Ebay & Warranties
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Vernon Tull
ArboristSite Operative
Sellers on E-Bay always CLAIM that they do, but I don't know how it works.
The fellows on this board are overwhelmingly in favor of buying your equipment locally and helping to support the local economy and gaining a contact who can provide parts and service. I agree with that position whole-heartedly, but here in rural Alabama, I often can't find products (chainsaw or otherwise) in the local market. I'll drive 60 miles to shop with an independent dealer, but 80% of the time I still can't find the product I need, so I'm forced to do internet shopping.
So, like you, I often end up wondering about whether warranties are valid if purchased on E-Bay.
The fellows on this board are overwhelmingly in favor of buying your equipment locally and helping to support the local economy and gaining a contact who can provide parts and service. I agree with that position whole-heartedly, but here in rural Alabama, I often can't find products (chainsaw or otherwise) in the local market. I'll drive 60 miles to shop with an independent dealer, but 80% of the time I still can't find the product I need, so I'm forced to do internet shopping.
So, like you, I often end up wondering about whether warranties are valid if purchased on E-Bay.
Yes . If you buy a new chainsaw and get the factory warranty card and fill it out/send it in you are covered . This warranty is offered from the company ( Husqvarna , Echo , whoever, ect.. ) this in not a dealer warranty. You might get put in the back of the "fix it" line at the dealer but you are covered 100% I bought all my chainsaws off the internet , Ebay, as well as all my high dollar welding equipment . All covered 100% warranty .johnnybe said:
Four Paws
Addicted to ArboristSite
Vernon Tull said:
It is much the same here in Idaho. I live relatively close a large (for us) population center. The Shindaiwa dealer has been a help so far, so I support him. He orders my parts, and usually gets me free shipping by combining orders and/or ordering parts for the store. Only 2 days out on most stuff, so no biggie, and I pass by everyday on the way to/from work.
The Stihl dealer is a jerk and terrible business man. The 'nice' Stihl guys are about 65 miles away - nice display - nice inventory of new equipment, but the gas and time to get there doesn't make it too cost effective to shop there, especially considering they sell at suggested retail.
There are several Husqvarna dealers close by. The most knowledgable and helpful won't deal at all on price - suggested retail only. I go to them now for parts and service. I bet they wonder where I got my equipment! The other places have ????ty mechanics - both from hear-say and experience.
The Dolmar guys out here are SUPER! NO complaints! Great regional rep for parts, and quick turnaround times - new saws are next day, parts are 2 at most! I like my 5100S so much, I hope Dolmar gets it together and takes over the industry! They have the saws to do it...sounds like they need a better parts and service network...and it appears as if it is already in place in my neck of the woods!
I definitely don't want to deal with Lowes or Home Depot for Echo or Husky parts so why feel any obligation to keep it local and do business with them...
The only indy Echo dealer is pure white trash who's mechanic butchered my trimmer by beating the hub? to a pulp trying to get the bumphead mechanism off.....i watched them do it...and then they denied it and wouldn't repair it.
Not sure about indy Husky dealers but I hit some unattended child in a stroller in the leg with a 4x8 at a Lowes..and I'm a little nervous about that place. They should do like Space Mountain at Disney and have a height restriction in those zoos.........
The only indy Echo dealer is pure white trash who's mechanic butchered my trimmer by beating the hub? to a pulp trying to get the bumphead mechanism off.....i watched them do it...and then they denied it and wouldn't repair it.
Not sure about indy Husky dealers but I hit some unattended child in a stroller in the leg with a 4x8 at a Lowes..and I'm a little nervous about that place. They should do like Space Mountain at Disney and have a height restriction in those zoos.........
Some dealers have made people send it back to the online place of purchase for warranty. It does come with full warranty but wether the dealer will perform it or not is the question. The local dealer you buy from will be glad to help later.
oneadam12
ArboristSite Guru
it is nice to know that i am not the only one here with a local Stihl jerk!
any first hand experience out there?
...the Husky warranty is to the "original purchaser" while the Echo warranty is to the "first, original retail purchaser."
...so, are these Ebay sellers real first goods dealers or could they be considered resellers and thus the "original purchaser" making you the second purchaser and voiding the warranty?
...and concerning the Echo warranty: Is Ebay considered "retail?"
...Husky's proof of purchase includes providing the "complete name and address of the selling dealer" Echo's does not need that.
