The "No BS Guarantee" is changing. I'm flying up to Golden, CO this week, which has a Duluth store. Since I don't have one in NM, on a trip like this I would take any firehose pants that I've worn holes in to swap them out for new ones. I called their Golden store and talked to Pete to see if this was still acceptable. I was told that, after this trip, they will no longer accept such a swap under "normal wear and tear".

I always knew their guarantee wasn't sustainable and it was only a matter of time.

Just a heads up to everyone. Sad day.

The important question is: What should the new guarantee be called?

quote:

The important question is: What should the new guarantee be called?

"Guarantee we don't accept BS returns."

Its the one year guarantee now, which does not cover normal wear and tear.

I was in the local store looking for some shorts. $70 retail price. Yeah right my ass am I paying that. Even at 40% off it would be a hard sell for me. I soon see they having problems. You cannot create a brand based of a certain promotion then take that away.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:

quote:

The important question is: What should the new guarantee be called?

"Guarantee we don't accept BS returns."

Someone from SEAR / Craftsman read them into the reason for SEARs demise (aka, accepting everything and anything for returns).

I'll just stick to the standard Carhart and knockoff brands for $25-30 and wear them out in 2-3 years, then toss and replace.

Sears quit doing that toward the end. A friend broke a flex socket. He was from out of town, I had a nearby sears, so I took the socket for replacement. Sears had quit carrying the individual flex sockets in the store, and only had them online, and the store wouldn't warranty the part.

I asked about the lifetime warranty.

"Oh, that's only for the lifetime of the part."

"So you mean that when the part breaks, it's no longer covered by the warranty."

"Exactly."

Dumbass.

I noted that the user was still alive, and that the store was obligated to either furnish a new socket by breaking open a set, or simply hand over the set: store choice, but the policy was clear.

I was less than impressed to be offered a "replacement" pistol under warranty by S&W for the brand new Shield that split during firing. All I had to do was pay more than retail, and they'd throw in free shipping. Piss poor.

I don't expect a clothing company to replace my clothing when it wears out, but I do expect the product to last a reasonable time with reasonable care. Tools are another matter.

quote:

Tools are another matter.

please clarify;
is 'the principle' the same as in 'service life' whether months-years for clothing any real difference from years-decades for tools?

all too often these guarantees are on the same level as a politician's campaign promise

LL Bean stopped their lifetime guarantee. Too many people buying yard sale items and then returning them for new ones.

You simply can't guarantee your product when people's integrity is what's guaranteed.

If Duluth isn't standing by there lifetime guarantee my shopping dollars will go elsewhere.

all they would have to do is set up a data base, and keep track of who was returning what .

Why spoil it for everyone because a few dozen people are working the system.

All returns are entered in to a file, and when Wilford's file hits the 4 entry "flag" number, over three years, you scrutinize him , and move his name to another file,
if he is working the system , send him a warning,about his return's

and eventually you might have to send Wilford a
letter notifying him that his days as a customer can continue , but he has reached hid return limit..

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
all they would have to do is set up a data base, and keep track of who was returning what .

Why spoil it for everyone because a few dozen people are working the system.

All returns are entered in to a file, and when Wilford's file hits the 4 entry "flag" number, over three years, you scrutinize him , and move his name to another file,
if he is working the system , send him a warning,about his return's

and eventually you might have to send Wilford a
letter notifying him that his days as a customer can continue , but he has reached hid return limit..

Easy to type on a forum, but would be really expensive to implement.

I worked for an electronics retailer in college. We had a “black hole” where returned merchandise was sold at a discount. It was soon found out that one family in particular was buying item, returning them, and then purchasing them back from the black hole.
In general, people tend to suck.

This is one of the reasons why stores are changing policies...


https://fortune.com/2018/01/11...-christmas-tree/amp/

At the risk of interjecting politics, these policies are sort of like socialism/communism. They can look like good ideas on paper, but when you enter actual human beings into the equation, it falls apart. Because people suck.

I'm fine with that. the flex fit are awesome. comfortable and durable. I try to get them whey they are 30 percent off. I pretty much wear their shorts all summer long. None of mine are even faded.

If you wear through them then go to the straight firehose pants!!! Wear and Tear never should have been covered in the first place!!! things wear out. Especially when you are in th trades and wearing them on a daily basis

I worked for a large outdoor brand which offered a lifetime guarantee for performance and workmanship in it's warranty. The unofficial moto was We'll bend over backwards to get your gear fixed but, we will not bend over forwards.

Normal wear & tear, abuse and pilot error were not covered, however accommodations and efforts towards positive customer service was at the discretion of the service folks. The amount of indignation and outrage was pretty comical as to what people 'thought' they should receive and how much they attempted to get-away with. The vast majority of customer's point of reference was 'I can get the same for half the price at Wal-Mart' was a constant joke.

REI used to stand for Return Equipment Indefinitely.

People did, treating it like a long term rental for zero money.

It doesn't work.

Duluth has treated me well. No complaints. Paid for returns and replacement without a hassle.

On the first day of opening of the new Georgia store, I brought my Firehose overalls with the broken adjusters. They were 10 years old, had paint on them, etc.

Got 48 bucks in store credit because it isn’t a product they carry anymore. I bought some new Firehose Flex overalls. Paid a few bucks more, but I’m cool with $48 for 10 year old overalls.

And I’ll keep shopping there for the things that I like.

quote:

Originally posted by sns3guppy:
Sears quit doing that toward the end. A friend broke a flex socket. He was from out of town, I had a nearby sears, so I took the socket for replacement. Sears had quit carrying the individual flex sockets in the store, and only had them online, and the store wouldn't warranty the part.

.

Someone is doing it wrong.

Literary last month I just swapped out seven or eight worn out tools including a few screwdrivers and a sliding t- handle in 1/4".

My only challenge was the t- handle. The store wanted to give me a gift card. A phone call to the corporate office corrected the issue. The store ordered the tool and had it sent to me.

quote:

Originally posted by signewt:
please clarify;
is 'the principle' the same as in 'service life' whether months-years for clothing any real difference from years-decades for tools?

all too often these guarantees are on the same level as a politician's campaign promise

You quoted me and then asked for clarification. I made no reference to "the principle" or to "service life." Upon which phrase that I did not say would you like clarification?

A lifetime or unlimited warranty has nothing to do with principle, nor service life.

As for people returning items that they didn't buy, but for which they seek replacement via warranty, that's the seller's problem. The seller needs to clarify if the warranty extends to the original buyer, or to the product. If it's a lifetime warranty on the product, then it doesn't matter where the customer got the item: if the warranty is to replace the item, then it must be replaced, regardless of who brings it in.

Buy a broken Snap-On tool in a pawnshop, and it can still be turned in at the truck for replacement or warranty. That said, I've seen more than a few truck owners (franchise) who welch out of the guarantee, often by saying the part is outdated and can't be replaced with new...but they're happy to sell another at a good price. (I've seen those "outdated" trade-ins back on the same truck, refurbished, and for sale, not long after).

If Duluth warrantied their clothing and refuses to stand behind the warranty, they have two problems; one is legal, and the other is customers who won't be returning.

Customers with a bad experience tell ten others. Customers with a good experience tell one. That 10:1 ratio is all the reason in the world for a business to work like hell to keep customers happy, because an upset customer is a lot more dangerous than any benefit derived from a happy one.

quote:

Originally posted by Otto Pilot:
It doesn't work.

That’s it.
And the only thing that’s surprising about such guarantees is that any companies still offer them. Brownells is (with some exceptions) one that comes to mind, but it may be that the clientele is not the average American.