Craftsman Tools-warranty

[SDMike]

What a joke. Just spent 15 minutes on the phone with someone who could barely speak english regarding a broken, 1/2 drive, impact swivel. Not that rare. Evidently they are out of stock and do no know when they will be getting any more.
I Tried Ace (Deer in the headlights) Tried Lowes, gave me this 888-331-4569 number. After pressing 2,1,3,9,2 to finally get to somebody, they at first even couldn't find the model number 18757, then I told them the replacement numbers (from ebay) 23765 or 919492, the person said both were unavailable and to call back in a month or two to re-check. Really, just take my name and address and when 1 becomes available, send it to me, pretty simple concept.

Pretty sure I have bought my last Craftsman anything. Rant over, sorry.

Mike

 

[dr sportster]

Why would they pay shipping to send it to you ? It is out of stock just keep checking back until you find one to exchange. The warranty did not change.

 

[DRussell]

For warranty replacement they should either pay shipping or ship it to the closest store that sells Craftsman.

 

[M-MAN]

ACE has a service desk and someone who will look up and order any Craftsman tool for you in a few minutes time. They will also take your name and number and call you when it gets there. Pretty simple if you ask me. I just did it with a socket last Thursday. It came in Tuesday.

In case you haven't noticed a lot of stuff is in short supply now a day's.

 

[SDMike]

I tried 2 different Ace stores. Unless it is hanging on their pegboard, they told me they couldn't help me.

 

[Gambles]

What they should have said was that they WOULDNT help you. My local Ace store has a total of three employees, one employee on the first day of hunting season. I went to high school with the owner. A couple of months ago, I found a 1/4 Craftsman ratchet that couldnt be fixed. I went to the owner and asked if he was paying for warranty or if Craftsmen/Ace was paying for warranty. He told me that it would cost him nothing to get me a new ratchet, which he got me within a week.
That being said, Im not taking any sides here, except to say that its my opinion that Chinese Craftsman tools are junk.

 

[M-MAN]

Strange. ACE stores in two neighboring counties are independently owned, fully staffed and will do anything they can to help their customers. I think that's their way of competing with the big box stores nearby. Both have service desks that take care of stuff like that. It might not be a bad idea to ask for the manager if the employees are unwilling to help you.

BTW, Stanley/Black and Decker which owns Craftsman now has brought a lot of their manufacturing back to the states in the last two years. One large plant near Charlotte NC.

 

[Loosehandle]

Same here, they only sell sets. May as well forget it and start buying another brand.

 

[Dusty MI]

(quoted from post at 13:28:54 06/17/21) Strange. ACE stores in two neighboring counties are independently owned, fully staffed and will do anything they can to help their customers. I think that's their way of competing with the big box stores nearby. Both have service desks that take care of stuff like that. It might not be a bad idea to ask for the manager if the employees are unwilling to help you.

BTW, Stanley/Black and Decker which owns Craftsman now has brought a lot of their manufacturing back to the states in the last two years. One large plant near Charlotte NC.

I think they also own DeWalt.

 

[Tom in TN]

My 3/4 inch, shallow well (normal depth), 1/2 inch drive broke. I checked for warranty replacement at Lowe's. They did not have one single socket in 1/2 inch drive that was not metric size. I checked for warranty replacement at ACE today. They have a socket but it's a 12 point. My broken one is a 6 point. I didn't do anything about the 12 point. I'm just going to wait until I can find a 6 point from any reputable manufacturer.

I really miss Sears.

Tom in TN

 

[zuhnc]

I broke the tip off a 3/4" drive Kobalt breaker bar - the bar didn't bend at all. Went to my local (25 miles away) Lowe's. They didn't have one and suggested I call the phone number they gave me for Kobalt. Not in service :-(. Web site not available, either. Did a Google (tm) search for the tool, and found one at a Lowe's 45 miles away. Called them, and they put it under the counter for me to pick up later. A couple of days later I went to the store and exchanged the tool - no questions asked as to how it got broken. Good service at that store. I would agree - most of today's tools are not of the quality of yesteryear, and warranty service is hit or miss, mostly miss. zuhnc

 

[tractorguy2]

NAPA auto parts now sell Craftsman tools.

 

[504]

Nobody is going to pay shipping for a free replacement. Just keep looking,every week I see someone else is selling Craftsman. I just stop at the local pawn shop and pay a buck or two for different tools.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

This is why Sears is out of business. They threw away all their profits making good on the unsustainable business model of offering lifetime warranty no questions asked on their tools.

Maybe if the rest of the world hadn't rebuilt after WWII they could have continued, but like many American companies they thought the unfettered growth of the 1950's would continue forever. Nobody stopped to think that the reason America was doing so well is because the rest of the world was either just emerging from the stone age, or had just been bombed back to the stone age. Nobody counted on the rest of the world rebuilding and/or modernizing.

The lifetime warranty policy was based on continued, constant, and unending growth.

 

[MJMJ]

LOL

Sears didn't fail because of their tool warranty.

 

[ldj]

X2 on not failing because of warranty. I've bought Craftsman tools since 1962 and have had only 2 replaced on warranty.

 

[kencombs]

I recently received a warranty replacement for a failed Craftsman. 3/8 drive, Long handle with and upward bend and flex head. I bought it just before the local Sears closed, now none within 50 miles.

So, emailed Craftsman using the info from their web site. Had to send pics of the bad one but got a new on in the mail in about 2 wks.

And, this was the second ratchet that they've done that for me. the other was one of the really fine toothed 'premium' 1/4 drive versions.

I was also frustrated by Lowes, Ace, and others but the email contact work fine.

And the new Dewalt-Black and Decker designs are much better that the later Craftsman stuff. Really fine toothed, low back drag and no reversing too easily or under pressure.

 

[DaleinWV]

Seems the three Lowes within 25 miles of me stock replacement sockets in 6pt for 1/4 and 3/8 drive, and 12pt for 1/2 drive. So they've referred me to the 888# for the two cracked/split 3/8 drive 12pt sockets.

I miss Sears, too.