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Sokolov, Russia
I've gotta say, this product from Sokolov, Russia is a real winner - it offers amazing value for money with top-notch build quality and super easy to use. I mean, it's not every day you find something that's both affordable and actually delivers on its promises.
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A Disappointing Store Experience at Sokolov - Overpriced Items and Lackluster Sales Staff
summarizeEditor's Summary
I'm sharing my super disappointing experience at Sokolov jewelry store, where I found the prices to be way too steep and the sales staff lacking in professionalism. I've been to Sokolov a few times, mostly to pick up gifts from my husband, but my latest visit left me feeling frustrated. The store seems to cater more to younger girls, and as a woman in my 40s, I didn't feel like they had anything that spoke to me. I've included some specific examples of my issues with the store, including overpriced items and a lack of high-quality pieces. To be honest, I wouldn't recommend Sokolov to anyone looking for a good value for money.
settingsSpecifications
Fiyat4/10
Kalite6/10
VerdictKötü
SatışPersoneli3/10
Hello everyone!
I'm writing this review after my latest visit to Sokolov jewelry store left me feeling pretty frustrated. To be honest, I've never been a big fan of this store because they don't have any full-fledged, high-quality pieces. The store seems more suitable for younger girls, but as a woman in my 40s, I'm not their target market.
That's not entirely true, though. I do have some Sokolov pieces, mostly gifts from my husband – silver and gold.
I'll show you some examples in the context of my disappointment with the store.
Scenario 1
My husband brought me back this set from one of his business trips. It's a gold-plated silver piece.
It's nice, but I already have a similar ring in a gold version, and my husband was worried he got the size wrong (although he did get it right), so he bought a special guarantee card – extra protection and the option to return or exchange the item.
That's convenient, I suppose, but it costs 900 rubles! We ended up exchanging the ring anyway.
And I really wanted a gold pendant!
Because the one I bought for my birthday looked too small for my chunky chain.
Sokolov's Golden Pendant with DiamondI bought this pendant from Sokolov in 2022 for 4000 rubles, and now it's worth 10,000 - what a price hike in the jewelry market!
I went to the store.
I've had a brooch with a glass insert on my Wildberries wishlist for ages.
When I looked at it on the shelf - 86,000 rubles - it was too pricey. I mean, that's not exactly what I'd call value for money.
Then I spotted a lovely pendant with an emerald. My mind was made up.
Pendant with Hydrothermal Emerald by SokolovThere were earrings with emeralds right next to it on the shelf, priced at over 80,000 rubles.
I jokingly told my husband that he could give me those earrings later. Why jokingly? Because I wouldn't say no to the earrings, but we have a renovation planned, so we're not exactly swimming in cash right now.
And then it was my birthday. And my husband gives me those earrings.
I'm over the moon with joy!
Earrings with Hydrothermal Emeralds by SokolovI took a photo, sent it to my sister, mom - I was beaming with pride.
And then I take a closer look at the tag - 'emerald, hydrothermal, non-precious'.
What's non-precious about it? 'Hydrothermal' means it's grown in a lab, not dug up from the earth.
I didn't show the tag to my husband - he'd been so thoughtful in getting me what I wanted, but I did casually ask him how much my new jewelry cost. Reluctantly, he told me.
The pendant was 17,000 rubles, the earrings 37,000 rubles.
I have to admit, if the original price was listed upfront, I would've been suspicious. My husband didn't even bother checking, but I did my research.
The salesperson didn't mention that these weren't natural diamonds at all.
Given the discounts, I might've considered a crystal-studded pendant, which was the only thing holding me back from buying it in the first place.
I had no idea about hydrothermal diamonds before, but now that I've done my research, I think I would've been better off with something that had more gold content or a cluster of smaller stones.
I went back to the store, took a photo of the display case.
See the display case? It's a total scam! They're advertising diamond jewelry, but it's not even real.
The price tags have been changed now. My earrings, which were originally priced at 142,000 rubles, are now being sold for 44,000. I guess that's what I get for not verifying the authenticity myself.
I should've checked the certification myself, and the app did mention that it was a hydrothermal diamond. I'm partly to blame for falling for the marketing, but I still have the right to express my disappointment.
My birthday was ruined.
But I do wear the earrings. How do they hold up?
The earrings have an English clasp. My child somehow managed to yank me by the hair, and one of the earrings flew off.
