Disappointed with Sizzix Policy
 

Last week I was delighted to find a Sizzix Thinlit die set that I had on my wish list at Hobby Lobby. It was on clearance and I was thrilled with the price. When I got the package home I was dismayed to find the set of 6 dies contained two of one die and did not contain one of the dies that should be included in the package.

I wrote to Sizzix asking if I could mail them the duplicate and have them replace it with the die I was missing. They responded this week that I would need to return or exchange it where I purchased the set. This is also the recorded message when calling them directly.
I have already looked at another Hobby Lobby with no luck of finding the set. I am sure the stores are sold out of this item now since it was on clearance for such a great price. Hobby Lobby and Sizzix still have the set on their web sites at full price, but shipping is pretty expensive for a set I already own, and then would need to return. I wish Sizzix had a more customer friendly policy. :cry:

I would feel the same disappointment in purchasing something and finding pieces missing but I don't understand why you would be upset that Sizzix would not replace it. You don't say that you know it was shipped this way, missing parts. I guess I don't see this as Sizzix's responsibility as much as I see it as a store issue. You purchased it on clearance, as i do the same thing but that means it probably has been floating around the store for quite some time and likely another customer opened it took look at it and carelessly did not get it resealed with all parts. Have you asked a manger in a HL store if they can help you out?

The retailer is the first port of call to fix a problem, at least here in the UK, it is their responsibility rather than the manufacturer’s. Talk to the store you purchased at and see what they offer you as a fix for the problem, tell them how disappointed you were to get something that was not fit for purpose (you can’t do anything useful with a duplicate die) from a reputable retailer. Good luck getting a good resolution!

The reason I didn't ask the store was I was pretty sure they didn't have a replacement to offer and then they would only be able to refund my money. I want the set and I guess it is better to have 5/6 of the set at a great price rather than no set. I am almost positive this set was not opened by anyone prior to my purchasing it. I am sure it was packaged incorrectly by Sizzix in the first place. I can talk to the store, but I feel the end result will be the same as it is now, and something they won't be able to help resolve.

unless they can ship you in one from another store, that is a pretty big chain so, you won't know if you don't ask?

(hopefully they can find you another set)

As Stacy says, you won’t know if you don’t ask. It’s possible another store still has one; a store is always going to have a different relationship with a supplier than an individual customer has so they may be able to get something out of Sizzix; since it’s not something they can put back on sale, it’s possible they’d refund you and let you keep it if they can’t get a replacement for you. If you go in thinking that the worst that happens is you’ve got a bargain set that’s missing one die then whatever the store can do over and above that is a good thing.

Very good advice! I will give it a try. Thanks for helping me to think about this in a different way.

That's a completely standard policy - because they've already sold the retailer the product. You always have to return where you bought it, and they do have total responsibility for any problems which aren't manufacturing defects. I'd contact Hobby Lobby through their website.

That is a good idea, Lydia. It would make sense that HL web site would have more resources than an individual store.
I have had "defective" product in the past and have been delighted when contacting a company and like magic they have made it right. Ranger has replaced two stamp pads for me over the years, and neither time had I purchased them directly from Ranger.

If the item is still available at HL online, perhaps once you explained the problem (duplicate/missing die, no longer available in store, etc.) maybe they could exchange it for you. Even suggest that, if need be.

That may be the very reason it was on clearance. In my local stores, they usually hand-write on an added sticker: Parts missing. or something descriptive of the situation.

No, Hobby Lobby seems to be doing some kind of clearance.(End of summer, mid-year etc?) I have seen other people show this same set in clearance haul videos. I saw the same things on clearance at the other stores I went to as were at my store. HL has not responded in any form to my email. I am disappointed but now I am resigned to the fact that this is how this will end and I am ready to move on.

I agree about working through HL, but also agree with you that some companies make it right regardless of where their item was purchased. Tonic did that for me recently. In fact they didn’t even ask where I made the purchase. They just asked for a photo showing the issue and shipped me a new one.

But they shipped the wrong item! So they re-shipped the correct one and told me to keep/donate the wrong one, even though I offered to ship it back.

