But...You Said There Was A Guarantee

I've been a lia sophia consultant for 5 years.  One of the reasons that I became intersted in the first place was their lifetime guarantee.  And 5 years later, I still think it's one of the best reasons to buy lia sophia jewelry.  As long as you have your receipt, they will honor it and either replace the item or give you credit for what you paid.

And they totally stand behind their guarantee, as long as you  have your receipt. 

No matter how long ago you bought the item. 

No matter that your dog jumped up and broke your necklace. 

Or you put your hands into lye and melted the ring right off your finger.

Or you worked the stone out with a knife just because you wanted to get something different in place of it.  (people actually do this)

But here's what that guarantee does not do.  It does NOT replace an earring when you lose it.  If you lose a piece of jewelry, it's gone.  There's no guarantee on a missing piece of jewelry. 

This is not an insurance policy.  I didn't even know this was something I had to explain.

When I first became a consultant, I remember getting an email that reminded us to tell customers that a missing earring is their own fault and not part of the guarantee.  I remember thinking that was the dumbest thing to have to tell customers.  Who in their right mind loses something and then thinks that the lifetime guarantee applies to replacing the missing piece?

Well, two women at a show I did last night, that's who.  In all this time, no one has ever asked me if the guarantee would replace a missing earring.  And last night, at two different times, two different women came to me and said:

"Oh, I had a pair of earrings from lia sophia that I just love.  But I lost one.  So can I get it replaced with the guarantee?"

"You  mean, like, will they send you a new pair because you only have one now?"

"Yes."

......

(This is when I have to exercise extreme self control when I respond. You know how hard this is for me.)

"Ahhh, no.  The lifetime guarantee is only for pieces you actually still have, that might be damaged.  A missing earring isn't something that they are responsible for."

And in both cases, I kid you not, each woman said:

"Oh, but I thought there was a guarantee?"

"Yes, but only on pieces you actually still own."
And each of them said:

"Well, what will I do with the other one? Do you want it?"

What in all of hell would I do with one earring?

And then, like they had rehearsed this, each of them said:

"Well, maybe the missing one is in my house.  Maybe I'll find it somewhere in my house.  Like in my carpet."

I was surprised when the first woman had this conversation with me.  But when the second woman rewound the tape and had it with me an hour later, I really thought I had flipped my lid.  I cannot believe two women in the same evening had the same ridiculous thought:  Hey, I lost something.  But someone else must be responsible for it.  So I'll get them to replace it.

Amazing.

Linking up here.