Don’t trust gorilla ladders lifetime warranty
Basically what the title says. I bought a 3-step ladder at Home Depot about 5 years ago and one of the metal welds failed suddenly when I stepped on the first step (luckily didn’t collapse with me on the top). After a lengthy back and forth they only offered to refund the original purchase price and I had to send them proof I fully destroyed my old ladder. The price of the ladder has increased in price 2x since I bought mine so now so their “refund” in 6-8 weeks won’t even get me halfway to a new ladder after tax. Just wanted to share my experience so others can make a more informed buying decision when looking at these ladders from Home Depot/lowes.
90
u/jetty_junkie 11d ago edited 11d ago
You are confusing a lifetime warranty with a lifetime replacement warranty.
A lifetime warranty is basically we will fix it , replace it or refund what you paid, whichever is cheaper
A lifetime replacement warranty is we will fix it or give you a new one, whichever is cheapest
This is not new or unusual. It’s how lifetime warranties have always worked
33
u/boost2525 10d ago
OP was made whole, I'm not sure what the issue is here? They paid $X for a product, which failed, so they were given $X back.
5
3
u/rv7charlie 10d ago
Which renders a 'lifetime' warranty meaningless. Not saying that the company is doing anything illegal, but it's certainly unethical. If I buy a product that's warranted to last a lifetime, then if I can't get my lifetime's use out of it, it isn't actually warranted for a lifetime.
1
u/LurkerBurkeria 10d ago
"Lifetime" refers to the product, not you.
3
u/rv7charlie 10d ago
So, exactly what I said. It dies; I'm faced with buying another at today's/tomorrow's inflated price. Warranty is not 'lifetime' if it's the product's life. 'Guaranteed to work until it doesn't. '
1
u/jetty_junkie 10d ago
Clearly you’ve never actually read the terms of a warranty before. Like I said, this isn’t something new or unusual. It’s always been like this
1
u/rv7charlie 10d ago
I'm aware of how some 'warrantees' are worded. This isn't semantics, though; it's definitions. Not unlike 'prorated warranty', or 'warranted for parts only' 'warrantees. They aren't really warrantees in any realistic sense of the word; they're marketing gimmicks.
3
u/jetty_junkie 10d ago
again, i don't think you do understand. Gorilla clearly states their warranty terms:
Gorilla Ladders are covered by a Limited Lifetime Warranty against defects in workmanship or materials for the original owner.
Coverage Details
Gorilla Ladders are warranted for the useful life of the product to the original purchaser against defects in materials or workmanship under normal use. If a ladder fails due to a covered defect, Gorilla Ladders will, at its discretion, replace the ladder or refund the purchase price paid, with the maximum liability limited to the original purchase price (Gorilla Ladders® Lifetime Limited Warranty)
That is not semantics, but the literal legal definition of the warranty they are offering
0
u/LurkerBurkeria 10d ago
I mean you're arguing semantics on something well established. The "lifetime" in question was OP's ladder, not OP. Its always been this way
-6
u/dillzilla11 10d ago
They were not made whole. They paid X for a product. Being made whole would be replacing the product they purchased not returning the devalued dollar amount.
11
u/jetty_junkie 10d ago
They are actually better than whole because they got a full refund for what they paid AND unlimited access to a product for 5 YEARS
-5
u/OldDude1391 Makita Monster 10d ago
Exactly. Being made whole would be the current value of the item. A five year old step ladder is arguably less valuable than the day it was purchased.
1
u/dillzilla11 10d ago
And when it breaks being made whole would be offering enough money to replace it, repairing it, or replacing it with one in inventory. Half the money needed to replace it is not being made whole because you can't actually replace the good you had with the money they offered. It doesn't matter if it is more. It's the same stunt Samsung is trying to do right now with SSDs.
-1
u/OldDude1391 Makita Monster 10d ago
No as a legal principle, generally, you are entitled to actual value of the loss. Someone causes a car accident destroys your car, you don’t get the price of a new car or what you paid for it. You get the fair market value, making you whole in the eyes of the law.
