Craftsman Tool Warranty vs. Different Sears Stores?

[wilbilt]

I own a lot of tools, I guess. I used to own more, but have done a couple of "purges" over the years. This may or may have not been a good idea, but I'm leaning toward not.

When I was wrenching professionally, I would occasionally go buy a Craftsman tool due to an immediate need, and the fact the Sears store was only a mile from the shop. The tool truck guys only came by once a week, usually on Friday (payday). Sometimes I (or one of the other techs) needed something faster than that.

We would take turns making weekly runs to Sears to exchange our broken tools. Usually it was not a problem, but occasionally something would be out of stock and had to be ordered.

Now that I am no longer working in that vicinity, my Craftsman tools have become a liability. My "local" Sears store is about 15 miles away, but is not a "regular" store. They sell only appliances, tools, and lawn/garden equipment. It is not a "surplus" or "outlet" store, just one that is limited to the "hardlines".

I just got back from there, as I had to drive my 19 year old son home after he showed up at my place to do his laundry (do they ever really move out?) and it was on the way home. I brought my two broken ratchets, two broken "sliding T-handles" and a few broken sockets with me, hoping to obtain new ones.

I was also interested in a couple of sets of sockets that are supposedly on sale right now, as I wanted to reconfigure some sets to go in vehicles that are currently a mismatched mess.

I left the dead tools in the van and went into the store. I was the only customer in there. This should have been my first clue.

The young salesman immediately left his perch and descended on me. He asked if he could help me find anything, and I asked about the sockets that are on sale. He directed me to a rack housing lots of sockets, but not the ones I was looking for. The ones they had are the etched "hi-vis" ones with the giant size numbers on them. I will admit my eyes are not as good as they used to be, but I can still tell the size of a socket by looking at it. I don't need giant numbers to help, and I am certainly not going to pay 3X as much for that "feature".

I asked about the "normal" sockets that are in the ad. He said that the ads don't apply to that store, because it isn't a "regular" Sears store. Bottom line: they didn't have them in stock.

I then asked about the broken tools I had brought with me, and was told that I would have to take them to a "regular" Sears store to obtain repair or replacement. "We don't do warranties here", he said.

The nearest "regular" store is a 50-mile round trip, and the one in the direction I normally go when I go anywhere is more like 70 miles.

I asked how they could expect to sell any tools if they could not provide service on the "guaranteed forever" warranty. He stated that it wasn't an issue, since "Craftsman tools don't break".

I held my tongue and left.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? Shouldn't stores that sell the products be expected to service the warranty?

 

[PAToyota]

In the past month, I had a bit of an ordeal with the local "regular" Sears store. I've had my socket set for about twenty years now - added to it over the years but the core is that old. Working on taking apart the rear axle on my truck the 3/4" 6-pt socket let go and cracked in half. Now I did have a 24" breaker bar on it, but I wasn't abusing it and was a little surprised that it broke. I finished the job with the 12-pt version and next time I was by the store I took the socket along for an exchange. First, seems all they have is the "hi-vis" etched sockets - you can't get anything else. But (I'd say) about a third of the sockets were just empty holes in the display. Was told "the truck" would be there Wednesday and I should stop back. Wednesday evening I was again in the neighborhood (store is less than 5 miles from me) so I stopped in. Still no socket... Trucks come on Wednesdays and Fridays - check back over the weekend. Well, still no socket delivery. Not just the one I want, but there are all these "holes" in the display - they just don't seem to be restocking them. Ok, you get the idea - I stopped in about once a week for three weeks with no luck. Finally, the sales kid takes pity on me and calls in a warranty claim and has them ship it to my house. A week later I finally got it in the mail. So now I have one "hi-vis" socket with the big etched number in my collection.

Pretty ridiculous...

 

[wilbilt]

I have thought about doing a "mail order" claim. It hardly seems worth it, though. I guess that's what they are counting on in the long run.

Make it too much of a hassle to get a warranty, and no one will bother to do it.

 

[Der Bugmeister]

Are there any competing stores in your area selling tools with a 'lifetime' warranty? Check what their policies are...I know of at least one chain in my area that will honour a Craftsman warranty by replacing the broken tool with a lifetime warranty equivalent from their product line.

Worth checking into...

 

[iiibdsiil]

I think Home Depot does exchanges of broken Craftsman sockets for their Husky line. You might just have to break them all

 

[Rickster]

I never knew they could do a mail order warranty claim. I'll keep that in mind next time I hit the local Sears and they don't have replacements I need in stock. But I do like his comment "Craftsman tools don't break", you should make that your tag line!

 

[wilbilt]

Are there any competing stores in your area selling tools with a 'lifetime' warranty? Check what their policies are...I know of at least one chain in my area that will honour a Craftsman warranty by replacing the broken tool with a lifetime warranty equivalent from their product line.

