I bought several Shimano rods from a well known local tackle store that carried an over the counter life time warranty last year. While fishing this past weekend one of the tips broke while trout fishing. I took it back to the tackle store to find out that Shimano no longer honors that warranty. I was told that if I had the receipt I could send it back for a one time replacement. I am not mad at the local tackle shop (that’s why I am not naming them, but I will not be buying anymore Shimano rods in the future). Way to go Shimano!!! Integrity clearly is not a part our your company’s culture!!! Fellow fisherman if you are considering buying Shimano please be aware that their warranty means nothing!!!
They probably paid some marketing guy a 6 figure salary to determine 1-how many more rods they could sell by offering said warranty 2-how many of said warranties they could honor before reneging on it 3-how much profit they were going to make. I bet the fact that they were going to lose customers over this was considered “negligible.” Cost, Benefit, and Risk all pertaining to the Bottom Line.
They probably paid some marketing guy a 6 figure salary to determine 1-how many more rods they could sell by offering said warranty 2-how many of said warranties they could honor before reneging on it 3-how much profit they were going to make. I bet the fact that they were going to lose customers over this was considered “negligible.” Cost, Benefit, and Risk all pertaining to the Bottom Line.
Narcosis
Actually the bigger culprit would the customer that conveniently has a “warranty issue” when a new series of his old rod comes out and he wants to replace it. Companies lose their asses dealing with issues like this. Fact of the matter is, this warranty policy is far closer to the industry norm than the old policy. I understand the anger and inconvenience this will cause for some but again, the customer is not without blame here.
So…You are suggesting said customer would break a rod intentionally that had a lifetime warranty to get the newer model? I’m pretty sure that is not the case here.
quote:Originally posted by archer
quote:Originally posted by Narcosis
They probably paid some marketing guy a 6 figure salary to determine 1-how many more rods they could sell by offering said warranty 2-how many of said warranties they could honor before reneging on it 3-how much profit they were going to make. I bet the fact that they were going to lose customers over this was considered “negligible.” Cost, Benefit, and Risk all pertaining to the Bottom Line.
Narcosis
Actually the bigger culprit would the customer that conveniently has a “warranty issue” when a new series of his old rod comes out and he wants to replace it. Companies lose their asses dealing with issues like this. Fact of the matter is, this warranty policy is far closer to the industry norm than the old policy. I understand the anger and inconvenience this will cause for some but again, the customer is not without blame here.
Since I don’t know any of you personally, no I’m not insinuating anything about any one specific person on here. That said, I have a friend that works in the industry and I’ve worked in the industry myself and I know for a fact that what was described happens all the time. It’s the old case of “a few bad apples…” Those that do it right are the exception and not the rule, saldy enough.
I assure you that I did not break the rod on purpose; I simply don’t have time to be sending off rods that is why I try to buy quality fishing gear that willblast. You can ask Raddaddy how I take of my stuff. As a matter of fact the tip on the same style and weight rod broke on me casting for trout this past weekend. So that is 2 rods in less than 3 weeks. The break point is within a 1/4 in of one another. I am planning on sending them back. I will post the results.
Is it just me or does it seem that the more expensive the rod, the more fragile it is? I have a couple of Shimano Voltaeus rods. They are inexpensive and have been used and abused but look brand new. I have a fairly expensive (to me) All-Star rod that broke and was replaced once already. Are more expensive rods more fragile?
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”.
It’s not really a matter of being more fragile. Not saying this is the “norm,” but there have been cases where “high-end” graphite blanks can “bruise.” If this happens to the blank, it essentially creates a weak spot in the blank. Kistler is notorious for doing this or at least they were a few years ago. This rarely happens with less expensive rods because they have so many other components making up the blank composition and not just graphite. Of course the trade off with less expensive rods are they tend to be heavier and definitely less sensitive and they don’t have near the warranty, if any warranty at all, as their higher end counterparts.
Is it just me or does it seem that the more expensive the rod, the more fragile it is? I have a couple of Shimano Voltaeus rods. They are inexpensive and have been used and abused but look brand new. I have a fairly expensive (to me) All-Star rod that broke and was replaced once already. Are more expensive rods more fragile?
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”.
Generally speaking, that is true that more expensive rods are more fragile. Higher end rods typically are made with higher modulus graphite. Higher modulus basically means you can achieve the same stiffness with less weight of graphite. So, high modulus rods can be made with less graphite material to achieve a certain power and action than a cheaper rod. Less material equals thinner walls, and that equals a more fragile rod. When you’re paying for a more expensive rod, you are usually not paying for a more durable rod (there are some exceptions, depending on composition, resins used, manufacturing techniques, etc) - you’re paying for lighter weight, quicker recoil/recovery, custom material blends, specific tapers, increased sensitivity, etc.
Very, very few broken rods are actually truly “warranty” issues due to manufacturing defects. I’m pretty confident in saying that the vast majority of rods are broken due to angler error (e.g., high sticking) or mishandling of the rod at some point (e.g., nicking the rod, later resulting in a break under normal conditions). I don’t know of any other product that people expect to be replaced under warranty at no charge when breakage isn’t a result of a defect as much as fishing rods.
Companies like Shimano have gotten hammered by warranty claims on broken rods that aren’t truly manufacturing defects. You’ll be seeing a lot more of t
Its not just Shimano. Had the same issue with a Loomis Greenwater a few months ago. A $235 rod. Rod is 7’6" and broke 4 inches from the tip.
I called and got the Shimano warranty department (Shimano now owns Loomis??). They say send it back and we’ll look at it. I find 8’ x 4" dia. tube (not easy). After 2 weeks they say it cannot be repaired. Im thinking they are going to give me a new rod for the $50 exchange fee (a Loomis warranty arrangement forever)… but that was then. They say they can send me a new rod for $120 + $12 shipping.
I go for it cos thats my only option. If I known this Id probably got the tip replaced and had a 7’2" rod.
BB, Yes, Shimano (SAC) has owned Loomis for several years. Gary hasn’t really had anything to do with Loomis for quite sometime now. He’s actually been making blanks for other rod companies for a while.
Its not just Shimano. Had the same issue with a Loomis Greenwater a few months ago. A $235 rod. Rod is 7’6" and broke 4 inches from the tip.
I called and got the Shimano warranty department (Shimano now owns Loomis??). They say send it back and we’ll look at it. I find 8’ x 4" dia. tube (not easy). After 2 weeks they say it cannot be repaired. Im thinking they are going to give me a new rod for the $50 exchange fee (a Loomis warranty arrangement forever)… but that was then. They say they can send me a new rod for $120 + $12 shipping.
I go for it cos thats my only option. If I known this Id probably got the tip replaced and had a 7’2" rod.
Time changes everything.
BB
This is exactly the point I was trying to make about expectations being unrealistic when it comes to high end rods. It’s pretty easy for them to determine if a rod was broken due to a manufacturing defect or not. They determined it was not and were under no obligation to replace the rod at all. They offered you a brand new rod at half price when they didn’t have to, yet Loomis is the bad guy here? I don’t think Loomis has ever had a no-fault warranty, even when they charged a $40 replacement fee.
By analogy, if you crack the screen on your iPhone, Apple isn’t going to give you a new one, or even offer you a new one at half price like Loomis did. Not sure why people expect different when it comes to high end rods.
you just got to take real good care of the expensive rods. Get you a Big Bear rod and if there is a defect it will be replaced no questions ask. MY buddy who owns big bear showed me how to tell a defect from a user error. Its not that hard to tell when you know what to look for.
I’d rather be a free man in my grave than living as a puppet or a slave.