Hmmmm...after reading this thread I need to contact Ranger to ask their advice. I have gotten several flawed distress ink pads. Two of them I can not get the lid off and when I pried one off it cracked the lid so it now have a small missing piece to the lid. Another stamp pad on the inside is not lined up properly as it hangs off close to the lid lip. That does not affect its stamping ability tho. Then I have another pad that the ink pad came completely off the plastic case the first time I used it. Since Ranger ships their pads wrapped in plastic you know if someone has opened it before. AND, since I purchase most of my pads online (no one carries all the colors) while one of the defective ones I got a scrapbook store but those are always in other states!! Again as with purchasing online it would be more difficult/costly to return than to just work with defective pads.

Another issue is, I don't always open the pad (take the plastic off) right away and by the time I do and find a defect I don't remember who I purchased it from nor do I have a receipt.

I had the same issue with an EK Success punch that jammed open on first release. They wouldn't allow me to return it to them for exchange, it had to go back to the retailer. The retailer had no replacement so all I could get was a refund.

Personally I'd return it unless the price was dirt cheap; odds are you'll be able to find a matching or similar set elsewhere that isn't missing a piece.

I'm sorry that you have this problem. But thanks for the heads up to check on dies purchased, so I did. I always have to think about opening a new item to check it out or keeping it as new until I need it.

Common sense would say that since the manufacturer was at fault in the first place by sending defective product to Hobby Lobby, they ought to be held responsible. The product is defective because it does not have the parts as shown on the package. I know that going to HL would not be helpful, because they have no product to replace it with in the store. I will keep in mind this bad "customer service" from giant sizzix.

I had the same problem. Got a set home only to find that the main die was missing. Also bought at Hobby Lobby. Hobby Lobby pretty much accused me of taking the die out myself and then asking for a replacement. Gave me the Home Office number. Called there. They told me to go to the manufacturer. The manufacturer transferred me to three different locations - finally the home office. No resolution there either. They said to go back to where I bought it. VERY frustrating. Finally gave up and decided I didn't want to go to Hobby Lobby any more. Had a similar situation at Michael's a few months later. They were very amicable and apologized for my inconvenience and then replaced the set immediately. Now THAT is customer service. Michael's has my business going forward.

Maybe the lesson in this story is to ask the cashier if you can open the die in front of him/her to inspect that the correct dies are included.

I find it odd that a craft company wouldn't want to offer a replacement - for many other products, on the packaging or manual it will expressly say something like 'if you are missing a part do not return this item to the retailer, please call XXX-XXXX for customer service' because they don't want you bringing it back to the store. The store is just going to have it shipped back to the company at the company's expense, losing both a sale and costing them money.

There may be a reason a company doesn't want to make things right when it involves Hobby Lobby. Have you ever paid close attention to what they have in their clearance aisle. Plenty of damaged merchandise and I know from personal experience not everything is clearly marked broken or missing pieces and the company does not make things right. I am now very careful of my purchases from them and know it is "buyer beware" when I do.

Yes, the clearance aisle can contain some pretty roughed-up items. This set was on the original peg in the regular paper crafting section. It was marked clearance with their brite orange sticker, and it was an item they were discontinuing. The package was in pristine condition, looked as though it had not been opened, and appears to be on the sale list at most, if not every store.

Hobby Lobby returned my email by saying they no longer had any stock of this item and that the vendor is willing to send me a "sample". I hope it is the die I am missing. I am not interested in some random die, but it does seem like now both companies are making an effort. When I first began this process both HL and Sizzix had the die set in stock, but now too much time has past and they might not have any left. As I stated earlier I am good with it all, but I think in the future I will open the dies at the register just to be sure.

crossing my fingers it"s the missing die as well!

Pleased with response
 

Hobby Lobby contacted Sizzix after my email to them, and today a replacement set arrived at my door. I was not looking for an entire new set, but it was very nice of Sizzix to send it to me. It took weeks for this process but as I stated earlier I had moved on, so this was an especially nice surprise.

Glad it came good for you in the end, enjoy your dies!