Buck Warranty, I say do it outside USA

S

Silverdagger

Joined
Dec 18, 2006
Messages
633
Buck is obviously making tough decisions. I think we all understand the Wal Mart China knives and appreciate the USA Made hunters and so forth.

My recommendation is this, allow those of us who are willing to pay for a broken knife do so. I broke the tip on my 501 doing some bonehead move. I've only broke two in my life. I would have paid $10 plus shipping to get it fixed. They fixed if for free and paid the cost of shipping back to me. That is rediculous to them and to good to be true to me.

I personally recommend that the high dollar knives that are broken be repaired in China or Mexico. What is wrong with this idea, Buck? Please save yourself some money from boneheads who do stupid things to their knives or those who expect perfection out of a $26 dollar Wal mar 110. I mean for $26, you should expect slight bit of blade play, though most of the time there is none.

Do what it takes buck. I buy a few USA knives a year from you.
 
Thus more expensive and thus saving far more money if done off-shore.

People may not like "Made in China" stamped on their knife, but they don't care where a knife is repaired as long as the repair is good.
 
My own experience is unbelievable. I had a 501 that I broke the tip off in the Mid 80's. Rather than send it back, I bought another. I used it for a solid 10 years and broke the tip. I put it up for another 10 years, got it out, and sent it in after reading this board. They polished it, made it look new, and put a new blade and shipped it back. So the profits they made years ago were evaporated and the costs were increased.

I see what you all are saying. I think the customer should pay shipping, if they broke it. That's why I included Mexico. It's close. So is Peurto Rico etc. Labor should be dirt in Mexico.

Also, I think they should ask for money, if the customer wants to pay it. I would have happily handed over half the cost of a new knife, as that one was sentimental. A lot of people would do the same.

Just brainstorming. I mean Buck can't take back because someone's personal preference of stag doesn't meet what has been mail ordered from Cabelas, or BPS and do so repeatedly, without being financially damaged in a tough industry. Have you looked at Wal Mart. You can buy 3 winchester knives that will cut pretty darn well, in a tin, for $10. It's brutal out there.

It's one thing to make good on a warranty when there is an actual defect, it's another that thing when the "stag didn't look like what the other side looked like" and so forth, or there is a tiny bit of blade play etc.

I wish Buck the best of luck, will try to be an even better customer. They've been a good manufacturer of cutlery for me, the best I can think of.
 
Rocinante said:
Maybe if they shipped in bulk it would not be that bad. They might have to charge a little more for each repair, but it could work.
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Until the people that are waiting on their knives, that are sitting waiting until they have enough "bulk" to ship, start yelling where's my knife?

Offshore repair is pretty much never going to be economical in todays market.
 
Truth is, I think the knives waiting for repair sit around quite a while now because Buck is so busy.......think about it......maybe an offshore site could offer almost immediate turnaround once they got the knives.
 
I sure do appreciate the sentiment, wow!!! But,
The cost of doing all the repairs is worth it to Chuck. Thats the way he wants it done...end of story. :D
Now, I will say that we do charge for some repairs that come our way. Every now and then we get a knife that obviously spent a few years at the bottom of a creek. No way we can "fix" that blob of rust even if we wanted to. But we would offer that customer a replacement at a reduced cost.
If we get a box full of 110's with freshly snapped blade tips...we are going to charge for blade replacements...Happens far too often.
True, if we always stuck to the letter of our warranty, our costs would go down dramatically but we feel that if there is any doubt, lets side with our customers. Thats just how its always been done and I hope, it wont change. I like nothing better than opening a box in warranty and reading a letter where the customer admits to using the knife to pry up a man hole cover or some other "questionable" use. "Please send me a bill for the work" the note will say, "it was my fault". Restores my faith in humanity to see something like that and there is no way I am sending that guy a bill. I will make sure his knife is back up to par and in the mail as quickly as we can. :)
 
OK, I'll step right in it with this comment probably.

For the price of a new 110 at Walmart, it makes no sense to bother taking the time to send it in, or to have the company fix it. Live with it, or toss it in the trash and buy a new one.
 
Joe, after reading your reply it reminded me again of why people like Buck knives.. Other than making a quality product, it is the way of thinking regarding taking care of the customers, even well above what a consumer could reasonably expect.. :thumbup:
 
DaveH said:
OK, I'll step right in it with this comment probably.

For the price of a new 110 at Walmart, it makes no sense to bother taking the time to send it in, or to have the company fix it. Live with it, or toss it in the trash and buy a new one.
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:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
 
338375 said:
Joe, after reading your reply it reminded me again of why people like Buck knives.. Other than making a quality product, it is the way of thinking regarding taking care of the customers, even well above what a consumer could reasonably expect.. :thumbup:
Click to expand...

wow i could not have said it better...
my buck knife, not jest a tusted tool, a fatefull friend.
 
The cost of doing all the repairs is worth it to Chuck. Thats the way he wants it done...end of story.
Click to expand...

