Totally Useless Warranty, as Usual

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Speedo66

Speedo66

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I have some Victorinox paring knives, had them for a while and they're worn out. The tips are broken off on a couple. So while looking for new ones, I saw on their site they boasted they had a lifetime warranty. OK.

I contact them about if the warranty includes the broken tips, and I get this back:

"Thank you for your request. We recommend sending your cutlery into our repair center In Monroe, CT. Once your repair is received our technicians will perform an evaluation on your cutlery. If there is a problem with repairing your cutlery we will keep in contact with you after we have received it to go over your options.

Please be advised there is a $10.00 fee that is associated with repairs for shipping and handling."

Wait, so in addition to the cost for me to send it to them there is a $10 fee for them to evaluate whether they will fix or replace a knife that retails for about $8?

How's that for a great lifetime warranty?
 
I have a Victorinox Swiss Army knife. Years ago, I broke the tip off the blade, and sent it in for warranty repair. They notified me that it was due to abuse. I could have them return it as-is, pay $5 (again YEARS ago) to repair it and replace all of the worn parts, or pay $30 (about half of retail at the time) for a new one. I opted to have it repaired. I would expect you to have a similar dealing, so it probably won't be worth it.
 
those victorinox paring knives are some of best on market and are incredible value with or without warranty,they will last you long time
 
Years ago I picked up a Wenger SAK that had been damaged, most likely from being dropped on a hard surface. One of the scales was broken and the knife was totally sprung. I bought it from a local department store for pennies on the dollar. Contacted the importer (I think it was Gutmann Cutlery), and asked them if they could give me an estimate on repairs. They told me to send it in and they would contact Wenger about getting it fixed. Some time passed and they finally sent it back to me. It was completely repaired and no charge for anything, not even for the postage! It's the one on the bottom left.

 
Speedo66 said:
I have some Victorinox paring knives, had them for a while and they're worn out. The tips are broken off on a couple. So while looking for new ones, I saw on their site they boasted they had a lifetime warranty. OK.

I contact them about if the warranty includes the broken tips, and I get this back:

"Thank you for your request. We recommend sending your cutlery into our repair center In Monroe, CT. Once your repair is received our technicians will perform an evaluation on your cutlery. If there is a problem with repairing your cutlery we will keep in contact with you after we have received it to go over your options.

Please be advised there is a $10.00 fee that is associated with repairs for shipping and handling."

Wait, so in addition to the cost for me to send it to them there is a $10 fee for them to evaluate whether they will fix or replace a knife that retails for about $8?

How's that for a great lifetime warranty?
Click to expand...
They aren't charging you $10 to evaluate the repair, but charging $10 for the return shipping.
 
Speedo66 said:
If that's the case, it's certainly no better. The knife weighs next to nothing, it would cost much less than that to ship a meat cleaver.
Click to expand...
How often do you ship stuff?:scrutiny:
I just weighed and measured three of my meat cleavers. The average weight is 16.5oz, the average length is 13".
A USPS Medium Flat Rate box is $13.60 and would fit only the shortest.
Shipping that same package via UPS Ground from Dallas to Little Rock runs $10.17

Please let me know where you are getting better rates.
 
I think they already had that figured out when they offer the "Lifetime Warranty." If you've used the knife for many years & you like it, it's better to just buy another one. But I wouldn't expect much from an $8.00 knife. I suggest you look at "Mercer" knives. Very reasonably priced & much more durable.
 
Customers paying shipping and handling charges is a standard Victorinox requirement in EU also. But their warranty job is second to none - a friend of mine sent his old Swiss Tool to them to replace a broken screwdriver tip. Victorinox returned the tool with not only the tip replaced, but the blade, the saw and couple of other small tools that were only worn, but not broken. Those repairs were not requested, but yet they did them and everything was free of charge, they charged only 10 euro for shipping. So I would refrain from using the term "useless" when describing Victorinox warranty...
BTW, you have an $8 knife with tip broken from hard use - what do you expect exactly from Victorinox, to send you a new knife free of charge? Just asking for a friend...
 
Yes, that's what a lifetime warranty implies. One company here, LL Bean, has a lifetime warranty on all their products. If you return it to them damaged, they replace free and pick up the return costs.

Same applies to Sportsman's Guide and other companies here.
 
Speedo66 said:
Yes, that's what a lifetime warranty implies..
Click to expand...
No it doesn't. A "lifetime warranty" means nothing. A Federal law (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuson–Moss_Warranty_Act has specific requirements on how warranties are advertised, used and the language used in the warranty. There are two types, full and limited. You confuse "lifetime warranty" with a "full warranty"......and the requirements for such warranties are completely different.

