They have no more than 50 to 60 dollars in manufacturing that blank, the additional cost for it are marketing, hype, and warranty etc.
I dissagree…hype is absolutely free.
It matters to them because the cost of providing a warranty for an unlimited period to an unlimited number of owners is greater than the cost of providing the warranty to only the first owner for presumably a shorter period of time.
I looked in on this thread briefly this morning but am just sitting back down to the computer. At that time, I guess I read the Winston email more thoroughly than I had before and reached the same conclusion already posted by Utah David. It appears to be a bit of “form email” with a section where the person on Winston’s end is supposed to type in the number of sections of each type, as applicable, that they’re replacing. That being said, if that’s the entirety of the email, I’ll agree with Hap and say that it’s definitely cryptic. While I’ve defended Winston’s actions to some degree with this, I’ll also say they get low marks on several counts in my opinion for how they apparently handled this, and I think it’s representative of how companies often don’t realize the impact of little things like these on customers’ perceptions. Weeks without response is poor. A very brief, impersonal, very poorly laid out email is also asking for trouble and isn’t going to do a thing to generate any goodwill. If they can’t take the time to generate an entirely original email, which I understand, how about at least adding a little more clarity and maybe just a touch of feigned kindness to the text they’re currently using? Hopefully there was at least some “Dear Valued Winston Customer” stuff at the beginning, but when it came to the line in question, they’d do themselves a favor by preceeding it with something like "Sections repaired/replaced (no number indicates no repairs to that section): "
We’ve probably all experienced companies from time to time that get little things like this right and gain goodwill for stuff that didn’t take much more time to send out than what Winston did. I’ve read plenty over the years that suggests Winston is a smaller shop than one might expect, and I’m sure they’re not rolling in the dough any more than other fly fishing manufacturers, but these kinds of details are really more about a difference in approach than they are about additional resources. It’s their option whether they want to handle out-of-warranty repairs with a TFO-type benevolence toward the consumer or whether they want to load up on the pricing of those repairs, but little and/or poor communication on the subject is not as easily dismissed. I have rods from a variety of manufacturers and I’m such a fan of my 6 wt. BIIX that it will probably end up being one of those “pry it from my cold, dead hands” rods, but this story will make even me a bit more wary if I wind up having to deal with the company for any repairs. Too bad.
My experience with Winston customer service has never exactly made my socks roll up and down, particularly since the company restructured and got rid of the bamboo guys. They do their job and not much more. Not what I expect from a company selling at the price point they do. I love my 3 green sticks (especially my BIIx 5 wt), but will doubtfully buy from them again unless they can give the impression that they are not a company in decline. I hope they can stabilize the ship.
I’m not one to say who is right and who is wrong.
I agree with what John N said. A company should provide ‘better’ customer service. Not replying to e-mails, not notifying customers, etc is just bad service.
I’ve sent fishing related items back to manufacturers for repairs to Simms and to Orvis and had wonderful results. I’ve even received phone calls from each of those companies, letting me know of my options about repairs/replacement. That sort of thing gets an ‘A’ in my book.
I did mail order a Winston rod that was damaged in transit. I sent it back to the shop I ordered it from and they took care of sending it to Winston for the repair. I think shops may get better treatment from manufacturers.
Brian
I own St. Croix rods for many reasons, but their customer service tops the list. I have sent just about every St. Croix back for repairs. Never any hassle. It is only $30 for a new tip for their rods (regardless of model) shipping included. I wouldn’t take Winston’s cs personal. They have been in the business for a long time and know the value of every customer. Contact them again and let them know your let down and give them a chance to regain your support.
Loufly
Why would you have had so many rods which needed to be sent back?
I, for one, would like to ban car doors… While guiding I had clients do everything from high-sticking, to dropping rods in the gravel, to grabbing the rod way up high to “help” the fish come in, to doors… And I am certain I am missing lots…
Did you pick up the phone and talk to them? IMO e-mail is a lousy communication tool, especially if you want personal service. Personally I’ve had great service from Winston, but I understand that customer service can be a case-by-case thing; you’ll likely find as many that are unhappy as those who are happy with any company. I also agree that $50 to ship a rod is ridiculous, but it seems that fees like that are the going rate these days with many companies. I would call them and discuss the problem; personal contact goes a long way in getting what you want. Hope you get some satisfaction!
One look at Winston’s web site and the email will convince most that getting to them by phone is not easy. They say to call and leave a message and they will get back to you as soon as possible… They know I am unhappy and they decided to ignore me. No one has given me an example of another rod company charging more for less or communicating more poorly. I have however gotten several stories similar to mine about Winston.
I am not really looking for anything here… I knew what the price was to be before okaying the charge… but I did not know what they were going to do. That is in large part my fault. I have to assume the treatment I got was their standard… Sadly so in this case.