Does that mean that he insists on his own whims even if a new way could be more cost-effective?

That kind of management is dangerous......could even put a company in such a bad financial position that they need to......
 
Chuck is a very smart businessman and he has been around for a long time. His decision is a good one, not just because it makes sense from a cost effective standpoint, but also because it fits with how he wants his customers treated. What a cool coincidence! Bet that does not happen all the time.
We are always looking at better ways of doing things, our survival demands it. Its the same with any company. But there are certian corporate dictates that have to be met and customer service is high on the list. A great "new" idea better take that into account or it will end up in the round file.
 
Joe Houser said:
I sure do appreciate the sentiment, wow!!! But,
The cost of doing all the repairs is worth it to Chuck. Thats the way he wants it done...end of story. :D
Now, I will say that we do charge for some repairs that come our way. Every now and then we get a knife that obviously spent a few years at the bottom of a creek. No way we can "fix" that blob of rust even if we wanted to. But we would offer that customer a replacement at a reduced cost.
If we get a box full of 110's with freshly snapped blade tips...we are going to charge for blade replacements...Happens far too often.
True, if we always stuck to the letter of our warranty, our costs would go down dramatically but we feel that if there is any doubt, lets side with our customers. Thats just how its always been done and I hope, it wont change. I like nothing better than opening a box in warranty and reading a letter where the customer admits to using the knife to pry up a man hole cover or some other "questionable" use. "Please send me a bill for the work" the note will say, "it was my fault". Restores my faith in humanity to see something like that and there is no way I am sending that guy a bill. I will make sure his knife is back up to par and in the mail as quickly as we can. :)
Click to expand...


Ya'll are the best. I tore my knife up doing something I rarely do, which was to pry. I admitted it. The nice lady who answered said she would fix it. I should have insisted on paying for it, and told her I would. I wasn't charged.

Ya'll are awesome. You really make a knife that will last a lifetime. A lot of us will by many over the years.
 
Joe Houser said:
Chuck is a very smart businessman and he has been around for a long time. His decision is a good one, not just because it makes sense from a cost effective standpoint, but also because it fits with how he wants his customers treated. What a cool coincidence! Bet that does not happen all the time.
We are always looking at better ways of doing things, our survival demands it. Its the same with any company. But there are certian corporate dictates that have to be met and customer service is high on the list. A great "new" idea better take that into account or it will end up in the round file.
Click to expand...

Lofty talk and fine, if true.

I wonder if the people who lost their jobs agree that farming out the repair would not be cost effective? Why wouldn't it make for even BETTER and FASTER customer service if high standards were mandated?

Frankly, I can't see how it could fail to save a lot of money, but I don't have the inside information although I'm sure I've seen it referred to on this forum as VERY expensive.

If the management is so astute......why the current and sudden crisis?

Why would people who relocated be suddenly faced with layoffs?

This all sounds so familiar.......managers insisting on doing things a certain and costly way because it's always been that way.......and then layoffs and huge price increases.

So familiar.
 
Joe Houser said:
IIf we get a box full of 110's with freshly snapped blade tips...we are going to charge for blade replacements...Happens far too often.
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IMHO, that should never be covered under warranty and it's a testimony to Buck if you ever do cover it.

Blade tips get snapped off for one reason only, you misused your knife.

And yes, I've done it myself, just didn't ask for a free repair. :D
 
Rocinante said:
Lofty talk and fine, if true.

I wonder if the people who lost their jobs agree that farming out the repair would not be cost effective? Why wouldn't it make for even BETTER and FASTER customer service if high standards were mandated?

Frankly, I can't see how it could fail to save a lot of money, but I don't have the inside information although I'm sure I've seen it referred to on this forum as VERY expensive.

If the management is so astute......why the current and sudden crisis?

Why would people who relocated be suddenly faced with layoffs?

This all sounds so familiar.......managers insisting on doing things a certain and costly way because it's always been that way.......and then layoffs and huge price increases.

So familiar.
Click to expand...
Hey man things happen. :eek:
 
Rocinante said:
Lofty talk and fine, if true.

I wonder if the people who lost their jobs agree that farming out the repair would not be cost effective? Why wouldn't it make for even BETTER and FASTER customer service if high standards were mandated?

Frankly, I can't see how it could fail to save a lot of money, but I don't have the inside information although I'm sure I've seen it referred to on this forum as VERY expensive.

If the management is so astute......why the current and sudden crisis?

Why would people who relocated be suddenly faced with layoffs?

This all sounds so familiar.......managers insisting on doing things a certain and costly way because it's always been that way.......and then layoffs and huge price increases.

So familiar.
Click to expand...

How is outsourcing warranty work going to save jobs?

What do you think would happen to those folks who are performing those jobs now?

Along your line of thinking, Buck should move everything overseas. That is a bit of convoluted thinking.

This decision may or may not be a permanent decision made to allow the company to be profitable. When economic conditions change, then these laid off employees can be brought back. If you outsource jobs, those jobs will never be back.
 
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