KAY Outlet — Local services in Eagan

My husband and I purchased a wedding ring here in November of 2021. The ring that was closest to what I wanted ended up being a pre-owned ring, but it didn’t bother me and the ring was also offered with a warranty.

Near the beginning of the year, I lost a stone. Using my warranty, I sent in the ring to be fixed. I used the Kay in Blaine because it was closest to home. This happened on two more occasions in the following 5 months, with my ring being sent in for repair, immediately each time. The last time, Kay (Blaine) wrote a note to the jeweler and sent it along with my ring, advising them to check every single setting to ensure tightness. I get the ring back and everything seems fine.

June 12th, I go into Kay Jewelers at the Rosedale mall, for a simple cleaning and was told that one of my diamonds was loose. They offered to send it in to the jeweler once again, but my husband and I were frustrated and wanted more than a temporary fix, so we decided to go to the Kay Outlet in Eagan to discuss the issue with a manager at the store it was originally purchased from.

Once we get to Kay (Eagan) we explained to the manager why were there, but she offered no empathy and simply offered to send in the ring to a jeweler for repair. To us, that wasn't a sufficient solution. Because we had sent in the ring for repair 3 times since we purchased it in November, and because it was a pre-owned ring that was obviously a faulty or damaged ring prior to it ever being on my left hand, my husband and I had hoped for a refund instead. But the manager made it clear, that that wouldn't happen. She stated that when her diamonds fall out of her rings, she simply sends them in for repair, "no big deal." She also stated that because I purchased a pre-owned ring, that is the risk I accepted; was having stones regularly fall out.

We felt the manger blatantly minimized our concern and basically told us that because we didn't have the budget to purchase a ring brand new, that I am just going to have to deal with having a ring that loses stones. She offered to exchange the ring for something else for the original purchase price. But my husband and I were not interested. The manager then took the ring under the scope to poke at each diamond, to check for tightness. A minute or so later, she said there was "nothing wrong" with my ring so she had "no idea" what the Kay staff at other store (Rosedale) were talking about. I wish I would have had the mind to get her name at the time.

We returned to Kay (Rosedale) so they could show me which diamond was loose. One of the staff members took my ring and pointed it out to me. She even showed me under the microscope when I asked her. There was indeed a loose stone.

A week later, I decided to return to the Kay (Rosedale) to have my ring sent in for repair. I was assured that they use a different jeweler than the Blaine and Eagan stores, so there is a chance I may have better success. On that day, it was on paper that I was sending it in for a loose stone and a new, broken prong. When it was returned to me I learned this new jeweler replaced the bottom of my ring band with new metal, reshaped the entire ring, added rhodium plating, re-did 40 prongs, and tightened every stone. Although this ring should have been refurbished this way to begin with, I appreciated the time and care the jeweler put into my ring after everything I have been through.

Avoid Kay Jewelers. 2. If can’t go anywhere else, absolutely do your business anywhere other than the Kay Outlet (Eagan). 3. You should also stay away from the Blaine store, their jeweler is hack and you’ll have to send your ring in, again and again. 4. Don't buy Kay's product without a warranty. They care more about the sale than standing behind their product or customer service. 5. The staff are not equally trained to be able to identify faults in the jewelry they sell. Don't be sorry to get more than one opinion as your warranty allows.

Update: I tried reaching out to the manager that responded to my review. But there has been NO...

Just left this store after experiencing a very rude store manager. I went to shop at this store yesterday 1/16/2023 and found a good deal on a diamond pendent. The staff members were helpful and also worked together in a team selling effort to find another discount code to save me an additional 15% off. That would good, I was encouraged, especially as I bought two diamond rings in the store last year. The discount code did not work, and I then asked the sales rep if I could take a picture the pendant with stock number so I could look it up online and also have it in my phone incase the price dropped down. He proceeds to tell me I can take a picture of the pendant but not the stock tag because of loss prevention. I was a little taken aback as I have never heard that in any state, Orlando, Arizona, South Carolina, which I visited in 2022. Then I felt a type of way standing there as an African American consumer. When did the policy change, surely if you pull up my phone number, you will see a record of my transactions and my jewelry cleaning history. He didn't even offer to write the stock number down. So I left, not feeling very good at that moment. Taking me to this evening. I decided I wanted the pendant, and I went back out to the outlet. It was near closing time. and I was hoping there was different people there as I was prepared to buy. I get into the store, try the pendent on and I mention to the sales person that they offered me a 15% discount the night before but couldn't find the code. The second person in the store who turns out to be the store manager communicates to me in a very direct manner that closeout merchandise is not eligible for additional discount. I communicated that what they offered last night, and they couldn't find the code. Would you match the $25 dollars off, that pops up on the website? If you don't have a code I can do that in a very abrupt manner. I am like okay, and decide I want the pendant. The sales person begins the selling process, and checks the names of the people from the previous evening as I had them add the pendant to my wishlist, which the previous salesperson did not want to do the previous evening in which I waited in store until he did. I asked the manager if the person assisting me this evening could receive the sales credit as I felt a bit profiled the previous evening. The store manager preceded to ask me rudely what was the behavior that happened. I was so taken aback by her tone, that my mind went blank. I then said you know, I don't remember right now, yet I felt the microagression, and it caused me to leave and come back this evening. Again, what is the specific behavior that I can communicate to my employee. Again, I was taken aback by her tone. I repeated that I couldn't remember but it was enough to have me come back today and buy it today. Then she proceeds to tell me that she remembers me from the previous summer and I had an issue with her about a chain and gender. Feeling blindsided, I communicated I didn't remember that. In my mind, I felt like if that was true, I wouldn't have purchase anything last year nor make frequent visits to check merchandise. I tried to let it go, and communicated that you know it is the end of the night, and left without the pendant, shocked by her direct and rude treatment. As I got in my car I remembered what the behavior was, which was the associated telling me I could take a picture of the stock number etc. So I decided to call another kay store. I asked that store for the corporate number, and asked the associate on the phone about the policy of not taking picture of jewelry and tags with stock number. Her statement "that's weird, I haven't heard of that before." Kay outlet in Eagan, you do have a customer...

GO HERE! Look here first, save yourself some time. Austen Franklin turned a stressful and discouraging search into an easy and exciting find!

I had decided to go with Kay for an engagement ring a few weeks earlier, and opened an account. Since then I had gone to a couple different Kay stores and spoken with several different reps and managers and gotten some confusing and contradicting information, so I was a little discouraged. I finally found a ring we LOVED and called the Eagan Kay Outlet store to ask about it 4 days before my visit. Austen answered and was very careful to provide me clear information and find out exactly what I wanted. He then called another department and worked for almost an hour on getting me exactly what I wanted. The other rings he showed us made it obvious he really understands people's style preferences. When we came into the store a few days later, he immediately greeted us, and I don't think his face was without a smile the entire time. One of the nicest and most helpful salespeople I've ever worked with. He made the experience very easy and very fun. He made sure all the decisions were completely ours, and made us feel very confident with them--paid close attention to my girlfriend's preferences, too, and ended up helping us get a discount on re-setting it with my girlfriend's favorite cut of diamond. Austen really knows his stuff and is a smart sales strategist, but you can tell he cares about his customers, too, and takes pride in giving the...