The Great Online !
Isn’t online ordering great ! Especially is you live in a small town, where specialty stores are not abundant. Well that’s the situation I enjoy living in the BC interior.
We live in a time, when you can order almost anything from anywhere in the world and have it shipped to your home. You simply pick it up on your doorstep, or sometimes down at the post office.
That’s how it works most of the time. My story today however ends with me not getting the product I wanted. I got half a product, kind of, sort of, well let me tell you about it.
Cordless Pole Saw
This summer I needed to do some tree trimming on a large tree on our property. A friend had a Cordless Sunjoe Pole Saw, which I borrowed. It was a great little tool that had about a six foot extension pole, so it could be used as a small hand held cordless chainsaw that runs from a rechargable battery, or add the extension and use it to trim tree branches high up in a tree. It worked great !
Fast forward a few months, and I decide that I should buy one too. I am looking online at Home Depot and see the same unit for $140, and decide to order it. I did notice it had the words “Tool Only” in the ad listing.
I had not seen these words in an product listing before, and was not sure what they meant. Could it mean that there is no battery ? I did not think that would make sense to sell a tool with no battery.
The pole saw arrived a day earlier than what they said, so I was happy with that.
No Battery
I unboxed the tool and find – there is No Battery !
What company sells a cordless tool that runs on a battery, with no battery ? Apparently Sunjoe does.
There is paperwork included with the tool, and a 1-800 number to phone in case you have a problem. I am usually a calm person, but I am upset at this point.
As I phone and connect to the customer service phone number, they say the phone call will be recorded. I’m OK with that. A young girl on the line, explains that that model does not come with a battery.
I voiced my displeasure about the situation, and what I feel is the stupidity of the company to sell a product that way.
Sunjoe Lost a Customer
I end the call saying that I will never purchase another Sunjoe product.
She did tell me, I have thirty days to return it to Home Depot. And that is what I will do within the next week.
Battery Not Included
I’m in my late 60’s, and grew up and purchased all kinds of electronic battery products throughout my life. Many of the ads would say – Battery Not Included. That was a very standard ad wording to say.
Tool Only vs Battery Not Included
They should have said “Battery Not Included” , instead of “Tool Only”.
I know marketing is competitive and companies use every possible advantage to their benefit to get people to buy their products.
Gone Too Far
For me they have gone too far. If you are going to use words that confuse or misrepresent what you are actually selling, then Sunjoe has lost a customer for life.
Product Returned
I will be returning this product, and whatever advertising has been spent to acquire a customer, has now been lost on me, because I won’t be purchasing their products again.
Fine Line Between Honesty & Dishonesty
I was in business my entire life, and understand the fine line between
Serving a Customer Honestly and Serving a Customer Dishonestly.
Prologue
I later find out that major tool manufacturers now have a common battery for the many cordless tools they make. That seems like a step forward so you don’t have to buy a new battery with each tool you buy from that manufacturer.
A Universal Battery Adaptor
I also came across a company that makes battery adaptors for all major tool companies, so you don’t have to use the manufacturer’s charger. Seems like another step forward in helping the consumer. Check their site at – https://powertoolsadapters.ca/
