East Bay Watches

I’ll never go back here! They ruined my watch! On Sunday, November 8^th, I took my digital Timex watch here to get the battery replaced, and I wish I hadn’t. On the following Tuesday, the inside appeared foggy and the display went blank. Interestingly, the display came back on, but I went back to see if they could tighten the screws or something. So on Wednesday, I went back, explained the foggy/​display and the lady took a look. After *that* visit, the sound stopped working on the watch. No alarm, no beep-​feedback during a workout, etc. So I went back a THIRD time to get THAT resolved, and the lady said it wasn’t the shop’s fault. I explained that the beeping stopped working after taking my watch to her, but she did not accept responsibility or offer any kind of resolution.

Easy Bay Watches is a place I’ve only been to two or three times, as I don’t really have many problems with any of my watches.
Recently, though, I had a battery die and a watch band snap on me about a week apart so I decided to pay East Bay a visit.
The lady that helped me in the store was very nice! She was able to replace the battery in one of my watches in about 5 minutes and it was only about $ 10 — well worth it considering that is not something I can do myself. Unfortunately, they didn’t have a band that I wanted to go with my watch but she did swap a couple out for me so that I could see what they looked like which was very helpful.
If I have any further problems with any of my watches, I will be bringing them here.

Complete rip off… the batteries they have the nerve to charge $ 15-​$ 17 for sell for $ 2 online!!!

Since when do retail stores haggle? They wanted to charge me $ 16.99 to replace a watch battery. When I said I’d go somewhere else, they offered me a $ 2 discount. Went downstairs to Express Jewelers where they only charge $ 10. No thanks, East Bay Watches.

Summary: Paid for movement replacement for a watch on recommendation of the store. Watch returned with movement not replaced and no refund.
The Events: I went to this place because my Coach watch stopped and I assumed that I would need the battery replaced. I handed my watch to a woman at the counter and was told to return in 2 hours, and the fee would be 30 dollars. It seemed a tad steep for a battery replacement but I wanted my watch fixed, so I said okay.
2 hours later, I returned and the woman at the counter said that she looked at the watch and the batttery was not an issue. She said that I needed to get the whole watch movement replaced, and that it would cost 55 dollars. She then charged me an additional 8 dollars for «Drying and Cleaning» the watch that she said she did in the intervening 2 hours.
I was concerned because Coach watches are made with Bulova parts; I, in fact, only about a year an a half prior had had this watch, though my local Coach store, sent back to the official Bulova watch repairer (because it was still under warranty). I had the waterproof seal replaced and had the entire watch serviced. They replaced the seal and cleaned the watch and a few replacements of the dial, and sent me back all the old parts in a little plastic bag.
So I was concerned about having major work done outside of Bulova. The woman at the counter said that the repairman will not be able to replace the movement with a Bulova movement, but with a compatible generic one with a date functionality. The exchange was suspicious to me due to the ambiguous answers to my questions, but I did want a functional watch, so I submitted to this process.
I return 2 weeks later and they return the watch to me, functioning. Because I was suspicious from the first exchange, and because I was concerned about the quality of generics vs Bulova components, I asked if I could have the old Bulova movement returned (as was standard when I had the watch repaired by Bulova). The woman became flustered and called the watch repairer, who then told her that he in fact did not replace the movement.
At first she tried to say that the repairer replaced certain smaller components that were not the movement. Then she handed the phone to me and told me to speak with the watch repairer himself, at which point I asked to him directly for the original components that he replaced. He then became flustered himself and said that they didn’t replace anything, that they just did a cleaning of the watch, and that I should be «grateful» because they «usually charge 60 – 75 dollars to clean a Coach watch.»
I am suspicious enough at this point to ask for a copy of my repair receipt which specifically specifies that the $ 55 work order was for «a new movement and some cleaning if needed,» but they refused to give me that receipt or a copy of it stating that they «had never done this before.» The only thing I was allowed to take was a copy of the credit card receipt.

Stopped in to buy a velcro strap for a watch and didn’t like the feel and went to return it the next day and said they wouldn’t accept returns even though there was a sign at the front desk saying all items can be returned within 5 days. Horrible service too.

I stopped by the store on Sunday to have my watch battery replaced because I was already in the mall. The store was shuttered and dark until 15 minutes past the stated opening time. When the man arrived to open the store, he quoted me a price for the battery that seemed a little high and said I could come back in 20 minutes. I suspected he was planning on eating his sandwich first, even though I’d already been waiting outside. I was hesitant, so he took a few dollars off the price, which just made me more suspicious that it wasn’t a reputable place. My watches are inexpensive, but I still want the job done right.

Worst customer service ever! After three trips … still my watch has not been repaired!

I took my watch there to get my battery fixed. They had trouble getting the back off, but were finally able to replace it. In the proces they popped the number 3 off so it was loose in the watch. They sent it out to get fixed and took the charge as it was their fault.

So I take my dress watch in there to get the battery replaced. I ask them up front if they would be able to reseal the backing. They say, «no problem». After I show up to retrieve my watch they charge me double and the next time the watch gets wet it’s ruined. When i went back in they told me that they would charge me DOUBLE to refit the battery and reseal it since it had to be sent off site and that they wouldn’t tell me when it would be back and if it would work. Complete shysters.