I won't be doing any business with ACE Hardware again after a very negative experience.

I try to support the "little guy" stores. I assume, maybe foolishly, that having a franchise with "ACE" means that goods are covered nationwide. I was basically wrong.

I bought a $30 ACE branded heavy duty hardened steel padlock to secure my rental box truck. I bought it on Monday at ACE. Lock has a lifetime warranty. I tossed the package and receipt figuring I'd never need it, and it's extra space/weight, and it's a ACE branded item which should be returned without issue if ever needed but probably would last many lifetimes.

Wrong. After mild use not even 5 days later the lock seized in the open position. Seized. Left me in a bind, and thankfully I had another basic lock available to stand in for duty.

I tried to return it to an ACE Hardware in Boise. Rudest and least helpful service you can imagine. Basically told me to get lost. I called the one in Washington, and they refused to fax me a copy of the receipt.

Well, I'm not eating $30 on a defective "lifetime warranty" lock that's 1 week old. I emailed and called corporate. After much time wasting, they got the receipt, and sent me to a different store which was a bit out of my way. Refund was ultimately issued. But not without significant hassle to get back $30 on a plainly defective item that I plainly bought a week earlier.

I doubt the same hassles would have been at Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart, etc. where they'd have instantly refunded it without issue.

Lesson is that ACE Hardware is locally owned and operated and will not honor receipts or products from other ACE Hardware stores, even for plainly ACE branded items, without significant headache and contacting corporate, etc. So shop with caution.

Does the lifetime warranty say requires receipt for proof of purchase? For all the store knew, you broke into something with that lock on it and now your trying to return it for some heroin money.

You stated in your post that they wouldn’t honor your return, but you didn’t have the receipt with proof that you made the purchase in the first place. Most warranties state that they are for the original purchaser.

Lifetime warranty...
Translation for simpletons.....

Keep your receipt and packaging for your lifetime!

And that might not be enough?
Just a thought?

As far as My Local Ace goes,
Best hardware store ever.
Everyone knows where everything is and know me by name, lived here 2 whole months....
I don’t buy their Chinese made BS hardware

Been a common problem with Ace Hardware locations for, I dunno, 45 years or so.

When my local True Value switched to Ace it turned to shit. Shame really.

This is an ACE branded hardened steel lock with a lifetime warranty. It would be impractical and seemingly unnecessary to keep a receipt and packaging for a lock for a lifetime. A person would need a garage full of receipts for every product if that were the case. Further, that it's stamped in such a way no receipt should be necessary.

Should be:
"Here's this ACE lock, and both keys, with lifetime warranty. It's busted. I'd like a new one or my money please."
"Yes sir, sorry about that. Take your pick, and have a nice day and come again."

Nope. Implied accusations of theft, scam, etc.

Anyway, first, the lock plainly wasn't stolen. I had both keys, and it was seized in the open position. Further, to dispel any idea it was stolen, I told them the location, date, and approximate time of purchase so it could easily be looked up.

Well, the purchase store refused to fax me the receipt. Even after I explained I was out of state their best solution was that I come back in with the item within 30 days. This put up needlessly frustrating walls towards customer service.

They also said this could be a scam, or other BS. If it was a scam, why not keep my receipt? The only scam is this bait and switch where apparent franchises don't honor other franchise Ace products.

They could (and later did) easily confirm the purchase date and price, down to the hour, when corporate finally got involved. They managed to email the receipt to corporate. So it was within their ability. They wanted to just be difficult.

The original return store was just being cheap dicks.

Here's the thing. ACE cannot beat competitors on price and rarely on selection. So their ONLY game is customer service. And they blew that one totally.

They have to know that in the end they are going to lose the battle b/c someone at corporate will lean on them to make the refund. So why the dog and pony show fight? Over $27.

The fact is, if I want rude service there's plenty of places that will also honor products nationwide and have lower prices.

I recall Craftsman and other brands - you just bring in the broken tool and they replace it, no questions asked. But at ACE you get implied accusations of a scam, theft, no help getting the receipt, etc. and have to call corporate and force them to refund a LIFETIME WARRANTY on a broken lock 1 week old...

Tell us how you REALLY feel.

Could be because some Ace stores are corporate and some are franchises. The franchise stores often don’t participate in the Ace corporate sales and flyers

Ace in seatac before it closed was great, they went out of their way several times for me.

Ace in burien is kool as well, they have complimentary fountain drinks and coffee, and treats for dogs.

How you liking Boise about now?

I am definitely in your corner on this, but most warranties have certain requirements to apply for that warranty. Every time I have used a warranty it required proof of purchase (receipt). I firmly believe that good customer service gets you lots more new and return customers, but from the stores side, you need to have proof of purchase. I would expect you being a lawyer and all would understand that there are rules and laws to keep order in this world. And yes I’m being a dick and firmly believe the store is wrong on the customer service side of things, but I don’t necessarily think they are wrong based on anything other than loosing a future customer.

It's a $27 lock. For the customer it's important. For the store it's irrelevant.

And I DID have proof of purchase, just not on my person. I told them the location, date, and time and how purchased (and what else I purchased on the same receipt). They were too lazy to look it up.

Here's the lock in question. Package states "Lifetime warranty."

https://www.acehardware.com/departments ... lsrc=aw.ds

The locals don't take kindly to outsiders apparently.

This wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t moved.