Question about ring sizes

[sally]

I have been an Etsy seller for over 12 years.  But as many people in this last two years my business has went through the roof.  Enough so that my only means of income are my Etsy store.  Just lately I have had some people tell me ( after all this time ) that my ring sizing is off.  I taught myself how to make jewelry and taught myself how to solder sterling silver and set stones.  What i'm wondering is , is there a 'standard' ring sizing tool?  What I mean is, I am using a Pepe tools #121.GS.RC ring mandrel and also using calipers and going off that size from several charts with sizing in millimeters for inside diameter.  Just this morning again I had a customer give me a not so nice review saying how my sizing is off, and she ' knows ' her correct size ' and warned people that they should size up.  This for one infuriates me because I do my best trying to get things just right almost to the point of being a perfectionist with OCD.  I need advice on either what I might be doing wrong, or how I might respond to customers who seem to know more than myself.  Thank you

[caeterle]

Welcome to the forum, Sally!

I can't help you on the sizing problem as the rings I make are mostly crocheted and knitted from wire which is a little more flexible. Also I'm from Germany and got my mandrel from a German supplier, it has no name on it, so I don't know if it's a model particular to that supplier.

It does sound very weird to me that people suddenly think the sizing is off and my guess would be that they've got it wrong somehow.
As for responding to customers who think they know better, there's not really a good answer. In my day job I'm a librarian with direct patron contact and I've heard a lot over the years. My experience is that people have a hard time admitting even the chance that they could be wrong.
I once sold a wrapped wring specifying the size and putting an extra note in the description that the size could not be changed and that it was more a model for a pinky. The feedback said there was no size in the description (who would buy a ring without knowing the size at all?) and the size couldn't be changed. I offered to take the ring back although it was not my fault, but never heard from the buyer again and just had to live with the feedback. At least on Etsy you have the possibility to reply to a feedback.

The only thing I could think of is offering buyers to send a picture of a ring on the mandrel or while using the calipers, but with that many sales it could get time consuming.

[caeterle]

I very well remember a member of our forum's predecessor getting her first non-5 star review. She was a long-time seller with a lot of sales as well and she said although her head told her that she understood that this could happen, her gut didn't like the feeling.
I think the only thing you can do is to let it go. If someone is determined not to discuss a mistake and its solution, no matter who of the two made that mistake, you won't be able to change their mind. You can only offer to help them, but they have to take the help.
From my experience as a buyer, however, I can say that I don't know anyone who will only buy from 100% or 5 star sellers. As I said, at least you can reply to the feedback. People who check the negative feedback first - and I'll readily admit I have done that myself - will learn from your reply if you are ready to solve a problem which can be just as valuable. People who shy away just because of those few commenters may not be the right customers, anyway.

[Irith-Rita]

I sell rings on Etsy. Many times the buyers don't mention a ring size and I have to write to them asking for the US ring size (most of my customers are from the USA). I insist on the exact size they need.

I don't think you need to use calipers. It is better to use a ring sizing tool.

Attached is a photo of the tools I use which may help you:



You also need a table of ring sizes which compares ring sizes to other countries too.

I will Google it for you and let you know.

Irith

[Irith-Rita]

I found this international chart. This may help:

www.kuberbox.com/blog/international-ring-size-conversion-chart/

[sally]

thank you for your responses!  I have a professional ring sizing mandrel and also the finger sizers too.  I just really wondered after having two people in the last week say my sizes were not ' standard ', it made me wonder if between jewelers in the U.S. they were different.  Both customers I have just decided are just not understanding that ring sizes are  mostly the same from seller to seller.  Unless perhaps they are buying from someone who doesn't care and have a cheap incorrect sizing mandrel.   I have scoured the internet looking for size charts, all of which I have decided are usually within a millimeter of being the same in size.  So , it's them not me  LOL  Also not many people understand that the width of the band of a ring significantly changes the size of the ring they need.  Example a ring with a band that is 2 mm wide and a ring that has a 5 mm wide will need to be sized differently to fit the finger or it may be too tight.  The 5mm ring may need to be a 1/4 or 1/2 size larger to fit correctly.  I really just need to continue on my way and like you said, " just offer help and if they want it great "  Some people just can't be helped and refuse any speck of informational help.  ~ sigh   never considered myself to be OCD, but I'm really thinking that maybe I am!

[DawninCal]

Hi Sally, welcome to JAC!

I'm just now seeing this thread, but thought I'd add my two cents.

I make wire wrapped button rings and use the same tools as Irith.

I think maybe you just happened to have the unlucky coincidence of having two back to back customers who were difficult to please. Something else for you to consider is that not many people know their exact ring size so they take their best guess at it. Or, they may not realize that ring sizes change, for instance if one has lost or gained weight, that would affect ring sizes. I know that my fingers are bigger in the summer than they are in the winter because the extreme summer heat where I used to live would make my fingers swell just enough that my rings became too tight. It'll be interesting to see if that happens this summer now that I'm living in a milder climate.

Also, like shoes, I think there are people who understate their correct size simply through wishful thinking. I'm thinking of an old I Love Lucy episode where Lucy insisted to a shoe salesman that she wore a size seven even though when he measured her foot she was a size nine. She was certain the measuring device didn't work correctly.

One thing you might do to confirm whether or not your rings are off is to get some friends or family together, determine their ring sizes with your sizer and have them try on your rings. If the rings fit correctly, it's not your rings that are off.

As far as how to deal with or respond to these customers and their reviews, I think it's really important not to come across as defensive when responding to a poor review. Not so much for the complaining customer as for potential future customers because they will be checking out how you respond. As hard as it is to bite our tongues, the best approach is usually something simple like "I am sorry the ring didn't meet your expectations. I stand 100% behind my work and will issue a full refund upon return of the ring."

If you find that a customer is being especially difficult and/or demanding, you are well within your rights to tell them that you can't help them and that perhaps they would be better off dealing with another seller. I've only done that once and then the guy begged me to let him buy something from me but I refused because I didn't want to deal with him any more. Sometimes it's just easier to walk away than put up with the aggravation.

Good luck and hopefully you won't encounter any more difficult buyers!



Dawn

[Irith-Rita]

Dawn, this happened to me too (quote is from your reply):
"
If you find that a customer is being especially difficult and/or demanding, you are well within your rights to tell them that you can't help them and that perhaps they would be better off dealing with another seller. I've only done that once and then the guy begged me to let him buy something from me but I refused because I didn't want to deal with him any more. Sometimes it's just easier to walk away than put up with the aggravation.
"
After a buyer left a very bad and unfair review about 4-5 years ago, she ordered a pair of earrings again. I canceled her order because I didn't want to give her a chance to give another bad review, and explained this to her. Unbelievably - She sent her neigbour to buy instead of her. I know becuase I compared their addresses... ....

I didn't cancel the neigbor's order.

[DawninCal]

People are really strange sometimes, Irith.

I once had a customer order a bracelet, cancel the order, I refunded and then she ordered it again.



Dawn

[Irith-Rita]

I got back here only today, because I saw there was a new post from Dawn.

In my Etsy shop I always write the exact size and many times, add in my description that it could be readapted. If there is a stone in the ring, I can only enlarge it. Resizing to smaller involves re-heating and endangers the stone and the whole design. I hate taking the risk even with the right utensils.

Usually - if a customer is not satisfied with something they received I would offer to return it to the seller and be refunded. And as Dawn advised too - block her/him.