- Report: #1247364
Complaint Review: Rigid - Elyira South Carolina
Reported By:
Ed from Staten Island -
Staten Island, New York, USA
Submitted:
Updated:
-
Author Confirmed
Why?
Rigid
400 Clark ST Elyira, 44035 South Carolina, USA
Phone:
800-474-3443
Web:
https://www.ridgid.com/us/en/contact-us
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Rigid Ridge Tool CompanyTechtronic Industries North America, Inc.TTI Group Deceptive practices of Rigid Tools Sold by Home Depot regarding warranties Elyira South Carolina
I had recieved a Rigid Cordless Drill Kit as a Christmas gift in 2008. After unwrapping my gift and opening the box, I noticed that the tools carried a Lifetime Warranty. I held onto that insert because it is a rare occasion when a lifetime warranty is provided.
Sometime in 2013, one of the batteries died. I purchased a new one at a cost of approximately $50.00. A few weeks after the battery died, one of the Cordless Drills stopped working. I remembered the Lifetime Warranty and contacted Rigid asking for a replacement Drill. I don't know if the batteries carry a lifetime warranty or not, I never asked but a second battery died and I replaced it.
I received a letter dated November 5, 2013 advising me that there was a 3 year limited manufacturing warranty in effect for my tools because I did not register for the lifetime warranty withing 90 days of purchase. If I had registered the products I would have been covered by the lifetime warranty. The lifetime warranty notice is in large easy to read letters while the registration requirement is in the fine print.
I had advised Rigid that the Cordless Drills were a Christmas gift and I never had the receipt. Basically the letter said too bad, so sad. Recently the second Cordless Drill stopped working and that is the catalyst for this report since I know that Rigid will not honor the lifetime warranty.
If the product carries a lifetime warranty, there should be no need to register for it. Rigid uses the serial numbers on the tools to determine the date of manufacture. My drill kit R82007 was no longer eligible for additional services because the standard 3 year warranty had run out.
My point is this, if the packaging materials advertise a lifetime warranty in huge letters, then the requirement to register the product should also be noted in large letters that are as easy to see as the words "Lifetime Warranty" and not in the fine print.
When I purchase power tools, the warranty period is clearly noted and if I had a problem, I simply had to submit proof of the date of purchase and the tool was fixed free of charge during the warranty period. To advertise a lifetime warranty in large letters and then in fine print require registration of the product is deceptive. A warranty is a warranty and a lifetime warranty should not require registration to be honored.
I had a bit of difficulty locating all of the companies involved with Rigid. It may be that TTIGroup is a parent company to Techtronic Industries of North America, which may be a parent company to Rigid Tools. The headquarters of TTIGroup is in Hong Kong. The Rigid website lists the Elyria, South Carolina address for contact purposes. The Header on the letter I recived denying my request for a replacement is: Techtronic Industries North America, Inc., 1428 Pearman Dairy Road, Anderson, South Carolina. It is possible that the company moved to the Elyria address sicne the latter is almost two years old but that is of no consequence. Also, the email address on the Rigid website is @emerson.com. A maze of companies.
The autor of the letter denying replacement because I did not register for the lifetime warranty was Melanie Baker, Warranty Division Lead Represeentative. She advised me that all information has been logged under ID#S001752270.
I firmly believe that stating a product has a lifetime warranty and requiring a registration is a deception if it is not clearly stated so that the consumer knows about the requirement and the kit should be replaced.