Worth checking into...

The only places here are a couple of auto parts stores and a Home Depot.

I have heard that HD will accept Craftsman in exchange for Husky, but Husky is made in China and it seems wrong to swap a USA tool for a Chinese one.

 

[Rickster]

SK does mail order return/exchange. I haven't tried it yet but I called their number off the web site and they said I could exchange my broken ones by mail no problem.

 

[Coach James]

wilbilt, sounds like you just got a lousy employee to help you. I have the same kind of Sears store here, 2 or 3 thousand square feet maybe. Very basic tool selection. I've only had two craftsman hand tools and one power tool break on me, none were bought at that store, but they warranted all three there. One hand tool they had to order, but it came from another store on the regular once a week truck so there was no shipping cost.
Coach

 

[wilbilt]

wilbilt, sounds like you just got a lousy employee to help you. I have the same kind of Sears store here, 2 or 3 thousand square feet maybe. Very basic tool selection. I've only had two craftsman hand tools and one power tool break on me, none were bought at that store, but they warranted all three there. One hand tool they had to order, but it came from another store on the regular once a week truck so there was no shipping cost.
Coach

It's possible "junior" just didn't know what he was talking about. I did look at the "store locator" on sears.com, and my local store is listed as a "Hometown Dealer"...essentially a franchise. It also has the "Repair Items are accepted for drop-off" icon next to it just like the real stores. Maybe I'll print that out and take it with me.

I'll give it another try, because I would rather spend my money locally. I'll deal with them if they can deal with me, LOL.

I hate to make a big deal out of it, but their motto is "Satisfaction Guaranteed".

 

[wilbilt]

I wonder if this is where their returns end up?

http://burlington.craigslist.org/tls/203504641.html

 

[eschoendorff]

SK does mail order return/exchange. I haven't tried it yet but I called their number off the web site and they said I could exchange my broken ones by mail no problem.

I have done warranty by mail with SK and they are easy to deal with.

 

[Willy Victor]

I own a lot of tools, I guess. I used to own more, but have done a couple of "purges" over the years. This may or may have not been a good idea, but I'm leaning toward not.

When I was wrenching professionally, I would occasionally go buy a Craftsman tool due to an immediate need, and the fact the Sears store was only a mile from the shop. The tool truck guys only came by once a week, usually on Friday (payday). Sometimes I (or one of the other techs) needed something faster than that.

We would take turns making weekly runs to Sears to exchange our broken tools. Usually it was not a problem, but occasionally something would be out of stock and had to be ordered.

Now that I am no longer working in that vicinity, my Craftsman tools have become a liability. My "local" Sears store is about 15 miles away, but is not a "regular" store. They sell only appliances, tools, and lawn/garden equipment. It is not a "surplus" or "outlet" store, just one that is limited to the "hardlines".

I just got back from there, as I had to drive my 19 year old son home after he showed up at my place to do his laundry (do they ever really move out?) and it was on the way home. I brought my two broken ratchets, two broken "sliding T-handles" and a few broken sockets with me, hoping to obtain new ones.

I was also interested in a couple of sets of sockets that are supposedly on sale right now, as I wanted to reconfigure some sets to go in vehicles that are currently a mismatched mess.

I left the dead tools in the van and went into the store. I was the only customer in there. This should have been my first clue.

The young salesman immediately left his perch and descended on me. He asked if he could help me find anything, and I asked about the sockets that are on sale. He directed me to a rack housing lots of sockets, but not the ones I was looking for. The ones they had are the etched "hi-vis" ones with the giant size numbers on them. I will admit my eyes are not as good as they used to be, but I can still tell the size of a socket by looking at it. I don't need giant numbers to help, and I am certainly not going to pay 3X as much for that "feature".

I asked about the "normal" sockets that are in the ad. He said that the ads don't apply to that store, because it isn't a "regular" Sears store. Bottom line: they didn't have them in stock.

I then asked about the broken tools I had brought with me, and was told that I would have to take them to a "regular" Sears store to obtain repair or replacement. "We don't do warranties here", he said.

The nearest "regular" store is a 50-mile round trip, and the one in the direction I normally go when I go anywhere is more like 70 miles.

I asked how they could expect to sell any tools if they could not provide service on the "guaranteed forever" warranty. He stated that it wasn't an issue, since "Craftsman tools don't break".

I held my tongue and left.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? Shouldn't stores that sell the products be expected to service the warranty?

Welbilt I'd have to say if it says Sears on the front of the store, it's a Sears store. Tell the kid you want a replacement for your Craftsman tool or they are going to hear from the Consumer Fraud Div of the State Atty Gen. A guarantee is a guarantee. That store is an agent of the Sears Corp.

