it was not advancing anywhere. It was stuck in ********** ********. Now it is June 14 and talk to a third rep named *******. She said that my request for refund is in the notes and she has to talk to her accounting department. Its in their hands and she cant get ahold of them and will call me by the end of today. I made the purchase on ***** 16, 2024 and it is now June 14, 2024. All I want is my refund Can you help?

  Business response

  06/21/2024

  To: Better Business Bureau (BBB)
  From: Fire Mountain Gems and Beads
  Reference: Complaint ID ********

  Fire Mountain Gems and Beads (FMG) recently completed a major system modernization project
  that included new workflows for processing orders and product returns. This caused a delay in the
  processing of returns and the above complaint was during that timeframe.

  The original order on 4/19/24 had an incomplete address when the customer placed the order, and
  FMG was asked to re-ship the package once it arrived back. That was done on 5/7/24 with
  expedited (2-day) shipping at FMG expense; however, FMG mistyped the address and that caused
  an additional delay. On 6/7/24, the customer asked to be refunded and that request was put into
  the backlogged order returns process. On 6/14/24, a voicemail was left with the customer advising
  that the refund should be complete in 1 2 business days; however, a dispute was filed with PayPal
  on 6/18/24 (2 business days later), so the decision was made to allow the refund to be processed
  via the dispute. The customers funds have now been completely refunded.

  FMG acknowledges that the combination of address errors combined with the unique situation of
  moving to new systems caused delays in attempted delivery and the order return, and the above
  complaint happened during that timeframe. FMG took all steps possible to remediate issues with
  the systems and get back to normal service level. The backlog has been fully cleared and customer
  returns including this complaint have been processed.

  FMG certainly values our customers and we will reach out again to ****** and apologize for the
  delay in processing her return.

  Thank you.
  

  *****************************
  Director of IT and Customer Service

• Initial Complaint

  05/12/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I returned some items I purchased and the **** tracking number said the package was delivered April 29. I emailed on May 4, messaged via the contact form on their website on May 8, and sent a message to their Instagram account yesterday May 11. I have not heard from them at all and would like my money back. I would also like to warn others about this business.

  Business response

  06/14/2024

  To:  Better Business Bureau (BBB)
  From:  Fire Mountain Gems and Beads
  
  Reference:  Complaint ID ********
  
  Fire Mountain Gems and Beads (FMG) recently completed a major system modernization project that included new workflows for product returns.  This caused a delay in the processing of returns and the above complaint was during that timeframe.
  
  The complaint was filed on 5/12/24, and the attached email was sent to the customer on 5/13/24 to explain the delay and set expectations for an extended processing period.
  
  The customers return was broken out into 2 transactions due to some of the items following all return policy criteria and other items needing an exception review:
  
  5/28/24:  $42.09 was processed for items meeting all return policy criteria and funds returned to customer on the same day.
  6/3/24:  $19.09 was approved during an exception review and funds returned to customer on 6/12/24.
  
  FMG acknowledges that the unique situation of moving to new systems caused a delay in returns processing and this complaint occurred during that timeframe.  We took all steps possible to remediate issues with the systems and get back to our normal service level.  The backlog has been fully cleared and customer returns including this complaint have been processed.
  
  FMG certainly values our customers, and we will reach out again to ******** and apologize for the delay in processing her return.
  
  Thank you.
  
  *****************************
  Director of IT and ****************

• Initial Complaint

  06/07/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I placed an order (V0613301) on May 28, 2023 totaling $96.89. When I received the order, the strand of pearls looked nothing like the item advertised on the website. I chatted online and sent a photo of what I received. I returned the strand of pearls on June 6 (using the prepaid label they provided but they did not pay for tracking). I received an email today that they confirmed what I received did not look like the advertised item and they would change the photo on their website. They have not done so. In fact, they have raised the price of the poor quality pearls since I ordered them a week ago.I chatted again online and requested a full refund. I am awaiting approval for that refund since they have not received the return yet. In good faith, I purchased pearls according to the photo on their website. I received a terrible looking strand of pearls with brown holes. I asked for a quality strand of pearls and was advised they don't have any.Yet, they continue to advertise the pretty set of pearls on their website. This is false advertising.

  Business response

  06/09/2023

  After speaking to the customer about her concern,  we began the process of refunding her full amount for the strand, the sales tax and the complete shipping cost for the order even though only 1 item was not acceptable.  The refund of the item and the sales tax was an automatic process. The refund of the shipping is a manual process that was completed by our Accounting team on 6/8/23.  The customer will be refunded the full amount including shipping of $6.99 for a grand total of $27.38. 

  The item itself was described correctly and received correctly, however the photo was taken from an initial vendor sample and did not accurately support the item description. There was an immediate request to correct the image to our photography team. This takes time to pull the product and rephotograph the item. Which we did immediately, completing that request on 6/9/23. The current photo shows a better expectation of what a customer will receive. Additionally, we have a disclaimer on our ***** items so that customers will better understand what they have ordered, that states " Since *****s are a natuarl materical, color, shape and size will vary". 

  We apologize that the item was not to the customers' liking and also for the frustration at not being able to get what was wanted. We understand the disappointment which is why we refunded what the customer requested. We are aware that the actions did not happen as quickly as the customer hoped leading to the belief we were being deceptive, which is not our intention nor is it how we do business. 

  Thank you for giving us the opportunity to explain our side of the interaction. 

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  08/22/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I mailed via **** (at my own expense) a return of 4 items (some of sterling silver) in their original packaging and per all rules and requests totaling over $38 and received just $4.97 back. I called Fire Mountain Gems customer service and spoke with ******** and she told me they had no record of my return, yet I have received an email, and further verified with **** that they had received my return items early that morning.

  Business response

  10/14/2022

  The situation was of timing and understanding. The customers return had been received on 8/22/22 and processed just an hour before she called and spoke to ********. ******** was newer and didnt understand how to fully search for the credit in question or the return which is why she told the customer we didnt have it and to contact **** with her tracking info to see what was going on. 
  
  Per the customers comments she did that and discovered her package had been received, which it had. The $4.97 in question was a portion of her return done on 8/22/22 and the remainder was processed on 8/24/22. The remaining credit for her return was issued on 8/24/22 and she should already be aware we have credited her the total amount in question. We would like to offer the customer a $10 credit onto her Fire ********************** account should she choose to order at a later time.
  
  Please let me know if you need any further information. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to address this complaint. 
  
  Best ****************************************************************************** Manager
  Fire ********************** Gems and Beads 
  ************
  ******************************

  Customer response

  10/15/2022

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

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