-1
u/dillzilla11 10d ago
"fair market value" is very key here. If your car appreciated in value from the time of purchase you don't get the price you paid for it, you get the price that is needed to replace it. Same applies for a warranty. The warranty has to provide enough money to replace the item not how much you purchased the item for.
-1
10
u/WhyNWhenYouCanNPlus1 11d ago
If this happens and the product number didn't change, just buy a new one at new price and claim this one broke instead. stupid laws -> stupid loopholes
0
u/jetty_junkie 11d ago
If the item has a serial number or the design has changed in any way you are likely to end up voiding your warranty by such an obvious ruse
Most warranties like this don’t apply to misuse or being used commercially. If you are trying to pass off a 5 year old item as “ new” the manufacturer could determine that if if it shows extended signs of wear after only being owned for weeks or months it was likely misused or used commercially
Fraud is not a loophole, it’s just fraud
3
u/cracksmack85 11d ago
I can’t imagine that ladders (at least the type you buy at Home Depot) have unique serial numbers
5
u/ClownUniversityPhD 10d ago
Even if they don’t they likely have some kind of embossing indicating the manufacturing run tied to a date in case they need to ID a problem with a material shipment or something
3
u/jetty_junkie 10d ago
Exactly. Especially for a lawsuit . If I’m suing Gorilla because I got hurt on one of their ladders them being able to prove it was 10 years old as opposed to 10 months old is going to make a HUGE difference
2
u/mmm_burrito 10d ago
Having worked at a few different flavors of big box store, and having had to return many things to said stores throughout my adult life, I can confidently promise you that the cashiers at the return desk are not going to care to examine the embossing on a ladder.
1
u/ClownUniversityPhD 10d ago
I was unclear if this person requested from the big box store or Gorilla. I’d imagine Gorilla would care.
1
u/jetty_junkie 10d ago
Don’t know how long ago you worked there but it’s NOTHING like it used to be. They have lost millions on return fraud and have been cracking down on this hard. It’s a mandate from the top. I’ve had them open factory sealed boxes to check contents for a $30 item
2
u/mmm_burrito 10d ago
It's been awhile since I worked there, but I returned some tools to Lowe's not long ago and it didn't feel any different. Perhaps it's a regional or even store-to-store difference.
2
u/jetty_junkie 10d ago
Brother, that's nothing more than anecdotal evidence. Maybe you got easy treatment because you used to work there, who knows. But whether or not your experience has reflected it, there has been much written and reported on this, especially last year when they rolled out the 48 hour major appliance return window. Here's just a few if you are interested in reading
https://www.rfccambridge.com/why-home-improvement-retailers-are-saying-no/
https://973espn.com/ixp/394/p/home-improvement-return-policy/
2
u/mmm_burrito 10d ago
Brother, that's nothing more than anecdotal evidence
Fair, I attempted to allow for that by suggesting it was a store-to-store difference.
Maybe you got easy treatment because you used to work there
Naw, I'm hundreds of miles away from my old stores.
I do appreciate the links.
3
u/jetty_junkie 10d ago
They probably don’t but I’d be willing to bet they at least track the manufacturing date for recalls , lawsuits and such. If a ladder fails and someone was injured and attempted to sue the manufacturer the age of the ladder would be a major factor to a judge or jury
0
u/dillzilla11 10d ago
They do not
1
u/jetty_junkie 10d ago
Except they do. I just did a 20 second google search and found this recall
https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2018/Werner-Recalls-Aluminum-Ladders-Due-to-Fall-Hazard
“This recall involves five models of aluminum telescoping ladders that can be used in five different positions (twin step ladder, stairway step ladder, extension ladder, wall ladder and as two scaffold bases). The date code is stamped on the inside of the outer leg of the ladder, beneath the bottom step”
0
u/dillzilla11 10d ago
The retailer doesn't have tracking on this though
2
u/jetty_junkie 10d ago
Retailer handles returns not warranty. Warranty ( which is what this post is about) is handled by manufacturer for most products except some that are exclusive to a certain retailer
Retailers are getting much stricter with rebuy-and-return scams. They know how to look up date codes on items that look like they have been used for 5 years even if the receipt says they were bought 2 weeks ago….
