It seems as though I've had a rash of bad luck with a variety of products lately, and I'm starting to get a little chafed....I'm also trying to do something about it when possible. I don't think it's asking too much for a product to work as claimed, or something reasonably close. I'm fed up...I suspect corporate greed is really the root to all this.
About 3 weeks ago I bought a set of Jeld-Wen sliding patio screen doors...you know the ones...one fixed, one sliding door with crappy metal frame with adjustable rollers top and bottom that never seem to slide properly. I should have known better before I brought them home, but what a poor execution of a crap design....and these were $90! I'm reasonably mechanically inclined, and couldn't get things to work well even in a square frame. They went back to the store within 2 hours, and I fired off a nasty gram to Jeld-Wen....got an unheart-felt corporate type response. The replacements were vinyl framed "Screen Tite" doors that I hung with more traditional hinges....much better for only $70 pair.
The same weekend I bought some Spectracide Weed Stop....ready to use, "kills the weeds, not the lawn". I wish I had tested it first...it killed everything it contacted, much like an edging treatment. Sent them a nastygram as well, and got no response. Sent another and got offered my $5 back.
My lawn is riddled with dead spots, and they think a $5 refund is sufficient?! I wrote a scathing review on Epinions.com as a warning to others. Kinda scary when a chemical company can mislabel a batch of product with little recourse. Any other suggestions?
2 weeks ago, the recoil broke on my 20 month old Troy Bilt TB70SS gas trimmer. Dang, can't find the owner's manual and receipt (my bad). The part is $35 plus s/h. I broke down and bought a refurbished Ryobi for $55 shipped that accepts all the attachments....not as strong, but runs well. Somewhere along the way, I'll probably send an email and/or write a review on Epinions.
Today I spent the better part of the day fixing my garage door opener. It's old enough that I'm not too bugged that it went bad, but I'm miffed that the replacement parts were defective. I managed to swap enough parts in from the original that it's now working, but I'm expecting some compensation from the vendor.
I've got a pack of 50W halogen kitchen lights that need to be returned to HD....two weeks of service from 2 of the 3 bulbs ain't cuttin' it when you pay $10 for a 3-pack of light bulbs!
I realize that low prices are a driving factor, but most of these products were a good buck, except for the Spectracide. I'm just tired of junk that doesn't work well. Voting with your wallet is one possible action in these situations, but an increase in customer complaints is more clear to the big-wigs. I vote to do both! Thanks for letting me rant!
About 3 weeks ago I bought a set of Jeld-Wen sliding patio screen doors...you know the ones...one fixed, one sliding door with crappy metal frame with adjustable rollers top and bottom that never seem to slide properly. I should have known better before I brought them home, but what a poor execution of a crap design....and these were $90! I'm reasonably mechanically inclined, and couldn't get things to work well even in a square frame. They went back to the store within 2 hours, and I fired off a nasty gram to Jeld-Wen....got an unheart-felt corporate type response. The replacements were vinyl framed "Screen Tite" doors that I hung with more traditional hinges....much better for only $70 pair.
The same weekend I bought some Spectracide Weed Stop....ready to use, "kills the weeds, not the lawn". I wish I had tested it first...it killed everything it contacted, much like an edging treatment. Sent them a nastygram as well, and got no response. Sent another and got offered my $5 back.
My lawn is riddled with dead spots, and they think a $5 refund is sufficient?! I wrote a scathing review on Epinions.com as a warning to others. Kinda scary when a chemical company can mislabel a batch of product with little recourse. Any other suggestions?2 weeks ago, the recoil broke on my 20 month old Troy Bilt TB70SS gas trimmer. Dang, can't find the owner's manual and receipt (my bad). The part is $35 plus s/h. I broke down and bought a refurbished Ryobi for $55 shipped that accepts all the attachments....not as strong, but runs well. Somewhere along the way, I'll probably send an email and/or write a review on Epinions.
Today I spent the better part of the day fixing my garage door opener. It's old enough that I'm not too bugged that it went bad, but I'm miffed that the replacement parts were defective. I managed to swap enough parts in from the original that it's now working, but I'm expecting some compensation from the vendor.
I've got a pack of 50W halogen kitchen lights that need to be returned to HD....two weeks of service from 2 of the 3 bulbs ain't cuttin' it when you pay $10 for a 3-pack of light bulbs!
I realize that low prices are a driving factor, but most of these products were a good buck, except for the Spectracide. I'm just tired of junk that doesn't work well. Voting with your wallet is one possible action in these situations, but an increase in customer complaints is more clear to the big-wigs. I vote to do both! Thanks for letting me rant!
I'm not the young buck I was 20 years ago, but I'm still weighing in at a strapping 218# and am as strong as I need to be most days....I'm wondering if I can't budge them, who can?! I called the service center and ranted a bit...they were polite and told me to bring it back in. I didn't want to lose the planer for 3 weeks during prime shop season, so I pondered just running it until the blades went south, but I got the bright idea to try a hex bit in my 19.2v impact driver to loosen them...worked like a charm! I'm still miffed about the igit that "serviced" my planer, but at least I was able to solve this one myself. I think the term "technician" gets used a little too liberally these days....it should be an earned title, not assigned. 
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