...what defines a dealer?...
...so who thinks that I should call customer service? :monkey:
...the Husky warranty is to the "original purchaser" while the Echo warranty is to the "first, original retail purchaser."
...so, are these Ebay sellers real first goods dealers or could they be considered resellers and thus the "original purchaser" making you the second purchaser and voiding the warranty?
...and concerning the Echo warranty: Is Ebay considered "retail?"
...Husky's proof of purchase includes providing the "complete name and address of the selling dealer" Echo's does not need that.
...what defines a dealer?...
...so who thinks that I should call customer service? :monkey:
Uwharrie
ArboristSite Operative
You should support your local dealer if you can. That said, sometimes you buy from Ebay sellers and need warranty service. A real authorized reseller should give you the option of sending it back for repair. In some situations you may have a dealer that will service no matter where you purchased it. Always ask these questions before spending you money. I understand from my Husqvarna Rep that they support internet sales. I sell new Husqvarna's on Ebay and we do support our customers with Professional Service.
spike60
Addicted to ArboristSite
I'm sure some of you guys will jump on me for this, but if someone came into my store with a Husky that they bought on E-BAY and wanted warranty service, we would just laugh at him. (Yes, we know when to make an exception for the guy who is new to the area, etc.)
When administrative costs are factored in, you make ZERO money on warranty work. Hence, we only do warranty work on products we actually sold. I think it is better to be up front with everyone on this rather than take in the item and keep it hostage for a month or more as some dealers do.
Our saw prices are very good, we stock lot's of parts, and provide great service to our customers. They are loyal to us, because we stand by them.
We are generally a fun place to do business. Regular customers often hang out for a while and have a cup of coffee, if they have the time and talk business or whatever. Saturday mornings the place is kind of a social hub for a lot of the guys. They come in to get their stuff and there is plenty of good natured arguing about saws or trucks. And we are always getting hit up for free hats. Sometimes it's a riot.
I think it's the kind of shop most of you guys would like to do business with. But the guy who buys off the web, and then wants us to solve his problems just doesn't fit into what we are doing here.
When administrative costs are factored in, you make ZERO money on warranty work. Hence, we only do warranty work on products we actually sold. I think it is better to be up front with everyone on this rather than take in the item and keep it hostage for a month or more as some dealers do.
Our saw prices are very good, we stock lot's of parts, and provide great service to our customers. They are loyal to us, because we stand by them.
We are generally a fun place to do business. Regular customers often hang out for a while and have a cup of coffee, if they have the time and talk business or whatever. Saturday mornings the place is kind of a social hub for a lot of the guys. They come in to get their stuff and there is plenty of good natured arguing about saws or trucks. And we are always getting hit up for free hats. Sometimes it's a riot.
I think it's the kind of shop most of you guys would like to do business with. But the guy who buys off the web, and then wants us to solve his problems just doesn't fit into what we are doing here.
Spike60,
I see some of the logic in your arguement, but my guess is that if you treat all customers the same, then the guy who bought Husky#1 off eBay (and got friendly warranty repair from you) may be more inclined to get his next saw(s) from you since he got treated well at your shop. It would make him feel more like part of the club, so to speak.
I see some of the logic in your arguement, but my guess is that if you treat all customers the same, then the guy who bought Husky#1 off eBay (and got friendly warranty repair from you) may be more inclined to get his next saw(s) from you since he got treated well at your shop. It would make him feel more like part of the club, so to speak.
...you make ZERO on warranty work! What! ...sounds ridiculous ...or do you mean that the manufacturer doesn't let you make what you would normally make out of warranty by using those flat rate books that let you look in a book that says a 45cc tune up is 2hrs labor...but since this is the worst case scenario and the mechanic can do these things in his sleep, he only takes 30 minutes and yet you bill the book rate? ..that's where the "good money" is in auto mechanics....
sawinredneck
Addicted to ArboristSite
Unfortunately it's not that easy johnny!!!! The shop will get "book rate" to fix the problem at a reduced rate, and NO time for diagnosis!!!! Ever try and figure out a problem on a brand new totally re-enginierd completely newly designed system? IT SUCKS!!!!!!! And takes time that you do not get paid for, to figure out where the engineers screwed up!!! Prime example: JD came out with these newfangled lawn mowers with a new handy dandy computer system on them, yes folks, thats right!!! Computers on lawn mowers, and this was 5 years ago. Anyway, turn the key a certain way and the fuel light flashes giving you the "code". THERE WERE NO MANUALS AVAILABLE AT THE TIME!!!! Try and diagnose an electrical problem on that dude!!! And chainsaws aren't much more fun, I got voted the official Stihl repair tech at another shop, because I had small engine knowledge, try and rebuild an 029 in book time as you're first chainsaw!!!!!!
