Amazon selling used tools as new. Anybody else?

[ntmd8r]

This is the 4th time this has happened to me and I'm fuming mad. I first bought a new Hitachi M12V router. The tool had sawdust and a scuffed baseplate and definitely looked used. I complained and received a replacement. That too turned out to be used. I did not ask for a refund because my usage of the tool was very limited and for the price of $135, I "accepted" it as a "used" tool in very good condition.

Then 2 weeks ago I ordered a new Hitachi SV12SD sander and received one with a scuffed baseplate and sawdust again. At that point I got pissed off and asked for a new replacement. That arrived quite promptly but was in a similar condition. This time I'm not accepting it and have asked for a refund.

So in the past month, I've received 4 USED tools from Amazon while paying for NEW tools. If that isn't fraud I don't know what is. I also spoke to Hitachi and they said that there would never be any sawdust in their packaging. I've bought Hitachi tools from Lowes and they always look brand new.

So what's the deal at Amazon? Anybody have similar stories.

-Avi

[Tbone]

It looks to me like they have a liberal return policy and just restock what comes back and send it out again. They are not supposed to sell used tools as new but if they don't open the returned tool, they can claim not to know that the tool was used and just send you another one.

[Anthony Diodati]

[Bob Gramza]

[Tbone]

Agreed, but I don't believe that they are required to do so and if they do and see the saw dust or marks, then they can't sell it as new and that costs them money. I would suspect that their liberal return policies came back to bite them in the ass with their suppliers who have a hard time taking back tools that are used and have nothing really wrong with them.

[Young_carpenter]

check your manual too. Although you do have small tools, the larger ones sometimes have tests done on them. Like my DW733 for instance came with sawdust on the feed table, but that was there because they run boards through every one of their tools. However you do sound like you are getting the returns, which should be sold as a Factory Reconditioned product. Make sure that is not what you are buying. If it seems really cheap then it is probably Factory reconditioned.

[mttt]

Over the last two years, I've ordered a ton of tools from Tool Crib / Amazon and have never, ever received a used tool. All have been new, in the plastic or cardboard or crates.

[Larry Bud]

I've bought a few tools from there and never had a problem.

What did they say when you pointed this out?

[B a r r y B u r k e J r .]

DeWalt places a brightly colored paper inside the tool informing the purchaser of the factory test.

Barry

[Mark & Juanita]

Seems like they would need to inspect returns to assure that all parts were returned.

[Dale]

I've purchased many tools from Amazon (Tool Crib) and have never received anything that appeared used, however just before Christmas I went to Home Depot to buy a Porter Cable Biscuit Joiner when they were having their 20% off sale. There was only one left on the shelf so I bought it and took it home. It had the cardboard outer wrapper and was in the plastic case. At home I slipped off the cardboard and opened the case and sure enough there was sawdust all over the tool. My guess is that either someone bought it and used it for their project and then returned it or someone working in the store tested it out. What I didn't notice when I picked this one up in the store was that a plastic zip tie that connected the cardboard cover to the plastic case was missing. I didn't want to take a chance that the tool was defective so I put it back in the box and waited for a week until they got some more in stock and then took it back and exchanged it. This time I checked to make sure the zip tie was in place. Who knows, maybe the one I returned was put back on the shelf again. Clearly this should not have been on the shelf in the first place but should only be sold as used or returned to the manufacturer, checked, cleaned and then sold as a reconditioned tool. I plan on buying from both Amazon and Home Depot in the future but when I can I will check all packaging first to make sure that the tool I paid a new price for is indeed a new tool.

Dale

[e-mail] (Larry Bud) wrote in message news:...

[CW]

They've been taking lessons from Radio Shack.

[B a r r y B u r k e J r .]

I've experienced the wrong end of their return policy on multiple occasions. 8^(

Barry

[mttt]

You intentionally walked into a Rat Shack???

[CW]

Not in a long time.

[Jim Polaski]

I'd try the Federal Trade Commission.

[John]

What does somebody like you know about tools Jimbo? Surprising you're not back with the dummies over in the Mac newsgroups.

[Ace]

I have bought several tools from Amazon/Tool Crib and I have always been well satisfied.