warrenty

[34Ply]

Broke a 1/2 extension so took it back to Sears because the store is closing soon. They wouldn't do anything because of the closing, told me to go to Lowes as that are doing warranties now. Got a new one without any problem except paper work. Just thought I'd let you know.

[slip knot]

Went in sears this afternoon, was looking to see if any bargains were available. was told all sales final with no returns for any reason. Even stamped it on the receipt. The local sears is closing after the holidays, but there isn't much left in the tool section.

[goodfellow]

Sears is turning down a lot of warranties lately. Just another nail in the coffin, and at this point in their bankruptcy they probably don't care about customer service anymore. With Harbor Freight moving into the "Harry Homeowner" and "Professional Quality" tool market, Sears has pretty much lost its value to most DIY guys like us.

[pep]

34Ply,
That's the way I see it, ACE HW,  is selling Craftsman also. Needed a 10mm deep socket, cause it went into the black hole on a car I was working on.

 Sears did not have one, notice ACE sporting the Craftsman line. Asked the clerk if they were going to honer the same warrenty, response was as long as they have them.

So time will tell ... I will say this and I think it is perfectly ligit.

Gone are the days some bozo goes to the flea market, picks up  junk tools, to return them. That's exactly one reason Sears in on its way out. People like that killed the golden goose.
Pep

[goodfellow]

............. I will say this and I think it is perfectly ligit.

Gone are the days some bozo goes to the flea market, picks up  junk tools, to return them. That's exactly one reason Sears in on its way out. People like that killed the golden goose.
Pep

Absolutely agree! That "Lifetime Warranty" turned out to be a disaster. I know many guys that have both tool truck and Craftsman hand tools in their boxes. The Craftsman tools are reserved for the jobs that may cause damage when the guys want to preserve their expensive truck investments. Craftsman's warranty, ease of return, and geographic presence led many to abuse the tools. The crap jobs almost always were reserved for Craftsman.

I hope that unconditional lifetime warranty disappears and is replaced with a more realistic limited warranty.

[J.A.F.E.]

Sears has no reason to do anything anymore it is a zombie company. Just too bad they aren't getting enough brains.

[bonneyman]

Well guys, I respectfully disagree....a little.

I kinda have to fess up here. I've found Craftsman tools in the middle of the road, and taken them back and swapped them out for new. And I don't feel bad about it. The tool has the warranty - not the person - so, no matter who brings the tool in for warranty, Sears had to cover it. They made their money by selling the tool with the warranty as a selling feature. If Joe Schmuck dropped it off his truck - or one of his kids gave it away at a swap meet - that shouldn't void the warranty. What's the difference to Sears if I turn it in or Joe does? Especially if they advertized it with a lifetime warranty? Now, should they have been so generous? Probably not, but that's not the issue.

I used to buy Craftsman tools because they were decent and easily available - and because of the warranty. Now when I buy used Craftsman tools I don't even think about the warranty - I buy them because they're old and I know they're good.

[highland512]

I hope that unconditional lifetime warranty disappears and is replaced with a more realistic limited warranty.

How dare you shout out such blasphemy 🤫
You would be burned at the stake on other sites for saying that......but the truth hurts sometimes

[J.A.F.E.]

I hope that unconditional lifetime warranty disappears and is replaced with a more realistic limited warranty.

It worked for the brand and for Sears for a lot of decades. But times and customers changed and Sears did not. Bonneyman makes an excellent point and is exactly right. Some hardware or store managers, sometimes even cashiers, made arbitrary rules about exchanges but a satisfaction guarantee is not a warranty and no matter how sensible those changes might have been they violated the spirit and letter of contract between Sears and the customer. If it was a problem Sears should have modified it. Snap-on has modified their warranty from time to time and when it makes good business sense they'll likely change it again.

As the owner of the name Craftsman SBD will do whatever they feel is in their best interest on the satisfaction guarantee. The Lowes millennial customer is a different than the Sears customer was and expectations are different. Whatever those changes are likely it won't make any difference to me. I won't be buying the tools and I don't own Lowes or SBD stock so my interest is pretty limited.

[Uncle Buck]

I am not counting on any warranty with anyone else. A week ago when I was at Lowes they said they do not have open stock Craftsman brand tools so they cannot warranty them. I have not tried Ace yet, but don't expect much better with them.

I am just glad I am not buying many tools anymore.

[J.A.F.E.]

I am not counting on any warranty with anyone else. A week ago when I was at Lowes they said they do not have open stock Craftsman brand tools so they cannot warranty them. I have not tried Ace yet, but don't expect much better with them.

I am just glad I am not buying many tools anymore.

Call Craftsman customer service 888-331-4569 or contact via email through their FAQ page.

https://www.craftsman.com/customer-care

[coolmercury]

Old story---About 20 years ago I bought a straight shaft trimmer which included string, saw blade etc.  It was a Craftsman and cost big bucks (In the $199.00 range in the 90's).  It never ran right and was back to Sears repair shop several times.  The last time it was nearly $80.00 for the repair.  About a week later it would not start and I threw it in the dumper.  My wife sees it in the dumper and reminds me that Sears advertises "satisfaction or your money back".  As I was still pissed off I threw it in the truck and took it to the local large Sears store.  I walked in with it over my shoulder with the saw blade on it and went to the service counter.  Can I help you, Yes, I want my money back since I'm not satisfied.  After much discussion they send me to the manager, people get out of my way as I walk through the store to get to his office--maybe the saw blade or my ratty work clothes.  Manager asks me how long have you had this machine----about two years and it has been back for repair four times and has never worked correctly.  We then had a few words and he says, I will give you your money back, but I have to have the original receipt. I guess he figured I didn't have a receipt, but I went home and got it, took it back.  He then would not talk to me, but had his secretary deal with me and gave me the original full price back.  It may be the "satisfaction or your money back" was a mistake.

