:On Mar 30, 1:18 pm, Ross Herbert wrote: :> On Wed, 26 Mar 2008 19:50:08 -0700 (PDT), "David L. Jones"
:> wrote: :>
:> :Just got the new 2008 Jaycar catalog, looks really good, and bigger :> :and better than usual - nice work. :> : :> :One thing that caught me eye was that Jaycar are now offering a :> :"Lifetime Guarantee" on ALL multimeters, clamp, and other meters over :> :$20! :> :That really is quite remarkable. :> :I can understand it for their higher quality higher priced :> :instruments, like the new Protek 608 and IDEAL meter, but to have it :> :on the real cheapies is amazing. :> : :> :Unless the cheapies have improved in build quality since I inspected :> :many of them several years back now, I'd expect a lot of customers to :> :be making good use of the warranty. At a previous company we had :> :almost a 100% failure rate on the Digitech meters we got, and it was :> :quite a few. :> : :> :Also, in the editorial there is a little bit of reminiscing about the :> :store and its early competition, and how they have now moved into :> :their new warehouse at Rydalmere. :> : :> :Dave. :>
:> Don't get sucked into believing everything you read. Just because it says :> "lifetime", doesn't mean a thing. Looking at it practically the item could fail :> 10 minutes after purchase, therefore it's "lifetime" was 10 minutes, and no :> doubt it would be replaced or refunded. On the other hand if it failed 5 years :> after purchase I would bet my last $ that the item would not be replaced or :> refunded, even if you did still have the receipt. Over that period the store :> probably would no longer carry the same item so they wouldn't replace it and the :> pro-rata value would be zero anyway. You could try to threaten legal action but :> what would be the point over a $20 item.... : :They address this in the "conditions" :"If that meter is not part of the product range in future we will at :our option replace the meter with one of similar or superior :performance."
I guess I am just a little cynical... I have had cause to argue a case many years ago in the Small Claims Tribunal. I did win, but overall the experience was not all that satisfactory because of all the time wasting procedures involved and the necessity to appear before the tribunal. It ended up costing me more than the claim.
Jaycar's terms sound like they are well intentioned but the devil may well be in the "at our option" bit - it depends upon an executive decision. But I dare say they would cop a lot of bad publicity if they didn't honour the condition, so it is better than a lot of other company's which don't have such terms.
:and :"basically a guarantee that if the instrument fails for any reason :during the course of normal use because of faulty material or :workmanship, we will replace that meter."
There are no ifs, buts or maybe's in the unequivocal statement "we will replace the meter". However, in the case where an internal component fails there could be an argument as to whether it was due to "abnormal" use.
: :There are no real legalese "terms and conditions" in the catalog, :although they allude to them.
All in all, Jaycar do appear to be trying to show loyalty to their customers by providing such terms and conditions regarding products they sell so I guess it will be a matter of testing them out to see how honourable they are.
: :Not that I plan on ever buying one. I know the (lack of) quality of :the cheap Jaycar meters. : :Dave.