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Admin
Site Admin
Joined: 23 Jun 2006
Posts: 1018
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 Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 2:46 pm
New Kamado Warranty |
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| Quote: | Daisy
Posted on Sunday, October 11, 2009 - 11:31 am:
Is it possible to purchase an extended warranty with a new Kamado? If not, how about it? It might help me get my husband off the fence! |
Ugh, how can ANYONE be on the fence with this company? Save yourself the grief and get something else already. 
Oh look, Tricky Dick to the rescue:
| Quote: | Richardj
Posted on Monday, October 12, 2009 - 2:36 pm:
Hello Daisy, at this time we do not have an extended warranty. As you might be suggesting...."how about it?" We definitely need an extended warranty and actually working on one at this time. In fact our present warranty needs to updated to reflect clearly what a customer can reasonably expect and what we, as manufacturers, selling direct and often at very low margins, can reasonably afford to fulfill.
When I designed the "new" Kamados, now almost 15 years ago, I optimistically thought I can design and make a "bullet proof" Kamado where there was NO need for warranties. Today we are close and are still optimistic but I have learned that there are some crazy unforeseen things that have happened in customers homes and the way to their home. I would include in this, all of our desires never to want to do maintainable including minor maintenance. With over 15,000 newer Kamados and over 100,000 of the older ones I made in Japan I hope to set forth clearly the few things that should be maintained and what is covered by our warranty or extended warranty.
I would appreciate it very much if you could ask your husband what he would consider being included in an extended warranty or in our manufacturers warranty. Possibly some times periods.
There might be some customers who might wish to help with this warranty topic. If so, will you also please email me personally at richardj@kamado.com.
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"Hello Daisy, at this time we do not have an extended warranty."
Ha - or ANY warranty for that matter.
"but I have learned that there are some crazy unforeseen things that have happened in customers homes"
Yeah, people might actually try to USE these things to cook on! Go figure.
"With over 15,000 newer Kamados and over 100,000 of the older ones I made in Japan"
>BS BS BS< oops you're setting of our detectors there, Richard.
"I hope to set forth clearly the few things that should be maintained and what is covered by our warranty"
Why start now?
Yeesh.
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duk
Joined: 15 Aug 2009
Posts: 15
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Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 4:24 pm
Re: New Kamado Warranty |
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| Quote: | Richardj
Posted on Monday, October 12, 2009 - 2:36 pm:
There might be some customers who might wish to help with this warranty topic. If so, will you also please email me personally at richardj@kamado.com.
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Oh, I'm sure that there are " some " customers who would like to help with the warranty issue---but they're all banned from the POSK Forum |
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fishtail-99
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 1437
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Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 5:41 am
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| A most astute observation. Those that have been screwed by Richard Johnson's fraud are banned. Those that haven't don't understand why RJ would need to revised his already-perfect "Lifetime Warrantee" that's posted on his website. RJ, the only thing you need to change about your warrantee is that you need to start honoring it. |
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Gerard
Joined: 05 Jul 2006
Posts: 769
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Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 5:32 pm
Re: New Kamado Warranty |
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| Quote: | Daisy
Posted on Sunday, October 11, 2009 - 11:31 am:
Is it possible to purchase an extended warranty with a new Kamado? If not, how about it? It might help me get my husband off the fence! |
I think it's great that the only response Daisy got was from Richard himself. If that had been asked even 2 years ago, there would have been a dozen fanboys falling all over each other screeching that Kamado has a LIFETIME warranty.
Awesome testimonial to just how dead that forum is. |
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fishtail-99
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 1437
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Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 5:14 am
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And the fact that RJ didn't say we have a lifetime warrantee is his own public admission that he DOESN'T HONOR HIS WARRANTEE!
| Quote: | Daisy
Associate Member
Post Number: 14
Registered: 3-2006
Posted on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 - 3:05 pm:
Richard,
Thanks for considering my suggestion. I think I shouldn't have used the term "extended" warranty. Maybe "expanded" would have been a better word.
I know Kamados are warrantied against burning out or getting brittle, but the occasional posts here of extensive repair jobs by owners are worrisome. I imagine that like most of your customers, both my husband and I make enough that spending 10 or 20 hours repairing a $1000 kamado investment simply doesn't make financial sense.
So, I propose you offer an expanded warranty at the time of sale for $XXX.XX (100.00??? 200.00??? hopefully not much more) that covers just about everything else. So if a large section of tiles fall off or the bottom vent rusts shut or the firebox crumbles, then a replacement firebox or even an entire cooker is just a phone call and a couple of emailed photos away. No additional costs, no shipping charges, no returning the cooker in its original crate. No more hassle, no more waiting, no more expenses. That would raise the level of your after sale service up to that of your much more expensive tiled competition, which is the only reasonable comparison as the mass produced thin walled cookers are easily moved and taken back to their local dealers for warranty service.
Needless to say, you warranty should not be expected to repair or replace a kamado accidentally or negligently damaged. So, if the kid crashes his go cart into the cooker and knocks off a few dozen tiles, it should be on the owner's dime, but if a few hundred tiles suddenly decide to lose their adhesion, it should be on yours.
