Lifetime Guarrantee-Make You Pay if Item Not Available?

[pctharper]

I ended up getting a pan from someone who bought it in 2007. Its a 10" professional skillet. When I called HO to process the return, she said that since its not the executive line, the customer is going to have to pay $$ for the upgrade. Shouldn't a guarrantee mean that no matter what, your item gets replaced at no cost? I said her two options are to pay or to keep the current pan. She's not very happy.

 

[esavvymom]

What is the upgrade cost?
She IS getting a better pan. She should only be paying the price difference in the pan.
If they didn't do that, people would be coming up with reasons to get the replacements so they can get the upgraded/updated products for free.

 

[NooraK]

This is what the guarantee information says on the back of the receipt:

If actual product replacement cannot be made due to unavailability, Company may, in its discretion, offer comparable product replacement or credit toward future product purchases.

Officially, the Professional skillet is not directly comparable to the Executive skillet, as the Executive skillet has several upgraded features. It is a wonderful benefit PC offers to provide credit equal to the full, original purchase price of the skillet towards a new, upgraded one. Many companies don't offer that benefit. They may give you credit toward a new item, but at a discounted rate.

 

[pctharper]

This is what the guarantee information says on the back of the receipt:



Officially, the Professional skillet is not directly comparable to the Executive skillet, as the Executive skillet has several upgraded features. It is a wonderful benefit PC offers to provide credit equal to the full, original purchase price of the skillet towards a new, upgraded one. Many companies don't offer that benefit. They may give you credit toward a new item, but at a discounted rate.

See, to me that makes it seem that they will just offer the replacement and not make you pay an upgrade fee. Does the second part mean that she can choose to return it and use the price she originally paid for it towrds something else?

The upgrade fee is under $20 and personally, I'd do it in an instant. My mom has an executive pan and I can tell theres a big difference in the two. She asked me to look into it so I said I would. 2007 is the last time she was at a show and there are TONS of items on her receipt so Im hoping a future customer/host since the consultant who sold this to her is no longer doing PC

 

[BethCooks4U]

See, to me that makes it seem that they will just offer the replacement and not make you pay an upgrade fee. Does the second part mean that she can choose to return it and use the price she originally paid for it towrds something else?The upgrade fee is under $20 and personally, I'd do it in an instant. My mom has an executive pan and I can tell theres a big difference in the two. She asked me to look into it so I said I would. 2007 is the last time she was at a show and there are TONS of items on her receipt so Im hoping a future customer/host since the consultant who sold this to her is no longer doing PC

If actual product replacement cannot be made due to unavailability, Company may, in its discretion, offer comparable product replacement or credit toward future product purchases.

Yes if it is available, they will replace it without an upgrade fee but once something is discontinued it is unreasonable to expect the company to keep a warehouse full of items forever. Offering the credit toward an upgraded version is very reasonable. The customer gets the new and better for much less than the catalog price.She can only exchange it for the same item in the new version (paying the difference in cost).Tell her: "unfortunately this was discontinued a while ago. They replaced them until they ran out in the warehouse but fortunately for you, they will replace it with the current improved version of the pan for a small fee. The new one has many improved features so you are getting a good deal."

 

[pampered1224]

Beth is right, it is a benefit to the customer. No the new one will not match the old set but the product price difference is not that much. I had a lady who had to have her Professional 12" skillet replaced two years after they were discontinued. She paid the $13 and some odd cents difference without hesitation because I made it sound like such a great deal. And for what she got, she felt is was an "awesome" deal - her word not mine! Also, I knew the policy which is something we all need to be familiar with no matter what we are replacing for someone. It never looks good on us as direct sellers if we have no clue what our own company's policies are.

 

[NooraK]

Beth is right, it is a benefit to the customer. No the new one will not match the old set but the product price difference is not that much. I had a lady who had to have her Professional 12" skillet replaced two years after they were discontinued. She paid the $13 and some odd cents difference without hesitation because I made it sound like such a great deal. And for what she got, she felt is was an "awesome" deal - her word not mine! Also, I knew the policy which is something we all need to be familiar with no matter what we are replacing for someone. It never looks good on us as direct sellers if we have no clue what our own company's policies are.

It's all in the way you spin it!

 

[pampered1224]

EXACTLY! As my mom, who did Mary Kay for years, use your direct sellers voice!
Oh and we are not the only ones who do this! Pat reminded me that he took a movie back to one of the video stores years ago. Because he bought the original on sale and it was a version that was limited time, he had to pay the difference for the one that was available at the time of the return. they could not do an even exchange for an upgraded version either.

 

[wadesgirl]

The quality of the Executive cookware compared to the professional is SO MUCH BETTER!! And she gets the option to upgrade for less than $20 - way better than paying full price!

 

[Brenda.the.chef]

hmmm... trade in my old, used pan and for $20 more, get an amazing pan? Not rocket science at all! You can't even buy a CHEAP pan at Wal Mart for that price!