[goodfellow]

........ It may be the "satisfaction or your money back" was a mistake.

I may be generalizing, but truly believe that policy was from a time when most people clearly understood the difference between right and wrong. Sure there were abuses, but for the most part decent folks would not abuse the policy. Fast forward 50 years and the moral character of our country has gone into the dumpster. People specialize in abusing the system -- any system (Social Security, disability, welfare, food stamps, -- you name it.) I know a lady in my neighborhood that was a retail sales manager at a local mall -- theft (they call it "shrinkage") and abuse are much more rampant these days than in the 1980's when she started working. Case in point -- she said that at one of her previous locations they had an almost 50% return rate of evening gowns and dresses right after New Years Eve. People buy it, wear it once to the celebration, and return it the next day. That kind of rampant shenanigans was not part of our culture when I was growing up.

[bonneyman]

I am not counting on any warranty with anyone else. A week ago when I was at Lowes they said they do not have open stock Craftsman brand tools so they cannot warranty them. I have not tried Ace yet, but don't expect much better with them.

I am just glad I am not buying many tools anymore.

When I worked at Ace Hardware the policy was we would exchange any tool that we carried or had the equivalent of. Being we were a small store, our inventory wasn't very extensive. So there were a fair amount of warranty customers that we had to turn away. But ratchets and sockets and alot of wrenches we did have.

[stokester]

........ It may be the "satisfaction or your money back" was a mistake.

I may be generalizing, but truly believe that policy was from a time when most people clearly understood the difference between right and wrong. Sure there were abuses, but for the most part decent folks would not abuse the policy. Fast forward 50 years and the moral character of our country has gone into the dumpster. People specialize in abusing the system -- any system (Social Security, disability, welfare, food stamps, -- you name it.) I know a lady in my neighborhood that was a retail sales manager at a local mall -- theft (they call it "shrinkage") and abuse are much more rampant these days than in the 1980's when she started working. Case in point -- she said that at one of her previous locations they had an almost 50% return rate of evening gowns and dresses right after New Years Eve. People buy it, wear it once to the celebration, and return it the next day. That kind of rampant shenanigans was not part of our culture when I was growing up.

REI famously changed their return policy because of abuse.  There are stories of customers bringing back food wrappers saying that they were not satisfied as well as others combing the thrift shops and flea markets for worn shoes and clothing items in any condition that they could trade for new.

[J.A.F.E.]

There is always someone willing to abuse the system no matter which system it is. I was in Costco one day a few years back waiting to renew my membership and in this store that line is next to the return line. A guy in the return line had what looked like a 10 year old printer he was trying to return. No cords, no software, no box and of course no receipt. The return clerk was saying Costco never sold that printer and this moron is insisting he did. Naturally he had kids with him teaching them honesty and integrity. I don't know what the outcome was they were still discussing the situation when I was done but no wonder Costco changed it's return policy.

Companies must be aware of the abuse and find some level where the losses from abuse and customer considerations balance. Some, like Costco, seem to find a reasonable balance.

[ken w.]

I went into Lowes today to exchange a Craftsman Philips screwdriver. I was told they only carry Craftsman tool sets  and can't warranty screwdrivers at this time. Maybe in the future. I will see what Ace Hardware  has to say.

[slip knot]

As a young man just starting out I abused the system a lot on Craftsman tools. They were my go to tools. Crafty 1/2er ratchets were gold back then. Beat on them, cheater pipe, submerge them in whatever. they were garanteed I recall taking one to get rebuilt just about everyday on one project in east Texas.

I would be too embarrassed to do that today, but back then that was it was. we was too poor to buy another one.

I don't recall getting many new ratchets, mostly rebuild kits. and a few that were rebuilt and just traded out.

[DeadNutz]

I've never had to warranty a CM tool and have been using them for well over 40 years. I have found or ended up with buying used tools several 3/8dr 5/8 deep sockets that were cracked. I didn't buy them new or break them so I threw them in the scrap and would never warranty them. I just don't have it in me to do that.

[bonneyman]

I've only seen Craftsman sockets cracked - never had one do that during use. I had had one or two strip out after many years, but heck - I've seen stripped out Bonney sockets! If a fastener gets worn or damaged and it's in a high torque situation I think sockets are going to strip out, regardless of the brand.
I've seen more flare fittings buggared than regular hex bolts - I guess most flare wrenches run a bit big on tolerance or they start spreading under load and slip.

[ken w.]

Yesterday I took my mother to the only Sears store left in the Buffalo area to get some winter cloths. I brought my 2 screwdrivers in for warranty and they exchanged them without a problem. They said this store wasn't closing as of yet.  While I was there I picked up 2 Craftsman  hex / torx bit socket sets that are normally $ 99.95 for $ 24.95 each. Christmas presents for my nephews.