In the consumer-driven jewelry industry, a product’s integrity is of the utmost importance. This is why great stakes are taken throughout the supply chain to protect jewelry. From packaging and shipping options, to anti-tarnish materials and storage, an abundance of measures are taken to ensure that customers are pleased with their purchases. However, if a new piece of jewelry is opened and found tarnished, who is held responsible?

Who is Responsible?

An Intercept™ Silver and Jewelry Care representative was on a call with the quality control department of a major jewelry retailer. The reason for the conversation was simple: one of this retailer’s suppliers (a silver jewelry manufacturer) was found to be shipping jewelry with an ineffective anti-tarnish tab. This is problematic for a number of reasons, the details of which can be read here.

Major jewelry retailers receive products from a large variety of suppliers. Before a supplier is admitted into a retailer’s network, it must undergo a series of quality control measures.  This ensures the movement of high quality goods. Once approved, suppliers are granted access to the retailer, where their products are sold to the consumer. Up until the point where the retailer sells the item to the consumer, the burden of quality is placed on the supplier. But what happens after that point?

After informing the quality control department of the retailer that one of their suppliers had been found using an ineffective anti-tarnish tab in their products, Intercept™ Silver and Jewelry Care was told that the supplier - not the retailer - is responsible for the testing of packaging materials. This means that if there is an issue with a product, the supplier is to blame.

Who Ends Up Taking the Blame?

Despite all the steps in the supply chain, direct customer relationships are forged with the last in line – the retailer. This is the face that the customer sees and bonds with. It is a crucial - if not the most crucial - part of the process. Retailers often times only have one chance at a first impression, and if a defective product is sold to the consumer, the retailer will surely be the first to know.

Regardless of the quality control steps throughout the supply chain process, it’s important for retailers to have quality control measures of their own. Once a piece of jewelry is on the shelf, inside a glass case, or shipped to the consumer, it doesn’t matter to the customer whose fault it actually is if the product is defective – the customer will almost always place blame on the retailer.

Retailers Need Not Worry...

While the retailer may insist it’s their supplier’s responsibility to test the anti-tarnish strips, the consumer will go after the retailer – not the supplier - when there’s an issue in product quality. Therefore, it’s imperative that retailers recommend the best anti-tarnish strips to their suppliers.

Non-toxic, non-abrasive and humidity independent, Intercept™ anti-tarnish strips provide better jewelry protection, protecting your namesake and brand reputation at an extremely low cost. Jewelry retailers forge bonds with their customers. Intercept™ Silver & Jewelry Care Co. ensures that bond lasts a lifetime, providing peace of mind and superior protection.