[AT] Shopping season, support patriotic business

[Ronald L. Cook]

In the for what its worth department, I personally know of some letter 
carriers in this area that frequent pawn shops within 100 miles and go 
to many farm or estate auctions and always pick up all the Craftsman 
tools they can.  In the past, they just took them to Sears and traded 
them in for new ones and then from time to time would sell these "new" 
tools at quite a discount and might I add, at a large margin.  All cash 
transactions.  That kind of crap would have to really put a dent in 
Sears if it is widespread.  It certainly is, or at least was, amongst 
the letter carriers in this area.  May have been some help from the 
Sears personnel, too.

Of course I am of the opinion that the original warranty should be 
followed, but I can see why it is changing.  I do not think the quality 
of the tools is good enough anymore to allow the previous warranties.

Ron Cook
Salix, IA

Dean Van Peursem wrote:
> Ron,
> 
> I haven't checked lately but my recollection is that only the box end and open
> end Craftsman branded wrenches hand tools and maybe sockets have the lifetime
> warranty any more. Any tool that has moving parts within the tool such as
> ratchets or torque wrenches have a very limited warranty with some as low as 90
> days. Each tool package has to be read carefully to find out what the warranty
> is for each specific tool. Be very careful.  We have all been conditioned by
> previous experience/advertising that any tool that was branded Craftsman had a
> lifetime warranty. No so any more at all. In fact it is a bit difficult to find
> out what the warranty for a specific tool is sometimes, especially when ordering
> on-line. To find out what the warranty is on a specific tool it is necessary to
> fill out an online form and request the information as follows:
> 
> http://www.sears.com/shc/s/nb_10153_12608_NB_CSwarrantyinformation?adCell=A3
> 
> There has been a steady erosion away from the Craftsman brand Lifetime Warranty
> over the last few years. I've had a few confrontations with them over specific
> tools that I purchased under the lifetime warranty that no longer have it on the
> new Craftsman versions. Save your old Craftsman tool catalogs for your warranty
> protection that was active at the time of the tool purchase. A rather subtle,
> secretive and unannounced shift in their warranty policy. My only real quarrel
> with them is they are not honoring the original warranty that was in effect at
> the time of the purchase. A company cannot change their original warranty on a
> product that it was sold under. Sears is doing that. IMHO that is unethical. On
> new products/sales they can make the warranty anything they want as long as they
> make an attempt to clearly inform the customer properly. I'm a bit surprised
> that there hasn't been a bigger stink made of this such as a class action suit. 
> 
> Dean Van Peursem
> Apache Junction, AZ