Craftsman Lifetime Tool Warranty Invalid
 

I sorted through my lifetime collection of Craftsman tools the other day and came up with 3 ratchets, 4 wrenches, and 4 sockets that the chrome finish was chipping off of and there was some rust showing. I have several hundred Craftsman tools that are nice and shiny - only a problem with these 11 Craftsman tools. I took the tools to Sears in Morristown, TN and asked to have them replaced. The clerk said there was rust on the tools and they could not replace them. The department manager said the same.
The store manager said the same. I asked about the Craftsman Lifetime Warranty and the store manager said that did not apply if the tool was abused and the rust showed the tool was abused. I told them the tools were supposed to be chrome coated to eliminate rust and the fact that they were rusted means in my opinion the tools were defective. Also they have a "Satisfaction Guaranteed or Your Money Back" warranty. The manager said this did not qualify.
I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau in IL and the answer was the same word for word - plus the Illonois person said that since I was attempting to exchange numerous tools I had probably bought them damaged and was trying to exchange them for new and that the "onus was on me to provide proof of purchase for each item I request to exchange". Was I just insulted by the Sears Corp.? On the satisfaction guarantee Illinois states that "it does not state that a consumer will be granted any request just because they are not satisfied.The satsfaction Guarantee only indicates that we are always willing to weigh a customers satisfaction versus our policies to insure we are being fair and equitable." Will Never Shop Sears Again - 11 tools are not worth all this time - wish I had tried to exchange tools many years ago. Main reason I purchased so many Craftsman tools was the advertising about the Satisfaction Guarantee and the Lifetime warranty.

Make a Note about proving each of your tools was purchased by you from Sears - no where does it mention this in the store or tool cataloges - they can always throw this one at you.

I have wondered if the lifetime warranty will be honored for much longer since K-Mart now owns Sears and Craftsman Tools are being sold at K-Mart.:(

All this is merely my opinion on Sears, sprinkled with some personal experience...

Welcome to the new Sears. I worked there since I was old enough to legally work and quit 3 years ago. I had literally worked my way up from sweeping the warehouse floor to a management position in the headquarters.

My theory is that this is all caused by the decreasing profitability of the company. If your warranty return costs the company $1, they would probably rather send you away and hope you never come back. That's right, you are not a "profitable" customer, so they want you to go to Lowe's or HD. The company would rather have less sales that are more profitable; your return is contradictory to that

That's not the way to run a retail company, but that's what you get when you put a hedge fund manager in charge of a retail company.

How bad is it? In Q3 2007, Sears had Net Income of $2 million. The year before it was $196 million. That's huge. Here's what the interim CEO said after the Q4 results were released: "Given the challenging retail environment, we will work to improve and tighten management of costs and inventory levels in 2008,"

You are a cost that is being managed.

Now that you understand the position you are in, let's see what we can do to help. Are the ratchet wrenches just rusty? Clean up the rust with some WD-40 and steel wool. Then disassemble the ratchet - there is usually a circlip that holds the internals, and make sure the ratchet no longer ratchets. The sockets are going to be a tougher nut to crack. They have to be broken. Clean the rust, and then make sure they are broken. "How" is an exercise left best to the reader. The wrenches I am hoping are already broken. Clean the rust and you should be good to go. Don't take them all at once, just take one or two at a time.

Guess the days are gone when you could bring in a 22 year old tool and they'll replace on the spot.

keep them aside, when ever you have a spare moment bring one or two into the sears, and see if they will replace them in fewer quantities so the appearance does not make it look as if you bought them that way. . .

Customer service and good will seem to be a thing of the past most places now. With all the pressure there is on pricing, companies just can't afford that anymore. That or sales people who know much about the products, etc.

The way I read the description on their website, "Satisfaction Guaranteed" is different than the lifetime warranty. With the Satisfaction Guaranteed deal they will refund the purchase price if you return the item with its original packaging, etc., within 90 days. It doesn't matter whether the tool failed. You return it within the time limit, you get your money back. Under the lifetime warranty, they will replace a tool that has failed and that has not been abused. Based on your description, it's not entirely clear that you have met either requirement.