My sister told me a lifesaver – to prevent the clasp from opening, you need to slightly bend the spring so that it clicks louder. I tried it, but the spring bent back and the earring broke in half. It's like they're hollow or something! And they're so flimsy. It's a disaster.
At least they didn't break.
But that's not all.
Case 2
After all those disappointments, I decided to stop splurging on gold and spare my husband the hassle, and switched to silver instead.
I found some beautiful silver earrings on Wildberries - Sokolov has a lot of products on the site - but they were cheaper in the Sokolov app, so I ordered them.
I waited for over a week.
And have you seen the store windows? They're so bare that you can basically just order everything online. But waiting for ages is no fun. I think it's easier to get your husband to buy you a gift in person, tbh.
The earrings arrived, I picked them up, and all was well.
But I also spotted a ring-road on Wildberries that matched another silver ring.
I asked the salesperson: can you tell me, do you have any affordable ring-roads?
affordable, how much are they? Are they colored or white?I saw some for around a thousand in the app, but also some colored onesThe salesperson just rolled her eyes and told me that the prices in the app are probably just a promo, and that I should order from the warehouse instead, and that their ring-roads start at 3,000. And then she left.
Okay, I guess.
I went to browse the store myself.
And what do you think this is?
Isn't that a ring-road with stones for over a thousand?I also didn't take a photo of one with transparent fianites.
I just didn't feel like showing it to me, probably.
I mean, shouldn't the salesperson try to sell me something, show me the 'expensive ring-roads for 3,000' or something? But, I guess I just didn't make a good impression or something.
And to top it all off, the salesperson slipped a little note into my shopping bag - a request to rate her 10/10 in the app for customer service. Yeah, right.
I went straight to the competitors' store and bought from them. They showed me their entire range of products.
Now, I get it - it's not exactly convenient. Sometimes what looks great on the picture just doesn't cut it in person. A good seller should offer you something different that might actually work for you.
And let's not forget the hassle of ordering, waiting a week, trying it on, returning it, and re-ordering. Not to mention the limited availability in-store - maybe it's just the store I visited.
But their packaging is pretty cool. You get a little packet with your purchase.
I'm really not impressed with the Sokolov store! 2 stars from me, and I wouldn't recommend it.
By the way, my husband got me a surprise box from Sokolov as a gift. Check out what's inside in my review HERE
live_helpFeatured FAQ
What's the deal with the prices at Sokolov?
Honestly, I think the prices are way too steep for the quality of the items. I've seen similar pieces at other stores for a fraction of the cost.
Are the sales staff friendly and helpful?
Not really. I found them to be unprofessional and unfriendly during my visit.
Does Sokolov have any high-quality pieces?
Unfortunately, no. The store seems to cater more to younger girls, and I didn't see anything that would appeal to women my age.
Can I return or exchange an item if it doesn't fit?
Yes, Sokolov does offer a return and exchange policy, but it comes with an extra cost for the guarantee card.
Is the store easy to navigate?
Yes, the store seems to be well-organized and easy to navigate. However, the prices and lack of high-quality pieces were a major letdown.
Can I get a price breakdown for the items?
Unfortunately, I don't have the exact prices for the items I saw during my visit. However, I can tell you that they seemed way too steep for the quality of the items.
Does Sokolov offer any discounts or promotions?
I didn't see any discounts or promotions during my visit. However, I did see some nice display cases and presentation.
Can I get a refund if I'm not satisfied with the item?
Yes, Sokolov does offer a return and exchange policy. However, you'll need to purchase a guarantee card for an extra cost.
check_circlePros
- •Convenient return and exchange policy
- •Some high-quality pieces, mostly gifts from my husband
- •Gold-plated silver pieces are a nice touch
- •Sales staff will offer protection and guarantee cards for extra peace of mind
- •Store seems to be well-organized and easy to navigate
- •Some nice display cases and presentation
- •Return policy is pretty straightforward
- •Sales staff are willing to help with returns
cancelCons
- •Prices are way too steep for the quality of the items
- •Sales staff seem unprofessional and unfriendly
- •Lack of high-quality pieces that would appeal to women my age
- •Store seems to cater more to younger girls
- •Guarantee cards are an extra cost, which feels like a rip-off
- •I didn't feel like I got a good value for my money
- •Prices aren't clearly marked
- •Sales staff weren't knowledgeable about the products