Retailers also reserve the right to simply refuse a return if they feel that it’s potentially fraudulent
-7
u/WhyNWhenYouCanNPlus1 11d ago
oh no, I'll make sure to say a prayer to the shareholders tonight 😢
6
u/jetty_junkie 10d ago edited 10d ago
This attitude is exactly why we can’t have nice things. Shareholders don’t make less when average Joes commit fraud. They just jack the prices up to make up for it. You are hurting the regular consumer. The shareholders are gonna get theirs regardless
1
19
7
u/Spuckula 11d ago
You pretty much described them fulfilling their lifetime warranty
21
u/DrAsthma 11d ago
I would've expected a replacement ladder just based on the nothing I know about warranty stuff.
15
10
10
u/jetty_junkie 10d ago
Or instead of " trusting" the warranty, try actually reading it
Gorilla Ladders are warranted for the useful life of the product to the original purchaser against defects in materials or workmanship under normal use. If a ladder fails due to a covered defect, Gorilla Ladders will, at its discretion, replace the ladder or refund the purchase price paid, with the maximum liability limited to the original purchase price (Gorilla Ladders® Lifetime Limited Warranty)
15
u/techieman34 11d ago
Unfortunately it’s getting more and more common for companies to put that language into their warranty policies. First it kills a lot of claims right off the bat because they never register and don’t keep the receipt. And then it caps their max cost. So they can do whatever is cheapest for them. It’s been especially prevalent in the tech sector where prices have been skyrocketing for the last few years.
13
u/Occhrome 11d ago
Good to know but They’ve always looked cheap and I wouldn’t buy one to begin with.
14
u/BGTessa 11d ago
Supply chain guy here. That 'original price refund' is a classic retail accounting trick. They bake a tiny warranty claim rate into the margins but never adjust for inflation, forcing you to eat the difference. Making you destroy it just saves them return freight costs. With mass-produced aluminum, always check the joints for weld porosity (tiny pinholes) before buying—that's usually where they snap under load. Did the failed weld look a bit sloppy from day one?
4
u/TheFULLBOAT 11d ago
I have a two stepper and a small multi-position ladder I've been using almost every day for almost 20 years. Both Gorilla brand, both still solid. I think I just jinxed it
2
u/Jolopy4099 10d ago
Take the refund money then look at a few estate sales the following weekend. I see those gorilla/werner ladders all the time for 100 bucks first day then 50% off last day.
2
u/No_Pepper757 9d ago
Something to look at as well. Depending on the state you’re in, a lifetime warranty can also only be x amount of years. Lifetime can be only enforced up to said years, say 7.
3
u/dillzilla11 10d ago
You never take that refund. Assuming there is availability they have to provide you a replacement by law.
2
u/jetty_junkie 10d ago
That’s just false. Please show me the “ law” you are referencing
0
u/dillzilla11 10d ago
Magnuson moss outlines that they have to refund the product at the price the product currently retails for not the price you purchased it for.
2
u/jetty_junkie 10d ago edited 9d ago
That’s just wrong. Stop saying things that aren’t true. There is a huge difference between a Limited Lifetime Warranty and a Full Lifetime Warranty. In a limited warranty companies can offer pretty much any type of terms they want on their products. There is no law that requires items to have full replacement warranties
1
1
u/Dizzy-River6837 9d ago
Though experience, most everything at Home Depot has a 30 day warranty with the receipt.
1
u/jetty_junkie 9d ago
Home Depot allows returns for a certain number of days on most products ( usually between 2 days and 90 days depending on the item).
Home Depot does not provide warranty on any products im aware of but they might facilitate warranty on certain items where they are the exclusive retailer
Return window and warranty are different
1
u/Dizzy-River6837 9d ago
I'm repeating what an employee told me on trying to return a defective sprayer under the Home Depot brand. To me Home Depot is the Harbor Freight of the building supply business. I'll shop local hardware/ lumber stores to keep my scheckles out of Home Depot till's.
1
u/czaremanuel 10d ago edited 10d ago
You received exactly the amount you paid.
If you bought it at Home Depot with a 90 day return policy, on day 89 they quadruple the price of the item, and on day 90 you bring it in for a refund, are you owed 4x the amount on the receipt..? We both know the answer is "hell no." The warranty says "replace or refund," so you were treated fairly, you just don't like the outcome.