I can't suggest a time frame but I do think that if it isn't a lifetime coverage, then it should at least be renewable for a predetermined charge. Of course, you're the one that would have to decide what this enhanced service will cost, but since only a small percentage of kamados ever need replacement or even major service, then a warranty of under $200 should make the service very profitable for you and should provide comfort for potential customers. |
What Daisy has now suggested is essentially that for an additional $200, RJ should honor his existing warrantee. RJ must really like that idea! More money to drop in the casinos and the breakfast buffets! You would think that RJ would have realized long ago that if he had honored his warrantee, he wouldn't be in the state of affairs he now finds himself. If he had to raise prices $200 all along in order to pay for warrantee coverage, he still would have loyal fanboys and people buying his cookers. Sad, sad, sad.... |
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Unbelievable
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Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 7:43 am
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The problem is johnson won't honor warrantees at any price. His business just doesn't run properly. Can you imagine the trouble it would be to get a repair done when they still act like they can't work out email issues and Tony just passes phone in complaints to the dead file. Even at an extra expense when the kooker breaks ( and it will) customers would just wind up in the same situation. Let's face it johnsons mentality just won't permit him to honor any warrantee if he thinks he can blame the customer and make a buck. Which again leaves the customer powerless and alone with a useless 1000 lb. kracked and partly tiled piece of used to be yard art, cement.
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The Spanker
Joined: 10 Nov 2006
Posts: 207
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Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 8:27 am
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| fishtail-99 wrote: | And the fact that RJ didn't say we have a lifetime warrantee is his own public admission that he DOESN'T HONOR HIS WARRANTEE!
<snip>
What Daisy has now suggested is essentially that for an additional $200, RJ should honor his existing warrantee. RJ must really like that idea! More money to drop in the casinos and the breakfast buffets! You would think that RJ would have realized long ago that if he had honored his warrantee, he wouldn't be in the state of affairs he now finds himself. If he had to raise prices $200 all along in order to pay for warrantee coverage, he still would have loyal fanboys and people buying his cookers. Sad, sad, sad.... |
Interesting take on the whole Kompany debacle. You're right. If RJ hadn't tried to compete with BGE in the $500 to 1000 range, and instead sold his cookers at twice the price and provided superior products and service, he might have been able to make a go of it. But instead he promised the world but delivered a product, that although visually impressive and exciting, was riddled with design and manufacturing flaws and supported by hot air. His reputation is in shambles and rightly so. I'm sure that when he sees the success of, the demand for, and the price of Dennis' Komodos, he realizes what could have been.
It's ironic, the KOmodo company used to advertise itself as the anti-RJ product and readily invited comparison. But now, KOmodo scarcely acknowledges the KAmado company lest the their products sully his by their very mention.
| Daisy wrote: | | ...I can't suggest a time frame but I do think that if it isn't a lifetime coverage, then it should at least be renewable for a predetermined charge. Of course, you're the one that would have to decide what this enhanced service will cost, but since only a small percentage of kamados ever need replacement or even major service, then a warranty of under $200 should make the service very profitable for you and should provide comfort for potential customers. |
Daisy offers sound business advice but she's oblivious to just how high the failure rate is. She's taken RJ at his word that only 1 or 2% of all cookers ever have serious problems. Bullshit. It's surely 10x that and probably substantially higher. I bet an extra $200 collected on each kamado RJ has sold wouldn't come close to covering his unfulfilled warranty liabilities.
But arithmetic aside, she's absolutely nuts if she thinks anyone will ever pay the Johnsons for an additional promise. |
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Gerard
Joined: 05 Jul 2006
Posts: 769
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Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 2:53 pm
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| Daisy wrote: |
I can't suggest a time frame but I do think that if it isn't a lifetime coverage, then it should at least be renewable for a predetermined charge. |
Heh, she's proposing the Kompany set up a sort of NetFlix kinda business model... where, after buying a membership for $1000, RJ will guarantee you get to keep a Kamado in good repair for a mere 200.00 per year. 
Where do I sign up? |
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Unbelievable
Guest
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Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 4:59 pm
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| Gerard wrote: |
Heh, she's proposing the Kompany set up a sort of NetFlix kinda business model... where, after buying a membership for $1000, RJ will guarantee you get to keep a Kamado in good repair for a mere 200.00 per year.
Where do I sign up? |
How about like a car lease? After 50 cooks you turn it in and get another for an extra charge. Before the tiles fall off. I think Bobh is past due. |
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Unbelievable
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Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 6:07 pm
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| Quote: | Richardj
Moderator
Post Number: 2530
Registered: 4-2002
Posted on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 - 4:52 pm:
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I have been receiving a lot of personal emails regarding the warranty suggestions and help, again thanks. Fairness and reasonable warranties is probably be best discussed off this forum, which is really intended to discuss Kooking and this subject might be a little boring or at least uninteresting. Nevertheless, we do want to be open on warranties or anything else and appreciate your forum posts and if desired my response on the forum or by private email. |
Not talk about warrantee issues on the forum?  There isn't anything else to talk about. |
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fishtail-99
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 1437
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Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 5:16 am
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| Pinnochio's nose just grew a little longer. He clearly wants to squelch any discussion of warrantees, so he lies about the spirited discussions he is having via email (in otherwords, none) and says to stop discussing it in public. |
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curly
Joined: 09 Jul 2006
Posts: 665
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Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 6:56 am
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| Unbelievable wrote: | | Not talk about warrantee issues on the forum? There isn't anything else to talk about. |
True
| fishtail-99 wrote: | | Pinnochio's nose just grew a little longer. He clearly wants to squelch any discussion of warrantees, so he lies about the spirited discussions he is having via email (in otherwords, none) and says to stop discussing it in public. |
True again |
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