$182 is not going to keep food off the table or the lights on… It will however, eliminate my interest in another Winston…
That’s too bad; I always hate to hear similar stories about companies or products that I personally like. Like I said I’ve always had prompt responses and great service, including some parts that they sent me gratis for a couple of rods that I bought used. Maybe things and/or people have changed at Winston. I love their rods and they are always my first choice, but they might not be if I’d gotten what I felt was bad service.
Yes they have!
Not a big Winston fan myself, but their only fault was a failure in communication, the rest is really on you I’m afraid. They fixed the rod, in what I assume was a timely fashion, for the quoted and agreed upon price. No foul there. You received a used rod and thus assumed the responsibility of paying for repairs if necessary, same as if you had bought it used. The S/H charge is the same they charge everyone, including those who paid for their rods new, and is about the same the other companies charge, so not sure why you think this is such a egregious sin.
Not wanting to sound harsh, but if you do not want pay for the repairs, then buy the rod new, as others have mentioned, or in your case get rid of the rod due to the liability. The gamble is that you would not break the rod. Problem is that turned out to be a bad bet. Bad call, but hardly Winston’s fault.
Yes, some rod companies cover used rods, but not everyone, and nearly everyone has a warranty disclaimer built in regardless of what they actually do just in case. As an aside, it is truly shocking how the companies that sell offshore manufactured rods can replace them without even blinking. Can you imagine how cheap those rods are to manufacture really, if they can afford this policy? Regardless, if that is the level of service you want, then buy from them and not someone like Winston. Or in your case, sell/trade it and get one of the bargain bin rods.
If I thought I was getting a really good deal on a used rod, and then had to pay to have it fixed, I’d be mad too…but I’d be mad at myself for be a ‘penny-wise but a pound foolish.’
In the past 4-5 months? I had some excellent response and service from them this past summer.
It’s just a bad business decision on their part, the old sale axiom is a happy customer tells 6 or 7 people about their experience, an unhappy customer tells everyone. I had a less than satisfactory experience with another rod company years ago about a broken rod with a lifetime warranty receiving a letter from the president of the company that the warranty was good for the life of the rod. I still have a duplicate rod to the one that broke, me nor any of my friends have purchased a rod of that brand since the late 80’s. They might have been wise to have replaced the rod.
Have you ever heard of any other company charging 132+50 for a simple tip replacement? That is more than the combined charge for the last half dozen or so rods I have had repaired… and several of those were not rods I bought new…
Further, I assume you think the email they sent was an adequate description of the work they were going to do? I realize I should have questioned it more closely, but references from others led me to believe the rod would come back “Like new”…
I’ll stop slapping the dead horse here, now, but Winston is not going to get any more of my dollars…
Wow, this really sounds like poor customer service to me. Whatever happened to providing more to the customer than is expected?
This really makes me appreciate Orvis more and more. A few years ago I broke the tip to my rod, I happened to be in Vermont and dropped the rod off at their main store. I fully expected to pay for repairs as the rod was an old kit rod and never even had a warranty. Less then two weeks later they had repaired my rod and shipped it to me in PA free of charge.
That little bit of “extra” that they provided, I’m sure it cost them far less than fifty dollars, has made me a lifelong Orvis customer and advocate.
Winston and other companies should learn from that.
Don’t the new ones cost around $900? Consider the replacement cost. And at what point were you forced to pay this amount? You weren’t, you chose to. Are you just unhappy that they didn’t send you an entire new rod? Was that your expectation, that you deserved a new $900 rod for $130? Seriously?
Many appear to be over looking the fact that this WAS NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE. There’s being unhappy, and then there’s dragging a company’s name across the internet because you are dissatisfied your decision to spend money fixing this rod. Yes, Winston’s best days are behind them, but you are being more than a bit unfair here, in my opinion.
BTW, I don’t own a Winston rod, and never will. Just don’t understand the righteous indignation of this post.
[i]" They also wanted $132 for the repairs and $50 for shipping."
[/i]I get your dismay, but:
You have no claim to the original owner warranty.
$132.00 for a new tip ( 1/4 of your rod ) on a four piece rod that went for what? I’m guessing, Six or Seven hundred and some change new. If that’s so, then the $132 is far less than a quarter of it’s retail price and the rods not worth diddlysquat without a tip. So I’d say they did you a big favor.
If it makes you feel any better, before any of these new warranty policies came about. " I Broke " a top shelf rod that I purchased new, made by one of the big three American rod companies. That was in the eighties and they charged more for that section - than Winston just charged you. I was thrilled to have my rod back in working order.
Now the $50.00 - What ever they want to name it fee ( S&H or Warranty Activation, etc. ). Fly rod consumers only seem to raise a fuss about this, when they have to pay it. Now if they’d just stop buying rods from companies who insist on higher fees, I guarantee they’d stop charging them. They’d just tack it on to the front side of a new rods price tag.
But that’s a topic for another thread.
Dave