POLL *TEN YEAR WARRANTY YOUR OPINIONS APPRECIATED* POLL

[RESEARCH MAKER]

Hi
Your opinions and vote on this poll would be extremely appreciated

If a Manufacture of a quality high performance low emissions wood stove was to offer a TEN YEAR NO QUIBBLE WARRANTY would this influence your purchasing decision.
Thank You In Advance

 

[STOVEGUY11]

Several companies have lifetime warranty

 

[RESEARCH MAKER]

Agreed but only usually very Limited parts covered and so many exclusions and get outs

 

[swestall]

It might influence an already leaning positive decision. There is appearance and performance. With appearance, you get what you see. With performance, you should get what the product specification says you will: so a 10 year, "we'll take it back if it doesn't perform" would be nice. But, don't forget you'd also have to provide a lifetime warrantee on all those things everyone else does.

 

[DriftWood]

Over fire and abuse will never be covered. Just try to get a dealer to honor a TEN YEAR NO QUIBBLE WARRANTY when he does not want to.

 

[webbie]

How about full disclosure?
Who are you working for?

 

[webbie]

Having seen many companies with lifetime warranties go out of business, it would not be the first thing in my mind. Also, having sold stoves for 30 years, it was my experience that educated customers did not use this for making their decisions. It might be a good sales point, but once anyone really reads the fine print....

Just for discussions sake, please mention a couple other products of this nature that have no-quibble lifetime warranties?

Is labor included?
How about original inspection to determine if it is a warranty?
What if the unit needs to be uninstalled, and then reinstalled. Who pays what?
Is all freight included if unit must be send back to factory?

Such a warranty often creates more problems than it solves. I would feel better about a 5 year warranty what covered 100% of the above items, than a lifetime one that didn't.

 

[Metal]

In the end the customer pays either way. Would you rather have a cheaper stove with a sensible warranty, or a more expensive stove who's warranty covers things that aren't even the manufacturer's fault? The company will make the same margin either way, they just add the cost of the risk into the stove price.

If a company has a good image (built up by years of good support and reliable products) the warranty isn't needed. Notice the new car companies, KIA, Hyundai, etc. that have to offer extraordinary warranties to help alleviate customers worries about quality, this is not needed by Honda or Toyota who have proven over time that their products are high quality.

 

[webbie]

Well said, Lee.....but, as I mentioned, the question is always how educated a consumer is. So the answer might be "lifetime warranties are a good way to fool those customers who don't think things out"......I was involved in "warranty wars" myself. In fact, Tarm and other companies in Europe were used to 2 year warranties. The customer over there is highly educated, and they would say "of course a person should expect to spend money on parts in the future". But, being Americans, we tend to think the next free lunch is right around the corner!

In terms of marketing, a recent study showed the the best possible way to increase sales and price is to actually scare customers. People who are scared and worried agreed to pay almost twice the price for the test item.

I guess that is why we used "Heating insurance policy for your home" as one Tarm slogan.