Ethics - is it OK?

[outback]

You lot don't reckon the gurus at GMC weren't aware that there were people out there that would take advantage did you?

C'mon, these blokes are smart, real smart. They knew exactly what they were doing, how to do it, why to do it, and when to stop doing it.

[Buzzer]

I have been to an auction where they sell faulty/returned goods back to the retailers, all be it, I have only been to one.

The prices received for these goods at this auction, were generally 40-60% of the retail prices as far as I could tell.

I believe the manufacturers are not losing all that much if these prices are the norm.

Cheers.

[jamesross]

No way

[dalejw]

I've got to be honest here and say that I inadvertently did this the other day.

I bought one of their framing guns for a one off job I was doing. The way I saw it was that it would get the job done ( I included the price of the gun in the quote to the customer) and then hang around in the shed waiting for the next job.

As it turned out, the safety lockout often didn't reset after firing the nail and removing the gun from the timber. Sometimes the nose needed to be pushed into the timber 4 or 5 times to get it to fire. It was also pretty stiff even after oiling so it made skew nailing a pain in the ####.

I persevered with it for a few days and got the job done and went back to bunnings with it. After explaining the problem they offered me a new gun or a refund.

I thought about it and then said bugger it and asked for the refund.

If it had worked faultlessly I wouldn't have been back in Bunnings with it but given the circumstances I didn't feel too bad about getting a refund for it even though it had been used on the job.

The cash did however go towards a new Hitachi NT65 C bradder (such a nice tool ) that will get a heap more use than the framing gun would have.

Edit: As for the members sending reddies and calling me a crook for this post, surely this is what the 30 day satisfaction guarantee is all about. It's not about taking it home and looking at it in the box for a month. It's about taking the tool, using it and deciding if it's up to scratch. It wasn't... I took them up on their guarantee. Simple as that.

If you are going to call me a crook, do it in the forum where everyone can see it and we can argue about it in the public forum.

[Eddie Jones]

Since you called my original question "bluddy stupid", I'll answer.

Your response:

• Did nothing to add to the thread and only sought to aggravate others.
• Assumed in advance that no-one would argue the case - without knowing (in fact, one person who responded does think it is ok).
• Did not allow for the fact that the original question did not require anyone to "defend" anything, only to select an option from an anonymous poll - what have they got to lose?

If you have nothing of value to add, why waste your time being negative? Just ignore the thread and move on.

It seems logical to me that anyone who would waste electrons by asking such a question is either (1) very bored or (2) is seeking group approval because he does that sort of thing himself. Wonder which?

OK now I will do as you suggest, ignore this thread and move on.

[Gumby]

You waste your share of electrons too.

Please close the door on your way out

[Sturdee]

As it turned out, the safety lockout often didn't reset after firing the nail and removing the gun from the timber. Sometimes the nose needed to be pushed into the timber 4 or 5 times to get it to fire. It was also pretty stiff even after oiling so it made skew nailing a pain in the ####.

Clearly defective and dangerous. Needed to be returned for your own safety.


Peter.

[old_picker]

MMMM Bought a GMC Compressor the other day and was casually informed verbally that bunnings dont do warranty returns on gmc stuff any more.
On the packaging writ large is the 30 day satifaction / 2 yr replacement jargon plus "return it to the place of purchase".

Under the trade practises act they could not refuse to take it back.

Any one who buys or has bought a tool with the intent of returning it after a weekends work has done all of us a disservice and stuffed up a great consumer oriented sales policy. A policy that got many of us into tools we would normally not have purchased at a price hitherto unavailable.

To all those who have done it
!@$#$#@!#$%$%$%$^&$$#&%$&**(_(

In future I will be looking at whether it is worth getting into a major hassle with gmc plus the risk of getting stuck with a piece of crap tool. In other words I would be looking at paying more for a tool that has good reputation for quality instead of taking a punt on the cheapie. It was good while it lasted.

I have acually noticed things arent quite as friendly at bunnies lately and also noted that a few things they used to sell are no longer avalable.
IE CMT router Bits and brad point drill bits to mention just two. I have found myself at the local Mitre 10 and total tools a lot lately.

[Markw]

I bought one of their framing guns for a one off job I was doing. As it turned out, the safety lockout often didn't reset after firing the nail and removing the gun from the timber. Sometimes the nose needed to be pushed into the timber 4 or 5 times to get it to fire. It was also pretty stiff even after oiling so it made skew nailing a pain in the ####.

