Helzberg Review

Wednesday, December 4th

2024 Jewelry Store Reviews

Helzberg

• Thousands of pieces of jewelry for every budget
• Free virtual and in-store consultations
• 1-year material and workmanship guarantee on all jewelry
• Free shipping on orders of $99+ within the continental US
• Many items available for free in-store pickup (over 200 locations nationwide)
• 30-day returns and exchanges, free via mail or in-store
• "A+” rated and accredited by the BBB
• Over 100 years in business

Helzberg started with the love story of its founders all the way back in 1915, with its first store in Kansas City, Kansas. That saga continued when, in 1967, Barnett Helzberg Jr. started handing out buttons saying "I am loved”: he felt so inspired by proposing to his beloved that he exclaimed, "Buy her a diamond or give her a button, but in any case, tell her she's loved!” (By the way, you can still get those buttons for free at any brick-and-mortar Helzberg location!) Of course, this jewelry store hopes that you won't stop at a button to show your love (or to treat yourself), but rather that you'll fall in love with something sparkly and beautiful in their inventory.

You won't be lacking options

If you're looking for engagement or anniversary rings, rings for everyday wear, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, watches, or items specifically for men, Helzberg makes it easy to choose from many different styles. We've taken a look at earrings across most of the jewelry stores we evaluated, to get an idea of what's available; at Helzberg, there were just over 950 pairs on offer, from some cutesy styles under $50 (like Disney Crystal Minnie Mouse studs, silver elephants, and endless hoops in 14K gold) to diamond dangle earrings in 18K white gold for $35,000.

Bargain-hunters won't be disappointed

As we browsed, we spotted some particularly good deals. Some were designated as "Outlet” items, like round diamond studs starting at just $299.88. Others were marked as Clearance pieces, such as the large hoop earrings with diamond cut in 14K gold for $329.99, down from their original price of $499.99. If you're on the hunt for a bargain, you can always jump right to the Sale, Clearance, or Outlet dropdowns at the top of the site.

How about a free consultation?

Need a little help finding just the right jewelry for your special occasion? Helzberg puts their experts at your disposal: just set up a virtual appointment, in-store consultation, or reach out via live chat. There's no cost for this service. It's good that Helzberg provides this, because most of the jewelry we spotted in the store didn't have any customer reviews to go by: you may need to chat with a rep to get some of your questions answered before you order.

You can say "I do” when you pick up your ring

One funny "benefit” offered by Helzberg that we're pretty sure you won't find at any other jewelry store: they ordain their in-store associates so that you can not just find your rings but actually get married at the store. Over 100 couples have opted for the "elope here” perk since 2019. (We're pretty sure you'd need to choose in-store pickup for your online order if you want to take advantage of that, though. No weddings-via-Zoom as far as we're aware!)

Not as many shopper benefits as rival jewelers

The rest of the "perks” offered by Helzberg are a little lackluster (if you get what we're saying) compared with its rivals. You'll only have 30 days for returns and exchanges, and not every piece of jewelry is available for in-store pickup. You'll only qualify for free shipping if your order is at least $99; granted, that covers the vast majority of Helzberg's inventory, but with competitors offering free worldwide delivery on orders of any size, it's hard to get excited by Helzberg's policy. But, there's always the possibility of picking up your jewelry in person, either to qualify for free delivery or to make it less likely that your items go missing in transit. You'll see those options as you click on any piece that interests you, if it's available at a Helzberg location near you.

Some jewelry customers love this store

As one would expect from a centuries-old jewelry store, Helzberg has an "A+” rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau. That means they respond to complaints in a timely, professional fashion; there were only 110 of those filed with the BBB over the three-year period leading up to our review, which is pretty solid considering that this jeweler has over 200 retail locations in addition to their online store. And, some people really love the Helzberg experience: they find beautiful pieces right within their price range and are happy with the long-term quality of their jewelry.

Too many 1-star ratings

Unfortunately, there are also quite a few unsatisfied Helzberg shoppers: many of the reviews we found were pretty equally split between 1- and 5-star ratings. While some of the rants mention specific locations' employees (which won't affect your online order), many of them relate to issues post-purchase, especially with damage noticed after jewelry was cleaned or repaired by Helzberg. We also weren't thrilled with the analysis we read from some diamond experts who described most of the stones at Helzberg as being grossly overpriced for the quality. That won't be a problem if you're not shopping for diamonds, but it's worth keeping in mind.

Just mid-tier among jewelry stores

On the whole, Helzberg is just average. From selection to service, there isn't anything that makes us particularly say either "wow” or "whoa, now, wait a minute” here. Even the reviews from customers are middle-of-the-road, landing Helzberg the same rating from us. It's not the worst place you could shop for jewelry, but you might want to browse the stores that are higher on our list first.