Broken Tools and Warranty

[Jd34]

I have a question that maybe someone could help me with before I waste a trip to Autozone. Autozone sold me these "heavy duty" snap ring pliers about a year ago. They say they have a lifetime warranty. The problem is that I don't have the receipt.

I would really like to have my money refunded because those snap pliers are useless to me and not strong enough for what I need them for but I would settle for an exchange for light duty use. But again, I have no receipt so would I be wasting a trip there to begin with? I would appreciate your thoughts. Thanks

 

[warmpancakes]

Autozone takes your phone number for the warranty they should have records

 

[Jd34]

Autozone takes your phone number for the warranty they should have records

Yeah, they do on big stuff and parts that they Warranty. I thought that could be my saving grace but they didnt take my phone number when I bought these. It was a new kid at the register and I bought several minor stuff like car washing supplies that day..Thanks for the reply. I like your disclaimer about spelling, grammar, ext z

 

[SMKS]

What does the warranty wording on the package say? Does it say you need a receipt?

EDIT- Looks like you may be screwed.

OEM is owned by Great Neck, which isn't known for good warranty service. For the company to warranty it they require a receipt. I don't know if Autozone will.
http://www.oem-tools.com/lifetime_tool_promise

If for as long as you own this OEM® product you find any defect in material or workmanship, through normal usage, return it to the place of purchase, or to OEM® for repair or replacement at our discretion. In order to obtain this service send your tool and proof of purchase, transportation pre-paid, to OEM® Q.A. Dept, 3580 E. Raines Road #3 , Memphis . We will not be responsible for lost or damaged goods during transportation, please insure your package.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Why not call your local AutoZone and ask the manager? He may give you a break (no pun intended.)

 

[fitz11]

In my experience if you go in with the tool be polite and ASK if there is anything they can do for you most of the time they will work something out for you. Buy if you go in and demand they replace these crappy pliers they will send you on your way with nothing. Either way I think getting your money back is probably out of the question but store credit might be reasonable. A lot depends on who you talk to, if one store says no you might have a completely different experience at another location.

 

[woody 73]

Strange because every time I buy a tool no matter the size they always put my phone number into their computer.

 

[woody 73]

Give this a try call them at 1-800-288-6966 and tell them you can not find the bill of sale and they did not take down your phone number (give them your store location). Tell them what should you do and give them a link to this post so they can see what happened first hand.

I am sure they would not want to lose you as a good paying customer over the broken pliers. I would think after seeing this post they will help you out.

woody

 

[ttpete]

Strange because every time I buy a tool no matter the size they always put my phone number into their computer.

That's your reference number in their database. It works because phone numbers are unique to one person and it's a quick way to ID a customer.

 

[woody 73]

That's your reference number in their database. It works because phone numbers are unique to one person and it's a quick way to ID a customer.

Yes I understand all of that, what I mean to say was it was strange that they did not take the op's phone number.

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

All you can do is try. Try to work with them, not against them. The local manager has the final call on this sort of thing usually. They may be wise enough to know rejecting a tool return may be far more costly in loss in business from your future sales and those you tell about the experience.

But the tool companies love to use 'lifetime warranty' as a claim. Some explain that 'lifetime' means the lifetime of the tool itself. What's that? It's broken? Well then, its life is over. No warranty. Pretty scummy, but some tool companies are like that.

Weird that HF is actually really good about this and Sears is getting harder and harder to work with for warranties. Bizzarro world, anyone?

 

[chadster1]

Yeah, they do on big stuff and parts that they Warranty. I thought that could be my saving grace but they didnt take my phone number when I bought these. It was a new kid at the register and I bought several minor stuff like car washing supplies that day..Thanks for the reply. I like your disclaimer about spelling, grammar, ext z

You remember the specifics of a trip to Auto Zone that you made over a year ago?

 

[48RON54]

In my experience if you go in with the tool be polite and ASK if there is anything they can do for you most of the time they will work something out for you. Buy if you go in and demand they replace these crappy pliers they will send you on your way with nothing. Either way I think getting your money back is probably out of the question but store credit might be reasonable. A lot depends on who you talk to, if one store says no you might have a completely different experience at another location.

I agree, if you are nice enough they will at least give you a discount or a coupon or something. Something is better than nothing at this point. I personally would also attempt this transaction at a time of day when there will be few if any customers around. I have found if there is a long line of customers, they aren't as interested in helping you out. On the other hand, if the place is almost empty then usually the cashier will yell for the manager and you'll get something out of the deal. This is just my personal experience of course, by know means I am the know it all of AZ policies.

 

[unslow1]

If I have anything that I think they may waver on returning I wait until I'm making a purchase. They are a lot more likely to process it without question when you have an $80 purchase on the same trip. It doesn't always work that way. Jeg's let me cancel a $5000 blower order over refusal to restock a shifter. Then they ended up having to do it anyway. I still ordered it from Summit just to make a point.

 

[SASORacing]

Go into a auto zone or call the company who manufactures those. It's the same with any companY, no special case here I don't think. Someone should take care of you, not refund your money though.

 

[Onedivinehammer]

"Heavy Duty," eh?

 

[Jd34]

You remember the specifics of a trip to Auto Zone that you made over a year ago?

Yes or at least I think I do. My wife was with me that day and I asked her if she remembered when and where we bought those pliers and she told me everything that I recalled about that day so it kinda confirmed it to me. Not quite a year ago but almost- It was last September.

It's crazy to think that these little pliers have taken up so much of my time and energy. I mean, all the effort about remembering when and where I bought them, the time spent looking for the receipt, at least a 5 minute conversation with my wife about them and this thread with me wondering and asking people's thoughts about if Autozone will take them back or not. It makes me laugh when I think about how ridiculous that sounds.

My tools are important to me and I guess what gets to me the most is that the package saying lifetime warranty and heavy duty and in the end the tool fails and stupid me threw away the receipt because I truly thought the pliers would give me years of good service and wasn't concerned about them breaking.

 

[erty67]

I thought autozone automatically warrantied OEM brand tools?

 

[tressler]

Autozone takes your phone number for the warranty they should have records

True, but they conveniently "lose" those records after a short while.... Has happened to me several times. They will give you some excuse like "we did an upgrade and lost our records".

 

[nieuport17]

My local autozone needs a receipt and will only exchange once and thats on Duralast. And tools are not in my records. They dont bother.
So you must go to your own local autozone and see what they say. Worst case is they say no.
Personally, I would get a different brand of snap ring plier. I dont have good experience with OEM : )

 

[4x4gearhead]

My local store has taken broken oem stuff no questions asked. Maybe this varies by area.