Inkbird Not Standing Behind Product

[SillyReef]

Well I hope you find a product that you like. Heaters can be hit or miss.

 

[hllb]

I can, but it's not something that can just be plugged in. You have to cut cords and rewire it...

Ah, just checked mine and you're right. Didn't realize, though the units are so cheap it's not a big deal to me.

 

[EMeyer]

Companies need to think of their reputation value when they have issues like these with their customers.

Is it really worth having an unhappy customer ranting on this site about a product failing right after warranty period? How many people are reading this thread? How many people will research heater controllers in the future and find this thread?

What’s the value of a happy customer posting on this site their experience with a company that stands by their product?

The problem with this is that it means the customers who complain get unlimited warranties while the customers who don't complain get limited warranties.

And the customers who realize companies are willing to bend, gets unlimited warranties on everything.

I dunno. That doesnt sound like the end result we should be promoting.

Machines wear down, it doesnt seem reasonable for the hobby to insist that all products must have unlimited warranties. Nobody likes it when stuff breaks, but the only way for everything to have unlimited warranties is if the price of everything goes up. I like the current balance myself. Reasonably durable equipment for pretty cheap, with limited warranties... or slightly more durable equipment for a much higher price, with strong warranties.

 

[PeterC99]

The problem with this is that it means the customers who complain get unlimited warranties while the customers who don't complain get limited warranties.

And the customers who realize companies are willing to bend, gets unlimited warranties on everything.

I dunno. That doesnt sound like the end result we should be promoting.

Machines wear down, it doesnt seem reasonable for the hobby to insist that all products must have unlimited warranties. Nobody likes it when stuff breaks, but the only way for everything to have unlimited warranties is if the price of everything goes up. I like the current balance myself. Reasonably durable equipment for pretty cheap, with limited warranties... or slightly more durable equipment for a much higher price, with strong warranties.

You are taking this to an extreme with "unlimited warranties".

Product failure 3 months after warranty expiration is NOT unlimited time.

My main point - Is all this press good for the vendor?

 

[Mike konesky]

Maybe try and contact them about their paid Amazon reviews? They were giving away product in return for 5 star reviews a few months ago

 

[blaxsun]

Can't you just buy a new probe? I believe they sell those separately. Out of warranty is not unreasonable that they won't replace it. These are not known to be top of the line.

No, they're hardwired to the unit.

 

[a.t.t.r]

I can see both points of view on something like this, but really, what ever happened to the old customer-service philosophy of, ‘Thanks for being a loyal customer— have a free replacement probe on us.’ (?) To me, anything less is shortsighted on something 90 days out of Warranty.

You are taking this to an extreme with "unlimited warranties".

Product failure 3 months after warranty expiration is NOT unlimited time.

My main point - Is all this press good for the vendor?

so 90 days after becomes the new deadline... But come on im at 100 days thats only 10 days after! 90 days is a 25 percent extension... good luck with that.

I had to fight with a car dealership once because the drive to the dealership put me 2 miles outside warranty...And again a month later when the part finally came in and I was 200 miles over.

You get what you pay for. I expect to replace my inkbird every year to two years and im fine with that until i buy a controller. It is the least expensive part on my tank so far.

 

[Shirak]

Care to share which one?

Willhi wh-1803c There are different models. This one has the tightest range and works well with aquarium heaters. They can be programmed and calibrated. The probes are stainless so I dip them in plasti dip and let them cure for a couple days.

Just note they are rated for 5A 550watts

willhi 1803c

replacement probes which are easy to replace. Open the unit up and unplug the old probe and plug in a new one.
probes

 

[PeterC99]

so 90 days after becomes the new deadline... But come on im at 100 days thats only 10 days after! 90 days is a 25 percent extension... good luck with that.

I had to fight with a car dealership once because the drive to the dealership put me 2 miles outside warranty...And again a month later when the part finally came in and I was 200 miles over.

