A question by a retailer about warranties and customers.

[SlitheryDee]

So I own a retail store. One of the things we sell is Red Wing work boots. It's a very small store in the grand scheme of things, and I do basically everything that gets done in it.

A customer brings a pair of Red Wing boots back 3 days shy of the 6 month waterproof warranty and demands a new pair of boots because his are leaking. I can clearly see that there is a hole worn in the toe of both boots, and I know that red wing does not extend their waterproof warranty to boots that have holes worn in them.

The little warranty card from the boot box that the customer presents to me also says this, which I point out to them. Just to be on the safe side, I phone Red Wing's warranty department while the customer is still there and tell them that I have a customer with a pair of boots with holes worn into the toes that seems to be the result of regular wear, but holes nonetheless. Red Wing tells me that this does indeed void the warranty. I relay this to the customer, who gets very pissy and vows never to shop with me again.

My question is... Am I unreasonable for not giving a flying fuck about this? We can eat the shipping charge for sending an item back for warranty reasons, but we certainly can't extend a warranty that the manufacturers themselves won't extend. The manufacturers warranty is our warranty. We are a cut above the bigger stores in the warranty department simply because we honor the full manufacturers warranty from our store no matter how extensive it is. I feel justified, but also perturbed by the prospect of losing a customer. What say ye ATOT?

 

[Jodell88]

Tell him to go pound sand.

 

[lxskllr]

That guy's a douchebag for trying to abuse a warranty. Fuckers like him ruin things for the rest of us.

 

[herm0016]

he is trying to abuse the system. let him abuse it somewhere else.

 

[BoomerD]

Red Wing makes the final call on warranty issues.

Tell the customer to take it up with them.

You just sell them...you don't make them or warranty them.

 

[SlitheryDee]

So far I feel better. This kind of thing is a very regular occurrence, but I still doubt myself every time someone gets pissed off when they can't get a free something or other. I never do this when I buy things. I really don't understand why others do it.

 

[BoomerD]

So far I feel better. This kind of thing is a very regular occurrence, but I still doubt myself every time someone gets pissed off when they can't get a free something or other. I never do this when I buy things. I really don't understand why others do it.

I've only owned a few pairs of Red Wings over the years...usually when I needed a back-up pair of "cheap boots" while my Whites were in the shop for rebuilding. They've always stood behind their boots for me...but it can be a matter of the individual store as much as the factory.
I have a pair that I bought about 11-12 years ago. the molded sole came apart several years ago, and they just collected dust in the garage. I took them in a couple of weeks ago to see if they could get them resoled...The store manager said Red Wing wouldn't touch them, (too far gone to remold new soles on) but he had a repair shop that would sew new soles on...and they'd guarantee the work for a year. I got them back last week and they did a great job.
THAT is the result of the service from the shop, not the factory.

(I still think you were in the right though.)

 

[Sluggo]

He wore through the sole of the boot in 6 months?

Or a hole where his big gnarled toenail wore through the boot upper?

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

He wore through the sole of the boot in 6 months?

Or a hole where his big gnarled toenail wore through the boot upper?

6 months isn't bad in a lot of environments.

 

[BoomerD]

6 months isn't bad in a lot of environments.

No shit. I've worn out real boots in less than 6 months...Red Wings wouldn't have lasted 3.

 

[Jodell88]

He wore through the sole of the boot in 6 months?

Or a hole where his big gnarled toenail wore through the boot upper?

I think the latter.

 

[SlitheryDee]

I've only owned a few pairs of Red Wings over the years...usually when I needed a back-up pair of "cheap boots" while my Whites were in the shop for rebuilding. They've always stood behind their boots for me...but it can be a matter of the individual store as much as the factory.
I have a pair that I bought about 11-12 years ago. the molded sole came apart several years ago, and they just collected dust in the garage. I took them in a couple of weeks ago to see if they could get them resoled...The store manager said Red Wing wouldn't touch them, (too far gone to remold new soles on) but he had a repair shop that would sew new soles on...and they'd guarantee the work for a year. I got them back last week and they did a great job.
THAT is the result of the service from the shop, not the factory.

(I still think you were in the right though.)

We also do repair, but Red Wing (and most other work boots) are not really our specialty. Red Wing uses a process that we can't duplicate. We can "stick" a red wing sole onto a boot, but Red Wing would actually injection mold that same sole onto the boot so that it curls around the J welt and can never come off. If the welt is compromised, then the process doesn't work, and thus the sewing and so forth. Most people find it prohibitively expensive anyway. Why not just buy a new pair? Obviously this is said with a retailer's bias.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

No shit. I've worn out real boots in less than 6 months...Red Wings wouldn't have lasted 3.

We wouldn't even buy Red Wings even though the company I worked for gave us like a $80 credit towards boots at the Red Wing store. Guys still wouldn't buy them.

 

[SlitheryDee]

He wore through the sole of the boot in 6 months?

Or a hole where his big gnarled toenail wore through the boot upper?

