Inkbird Not Standing Behind Product

[Pntbll687]

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.

How many views has this thread generated?

Yes 3 months is a long time, that's over 2,000 hours of continuous use. It's also asking for an additional 25% of time on the warranty.

The companies most reported on here as going "above and beyond" warranty are usually "premium" brands. There's a reason prices are so high on these brands. Not only do they account for replacing a certain amount of lights under warranty claims, but they also allocate money for "out of warranty assistance".

I bet that if you find out when these companies fiscal year ends, you are 100% more likely to get assistance in the beginning of the year than the end of the year.

 

[Gtinnel]

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

If possible I'd like to see any proof you have that a 5 star review was required to recieve the item for free. I recieved a free heater from them in return for a honest review on amazon, which I did not give them 5 stars and shockingly they still gave me the heater for free.
Your statement is completely wrong and bordering on slanderous in my opinion, a company tries to give away free items in exchange for a review and people find fault in them for doing it? Many companies in all sectors of goods give samples of their products to testers for honest feedback, but for some reason inkbird does it for your average hobbyist and they're crucified online for it?

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Many businesses, small businesses, would just replace the probe for the cost of shipping. My folks family business has operated for 50 years and does tjis this routinely.

I cant count the number of times i have done similar in my own business. My good will is so great that i dont even have a website nor need to advertise.... its all word of mouth... gross income is six figures...

The cost of the probe costs nothing compared to losing a customer and the free good word of mouth advertising...

I think that ink bird does not have to do anything contractually, short warranties are ridiculous for things that keep animals alive, and the cost of not doing anything is that inkbird will lose OP as a customer and receive negative good will...

I certainly hear about Neptune, Ecotech, and others honoring repairs outside short warranty periods. That undoubtedly breeds customer loyalty.

This post affirms my choice to not buy ink bird because i suspected as much.... maker of cheap chinese stuff and if they warranty at all it will only be within a short contractual warranty period.

 

[PeterC99]

Yes 3 months is a long time, that's over 2,000 hours of continuous use. It's also asking for an additional 25% of time on the warranty.

The companies most reported on here as going "above and beyond" warranty are usually "premium" brands. There's a reason prices are so high on these brands. Not only do they account for replacing a certain amount of lights under warranty claims, but they also allocate money for "out of warranty assistance".

I bet that if you find out when these companies fiscal year ends, you are 100% more likely to get assistance in the beginning of the year than the end of the year.

I’ll take that bet!!! What would you like to wager?

 

[Little c big D]

This is like thos "if you eat this 6lbs hamburger in 60minutes your whole meal is free" things. If it takes 63minutes. You lose. This is how I see warranty issues. Respect the contract

 

[eggplantparrot]

lol what kind of logic is this.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

This is like thos "if you eat this 6lbs hamburger in 60minutes your whole meal is free" things. If it takes 63minutes. You lose. This is how I see warranty issues. Respect the contract

i take it you don't own a business...

 

[Cell]

Many businesses, small businesses, would just replace the probe for the cost of shipping. My folks family business has operated for 50 years and does tjis this routinely.

I cant count the number of times i have done similar in my own business. My good will is so great that i dont even have a website nor need to advertise.... its all word of mouth... gross income is six figures...

The cost of the probe costs nothing compared to losing a customer and the free good word of mouth advertising...

I think that ink bird does not have to do anything contractually, short warranties are ridiculous for things that keep animals alive, and the cost of not doing anything is that inkbird will lose OP as a customer and receive negative good will...

I certainly hear about Neptune, Ecotech, and others honoring repairs outside short warranty periods. That undoubtedly breeds customer loyalty.

This post affirms my choice to not buy ink bird because i suspected as much.... maker of cheap chinese stuff and if they warranty at all it will only be within a short contractual warranty period.

Neptune and Ecotech? You are comparing an item that probably costs hundreds of dollars to one that costs $30. Completely different scenarios.

 

[JumboShrimp]

There are many good points being made on both sides of this coin. I do wonder, however, how true it still is that a ‘Premium’ brand/company is more likely to do more for it’s customers than the traditional mom & pop shop— who tend to value customer loyalty as a long-standing precept.

 

[wolfen281]

No, I get you. It’s the few that have ruined it for the many. But my mind is still back-in-the-day when your Craftsman tool from Sears broke— no matter how, no matter when— and they handed you a shiny brand new one. (The gold lettering on the store door also said “Satisfaction Guaranteed”. But someone here will counter that, I’m sure, by saying ‘... And that is why Sears is out of business...’)