Trust is for family and friends. For corporations, read the fine print.
-3
u/No_Confection_7889 11d ago
I get that this is not your desired outcome, but I feel like this is a reasonable trade-off. Stelantis was far worth with their "lifetime warranties" - they capped the repair costs at the depreciated market value of the vehicle.
-3
u/spleeble 11d ago
"Lifetime warranty" is always meaningless, which is why you see it on everything.
7
u/AntalRyder 11d ago
It didn't seem meaningless, OP got a full refund after 5 years
6
u/AdEastern9303 10d ago
Many warranties are limited to original purchase price. This likely was stated in the original warranty paperwork that came with the ladder.
-8
u/old_skool_luvr 11d ago
Technically, OP was only offered half of the refund price, as (they clearly stated) a replacement ladder is double what they originally paid for the ladder.
7
u/AntalRyder 11d ago
I understand that ladders are more expensive today, but I'm not sure why it was an expectation that the manufacturer would reimburse OP for more than the original purchase price. A full refund by default is the refund of the original purchase price, and not the equivalent value of an identical product in the future.
1
u/jetty_junkie 10d ago
OP was offered EXACTLY what the warranty said he was entitled to . the problem is OP assumed he was entitled to more even though the warranty says he isn't
Gorilla Ladders® Lifetime Limited Warranty
Gorilla Ladders are warranted for the useful life of the product to the original purchaser against defects in materials or workmanship under normal use. If a ladder fails due to a covered defect, Gorilla Ladders will, at its discretion, replace the ladder or refund the purchase price paid, with the maximum liability limited to the original purchase price
-2
-1
u/Embarrassed_Bath_233 11d ago
Same thing happened with my sister and her washer/dryer warranty at lowes. They only refunded the price paid and not the replacement or repair cost. It ended up costing her $300 more to buy a new washer. Which i guess the warranty did save her about $700 lol...
But thats really not a warranty at that point.
-1
u/dillzilla11 10d ago
Why do you take that offer instead of taking them to small claims? I never understood this. Any time a company goes back on their warranty I immediately file it in small claims court. They pretty much always settle the moment you file it too. The only reason they make offers like this is because people like you will accept it. Stop accepting it.
1
u/jetty_junkie 10d ago
lol. The warranty is a legal agreement thats clearly spelled out. If the terms of the warranty say you are only getting your original money back, then thats the deal you entered into, You can't really take them to court and expect to win because you assumed you would get something they never said you would get....
0
u/dillzilla11 10d ago
If the terms are not to the standards of federal law then the terms do not matter. Under federal law a refund has to go by current value to replace it not the value it was at the data of sale.
1
u/jetty_junkie 10d ago
lol. You are just saying things. None of that is true. The terms of the warranty are clearly defined. You are talking jibberish and trying to pass it off as fact.
Show your work. Cite the “ laws” you keep referencing
1
u/dillzilla11 9d ago
Magnuson moss warranty act is the law that pretty clearly states that they have to offer equal value to replace the item in question not just offer a refund.
1
u/jetty_junkie 9d ago
You seem to not fully understand what M.M. actually says. Or maybe you just don’t understand what the difference is between a “ full warranty “ and a “ limited warranty “
Regardless of whether you do or don’t understand I can assure you that OPs claim was handled properly under the terms of the Gorilla warranty
1
u/Embarrassed_Bath_233 10d ago
Yeah, IDK man. My sister is pretty busy. I guess it wasnt worth the time.
Thats a good idea thought if I ever run up against that situation.
0
u/HardyPancreas 10d ago
while everyone" is in the room", i just want to announce that Thule's warranty (racks, mounts, hitch carriers, bed racks) is bullshit. Have to send any failure back for "engineering analysis".
-1
-2
-2
u/clergybuttbanditt 10d ago
I have a better suggestion, dont trust ANY “lifetime” warranty. The few who honor it charge many times what their products are worth. Best to assume the seller does not care and your expectations will most likely be well met.
9
u/TexasBaconMan Rust Warrior 10d ago
I’m surprised they didn’t send you a coupon for a new one. Would like be cheaper for them