It was a steel toed boot. He had to have worn away the outer layer by rubbing or kicking stuff in the course of working. It's a reasonable use for such a boot, but still not covered by the warranty. Weird, but I can't help that.

 

[BoomerD]

We also do repair, but Red Wing (and most other work boots) are not really our specialty. Red Wing uses a process that we can't duplicate. We can "stick" a red wing sole onto a boot, but Red Wing would actually injection mold that same sole onto the boot so that it curls around the J welt and can never come off. If the welt is compromised, then the process doesn't work, and thus the sewing and so forth. Most people find it prohibitively expensive anyway. Why not just buy a new pair? Obviously this is said with a retailer's bias.

New pair...$180. Re-sole...$70.

I don't work any more, so these are just for working around the yard instead of tennis shoes.

We wouldn't even buy Red Wings even though the company I worked for gave us like a $80 credit towards boots at the Red Wing store. Guys still wouldn't buy them.

I don't think I'd buy Red Wings for my primary work boots, although they're better than most of the shit Chinese-made boots on the market.
I wore these for most of my 30+ years in construction:

Those start at just over $400/pair.

 

[lxskllr]

I've had RedWings, but wasn't super impressed, especially for the money. My preferred boots were combat boots from the thrift shop. I never paid more than $14, and I'd get about 2 years out of them.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

I've had RedWings, but wasn't super impressed, especially for the money. My preferred boots were combat boots from the thrift shop. I never paid more than $14, and I'd get about 2 years out of them.

Yeah the thing was that all the guys found some boot that would outlast 2 pairs of Red Wings and they cost like $150 compared to $200+ for the comparable Red Wings.

 

[SlitheryDee]

I've had RedWings, but wasn't super impressed, especially for the money. My preferred boots were combat boots from the thrift shop. I never paid more than $14, and I'd get about 2 years out of them.

Most of my customers are oil field workers. They just want something that will last in that particularly harsh environment. Comfort is of secondary concern. Most of them seem to settle on Red Wings. I've never worked in the oil field, but being a repair shop, ive seen what it does to boots. They must be good for that at least. *shrug*

 

[lxskllr]

Yeah the thing was that all the guys found some boot that would outlast 2 pairs of Red Wings and they cost like $150 compared to $200+ for the comparable Red Wings.

One of the best boots I bought new were Cardinals. The were USA made, and lasted forever. I got them from a closeout store. I usually tried to cheap out on boots. My 2 requirements were they had to be tall, and they had to be USA made. Combat boots fit the bill, and I didn't have to lurk around a bunch of closeout stores to find them. I went to the thrift shop every week anyway, so when they got boots that fit, I'd grab them and stick them in the closet. I have 2 or three pair now, but probably won't get around to wearing them :^D

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Most of my customers are oil field workers. They just want something that will last in that particularly harsh environment. Comfort is of secondary concern. Most of them seem to settle on Red Wings. I've never worked in the oil field, but being a repair shop, ive seen what it does to boots. They must be good for that at least. *shrug*

Alot of guys I work with just end up with rubber boots if your feet can take it. Really no boots last and the $20 rubber wal mart boots last just as long. I tried it but it killed my feet. I definitely wouldn't wear Red Wings.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Alot of guys I work with just end up with rubber boots if your feet can take it. Really no boots last and the $20 rubber wal mart boots last just as long. I tried it but it killed my feet. I definitely wouldn't wear Red Wings.

What do you wear? This is of professional interest to me obviously.

 

[sixone]

That guy's a douchebag for trying to abuse a warranty. Fuckers like him ruin things for the rest of us.

Agreed.

If you really wanted to keep someone like him as a customer, maybe you could have offered him a sizable discount on a new pair of boots.

I don't think he deserves it, but maybe someone else will.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

What do you wear? This is of professional interest to me obviously.

They moved me up to a better position so my boots don't take nearly the abuse they use to so I can wear any old boot these days as im not mucking around in the sludge and saltwater like I use to. It's been three years since then but I do remember red wings off brand boot worx I believe making a decent boot. They are made of some waterproof material that looks kinda different. I'll keep an eye out tomorrow on what guys are wearing.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Agreed.

If you really wanted to keep someone like him as a customer, maybe you could have offered him a sizable discount on a new pair of boots.

I don't think he deserves it, but maybe someone else will.

I would have, but he didn't give me the chance. He was out the door before I could even begin the proposition. I wonder where he thinks he's going to get better service, honestly.

 

[SlitheryDee]

They moved me up to a better position so my boots don't take nearly the abuse they use to so I can wear any old boot these days as im not mucking around in the sludge and saltwater like I use to. It's been three years since then but I do remember red wings off brand boot worx I believe making a decent boot. They are made of some waterproof material that looks kinda different. I'll keep an eye out tomorrow on what guys are wearing.

Yeah, we sell those. They are good for oil field workers. Nylon doesn't curl up into an elf shoe like leather does when it meets caustic soda.