I persevered with it for a few days and got the job done and went back to bunnings with it. After explaining the problem they offered me a new gun or a refund.

There is a huge difference between the pre-meditated act of fraud/deception and what you did. Your actions were precisely what the 30 day satisfaction policy was all about. You were dissatisfied and got your money back for a sub-standard and somewhat dangerous tool. Why would you want one of these given your experience.

Had your intent from the start been to return it under all circumstances for a refund then my comments would have been somewhat different.

[dalejw]

There is a huge difference between the pre-meditated act of fraud/deception and what you did. Your actions were precisely what the 30 day satisfaction policy was all about. You were dissatisfied and got your money back for a sub-standard and somewhat dangerous tool. Why would you want one of these given your experience.

Had your intent from the start been to return it under all circumstances for a refund then my comments would have been somewhat different.

Yep, that's what I thought. Didn't think it put me in the catagory of a crook.

Other things I do put me in that catagory but I keep them to myself

If there is one tool you definately want to be sure when it's going to work and when it's not it's something firing 90mm nails

[felixe]

Dalejw,
The nail gun problems, especially with the safety feature, sound like a warranty return, so with or without the satisfaction guarantee you would have to return it as the faults clearly make it an unsafe and unsuitable product.
I have returned tools to Bunnings, a crappy ozito stapler (what was I thinking:eek: ) and a terrible ozito belt sander that the tool guy convinced me to buy instead of the makita; it was a piece of s$$t, the plate was not flat, so I got my money back and went to trade tools instead (what was I thinking:eek: :eek: )

For the record my answer is NO!

[Bodgy]

Whilst this is, at best, only peripheral to this thred, I'd like to put things in perspective, at least from my view.

I have, or had had, the following GMC tools, all bought on 'special', as is my wont:

Big 235 circular saw - Ripper
Jack Hammer Drill - Only used 3 times, lug driving the bit in hammer mode sheared, returned full refund. Product now discontinued.
1200 watt router - Ripper
Powered router table - POS, nuff said
Dowel joiner - Average, but works
Steel cut off saw - Ripper
9" angle grinder - Absolutely ripper
Tile cutting saw bench - Sort of OK
Compressor - works as to specs (shoudl've got a bigger one)

I would not have bought the above without the 3 yr warranty. The 30 day return helped too, but it was the warranty that was most operant. Trade Practices says you may return goods that do not do what they are sold to do.

[old_picker]

gmc tools I bought:
Tiny Portable compressor - ripper used it for 18 months stilll goes
1200 watt router - good tool use it heaps
Jig saw - works fine no complaints
Drill press [small one] - POS had it replaced got a refund on #2
18 watt drill - damn good tool
table saw - crappy and downright dangerous - took it back
40 litre compressor - just got it seems to work fine.

and i am pretty fussy about tools....
bought 7 tools by gmc and kept 5.

The keepers are great tools for the price but the returns were totally POS

[Groggy]

Well, the thread seems to have pretty much run its course by now. Some interesting comments throughout.

The question never related specifically to GMC, it was very general in nature and was meant to cover those people who deliberately buy something and intend (before even arriving at the store to buy) to return an item for a refund even if it performs well and has no flaws. In short, a free hire.

I know there are some who have no qualms whatsoever doing this, stating the retailer or manufacturer know what is going on and if they don't like it they should not offer such a warranty.

Others, myself included, see the warranty as there only to be used if the tool does not perform to spec, is damaged or does not meet the stated role it is built for.

[benchdog]

gmc tools I bought:
Tiny Portable compressor - ripper used it for 18 months stilll goes
1200 watt router - good tool use it heaps
Jig saw - works fine no complaints
Drill press [small one] - POS had it replaced got a refund on #2
18 watt drill - damn good tool
table saw - crappy and downright dangerous - took it back
40 litre compressor - just got it seems to work fine.

and i am pretty fussy about tools....
bought 7 tools by gmc and kept 5.

The keepers are great tools for the price but the returns were totally POS

agreed, i love the planer thicknesser ($199) belt and disk sander, circular saw, used for docking to length of long pieces so i can bring them into workshop. the only gmc tool ive returned under warranty was a whipper snipper and that was because it was a gutless piece of sheet.