Willy

 

[MarkH]

Having lived next to a francise type store that you mentioned until very recently. I have always had a replacement if it was in stock. If it was not they always took it and into about 7-10 days I would get the replacement in the mail. There never was any shipping charges or any other costs. Worked very well it did take me a couple times to get used to the concept. I have always gotten either new or if it was not in shape you could not tell it was not new in the mail that way.

 

[PAToyota]

I didn't get charged for shipping either - just wish I had known that having it mailed was an option. Now I know to ask as soon as I know they don't have it in stock.

 

[wilbilt]

Well, I went back there today with limited success. I just took my two broken ratchets, as they are what I really need on a daily basis.

Different guy there, might have been the owner. I asked if he could repair or replace the tools. He had a kit for one, and fixed it for me, but said he didn't have a kit for the other one.

I asked if I could leave it and come back for it when he had the parts, or have a kit sent to me. I asked him twice and he ignored me both times.

I could tell that repairing tools is not his favorite thing to do. He did not have either style of ratchet in stock, but did have the repair kit for the more common one.

I'll have to be pretty desperately in need of something before I go back there again.

 

[eschoendorff]

The Craftsman tools are not the problem. It's the people behind the counter taht are usually the problem.

 

[PAToyota]

Yep, at this point I'd be asking to talk to the manager or calling customer service.

 

[BoostAddiction]

I wonder if this is where their returns end up?

http://burlington.craigslist.org/tls/203504641.html

That's interesting. Back when I had more hair than sense I used to work in the local Sears hardware dept after school and during the holidays. When we warrantied broken hand tools we exchanged them, then tossed the broken ones in - you guessed it- 55 gallon drums. Eventually someone came and took them away.

I guess, as Paul Harvey would say, "..and that's the rest of the story."

 

[wilbilt]

That's interesting. Back when I had more hair than sense I used to work in the local Sears hardware dept after school and during the holidays. When we warrantied broken hand tools we exchanged them, then tossed the broken ones in - you guessed it- 55 gallon drums. Eventually someone came and took them away.

I guess, as Paul Harvey would say, "..and that's the rest of the story."

My best friend worked at a Sears "surplus store" about 100 years ago. They carried some interesting stuff, but it was all either discontinued, store returns, or stuff that got shipped to the wrong warehouse (i.e., a truckload of snow shovels in Southern California).

That store was the end of the line, and if anything got returned, it went into a big rolloff box and sold to a salvage company. Anything going in there was supposed to be destroyed first, so it wouldn't show up at another Sears store for warranty. He once had to cut a Gamefisher boat in half with a Sawzall.

I still have the first (and only) Craftsman screwdriver set I ever bought. I bought it from that store around 1981, for something like $2 because they were mispackaged. It was suppoosed to be a 12-piece set and there were only 11 pieces in it or something like that.

 

[wilbilt]

Yep, at this point I'd be asking to talk to the manager or calling customer service.

Yeah, maybe.

When I was waiting for him to rebuild the ratchet, I browsed the tools and noticed the Craftsman warranty on the back of one package that states tools can be returned to "a Sears store or any other authorized Craftsman retailer".

 

[Sundowner]

Yeah, maybe.

When I was waiting for him to rebuild the ratchet, I browsed the tools and noticed the Craftsman warranty on the back of one package that states tools can be returned to "a Sears store or any other authorized Craftsman retailer".

sears defers to the store manager to make calls on warranty claims. any sears store that carrys toos MUST honor the warranty, but the manager has final say on what is or what is not a warranty replacement.

I got into it with a sears manager in my hometown Hewitt NJ store. the night manager on sunday/tuesday was a rampaging gonad who delighted in being the jerk of the week every week. I learned not to go to sears on tues/sun and the problem went away. enough people complained to sears corporate that he eventually went away, too.

the other sears that I go to in Wayne, NJ is the best in the world. no fuss, no muss, here's your new tool and have a nice day.

find someone else, demand to talk to the manager, or find another manager.

 

[Willy Victor]

My best friend worked at a Sears "surplus store" about 100 years ago. They carried some interesting stuff, but it was all either discontinued, store returns, or stuff that got shipped to the wrong warehouse (i.e., a truckload of snow shovels in Southern California).

That store was the end of the line, and if anything got returned, it went into a big rolloff box and sold to a salvage company. Anything going in there was supposed to be destroyed first, so it wouldn't show up at another Sears store for warranty. He once had to cut a Gamefisher boat in half with a Sawzall.

I still have the first (and only) Craftsman screwdriver set I ever bought. I bought it from that store around 1981, for something like $2 because they were mispackaged. It was suppoosed to be a 12-piece set and there were only 11 pieces in it or something like that.

We used to have one of those surplus stores near us. I bought a ratcheting pipe threader handle, unfortunately no dies. If anyone knows where I can get some 2" square dies I would appreciate it.

Willy