I managed to break one of my 15 mm sockets and was in line to get a replacement. The guy in front of me had a 2 foot pipe wrench bent in a U. He put it on the counter, the guy said, "Ok, buddy, I'll give you another, but you and I both know you didn't bend that. How'd ya do it?" The guy responded that he'd put a 10 foot cheater bar on it and pushed it with a bulldozer. He walked out with a new pipe wrench, as I did a new socket.

I couldn't have said it better.

MBUSA has been doing the same thing for the last few years, and quite effectively (depending on your point of view). Not long ago, warranty considerations were made almost entirely at the dealers' discretion. Now, MBUSA is involved in the decision making process, especialy when high-dollar parts are the issue. The documentation requirements are enormous. For certain repairs to be made, Pre-Authorization forms must be submitted and approved, prior to performing any work. For many other repairs, specific information must be recorded from the vehicle in question. If the information is incomplete, or, if it doesn't support the diagnosis, the warranty claim will be rejected, and the dealer loses. It's almost like working for an insurance company!

I think this trend will continue, as businesses strive to become more profitable and efficient. For the consumer, the writing is on the wall. Keep accurate records and save receipts. When it comes down to the customer vs. the manufacturer/retailer, whoever has the best paperwork wins.

rednecks at their finest. . .I wonder what in the heck that guy was trying to loosen. . . .

I've had good luck with Craftsman hand tools. I wouldn't touch anything with a motor or engine, but hand tools are good. The few times I've broken one, they take it back no questions asked.

I thought Sears bought K-Mart... K-Mart's headquarters is empty and all our K's turned into Sears or closed up.

Rust is not a defect... if the tool works as designed. Does it still fit on a rachet and turn a bolt? Then it's not "broken". If it's cracked, then it's broken. If the corners are rounded, then it will not function as designed. You sound like a whiner/complainer to me.

Good point, errr.....ahhhh.....ummmmmm, points. :D

Wrong...
 

My mother in law just bought and returned a new Vacuum cleaner from Sears in Rego Park, NY. Tried to use it once and the hose connection was so difficult she gave up and had me repack it in same box with EVERT SINGLE bag, spacer, styrofoam part.

Sears charged her 15% restock fee.

This is an 86 year old lady who has been a Sears customer for LIFE.

She stood in front of the manager and cut her Sears card into pieces and walked out.

I bought $1800 worth of appliances (Whirlpool Over/Under washer dryer, GE range, GE fridge) in the last 36 months at the same store. I pointed that out to the jerk and all he said was "What have you done for Sears lately?" My response was "Well I didn't kick your ass, so consider that you have had a good day!".

I have NEVER had a Sears card, their interest rate is higher than athe Mafia. I have AAA Credit rating (Credit Score of 720) and Do Not Owe a Single Loan/Bill/Lease. everyting is paid at the end of the month.

90% of what Sears sells is available elsewhere at same or lower price, and that is where I and the Mom in Law will be shopping from now on.

I stopped buying Craftsman 10 years ago and have been buying SK ever since. Broke a 1/4 in baby ratchet and admitted to them that I did "force it" a wee bit. SK replaced it with a new one and then sent the repaired unit back 3 weeks later (they said I shatterered the internal gear)and didn't charge me squat!

The Sears in Rego Park does not want White American customers, they want new immigrant 1st home buyers who are already in debt up to their asses so they can hope they miss a few payments and jack their rate into lunar orbit for life. I pointed out, in perfect Spanish, to the folks buying a fridge and range that the same items were available with FREE delivery for 20% less at Lowes and they did not have to use a Lowes card to get the price. (Sears had a "special price" of 15% off MSRP! but only if you have or open a Sears card account)...

Wooo Hooo Tie me down and screw me please!

First you sell at MAX profit, give me a Bullcrap discount only if I pay or sign up with a card that has a 29% rate!!! And all this is sold to you/me by a "Fellow Countryman"!

Well I just returned a ratchet to the local Sears Hardware, hardly a blink and I was on my way with a brand new one.

The ratched slipped, I don't think I even told the clerk what the problem was. Handed it to her and said something, bing she has somebody getting me a new one.