Ethics - is it OK?

The ability to return faulty goods is part of our legislation. For a company to try and snare customers with the " 30 day satisfaction" are asking for trouble even though they would have assumed that the average good joe would be drawn to their lower price and at best get the market share from the weekend warriors. I have know of a few cases where people have bought items like portable generators etc., took them away for a weekend and returned them claiming they did not get enough power to do the job etc.
These low lives are a burden on all of us by increased costs and the destruction of trust between retailer and customer. I have had a situation where I wanted to buy a particular tool but was apprehensive because of the cost. I was invited to take it home and try it out. It did such a good job that I bought it even though it was more than I was initially prepared to spend. I must admit that I knew the retailer reasonably well for him to trust me.
Those who deliberately "buy" these tools and return them once the job is done are really only social parasites on the community and business. It would be much simpler if there was a no return policy for items that are 100% functional, and return only those that fall within the warranty parameters. I read that some one bought a tool and found it to be absolutley wrong for the job and that happens. Before you leave the store you need to establish if there is a return policy for cases like this, or do more reasearch in a forum like this to get a multiple opinion before you buy.

re original question, if you have to ask "is it ethical?" the next question would be "who taught me my ethics ?":(

obviosly the answer is no.

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Originally Posted by Bodgy

Taxation is theft.

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Bodge, Taxation WITHOUT REPRESENTATION is Theft. If you get taxed for a worthwhile purpose (such as improving hospitals or water quality its fine, if you get taxed to fund the local council slush fund thats wrong...)

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Originally Posted by ernknot

The ability to return faulty goods is part of our legislation. For a company to try and snare customers with the " 30 day satisfaction" are asking for trouble even though they would have assumed that the average good joe would be drawn to their lower price and at best get the market share from the weekend warriors.

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I don't think it is a matter of "snaring" customers, more a matter of aleviating their concerns about buying a cheaper tool of an (then) unknown brand.

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Originally Posted by ernknot

I have know of a few cases where people have bought items like portable generators etc., took them away for a weekend and returned them claiming they did not get enough power to do the job etc.

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The real test is: in returning it, have they bought a bigger one to cope with their needs.

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Originally Posted by Gaza

What about if you buy a drill ie $69.00 hammer drill with a "home warranty" use the crap out of it at work then take it back causes it died. I think this just as bad.

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Absolutely, and in fact the GMC warranty does not cover you, so if you have used it for trade, you are not entitled to the warranty. There is an exception: Platinum GMC tools are warrantied for trade use.

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Originally Posted by Groggy

Exador, I was referring to your post:

'I needed a biscuit joiner on the weekend and Carbatech aren't open on a Sunday, so down to Bunnings I go and come home with a shiny new GMC 1200W model, thinking "I'll take it back next week, tell them I'm not happy and trundle down to Carbatech". Problem is - it's too bloody good to do that so, sorry Carbatech.'

By the way it is written it is very clear you never intended to keep it, and only when you found it useful did you decide to keep it, but there is no doubt this was to be used and returned - a free loan. If you meant that you would try it and return it if it was no good, you did not say it. If I am wrong then I apologise, but I am going by what you wrote.

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I did fully expect to return it, as I fully expected it to be sub-standard, but I needed the tool and I was prepared to take the chance. the chance paid off and I actually paid more for the GMC that I would have for the Carbatech tool. I should also say that if the GMC unit had been the 850W unit that was on display in Bunnings, I would have walked out without it, simply because it looked like a piece of junk. I can see how you could misinterpret what I said originally though - I perhaps wasn't as explicit as I could have been. Still, GMC can't complain, they sold a tool.

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Originally Posted by Bodgy

Mate, if you send this to the GMC marketing people, they will probably send you a free tool.

What you've just written completely vindcates their marketing strategy.

Gotta admire them!

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I agree. Their warranty is exceptional and their tools are getting much better. Still a bit too much of the gimmick in some of them, but the biscuit joiner in question is a fine, easy to use, fit-for-purpose tool. The only thing I can really criticise is that it could do with a soft-start, as the starting torque is enough to screw it off line when machining into large panels away from the edge (when the top plate can't be used), but I'm sure every other unit out there is similar and it's just a matter of doing final alignment with the thing running.

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Originally Posted by Gumby

bluddy (sic) stupid response :cool:

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Please explain why you think my response was stupid. Did you really think anyone was going to defend being morally bankrupt?

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Originally Posted by Eddie Jones

Please explain why you think my response was stupid. Did you really think anyone was going to defend being morally bankrupt?

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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.

Pretty sad day when someone cannot express an honest opinion on a forum without being called negative and told to move on.

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Originally Posted by echnidna

Pretty sad day when someone cannot express an honest opinion on a forum without being called negative and told to move on.

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But it's ok to call someone else's questions "bluddy stupid"? It was an honest question.

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Originally Posted by echnidna

Pretty sad day when someone cannot express an honest opinion on a forum without being called negative and told to move on.

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even sadder day when an 'honest opinion' is delivered with such malice.

Even sadder state of events when Gumby doesn't make fun of Blokes taking 'emslves way too seriously:p IMHO that is;)

Yeah, those were the days :D But I've reformed. ;)

Plasticine does that

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Originally Posted by Stuart.

Sadly, as discussed in the other thread, it is exactly this attitude of buying something then returning it after the weekend (a free weekend hire) that has cost GMC a small fortune,

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Not an acceptable practice at all - if something had to be termed un-Australian then surely this goes against "A fair go for all"

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Originally Posted by Stuart.

as there are a LOT of people who do it, and the reason that the 30 day satisfaction guarantee will not be available from GMC in the near future.

So it is reassuring to see that there is a general consensus against it, but sadly, it is not a true reflection of modern society.

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Have never met any of these people but I would like to enlighten them as to what their selfishness mean to others.

Bob