For review:
[rodbuilding.org]

But as of now, and posted on a ZBone review:
"Effective immediately, Kistler will be offering a one year warranty on all ZBone purchases. Certainly not the reassurance of a lifetime warranty still, but far more forgiving than a ninety day, and one year is a reasonable period, in our view, for defects in workmanship or materials to reveal themselves."

Kinda hate to have seen that happen. While I openly admit I'm not a fan, it was nice to see that 90 day stand. Oh well.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/28/2010 10:06AM by Alex Dziengielewski.

No doubt they had to bow from pressure from consumers. Companies have to do what it takes to be competitive with others in the same business. If their competitors are offering one year warranties and even some are offering lifetime warranties then a ninety day warranty is a death knell. Most fishermen believe a warranty is a guarantee against breakage. They rarely read the actual warranty and could care less. They just want somebody to give them the idea that if a rod breaks they will get a free replacement and the longer the time period the better.

Just over a year ago, St Croix amended their program to simulate the G Loomis program ... full replacement "no questions asked" for $50.00. Then they went a step further and added an "upgrade program" to allow broken rods ($50) to be migrated to a higher rod class for the retail difference.

There will always be an issue in respect to "warrantY replacements" and it seems as though the "NQA replacements" aren't going away anytime soon. Essentially, it is a case of "buying" today's sales AND tomorrow sales at a manageable (hopefully) expense.

Jim -

Its the economy, competition. I put a rod on you know who site and in 10 days I only got 200 hits I used to get that a day ?? And then some.

Bill - willierods.com

Jim,
I know from this board that you sell quite a few rods. I wonder how you and the others handle a warranty claim on a blank. Do you accually
return the blank to the company for replacement or do you just write the price of the blank off as a loss? Unless it a very high end blank, I don't see how you come out returning one. I recently purchased a blank for $65. While inspecting it to get ready to build, I noticed that the butt section was cracked in two or three places. I returned the blank to company for replacement and my shipping cost was $50. I now have $115 in the blank and still don't have it back.

Larry

$50.00 ???? What did you pay shipping when you first ordered the blank ?? 50 ??

Not your fault ! The company or suppler should have ate it. There fault So what do you do add it on to a customers cost or yours.

Bill - willierods.com

Larry-

I would have requested that the company issue a UPS call tag for the defective blank. That way they would have paid for the return shipping. I would guess there would have been a 50/50 chance they would have just sent another one to you.
I have suppliers who will take my word for it in situations like this. That might be different if THEY get compensated by the manufacturer. Many distributors, however, handle the warranty claims themselves in exchange for a deep discount on blanks.

I've found that some good pictures emailed and a phone call have replaced the need to send back damaged and defective blanks.

Saves everyone some money with not having to return the blank. Some sellers will still want the blanks back for examination.

If the shipment was insured, it's the onus of the shipper to file the claim and then make good on it. It was their responsibility to get the blank to you in useable condition. If it's damaged on arrival, you shouldn't be out of pocket on that.

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Larry Wilson Wrote:
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> Do you actually return the blank to the company for replacement or
> do you just write the price of the blank off as a loss? Unless it a very high end blank,
> I don't see how you come out returning one.


IF it is actually a "defect" I will return the blank IF the cost is such that it makes sense. IF it is simply misuse/abuse (almost all the time) it goes into the trashcan and the customer buys the next round. The last 4-5 have hit the trashcan, prior to that I had a couple of G Loomis blanks that I exchanged for factory rods and sold through the storefront to offset incurred expense.

Jim - blank doesn't have to be defective to have been damaged in shipment.

Maybe I misunderstood, but I was reading that the blank was damaged before it was ever built on.

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There was no evidence that the blank was damaged in shipment. I feel that the blank was just a defective one that I recieved.

Larry