You get what you pay for. I expect to replace my inkbird every year to two years and im fine with that until i buy a controller. It is the least expensive part on my tank so far.

Again - you are making this about semantics.

Over 275 views on this thread. What's the reputational damage to the vendor? Why do certain companies stand behind their products even after warranty period expiration?

 

[Adamantium]

Well, I fixed it. Cut off the temperature probe and used one from a completely different device (not Inkbird). I’m downright chuffed.

 

[a.t.t.r]

Again - you are making this about semantics.

Over 275 views on this thread. What's the reputational damage to the vendor? Why do certain companies stand behind their products even after warranty period expiration?

Because they sell a premium product with margins that allow for it? Take ryobi power tools vs rigid. they are both nearly identical. Both are made by TTI both use nearly the same quality parts with lots of parts being interchangable. One has a lifetime and one is 90 days to 2 years. One also cost 3-5 times as much.

I don't think this thread caused any damage to them at all. "oh cool it lasted the time frame they said it would and he didn't need to replace it sooner then that". That is a huge plus for any discount brand like jaebo or inkbird or jbj.

Now some credit cards extend the manufacturers warranty you may want to contact them.

 

[PeterC99]

Because they sell a premium product with margins that allow for it? Take ryobi power tools vs rigid. they are both nearly identical. Both are made by TTI both use nearly the same quality parts with lots of parts being interchangable. One has a lifetime and one is 90 days to 2 years. One also cost 3-5 times as much.

I don't think this thread caused any damage to them at all. "oh cool it lasted the time frame they said it would and he didn't need to replace it sooner then that". That is a huge plus for any discount brand like jaebo or inkbird or jbj.

Now some credit cards extend the manufacturers warranty you may want to contact them.

I don’t think many people will buy a product that only lasts its warranty period. I know definitely that I will not.

 

[a.t.t.r]

I don’t think many people will buy a product that only lasts its warranty period. I know definitely that I will not.

I won’t either. If I see lots of issues shortly after the period ends I won’t use it. But if a small percent are failing and the company does nothing it won’t turn me away. I plan on things only lasting that timeframe when weighing the cost and hope for more.

 

[Dcal]

Maybe try and contact them about their paid Amazon reviews? They were giving away product in return for 5 star reviews a few months ago

Free if you give ANY review. Got one and nothing was said about 5 star

 

[Soren]

You consider 15 months a reasonable usable life for this product, then?

Warranty is not always about the full life of the product. Warranty is completely about the original "contract" in purchase to deal with the time-frame of possible manufacturing defects and their likelihood or relative risk.
My opinion is that a warranty should be held to exactly the length of time that was agreed upon in the original "contract" of the purchase. As soon as there are exceptions, there is too much potential for the exceptions to be taken advantage of.
Now, whether or not the warranty on the Inkbird controller should be longer or not is still a valid question, but it is one that is up to Inkbird to determine and offer in the warranty with their product.

...also, the product "abruptly" ceasing to work is always the case with an electronic product, is it not? It is unlikely that an issue in the circuitry would only make the temperature slightly off from what it should be, since even small failures in a circuit can cause major changes to the logic of the circuit.

You are taking this to an extreme with "unlimited warranties".

Product failure 3 months after warranty expiration is NOT unlimited time.

My main point - Is all this press good for the vendor?

The example of "unlimited warranties" is the extreme to prove the point that, as soon as you start to extend the warranty beyond the original agreement, you may start down a slippery slope toward the extreme of "unlimited" warranty. If Inkbird wanted to guarantee the product to the warranty period plus 3 additional months, they would have made the warranty period 3 months longer in order to protect their business with a specific "contract" on the purchase with the warranty.

How long the warranty period should be may be a valid question for Inkbird to continue to assess (obviously not assuming this assessment did not already happen to determine the original number), but a product failing after warranty period and not being covered by the warranty seems completely reasonable to me.

