Complaint Review: Ryobi - Nationwide

Do not expect any help from Ryobi if you get what is clearly a defective battery that they made!

One of my batteries went stone cold dead. Won’t take a charge and wont power anything.

I stopped by the retail outlet where I have purchased all my 18v products over the years to try exchange a battery that went stone cold dead in less than 6 months and that had nearly been un-used. They gave me a little slip of paper with an 877 number on it to call Ryobi and deal with them directly.  I told them I had recently moved and had no idea where all my receipts were at the time, but they assured me that the serial number on the battery would show it was less than 3 years old and therefore well within warranty.

Cool.

Get home and call the number.  After of course being on hold for 20 minutes waiting for a rep, a lady answers and before I can even get a word in she goes in to her monotone spiel about making sure that half the contents of my garage are all sitting right in front of me before she would even agree to speak to me.  Fortunately, I was home and told her sure I can get you anything you need.  She then asked me for numbers off "the tool".  I told her that I own a couple dozen Ryobi 18v tools and which one would she like numbers off and why?? (Not for nothing but that was the point where she should have realized she was dealing with a highly valued customer of theirs and maybe checked herself a bit) She then told me to just pick a drill or saw at random.  Seems legit so far?

Then she asks about the receipt.  Here we go.  

Me: "No I don't have the receipt handy I just moved and most of my stuff is packed and strewn about in boxes."

Monotone Maggy: "Well we cannot help you without a receipt"

Me: "But you DO have a 3-year warranty on the part correct?"

Monotone Maggy: "Yes we do, and we stand behind it."

Me: "Ok well since I know it is less than 6 months off the shelf I am confident the serial number will prove it was manufactured less than 3 years ago and therefore well within warranty."

Monotone Maggy : "Sir that doesn't matter if you don't have a receipt we have no way of knowing that you purchased it, it could have come from your neighbor or a pawn shop or anywhere."

Me: "Ummm...why would it matter WHERE it came from if it is still under warranty??"

Monotone Maggy: "Sir we have no way of knowing WHAT has been done with that battery if you don't have a receipt"

Me: "Honey you would have no way of knowing what has been done with it even if I could prove I was the original owner, I could be the world's foremost destroyer of batteries for all you know?!"

Monotone Maggy: "Ok Sir you go ahead and have a good day now"

Me: "Wait are you telling me you aren't even going to

This battery is one of 8 that I own.  It had not been "in the rotation" much if at all because it looks factory new and even the contacts had no wear marks on them yet, like any battery that has been used moderately would.  This would have been a great opportunity for the Ryobi company to step up and show a long-standing customer who has spent thousands on their products that they indeed care about their customers.  But instead, they put people on the phone who are literally TRAINED to find any way out of having to back up their products, even if it is as weak as a little piece of paper you get at the cash register that literally NO reputable company cares about or requires any more.

Shame on you Ryobi.  I guess my collection goes to yard sale, so I can recoup some of my investment and start over with a different company.