You mean, you bought a Crafstman tool set at Costco.....
Wether or not they still have a lifetime warranty (I'm not sure), I'm pretty sure they never had a "trade in program" because you didn't like the ratchets that came in a set.
... But it seems to me if you buy a set of anything, you can't expect to exchange bits and pieces of it you don't like - you would have to return the whole set to the place you bought it with a receipt.
FWIW Ace Hardware also sells Craftsman and the policy is "lifetime warranty" where the 'brand' stands behind it regardless of where you are located, and where you need to return a defective product.
For instance, an old school friend is a regional merchandiser for a for a supply chain distributor to True Value. He was the one that told me about Ace, and while they may not be *thrilled* that you brought broken Craftsman Tools to them to trade, they DO INDEED honor the warranty. The reality is people buy products in one town and for one reason or another, sometimes decades later, have to get warranty repairs in a differennt town (or state for that matter).
....
There is still a lifetime warranty. The ratchets slipped. The change of direction lever was made out of plastic (which meant plastic inside the head) and did not engage properly inside the head and would sometimes slip out of gear to a neutral position.
They had not problem exchanging the ratchets for like-kind ratchets under warranty; no problem. Their willingness to exchange cheaply made junk for cheaply made junk doesn't fix the problem of a once well-made product with a long history of quality being turned into a poor quality product for the sake of ????????????
The clerk and the dept. manager stated that Sears had decided to market to different levels of expertise and now had different qualities of tools for customers of different skill levels/usage. They also said they would rather use my 30 year old ratchet than "their" new ones that I had brought in with the "slippage" problem.
Just seems to me that if you need a ratchet, you need a ratchet; beginner or pro. And, certainly you wouldn't want to give a beginner a poorly made tool. I've used Craftsman tools all of my life and this is the first time I seen poor quality tools in their line.
I suspect a bunch of MBAs (no offence meant) got together in a board room somewhere awhile back and came up with this idea of providing different quality tools for different skill sets. Hopefully their salaries and bonuses are based on the product lines they came up with/adjusted in an attempt to increase sales and profits. Somehow, I think not. I doubt this particular decision was made by people who use/would use the tools.
Sadly, I did return the set and received a full refund.
Lesson learned, new synapses formed and bonded, and behavior modified.
Sorry for the length.
Touching on "different levels of expertise"; This sounds like Jim Jones Coolaid! Tell the people on the sales floor that and see if they'll pass it on.
When I bought my first Craftsman tools as a teenager then I must have been a PRO - following this rationale!
You are oh so right, about the MBA's... although I'm willing to bet the discussion had nothing to do with different skill levels. Moreover I bet it went like this; "How can we sell the cheapest possible to manufacture product under the "Craftsman" brand and get away with it?"
fftopic::rant:
And speaking of warranty. I just had a AT&T Android crap out on me. It's a year old and was old tech when I bought it. I had, at that time, an iPhone that broke and I also knew the S-3 was coming out in a matter of days (
less than 30 days). I begged and pleaded a year ago for them to EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE the existence of the new (S3) phone. Had they admitted it was coming I'd just waited a couple of weeks (
with a non functioning phone) and bought the new one. But noooooooo, they refused and said it'd be months so I bought a S-2 Skyrocket. Sure enough, right after I did the S-3 hit the stores, yet I was now tied into a out of date, $200 unit that the were selling for $49.99.
Fast forward a year Deja FREAKING Vu! This POS stopped working,
won't even turn on! I've been a business customer (with 4 cell lines) for 27 years. We don't run to them every 24 months wanting the 'latest and greatest' either, but when a phone breaks we do go in and expect to be able to purchase whatever we are willing to shell out the big bucks for.
I've received a code from HTC for a $100 gift card direct from them if I purchase the new HTC One before March 31st. So I chat, call, go into the company owned stores trying to find out when they plan to release the phone. (Supposed to be the 15th) They ALL REFUSE to admit it's going on sale this month or any month, yet HTC says if you buy it before the 31st we'll give you $100. Hmmmmmm.....
Enter Jim Jones Coolaid....
They have drilled it into their people, and hidden behind the line, "hey we subsidised your last purchase and we've not recouped our investment until you keep the phone for 24 months". I guess that's all fine and good if it LASTS that long!
Nevermind the fact that the 'terms' are pro-rated @ $325 less $10 a month for 24 months.
That leaves $85 balance due at 24 months to get out of a 24 month contract!!!!! WTH, here ya' go, have some more Coolaid!!!!
Problem is I know the profit on electronics, I've been selling home theater gear since the 90's. TV's don't have much profit, receivers OTOH have more (25%~45%), and speakers you can almost double your money on, and finally wires etc. the sky is the limit! (Thats why you see the stores so full of one particular brand of cables that's initials are MC).
Small electronics have a ton of profit! So NO, I don't believe they are paying $600 for a phone they sell for $200!
Their boilerplate is "sir you need to get a replacement phone, either under warranty or with the insurance". All along I'm saying "I am willing to PAY YOU CASH MONEY for a new freaking phone", AND stay with you for at least 2 more years! They simply are not interested in selling a new one, unless I pay $600 for it!
Here ya' go, have some coolaid whilst you're grabbing your ankles sir.
:doh:
So I end up with a refurbed 2 year old phone, (WITHOUT a $25 screen protector I paid for). Furthermore, for $150 (I was told by 1 and denied by 2) I can cancel my contract and walk... yet their 'fuzzy math' 31½ month amortization on a 24 month schedule says its $205. Even the FCC has questioned them on this matter and suddenly they act like they can't hear the question, "can you hear me now?"
Strangely enough, after 27 years, they'd rather me do that (
walk away) than continue to take my $225 a month and work with me.
Pi$$ed is an understatement!:bat:
Sorry guys, got off track there.
:rant:
