Not like I enjoy going there, but I needed a new battery for my lawn tractor and they were the only place in town who carried one in that size.
So they were selling Die Hards, and I bought one.
5 months later it ended up with a dead cell.
When I returned it with the receipt, the cashier informed me Kmart does not honor Die Hard warranties, and she was clueless as to what to do next.
I called the 800 number on the side of the dead battery, and was informed I would have to go to the nearest Sears Auto Center (15 miles up the road in Capitola) to get the warranty honored.
The young lady there was very helpful, though at a loss as to why Kmart pulled that trick. I walked out with a new battery.
The new Die Hard no longer has the 1-800 number on the battery's label, so if you are stuck in the same situation I was, you won't know where to call.
Now check this press release our from prnewswire.com:
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Dec. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- In another visible example
of the integration between Sears and Kmart, Sears Holdings Corp.
(Nasdaq: SHLD) today announced the introduction of DieHard batteries in nearly
1,400 Kmart stores nationwide. DieHard batteries are already sold in 870
Sears full-line stores, Sears Auto Centers and through a limited number of
Sears Hardware, Sears Dealer and Orchard Supply Hardware stores. With the
rollout to Kmart, the DieHard brand is now available at more than 2,500
locations in the U.S.
"DieHard batteries, legendary for their performance, are America's most
preferred auto battery," said Rick Sawyer, vice president of Sears Automotive.
"The expansion of the DieHard brand to Kmart stores makes it even more
convenient for customers to shop for an auto battery. Now consumers can
select from the complete assortment of DieHard batteries in a self-service
shopping environment in Kmart stores," Sawyer said. Pricing at Kmart stores will be consistent with the everyday low pricing of DieHard batteries found at Sears and Sears Auto Centers.
Sears Adds DieHard(R) Batteries to Nearly 1,400 Kmart Stores Nationwide -- re> HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Dec. 7 /PRNewswire/ --
So, Mr. Sawyer, thanks for nothing. K-mart is generating sales off the credentials of the Die Hard brand with no liability assumed in case of product failure.
It's Interstate or AZ from here on out.