how to exchange Husky brand tools?
N8N
as someone who's in the habit of buying tools at yard sales, often I
end up with stuff that's nearing the end of its useful life span and
therefore about once a year or so I'll take a small box full of
sockets, ratchets, screwdrivers, etc. that have
broken/stripped/whatever back to sears and exchange them for shiny new
ones. I did so yesterday and in the bottom of the box was one 5/8"
Husky socket that had cracked when attempting to loosen something that
must have been rusted. Since there was a HD 2 blocks away from sears I
just went over there and walked into the tool dept., there was a big
banner over the socket and wrench display "Lifetime Warranty! Ask an
associate for details." So I did. Associate was pretty clueless.
Tried HD's web site and no info there either.
Should I just toss the socket in the trash, or is HD's policy on
sockets similar to Sears and I just spoke to someone sans clue?
nate
PS - another store peeve, walked into Sears to exchange my stuff, I
picked out all the sockets and wrenches I needed myself and brought
them to the counter. I also had an old 1/4" drive ratchet that would
only ratchet one way, I asked her if they had a drawer full of rebuilt
ones or if I should go pick out a new one. She looked at it with total
confusion for a few seconds and then took it and walked over to the guy
who was stocking the shelves and, I swear, asked him what "this spinny
flippy thing" was and where they could be found, and then giggled like
she'd said something cute. Fortunately the guy knew where they could
be found, but he also didn't know about the drawer. (I swear there is
one; Sears almost never gives you a *new* ratchet on a warranty
exchange.) Somewhere in this exchange, someone asked the girl how long
she'd been working there, she answered "six months."
Maybe I'm turning into a crotchety old man before my time, but IMHO if
you've been working in the tool department for six months and you can't
properly identify a 1/4" drive ratchet, that's not cute, that's
ignorant.
I also wish that Sears still sold the 1 cent "rebuilt kits" for the old
ratchets... I'd rather rebuild my 40 year old ones than get a new one,
thanks...
PPS - FWIW I have yet to have to find a Snap-On dealer to exchange any
of the Snap-On stuff that I've acquired. Same goes for the K-D tools
that I inherited from my grandfather. Interpret that however you will.
John S.
remember buying a 1/4 inch drive socket set at Advance Auto a couple of
years ago. Snap On's I've seen at Fairfax Auto and of course they have
route salesmen servicing repair shops.
Yeah, I understand exactly your frustration with Sears. At one time
the tool department was staffed by career sales guys who knew the
equipment. And they could be counted on to have just about everything,
including ignition pliers which I still have. As with other retailers
they replaced well-paid knowlegable staff with minimum wage high
schoolers and service has suffered.
N8N
less than a mile from Economy on Pickett (same chain) I will definitely
have to file that away! Last time I was in there (years ago; I usually
go to Annapolis Auto Parts because it's more convenient to me) I
thought they were selling K-D or maybe S-K but things may have changed
in the intervening years.
I knew about the "route guys" I just have never had to bother searching
one out. There's a guy that lives about a block away from me that
drives a Matco truck as well, but again, haven't had any need to
introduce myself (although if I ever do run into him, I'll certainly be
friendly)
nate
Kruse
> N8N wrote:
> Tried HD's web site and no info there either.
I've seen Home Depot advertise on TV that the HUSKY brand is warranted
for life. I've always ASSUMED that you could just walk in and exchange
it.
I had a real long 1/2 drive ratchet that was about 25 years old from
Craftsman. It broke and I tried to exchange it and the only thing close
is one that is nowhere similar. I, too, wish they could just give out
rebuild kits.
larry moe 'n curly
N8N wrote:
> as someone who's in the habit of buying tools at yard sales, often I
> end up with stuff that's nearing the end of its useful life span and
> therefore about once a year or so I'll take a small box full of
> sockets, ratchets, screwdrivers, etc. that have
> broken/stripped/whatever back to sears and exchange them for shiny new
> ones. I did so yesterday and in the bottom of the box was one 5/8"
> Husky socket that had cracked when attempting to loosen something that
> must have been rusted. Since there was a HD 2 blocks away from sears I
> just went over there and walked into the tool dept., there was a big
> banner over the socket and wrench display "Lifetime Warranty! Ask an
> associate for details." So I did. Associate was pretty clueless.
