Just saw this online, pretty disgusting:
https://www.reddit.com/r/LifeProTip..._never_throw_tools_away_especially_craftsman/
https://www.reddit.com/r/LifeProTip..._never_throw_tools_away_especially_craftsman/
Reddit - Warranty Abuse
- Thread starter PureLeaf
- Start date
- Status
gdocktor3
Well-known member
He's upset because people buy/obtain broken or old tools for free or next to nothing and then exchange them for brand new. Some argue that is part of the reason Craftsman went overseas.
blown94conv
Well-known member
I agree with the OP. Disgusting. You didn't pay for the tool in the first place, why should you benefit from the perks of buying it.
You want a new tool for a rusty peice of **** you never used and only bought to trade in for a new one? And you can cry and cry about how the cost was factored in, etc, etc, I don't want to hear it. It's scamming the system.
You want a new tool for a rusty peice of **** you never used and only bought to trade in for a new one? And you can cry and cry about how the cost was factored in, etc, etc, I don't want to hear it. It's scamming the system.
Jim Diesel
Well-known member
I agree, its not right. People like that stuff it up for the rest of us. A couple of the brands i use now started requesting receipts because of situations just like this. Makes us legitimate blokes stuff around more with extra paper work.
However to off set this, my tool truck bloke started keeping digital records of all sales to his clients so warranty without reciept would not be a problem. But this does not help with my ebay purchases.
However to off set this, my tool truck bloke started keeping digital records of all sales to his clients so warranty without reciept would not be a problem. But this does not help with my ebay purchases.
It shouldn't matter where you bought it or how much you paid.
If a company offers a tool with a lifetime warranty....
That's exactly what it should be.
To anyone in possession of that tool.
blown94conv
Well-known member
It's OK to be wrong John. It happens.
gdocktor3
Well-known member
I'm assuming you're talking about "new" eBay purchases, but most of the time people buy off eBay because it's cheaper. So, if you're not paying the same price as you would from the truck or online, should it still be covered by warranty? The cost buying direct from SO is so high because the warranty cost is factored in.
GSMotorrad
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2012
- Messages
- 420
Would the outcome be much different if the seller warrantee'd the tools first, and then sold them second-hand? Should the new owner possess them for a certain length of time before being able to warranty them?
Strouty
Well-known member
IBTL, this topic always gets hot and heavy. Anyone that uses the warranty is an awful person killing the company and has no morals, blah, blah, blah...........
blown94conv
Well-known member
If you buy a tool new and use the warranty, no issues. That's what it's for.
If you buy tools second hand, only to warranty them to get new tools then you are abusing the system.
If you only buy used tools to warranty them and then resell them, then you are an ******.
Hope that clears up my opinion, which, in case you were wondering is worth exactly what you paid for it.
If you buy tools second hand, only to warranty them to get new tools then you are abusing the system.
If you only buy used tools to warranty them and then resell them, then you are an ******.
Hope that clears up my opinion, which, in case you were wondering is worth exactly what you paid for it.
finn
Well-known member
I agree with Blown.
Greg85mcss
Well-known member
I couldn't get the link to open but saw a lot of warranty abuse when I managed the tool department at sears. There was a guy we had to ban from the store. He used to do this then return the tools for store credit in another department.
I have no problem with people buying cheap old tools to use & exchanging them down the road if they break. If you couldn't do that these tools would have no resale value & probably couldn't command as high of an original selling price.
I'm sure corporate greed was the main factor in moving production to china but between warranty abuse & people returning tools after they did the job they're barely breaking even.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I have no problem with people buying cheap old tools to use & exchanging them down the road if they break. If you couldn't do that these tools would have no resale value & probably couldn't command as high of an original selling price.
I'm sure corporate greed was the main factor in moving production to china but between warranty abuse & people returning tools after they did the job they're barely breaking even.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
WhiskeyRanger
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2015
- Messages
- 398
Lifetime warranties add value to the tool, and you are paying for that when you buy the tool. Resale value adds value to the tool and you are paying for that when you buy the tool. The company is being compensated up front.
Obviously, breaking a tool just to warranty it, or exchanging it then trying to return it is wrong (fraud?) but using a lifetime warranty is a different story. Why offer a lifetime warranty if you don't want people to use it?
