Lifetime Warranty on All Pampered Chef Products?

I've had people tell me this before also but I've never seen anything to confirm it.

lesliec said:

I'll just tell you that people get confused. I had one lady at a show tell me that after you make one purchase, all of your purchases are 10% off for a full year..... um, no!!!

That's only the case if they were the host.

I have heard this before as well and I let them know that only certain items have a lifetime warrenty and for the warrenty to valid they need to know where and when they purchased this item. A receipt would be helpful. This way we know you are the true owner of a product and you did not pick it up broken at the Good Will. If you are unclear as to what has a lifetime warrenty, you can call the home office. It is my understanding the stoneware was never a lifetime, but the knives in the sharpening cases were. They are different than the ones we sell now.

I'd tell her that the company requires a receipt for any type of adjustment. That it is a way for them to confirm when they purchased the item and verify what guarantee was offered. Let the customer know that you'd be happy to try and help if she can find the receipt. Otherwise, she will have to call Home Office directly as they will know what options are available. This way, you have tried to help and are allowing HO to decide what to do with the problem. They do have more options than we do.

I would not offer a discount as it is not your mistake and you will be opening yourself up to future expectations. Do mention that she can easily update her kitchen tools for free by hosting a show.

lesliec said:

I'll just tell you that people get confused. I had one lady at a show tell me that after you make one purchase, all of your purchases are 10% off for a full year..... um, no!!! people hear and believe what they want to. I would gently say that this may have been something offered by an individual consultant, but it was not by the company. If they are looking to add to their collection, then ask them if they would like to get their friends together for a cooking demonstration.

I had someone tell me once that the "Booking" benefit meant that any show she went to as a past host, she got the booking benefit! Even shows that weren't booked off hers!

wadesgirl said:

I had someone tell me once that the "Booking" benefit meant that any show she went to as a past host, she got the booking benefit! Even shows that weren't booked off hers!

LOL....nice try. Gotta give her credit for trying, right?

Whoever told you that only the knives and cookware had lifetime warranties was completely wrong! According to my 2002 Fall/Winter catalog the Stainless Steel Whisk, Twixit! Clip Combo Pack, Easy Clean Kitchen Brush, Cheese Knife, Self Sharpening Knives(now honing & 5 yr), Bread Knife, and the Generation II Lids all also had Lifetime Guarantees.

These changes to policy after the fact are driving me nuts!
Pampered Chef have never offered a Lifetime warranty on everything. When I started the Batter Bowl had a 10 year warranty, but we didn't start adding the warranty in the catalog until 2002. The furthest back I could find a PIG was 2007 and luckily it had some 2005 cookware info!

I think HO needs to train their reps on what was guaranteed and when it changed. Because according to the Product Informaion Guide in 2005 the Professional Cookware said absolutely NOTHING about nonstick aresole sprays voiding the cookware warranty. Here is are parts of a section that I found today in an old Product Information Guide file:

4-Piece Set with Bonus Nylon Tool Set COOKWARE --
Professional Cookware PROFESSIONAL
2760 4-Piece Set with Bonus Nylon Tool Set Lifetime guarantee...
...
USE AND CARE
Using Your Professional Cookware
Before use, hand wash using hot, soapy water and a nonabrasive sponge or cloth.
...
Medium to medium-high heat settings are recommended for most recipes. High heat should
be reserved for stir-frying, boiling, or reducing liquids.
The need for nonstick sprays is reduced when cooking with our Professional Cookware. For maximum durability of the Dupont™ Autograph® coating, use of nylon, bamboo or wood utensils is recommended to prevent marring of the interior surface. Avoid using knives or other sharp metal objects in hard-anodized cookware.
...it goes on, but I need to stop.

It says the need for such sprays is reduced. Not, using such sprays will void the warranty. I believe HO is right to refuse cookware that was abused - as long as they honor the warranty that came in the box at the time of purchase.

That would actually be very handy - if they kept a warranty file or database of some sort. They could have them searchable by product name or keyword. Have things listed that are 3 yrs, 5 yrs, Lifetime, and if there were other warranty periods, those too (like the 10 yr mentioned). List when they were discontinued (if they are still within their warranty period). After enough time has lapsed from when they were no longer sold and the listed warranty, then they should drop off the list.At least that way, even if a customer miraculously is as anal as I am and did save every PC receipt they ever had (yes..I have a file in my cabinet just for them over the last 12 yrs - BEFORE I signed), you'd still need to know what the warranty was on the item in the first place.But yes- adults can be just like kids...we hear ONLY what we want to hear and nothing else. (Or read or not read, as the case may be).

Becca_in_MD said:

...... Have them call HO rather than you getting caught up in it. I wouldn't even say anything about helping them if they have a receipt. They'll just get pissy with you. And certainly no discount.

Ditto on this.
I've had people get pissy with me about receipts ("Who saves THOSE???)
Or, they don't remember the consultant's name or even the host's name ("My friend dragged me to the show and I don't remember anything").One woman argued about a mini spatula with a wooden handle - so it had to be about 20 years old, haha.
I finally said, look - I'm sorry if the consultant said lifetime warranty on everything, but it doesn't pass the common sense test.
What company is going to offer such a warranty on $4 items & stay in business?After griping that the price had gone up, she bought a replacement, full price.

If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. That being said, be the professional. Politely refute their claim, and state that every product is GUARANTEED, and that our Lifetime Guarantee products are our cookware and our forged cutlery. Remind them that Pampered Chef is in the business of selling kitchen equipment, not replacing what was once bought. We love our customers, but we don't gift eternal replacements - that wouldn't be prudent business! (There is no way the Zyliss garlic press or the Anchor Hocking batter bowl originally sold, or the SuperSwat had a lifetime guarantee!)

I just had someone show up at a booth and say she bought a stone from a co-worker who brought a catalog from someone's show. She thought August of 2013 and she just opened the box and it was broken! She wanted me to get her a new one. She paid cash, no receipt, didn't know the host name (and her coworker has had a stroke and can't talk!!) I actually emailed her name and the coworker's to PC. They had no record of either person ever ordering. She got huffy with me and started bad mouthing PC. I said Target wouldn't replace something under those circumstances! I offered to buy her one if she wanted to have a show and she informed me she wasn't interested, and besides, her co-workers didn't have any money, they all do drugs and live in their cars!

Wow, mspibb, that's one of those no-win situations. She was looking for a freebie. And even then she probably wouldn't have been happy.