Zales Fine Jewelry Outlet ?
Q: - I'm currently looking at buying an engagement ring at Zales that's
priced at $2000. I know that the price they give you isn't set in
stone, so I was wondering if anybody had an idea of what the markup
would be on an item like that. What would be a good target price for
me to shoot for when trying to get a lower price? Any suggestions
would be appreciated.
- I'll agree with this portion of your advice: Zales (and other mall-based
jewelers) are counting on you relying on their convenience (and your
impulse) more than price. US$2000 for a ring is a significant purchase and
you should shop around before caving to that convenience command. Ask family
and friends about jewelers they've used in the past. Flip through the Yellow
Pages and check out some of those jewelers.
A:I can't speak for that ring in particular, but the Mall type stores
like Zales are incredibly expensive compared to other independent stores.
There is a large family-owned jeweler in town that I went to for all of
our rings. They look like they oughta be 5 times the price of a place like
Zales, but in fact they were less than half the price. And much more
helpful and knowledgable to boot.
Have you looked elsewhere to get a feel for prices? It is hard to
compare, because it's hard to match up the C's (carats, cut, clarity,
and color) exactly to do apples-apples. But it will give you some ideas.