Obviously, breaking a tool just to warranty it, or exchanging it then trying to return it is wrong (fraud?) but using a lifetime warranty is a different story. Why offer a lifetime warranty if you don't want people to use it?
MercLSU
Well-known member
Not going to touch the subject at hand as it's been hashed out quite a few times before, but I did like this comment:
My parents got a divorce over doing the same thing. Sears replaced my parents with no charge. They were just as good as the first set. Although after a few cycles of this I now have a USA Mom, a Chinese Dad (old Dad didn't work any more) and a mix of USA and Chinese siblings. One day I know I'll be brought to Sears. Hey, "let's go to the mall", I'll never see my USinese family again.
My parents got a divorce over doing the same thing. Sears replaced my parents with no charge. They were just as good as the first set. Although after a few cycles of this I now have a USA Mom, a Chinese Dad (old Dad didn't work any more) and a mix of USA and Chinese siblings. One day I know I'll be brought to Sears. Hey, "let's go to the mall", I'll never see my USinese family again.
Wakefield
Well-known member
Rusty Bucket O' junk strikes again!
Exactly. Lifetime means the life of the tool.
Correction: "Lifetime" means whatever the manufacturer of the tool defined as lifetime in their warranty statement/T's and C's.
^^Silly comment. There's nothing a manufacturer would rather do then sell high end tools. That's where the profit margin is. The problem is the US consumer's love affair with cheap imported good.
Exactly. Lifetime means the life of the tool.
That's some circular logic right there. Lifetime means life of tool, but what if the life of the tool is 2 years then it breaks. Not to worry it has a lifetime warranty. Wait, wha?
How do you quantify what the life of the tool is supposed to be?
Ding ding ding
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner to the to the esteemed "Trolly McTrollmeister" award this evening.
Who, with ease, made a first post with an insinuation of the poster being both effeminate and a complainer.
To top things off, the award winner offered nothing in the way of rebuttal or content for anyone.
Kudos to you good sir John T! Kudos indeed!
On a side note I'd like to add that tools offered with a lifetime warranty should also come with clear instructions as to what that company determines to be lifetime and it the warranty is transferrable. Simple really, if the warranty is less than clearly stated I might not buy or if I did I'd be aware of the possible repurcussions if I bought and something went wrong.
Roberts210
Well-known member
I hate scammers and cheaters.
Roberts210
Well-known member
Oh yeah... he knows allllll about it.
gdocktor3
Well-known member
Realistically, no one on this thread owns Sears or makes their decisions on who, what, why they warrant their tools. They have been in business since 1886 and selling Craftsman since 1927. That's an amazing accomplishment this day in age. To say exchanging/replacing tools jacks up the price of new tools is incorrect. If that were the case Harbor Freight's prices would be outrageous. They are big boys down there in Sears corporate hq and can make their own decisions. They're worth billions. There are enough Craftsman hand tools in the world to fill the Indian Ocean. I'd say they know what they're doing. We need not get our ******* in a bunch over this 3 times a week. It's not going to change a thing.
This is not a personal attack at any one individual, but rather an overall general statement in regards to this topic.
This is not a personal attack at any one individual, but rather an overall general statement in regards to this topic.
MilwaukeeFish
Well-known member
Yeah this thread is doomed...only a matter of time.
I'm going through the Reddit thread now. Plenty of misinformation and b.s. to be found, as usual. Reddit 'can' sometimes be enlightening, most times the comments are only a minor step above the garbage that pollutes Youtube.
Guess where this Reddit discussion is headed....?
--
Now that's some funny **** right there!
ejkuhl
Well-known member
Will the "Ethical Tool Warranty Police" arrest me if I warranty an inherited broken tool?
Or it's because they need to make a buck to stay in business. Consider this; ~15 years back I bought a Sears tool kit for around $100 (on sale). Today for the same money at Sears I would get a set with even more parts (not just filler parts) for the same money. Even without considering inflation I'm getting more for my dollar today than back then. Note that my made in the USA stuff was still the plastic selector ratchets and the like. They are no better or worse than the older tools. But the price has gone down and down by quite a bit if you consider inflation. Clearly Sears has to figure out where to save costs with the newer sets. If they don't then first time buyers like I was will go to Husky or Kobalt or someone else. Moving over seas to cut production costs isn't about greed so much as the reality that they may not remain price competitive (ie in business) if they don't given that the competition already has.
