Shimano Warranty in UTAH - any service?

[Bigguyone1]

Is there a tackle/sports shop in northern Utah that has customer service? (yes, I said that in frustration)

The reason I ask is I have called 3 this morning about doing an over the counter exchange of a Shimano Cumara rod I recently broke (which has a lifetime warranty) and they all told me that I had to mail it to Shimano.
I have exchanged 4 rods in the past 5 years at retailers and never been denied this on my shimano cumaras and crucials. I pay a premium for these rods due to this warranty as it has came in handy when I was out of state and broke a rod.

I am still in amazement that NONE of the 3 I called here in Utah would honor the exchange warranty...whereas I have exchanged them in 3 other states without any issue.

Do you know who in Utah will honor this "over the counter" warranty on Shimano rods? What about on St. Croix?

Thank you in advance for your help as I need a new rod by weekend and need a local retailer that takes good care of customers.

THANK YOU
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[bigfish22]

Did any of the three shops you called carry the exact same rod as you have??
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[Bigguyone1]

Yes, all 3 had it as it is a M dropshot rod (so a standard piece in the arsenal).
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[fishley]

you have to send all shimano rod to shimano and pay the shiping allso! they use to let you exchange but after they combined with loomis that all stoped! just send it in asap it takes them about 3 weeks to get them back to you! have went back to fenwick becouse of this!
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[tomegun]

Simple Economics. Retail stores and rod makers can no longer afford the warranties. Shipping prices from $20-$50 per rod is just not feasible. $4-5 for a gallon of gas has effected everything now a days. $9 for a combo meal at a burger joint- Milk $3.50 gallon. Contact your rod maker and ask them whats the best way the replace your broken rod. Sportsman's, Cabelas's and the local fishing shops just can't afford to send your broken rod back to its maker. I just paid $40 to replace the reel seat on a $200 rod. It was cheaper than sending it back.

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[bigfish22]

It's got nothing to do with the retailer and shipping... That's all covered by the manufacturer. It has to do with the vendors return policy. There are defective allowances given to retailers so there is no cost on their end the manufacturer eats it. The return policy may depend on the size of the retailer and what they have worked out. If the stated warranty by Shimano says over the counter exchange then that's what it is. The over the counter exchange has to be done for the exact model rod. If they don't carry the particular rod then there is nothing the retailer can do. Fish on Tomegun!!
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[tlarson]

over the counter exchanges do cost the retailer you have to look at the fact that the retailer has to take one off his shelf and lose a sell and wait for a new rod to be shipped no big deal but some retailers have to go through a dist,
and not all dist honor the warranties so you have to fight or send it right to the manufacture and hope that they will get one sent out to you mean while you lose a rod to sell until they send you one.

thats why retailers dont want to deal with it.

if you keep breaking them why do you keep using them?
have a rod made for the type of use that you expect.
you said you have exchanged 3 before what keeps breaking....
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[bigfish22]

In the sense of a good rod being taken off the floor and possibly missing a sale you are right.. However, the rod warrranties are set by the manufacturer not the retailer. The cost of the broken rod is eaten by the manufacturer not the retailer. Defective allowances or credits are put it place by the vendor to the retailer. Almost all rods like that never end up being sent back to the manufacturer anyways. Its called "Destroy in Field". The only downside to the retailer like you said is they have to wait until the rod that they give the customer is replaced on their end.
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[tlarson]

one other thing to remember is that when you buy a rod to put on your shelve you use a dist, you do not have to honor the manufactures terms as you didnt come into a contract with them.
im just trying to say that manufacures often make claims and extend offers that retailers never know about,
as for the other shops i dont know but my self i woud take care of the customer but only as to help them send the rod in because its a warranty i did not set up

again i ask what keeps going wrong with your rods that they need to be replaced? 5 different rods in just two years?

we all have to be responcable for damages we cause
but manufacture defects should be taken care of by the manufactures(not the retailers)they do not get compensated for exchanging a rod that was not bought from thier store.

just my thoughts

buy american made when ever you can
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[tlarson]

this was emailed to me from shimano repair they have done away with over the counter exchanges due to abuse and non warranty exchanges

Shimano will warranty the following rods. However, if they come to us appearing to be broken in a car door, look like they have been used excessively, or we were informed by the customer that it was broken in an accident, then Shimano will NOT warranty them.


ATL, CL "A" Seriec, CLC/CLS, CNC/CNS, CPC/CPS "A" & "B" Series, CRC/CRS, CSC/CSS, CUC/CUS, CVC/CVS, IGFA, PCF,
SFS, TDR w/2 digit numbered models, TEC/TES, TFC/TFS, TLA, TLC/ TLS/ULC, TLI/TLR/TLT, TMC/TMS, TRC/TRS, TSC/TSS, TVC/TVS, ULC, V-RODS

If it is not on this list then Shimano will not warranty the rod without a valid receipt showing it to be still under one year and a new appearance.

he said this is his bottom line and they are sorry for any trouble but times are tough and the warrantys have been abused and now are mail in only
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[orvis1]

I am still waiting on my warranty for my $300 trout series rod I sent in 3 weeks ago. Hopefully it will be done soon!



EDIT... Complain and the fishing gods reward you... I just got it back in the mail yesterday!
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