I don’t think many people will buy a product that only lasts its warranty period. I know definitely that I will not.

Life of product and manufacturing-defect warranties are two very different things in my mind. Things (especially electronics) fail for many reasons beyond manufacturing defects, so warranty is not necessarily lifetime unless specifically stated. I'm pretty sure that it is absolute fact that all products have some failures just outside of the warranty period. Decision-making requires more information about tendencies and average statistics or risk of failure rate more than just one case on the fringe.

Although it could be bad publicity for a company, there is more to a company image than one situation in which a customer is not satisfied. Though it is disappointing that the temperature probe failed, I think it unfair to claim a company is not standing behind their product when it failed after the warranty period that was agreed upon in the contract of purchase...
I personally hope that anyone reading this would not automatically assume the company is terrible when the information indicates that they upheld their part of the contract. Maybe they will still find it worthwhile to guarantee their product with a longer warranty period or make a temperature probe that is more-easily replaceable in the future? They will make the decision they think best for their company.

I don't know, just my opinions about this situation...

 

[Cell]

Annoying and a bummer, but you cant really fault the company. It's not entirely uncommon for a product to fail shortly after the warranty period is up. There is a reason a certain warranty period was chosen in the first place.

 

[Cell]

Maybe try and contact them about their paid Amazon reviews? They were giving away product in return for 5 star reviews a few months ago

No stipulation was given on # of stars or even a positive review at all.

 

[Jimmyneptune]

I own the ITC 308 WI-FI, and out of the blue a few days ago, it started giving wildly inaccurate readings. Like, a glass of ice water is reading 65*F.

So, I emailed Inkbird, thinking a huge company like that would have decent customer service policies. Turns out, I’m ~3 months outside the warranty window, so they won’t warranty it, and are instead advising that I buy, and rewire, a new temperature probe.

I understand not wanting to warranty something that’s possibly not your fault, but my probe just abruptly stopped working correctly.

I own 6 or 7 Inkbird products, and was just last night looking to buy their sous-vide machine, but now I’m reconsidering whether, or not, to stick with a brand that won’t stand behind their products when they fail so blatantly.

Can anyone suggest an alternative temp controller that also has Wi-Fi capability?

A couple of things
1 out of 7 isn't bad for a failure rate. If they work good enough to buy 7 and 1 fails after 18 months you are doing good.
Is inkbird premium?
If you are a customer with 7 products you would think they would at least sell you a new at there cost to keep you happy.

 

[Pntbll687]

You are taking this to an extreme with "unlimited warranties".

Product failure 3 months after warranty expiration is NOT unlimited time.

My main point - Is all this press good for the vendor?

Actually yes, this is good press for the vendor.

I see a customer complaining they won't warranty an item after the warranty period has passed by a substantial amount of time. The company is sticking to their policy, which makes them a good, reputable company. They have a policy and are sticking to it.

The companies that bend over backwards and offer replacements well after warranty dates have passed are actually screwing over those of us that live within the parameters set. When companies give out free stuff, they don't take a loss on all of it, they don't just right everything off. It may not be immediate, but that yearly price increase that is right around 2-3% is now 5-6% because of things like this.

 

[PeterC99]

Actually yes, this is good press for the vendor.

I see a customer complaining they won't warranty an item after the warranty period has passed by a substantial amount of time. The company is sticking to their policy, which makes them a good, reputable company. They have a policy and are sticking to it.

The companies that bend over backwards and offer replacements well after warranty dates have passed are actually screwing over those of us that live within the parameters set. When companies give out free stuff, they don't take a loss on all of it, they don't just right everything off. It may not be immediate, but that yearly price increase that is right around 2-3% is now 5-6% because of things like this.

3 months is a substantial amount of time after 1 year warranty expiration?

Please tell me why so many companies go above and beyond their warranties? These are the companies I seek out and do business with. Understand that’s My choice.

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