This is why I will continue to support my local dealers as best I can, I have been there, this stuff is real, you don't make JACK on warranty, just on the sale and hopefully repeat business. You buy off the net, you'll be lucky to serviced at all!!!!! ( this is not meant for those of you out in the sticks, but if you have a decent dealer nearby, by all means support them!!!0
Sorry, another one of my rants,
Andy
This is why I will continue to support my local dealers as best I can, I have been there, this stuff is real, you don't make JACK on warranty, just on the sale and hopefully repeat business. You buy off the net, you'll be lucky to serviced at all!!!!! ( this is not meant for those of you out in the sticks, but if you have a decent dealer nearby, by all means support them!!!0
Sorry, another one of my rants,
Andy
sounds like the manufacturers are undermining a customers potential to have a jam-up initial warranty period no hassle tool by not motivating their service network toward this goal by NOT paying them fairly... so you get a better service experience when the tool is out of warranty...but first impressions are always more important and it may be to late for instilling brand loyalty and think of the other tools that are being purchased concurrently...
sawinredneck
Addicted to ArboristSite
Kinda close. but not all at the same time. Dealers are the link to manufaturing snafu's in a sense. And not everyone of the models produced will have the major meltdown, you hope!!! But there is always at least one of every model at every dealer that is a nightmare and you spend 3 days trying to fix and get paid .25 hours for it. Now if enough dealers have enough of the same problems a fix is worked out and a recall or TSB is established for that model, a serial number break is given and the newer models are fixed at the dealer, and so on. This is why the serial number is so important on many things!!!
Then the learning curve is established as well, anytime a mechanic is tearing into something the first time, he is going to loose his butt!! But each and everytime he gets faster and faster, I know of guys that can do a 1.5 hour flate rate job, in under .25 hour, just enough practice. But with some of this equipment, how many times are you going to actually do it? If it is just a fluke deal, you may tear into one saw and never see another on like it for 3 years!!!
And flate rate, the way this usually works, 1 guy tears the machine apart, knowing what is wrong with it, and puts it back together 3 times, the fastest is flat rate. Fine, but all of the tools and parts are inside of a 5 ft. radius, not very real world, I have spent 5 hours at the parts counter explaining what I needed, but oh well.
Another lengthy rant, but I hope it cleared it up a little better?
Andy
Then the learning curve is established as well, anytime a mechanic is tearing into something the first time, he is going to loose his butt!! But each and everytime he gets faster and faster, I know of guys that can do a 1.5 hour flate rate job, in under .25 hour, just enough practice. But with some of this equipment, how many times are you going to actually do it? If it is just a fluke deal, you may tear into one saw and never see another on like it for 3 years!!!
And flate rate, the way this usually works, 1 guy tears the machine apart, knowing what is wrong with it, and puts it back together 3 times, the fastest is flat rate. Fine, but all of the tools and parts are inside of a 5 ft. radius, not very real world, I have spent 5 hours at the parts counter explaining what I needed, but oh well.
Another lengthy rant, but I hope it cleared it up a little better?
Andy
aggiewoodbutchr
Addicted to ArboristSite
oneadam12 said:it is nice to know that i am not the only one here with a local Stihl jerk!
HAHA. I've got 3 jerks and 1 marginal dealer. The only good one I've delt with is now 3 hours away since I moved.
spike60
Addicted to ArboristSite
Another advantage to only doing my own warranty work is that I'll never receive a letter that reads: "Claim denied. Serial number not registered."
sawinredneck
Addicted to ArboristSite
spike60 said:
That is a point I cannot argue with!!!!
Andy
wagonwheeler
ArboristSite Guru
This is just how things go at my local dealer.
BTW, spike60...I'd sure like one of those hat now that you mention it! Too bad I can't be there to join in the truck talk...
Chaser
BTW, spike60...I'd sure like one of those hat now that you mention it! Too bad I can't be there to join in the truck talk...
Chaser
spike60 said:
