I've never worked at NEFJ. In fact, prior to November 2014, I've never even been inside the store before. Nor did I know anyone who works there prior to going in. So I hope this unbiased review will help.
I was in the market for an engagement ring and like most young men making their first major jewelry purchase, I didn't know the how, what or where to start. I've always heard Ray Bleser's radio commercials and thought "he sounds like a decent guy-- when the time's right, maybe I'll go see him." But when the time was right and I was ready to purchase, I didn't go to NEFJ first. I stopped into a handful of other stores first (GP, Finkle, Hannoush) and I have nothing bad to say about any of them. They all had very polite & helpful sales people, but I'd done a lot of research before I started shopping and had something very specific in mind. None of the stores that I visited had exactly what I was looking for or anything that jumped out at me.
After I stopped in a few different stores, I remembered Ray's commercials and decided I should go to NEFJ to see him.
I first went into NEFJ's Schenectady location at the end of November 2014 and met with Lori. She's such a nice woman and was such a big help. After talking with her for about an hour or so, I truly felt like she really cared about me and what I was looking for. She didn't try to sell me on anything and I never felt I was getting taken advantage of. I never got that shady "used car salesman" feeling from her where I felt like I was being ripped off or tricked into buying something that I really didn't want. She answered all my questions, explained the pros and cons of my choices and gave me a lot of insight of how the whole process works. I was looking for something unique, something that was a little bit more rare and not so "cookie cutter" and she certainly delivered.
We sat down and I told her what I had in mind and she showed me some rings that were exactly what I was looking for! I fell in love with one in particular and I will admit, it was a bit more expensive then I was anticipating, but well worth it. After all, these are high quality heirloom pieces.
I think she could tell that I was a little sticker shocked and without me even asking, she took it upon herself to meet with her manager. Between the two of them, they were able to really help me out. I feel like I got a lot more than I paid for and I couldn't be happier with my purchase! Before finalizing my purchase, Ray Bleser made an appearance and sat down with me for about 45 minutes. He was really nice, down to earth and seemed very honest and upfront about everything. It definitely didn't feel like he was there trying to close the deal or anything like that, it felt very genuine. Besides, by that point, I had already decided that I was going to purchase the ring. There really was no need for him to come over and talk to me or try to "close the deal" because the deal was done, but he came over and sat down with me anyways. He just wanted to make sure that I was comfortable and truly happy with my purchase. It was nice to know that the owner was so concerned with me and I'm sure he shows that level of care with each and every customer when he's in the store. All together, they really made the whole process so easy and stress-free.
I'm so happy with everyone at NEFJ, that after I proposed, my fiancé and I returned to purchase our wedding bands from Lori as well. My fiancé was equally happy with Lori, they bonded immediately. To my surprise, when we walked in together, everyone said hi to me and knew my name. Now keep in mind, I've only been in the store maybe four (4) times total so it was very welcoming and felt good to know everyone remembered me. We enjoyed working with Lori so much, she's become a part of our family now. She is now our new designated jeweler and the first person I intend to visit when shopping for something new. We even invited her to our wedding!
I stopped in for an engagement ring but left with so much more!!
If you're in the market for an engagement ring, or really any jewelry, I highly recommend stopping in and meeting with Lori. I truly feel the staff at NEFJ really care for their customer's best interest. Jewelry can be very expensive and not all of us are certified jewelers, so it's nice to know someone has your back and is looking out for you.
This review is 100% true and I hope it helps people out when making a decision as to where they should go. If you're on the fence, it doesn't hurt anything to stop in and see what they have to say. Well, I hope this helps. Happy shopping everyone!! read more