Jim Diesel
Well-known member
Yes, new tool purchases off ebay. And of course they should have the same manufacturers warranty. The tool trucks are not paying for replacements of my damaged tools, the company is. So it makes no difference who i buy the tool new from. Still a legitimate sale with all aplicable tax's paid. If a certain trucks is selling a certain brand, then they inhertantly are the middle man.
Hawk
Well-known member
You do realize that using common sense economics has NO meaning when discussing swapping someone elses warranty purchase by others.
Interesting.
Someone bought a Cman 1/2" wrench, forty years ago, for maybe 50 cents, and probably used it all their life.
Someone else buys this wrench, at a garage or estate sale for maybe 50 cents, then marches it directly to Sears, since it may have a few scratches, to exchange it for brand new one, now costing $7.25 retail.
Multiply this by the millions of used hand tools, purchased at garage sales and auctions, then wonder why Sears is on the Rocks, or why the Snap On man, has to say no.
Simple to justify about anything.
Parabellum
Banned
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2014
- Messages
- 888
Yep its warranty abuse, if you didn't buy it new or undamaged in working condition, then why should you be entitled to receive a new one if you brought it broken on purpose?
JJThrasher
Well-known member
I have traded in broken tools to the tool truck as a partial trade for a new different tool. They give me the same value as an intact tool. Reason being that it has a lifetime warranty and they get it warrantied and resell it. The tool was sold with a lifetime warranty and the company knew what that meant. I see no problem buying a broken tool and warranting it. No different from from buying an intact tool, breaking it later, and getting it warrantied.
AceofSpad3s
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2014
- Messages
- 1,808
Who gives a ****?
There is more important **** in life to be concerned about than if some random person on the internet that you will never meet or talk to in your life bought something broken at a garage sale and warrantied it.
If a company decides to offer a warranty on something and market that as one, if not the most important selling point, I doubt that they didn't consider that people would buy something broken and warranty it.
There is more important **** in life to be concerned about than if some random person on the internet that you will never meet or talk to in your life bought something broken at a garage sale and warrantied it.
If a company decides to offer a warranty on something and market that as one, if not the most important selling point, I doubt that they didn't consider that people would buy something broken and warranty it.
Last edited:
I have a bigger problem with tool abusers. " Ha Ha! I used a three foot cheater pipe on my 3/8ths ratchet! Guess Snappy owes me a new one!"
It is up to Sears to stop warranting worn out tools vs broken, it is their business model. Although every week there is someone screaming on the GJ because Sears would not warranty their tape measure or vise.....
It is up to Sears to stop warranting worn out tools vs broken, it is their business model. Although every week there is someone screaming on the GJ because Sears would not warranty their tape measure or vise.....
Usually I just lurk but I'll give my 2 cents. I worked in the tool Dept for 3 years. And when I started off there I would always see the usual people coming by and warranting exchanging ratchets. And these guys would come by once a week and warranty exchange 6 to 7 ratchets at a time. Eventually the manager set his foot down and banned them from exchanging tools at that store. You can see how a store/company loses money like this.
Same thing with tool abuse. A lot of people abused the hell out em. Torching/modifying their wrenches to bend them and then try to get them exchanged. Welding sockets to other stuff and trying to get it warranty exchanged. And tools rusted beyond recognition.
Because Craftsman has one of the most easiest warranty exchanges IMO. This is the reason it's abused. Which I would say does have part (big or small idk) in why CMan went overseas.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
Same thing with tool abuse. A lot of people abused the hell out em. Torching/modifying their wrenches to bend them and then try to get them exchanged. Welding sockets to other stuff and trying to get it warranty exchanged. And tools rusted beyond recognition.
Because Craftsman has one of the most easiest warranty exchanges IMO. This is the reason it's abused. Which I would say does have part (big or small idk) in why CMan went overseas.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
- Status