You WANT a free replacement, you WANT free shipping both ways.........but that isn't implied or suggested in any Victorinox warranty.


One company here, LL Bean, has a lifetime warranty on all their products. If you return it to them damaged, they replace free and pick up the return costs.

Same applies to Sportsman's Guide and other companies here
Click to expand...
And you are paying extra for such service.

It should be noted that many companies do not offer any warranty whatsoever.....Ruger is one. This has more to do with the way Magnuson Moss is written than Rugers willingness to repair or replace.
 
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I sent in an old SAK a few years ago with 2 broken tips. They sent it back overhauled with 2 new blades installed,new tweezers and toothpick. Later that month I received an invoice for $5 for shipping. I sent a check,but they never cashed it.
 
"...they're worn out..." Paring knives do not wear out. They do get dull just like any knife. The point will break if you try and use it as a screwdriver or trying to break up frozen meat like my ma did with one of mine, years ago. That wouldn't ever be a warrantee covered issue though.
"...retails for about $8?..." Shipping fees are not set by the retailer or manufacturer. The carrier does that based on the weight, size of the package and distance. A knife, even a wee paring knife, would be an odd sized package.
"...wouldn't expect much from an $8.00 knife..." It's a paring knife, not a fighting knife. Made to peel carrots and slice mushrooms. Not skin a moose. snicker.
"...much more durable..." Been using my Victorinox chef's knife for 43 years now. Professionally sharpened twice.
 
Speedo66 said:
Yes, that's what a lifetime warranty implies. One company here, LL Bean, has a lifetime warranty on all their products. If you return it to them damaged, they replace free and pick up the return costs.

Same applies to Sportsman's Guide and other companies here.
Click to expand...

I had a pair of LL Bean hiking boots that were great, but i wore them out. Probably more than 3K miles on them. I wore them into the Freeport, Maine store and asked for a new, same exact pair... expecting to buy them.
The shoe "salesman" wouldn't let me. He kept my old boots, and sent me off in the new ones, free of charge.
 
Victorinox AG guarantees all knives and tools to be of first class stainless steel and also guarantees a life time against any defects in material and workmanship (save for electronic components 2 years). Damage caused by normal wear and tear, misuse or abuse are not covered by this guarantee.
Click to expand...
https://www.victorinox.com/us/en/Pr...-Knife-8-cm/p/6.7603#accordion-prod-details-3

Speedo66,

Warranties of materials and against manufacturer's defects aren't going to cover normal wear and certainly won't cover abuse. The warranty from the Vic website is only against defects and not wear and tear or abuse so I can't understand what the complaint is about their warranty service.
 
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Speedo66 said:
How's that for a great lifetime warranty?
Click to expand...

That's from your original post.

There's no lifetime warranty on wear or abuse and it says so on their site.

$10 shipping and handling for non warranty repair isn't outrageous. They're not charging you to evaluate it, just shipping and handling.

I don't see where you have a legitimate complaint against Victorinox.
 
Speedo66 said:
Forget my knife, I find them charging $10 to "evaluate" one of their knives for any reason repugnant.
Click to expand...
Once AGAIN..........they ARE NOT CHARGING YOU $10 to "evaluate" your knife.

As you copied and pasted from their correspondence above: "Please be advised there is a $10.00 fee that is associated with repairs for shipping and handling."
Note that's FOR SHIPPING AND HANDLING.

Good grief.
 
Forget about my knife. Assume a knife's condition was not caused by abuse or normal wear, but by a manufacturing defect. You now send this $8 knife back to them correctly under their warranty only to find you have to pay $10 for shipping and handling. Sorry, it still makes no sense to me, and I still find their warranty useless.
 
You're not using their warranty. Give that line up since we've all seen the actual warranty information now and it doesn't apply to your situation.

As to the S&H fee, I'll give them a call and ask if they charge S&H for warranty vs. wear/abuse and let everyone know the result.
 
How often do you ship stuff?:scrutiny:
I just weighed and measured three of my meat cleavers. The average weight is 16.5oz, the average length is 13".
A USPS Medium Flat Rate box is $13.60 and would fit only the shortest.
Shipping that same package via UPS Ground from Dallas to Little Rock runs $10.17
Click to expand...

Why is it I can buy something on eBay made in China and the product including shipping from China to my door, via USPS by the way, cost less that I could take the now paid for item and ship it across the county I live in via the same carrier?
 
For the OP, see if you can take the knife to them and avoid the S&H charges.

If you buy something from the store and get home before you find something wrong with it, do you expect someone from the store to drive to your house with a replacement?
 
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