that's strange. the only reason I use craftsman _anything_ anymore is
because I expressly plan to abuse it and want to be able to take it back
and get a new one when I've destroyed it. I'm on my fifth huge flathead
screwdriver, and third 3/8 inch ratchet. most recently I destroyed the
ratchet at the boneyard when I forgot my breaker bar (also a craftsman,
second one). there were marks from the cheater bar on the handle, and the
mechanism was completely gone. the droid exchanged it without a question
and was actually helpful in that he had to order another one because this
is one of their "pro" (or something, it doesn't look like the ones they
sell now) ratchets. there is _no_ way any of the local tool guys would
even let me on the truck with some of the things I've returned at sears. I
always figured that even if the sears droid noticed all the obvious signs
of abuse, he wouldn't know what they meant. and if he did, I figured I'd
win the ensuing argument. and if that _still_ didn't work, I'd go back
later and exchange it when a different droid was there. I don't think I've
spent any money at sears for a few years now, but I keep getting the tools.
oh, the s/o bought me a compressor, but it's a devilbliss in red craftsman
paint. I feel pretty confident with that.
a shame about your tools, michael. ship 'em to me if you want, and I'll
swap 'em. I didn't know sears employed 'knowledgeable' people. that's why
you left, huh?
-----Original Message-----
From: Michael D. Porter [SMTP:mdporter@rt66.com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 1999 8:18 AM
To: jvanho01@tir.com; shop-talk@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Craftsman Wrenches
Here's some ABC-type information--I worked for Sears in 1966 and 1967.
One of the worst experiences I've had dealing with people was at
Christmas of 1966. Sears had marketed a combination 8mm/super 8mm film
projector, just in time for Christmas--they hadn't tested it, and it was
a horrible piece of shit--it ate film faster than any shredder could. I
was just a flunky in the camera department--I wasn't selling these
things. The Sears store I worked in had sold a ton of these beasts the
two weeks before Christmas, and about four or five days before
Christmas, these things were coming back in droves.
Did the company say, this item is defective, and we will refund your
money, or offer you a rain check on a better item? No. On orders from
the company, I spent most of those four days taking the returned
projectors and repackaging them to look as if they were in new packaging
and either bringing them out for sale or exchange. There were hundreds
of unhappy people that Christmas, and I knew why. I didn't like doing
it, and I argued about it, but it did no good. This was not a cheap item
at the time, either--about $130 retail (in 1966, that was quite a bit of
money).
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