> Tried HD's web site and no info there either.
> Should I just toss the socket in the trash, or is HD's policy on
> sockets similar to Sears and I just spoke to someone sans clue?
I live within walking distance of a HD and a Lowe's that are almost
across the street from one another, and the HD employees are pretty
smart while the people at Lowe's walk around headless and literally
couldn't find the air conditioners in the middle of July. The HD
manager used to work in construction, while the idiot in charge of the
Lowe's, Scott Jones, seems like he's never even touched a hammer.
When HD started to carry Husky, they even offered to warrant Sears
Craftsman tools by exchanging them for Huskys. So I'd go back to HD
and try again. Of course you don't want to mention that you obtained
the tools second-hand. ;)
> PS - another store peeve, walked into Sears to exchange my stuff, I
> picked out all the sockets and wrenches I needed myself and brought
> them to the counter. I also had an old 1/4" drive ratchet that would
> only ratchet one way, I asked her if they had a drawer full of rebuilt
> ones or if I should go pick out a new one. She looked at it with total
> confusion for a few seconds and then took it and walked over to the guy
> who was stocking the shelves and, I swear, asked him what "this spinny
> flippy thing" was and where they could be found, and then giggled like
> she'd said something cute. Fortunately the guy knew where they could
> be found, but he also didn't know about the drawer. (I swear there is
> one; Sears almost never gives you a *new* ratchet on a warranty
> exchange.) Somewhere in this exchange, someone asked the girl how long
> she'd been working there, she answered "six months."
It seems to depend on the store manager. The Sears closest to me went
from good to poor when a jerk named Coy Shoemaker took over and tried
to improve the bottom line with a "get tough on customers" policy.
Apparently he's now gone.
ks
tools. Sounds like Sears et al should revise their policies.
"Lifetime" should apply only to the original purchasor.
I work for an auto parts store and we carry several "lifetime" products. for
any warranty request, we need to see the original invoice, or no warrranty.
Customers are made aware of this.
Nate Nagel
I'm not abusing anything. I buy tools, when they break, I exchange
them. Are they lifetime warrantied or not? that's the only question
that needs to be answered. If they aren't, well, I wouldn't buy Sears
tools, I'd only buy good quality ones like S-K and Snap-On. If Sears
has a problem with what I'm doing, they should change their policy.
nate
--
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fweddybear
news:e5tdj...@news1.newsguy.com...
Sears tools break as well....
Fwed
Nate Nagel
That's my point! the only reason I don't just throw them out when I buy
a lot of tools, or stop there when I need a new tool, is the lifetime
warranty. If it weren't for that I would pay the premium to buy good tools.
Pete C.
Sears is well aware of what their warranty policy is. Recall their TV
commercials showing the guy dropping a wrench off a boat and the vo "The
only time you'll need to buy another Craftsman tool" or something like
that. Their bean counters do the math and know what the cost of the
warranty is and determine that it brings in more business than it costs
to warranty for life.
Pete C.
PRose
07:26:09 -0700, in message
<1149171968.9...@f6g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>, N8N would say:
> Hi all,
>
> as someone who's in the habit of buying tools at yard sales, often I
> end up with stuff that's nearing the end of its useful life span and
> therefore about once a year or so I'll take a small box full of
> sockets, ratchets, screwdrivers, etc. that have
> broken/stripped/whatever back to sears and exchange them for shiny new
> ones. I did so yesterday and in the bottom of the box was one 5/8"
> Husky socket that had cracked when attempting to loosen something that
> must have been rusted. Since there was a HD 2 blocks away from sears I
> just went over there and walked into the tool dept., there was a big
> banner over the socket and wrench display "Lifetime Warranty! Ask an
> associate for details." So I did. Associate was pretty clueless.
> Tried HD's web site and no info there either.
>
> Should I just toss the socket in the trash, or is HD's policy on
> sockets similar to Sears and I just spoke to someone sans clue?
Try going to the return desk and tell them the socket broke and you'd like
to exchange it for an unbroken one. That should work.
HTH,
PRose
John S.
Agree completely.