Sears went out of business because they were targeted by hedge funds and shorted to death. Currently, the last Sears CEO standing is waiting on bankruptcy court to sell off all the frigging real estate assets they still hold.
I hope $SHLDQ pops when the market crashes and helps slay hedgies.
I miss craftsman (and kenmore).

 

[Mike konesky]

If possible I'd like to see any proof you have that a 5 star review was required to recieve the item for free. I recieved a free heater from them in return for a honest review on amazon, which I did not give them 5 stars and shockingly they still gave me the heater for free.
Your statement is completely wrong and bordering on slanderous in my opinion, a company tries to give away free items in exchange for a review and people find fault in them for doing it? Many companies in all sectors of goods give samples of their products to testers for honest feedback, but for some reason inkbird does it for your average hobbyist and they're crucified online for it?

They did not require a 5 star review, you are correct. I was wrong. They were offering free product in return for A review, not necessarily a 5 star.

 

[Gtinnel]

They did not require a 5 star review, you are correct. I was wrong. They were offering free product in return for A review, not necessarily a 5 star.

That is accurate.
Sorry for my passionate reply, I may have been a little too quick to hop up onto my soapbox.

 

[tomboys]

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?

1. In my experience, huge companies are the ones with rubbish customer service.
2. If you are outside the warranty, I don't see what else you expect. Why would they just give you a new one for free?
The simple fact is that you are being completely unrealistic with your expectations.

 

[Potatohead]

It's a $9 probe, just buy a new one.

Heaters are like $50 and can't really be trusted past a year either.

 

[Little c big D]

i take it you don't own a business...

That's an interesting theory. Why have a warranty expiration if you don't intend to uphold it?

 

[CrazyCarlitos]

The point is that the usable life of this product should be more than 15 months, and to not stand behind that is short-sighted and bad policy.

So basically, u don’t agree with the warranty period length, which u should have been aware of before purchase.

perhaps asking for a free replacement after warrranty period is fine… but accusing them of bad customer service because they don’t… that’s just in bad taste imo. Ymmv.

out of curiosity, how long do u think they should replace that item for free?

 

[Soren]

That's an interesting theory. Why have a warranty expiration if you don't intend to uphold it?

I agree.
Whether or not customers would prefer an unlimited warranty (of course they would) and keeping customers completely happy or making money is the company motive (of course, ultimately making money is the goal, but requires customer satisfaction), the company should make a decision on how to handle warranty/defects/issues and stick to the plan and the customer should understand the warranty stipulations and period before purchase.

As a customer, it is unreasonable to demand a warrantied replacement after the warranty period. Period. That warranty period was the original contract that you "signed" with your purchase.

As a business, keeping customers and market image is important, so it may be better for the company image in the long-run to have as long a warranty period as realistically possible or a plan to always replace to keep customers happy as number one priority no matter what. How many companies survive with a plan to keep the customer happy no matter the cost and no matter the reason? (I think none, there are always some stipulations that are determined reasonable by the company and accepted by the customer)

Could this company still reconsider warranty period and expected lifetime of the product? Sure, but the original warranty should be upheld in this case IMO since it was stated and agreed upon originally as such.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Neptune and Ecotech? You are comparing an item that probably costs hundreds of dollars to one that costs $30. Completely different scenarios.

I am comparing companies that stand behind their products and ones that do not.... Warranty period or not...

I tend to buy from companies that stand behind their products, short warranty periods or not. Ecotech or Neptune decision to warranty items outside of warranty has nothing to do with the cost; they'll do it for small ticket or large ticket items if they think doing so is appropriate...

Inkbird apparently will never.

I suspected as much and usually use Ranco. Never had a problem with a Ranco--in 20 plus years of use for lots of things--but never heard of them not helping a customer outside of warranty either.

 

[Pete_the_Puma]

I really don’t understand. If the warranty is 12 months why would you expect anything after 15 months?

If you want a Heater with a longer warranty then try an Eheim, I think they have 3 year warranties, but again if it break after 3.1 years then don’t expect a new one lol.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

That's an interesting theory. Why have a warranty expiration if you don't intend to uphold it?

I'll take that as a "yes" i don't own business and can't relate firsthand to issues and concerns business owners face everyday. You have a warranty for the ability to say no i won't fix past a date, and as a sales pitch, longer warranties are more attractive to gain sales.

Customer satisfaction, good will, business security and longevity, and word of mouth reputation and advertising is the reason you "have a warranty expiration if you don't intend to uphold it"

It's common sense to send a $1 part, i.e., temperature probe, at cost to a customer to retain that customer for future purchases and to have him then encourage others to buy your products.

Any low level employee of mine would send this part to that customer without a second thought.