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The ClubHouse: Archives: Consumer Question

Urgrace

Friday, May 03, 2002 - 04:42 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Farberware: How is it that this company sells its products in most major department stores, but when you want to contact them for information, service or parts their phone number, address, and web site cannot be reached?

A friend of mine wants to get a new heating element for her Farberware Open Hearth Broiler and Rotisserie #455N (on the outside of the instruction booklet #450N on the inside! ), but all information we have to contact the company is no longer available.

Any help with this will be greatly appreciated.

Misslibra

Friday, May 03, 2002 - 04:49 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Ugrace when you go to this link The Farberware site. you still can't contact anyone there through email?

Misslibra

Friday, May 03, 2002 - 04:54 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Urgrace try this site Farberware. Disreguard the first link I posted because that isn't the right site.

Whoami

Friday, May 03, 2002 - 05:15 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Farberware is on my "never do business with them again" list. We bought some non-stick pans from them, and they had a "lifetime" guarantee on the non-stick coating. I contacted them a couple of years ago when the coating began peeling off of our skillet. Their response was, "we arent' the manufacturer, you have to contact them."

My response to them was, "If you put your name on it and back it with a guarantee, it's YOUR responsibilty to follow through with it. It's not up to me to go chasing down the vendors you contract your work from."

Urgrace

Friday, May 03, 2002 - 05:24 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Misslibra, thank you so much for that link. I tried and tried to get in and couldn't, but with your link I sailed right in. Wrote a letter, now I will see if they respond.

Whoami, I am with you. I tried their products and do not recommend them at all. Lousy products and apparently lousy company.

Urgrace

Friday, May 03, 2002 - 05:42 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Phooey, I wrote to the company and guess what? Yep, the letter was returned not deliverable.

Littlebreeze

Saturday, May 04, 2002 - 07:07 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Urgrace..... Faberware is manufactured by Meyer. I went to their website at www.meyer.com and there is a customer service click-on. Good luck.

Sia

Saturday, May 04, 2002 - 01:09 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
This is slightly off-topic, but I wanted to post this here since it involves consumer advice:

You know, I think things have changed so much over the last decade in the U.S. in terms of companies standing behind their products--and not for the better--that I've lowered my expectations with certain types of products. I now expect built-in obsolescence (i.e., certain things are now made to be disposable, like non-stick cookware, coffee-makers, microwaves, etc.) and I will not give a company the satisfaction of jerking me around and taking a bunch of personal information from me, so I have made the follwing changes in the way I do business:

1) I accept that most things don't last as long as they used to, so I buy less expensive non-stick cookware and replace it more often, regardless of the warranty. (Not returning the warranty should NOT invalidate your warranty.)

2) I NEVER fill out and mail those warranty registration cards because the companies just add me to a phone-list for telemarketing, which infuriates me!

3) I pay cash for small purchases and REFUSE to give the cashier my telephone number (for the same reason as #2 above).

4) I do not write checks at stores because too much information is taken from me (driver's license/social security/phone numbers, etc.); I use checks to pay my utilities and charge accounts.

5) I realize that repairing an item is now more costly than simply replacing it for certain types of household products. (I know this because my father was an authorized warranty-repair for several brands of major household appliances, and I did his warranty paperwork.) So if I get my year (the average warranty offered on small items like toasters and hand-mixers, alarm clocks, etc.), I am pleased and figure any longer than that is just gravy.

6) I use 800-numbers to contact a company for customer service, and if the only number is a toll call, the first question I ask the operator answering the switchboard is "What is the 800-# for customer service?" I quite often get one, unless it is a very small company.

7) I call companies to let them know when I am very pleased with a product and/or their service, not just when I'm unhappy with them. (Hubby makes fun of me for doing this, but I don't care.)

8) When calling customer service, if the operator is unfamiliar with my problem or not authorized to do what I'm asking him/her, I will ask for a supervisor or customer service specialist if that option is not offered to me by the original operator.

9) I ask for unadvertised specials, discount coupons, etc. for repeat customers when calling to place an order. Many companies are very willing to keep their customers from going elsewhere for their needs.

I'm not saying that I think it is right that companies don't seem to build products that will last a long time; I've just learned to live with it so I won't drive myself nuts. Here's an example: For heating water to make soup and tea, I took to college the electric percolator my parents had received as a wedding gift that was 25 years old!!! My husband and I will soon have been married for seven years and we're on our fourth automatic-drip coffee-maker. I watch for the item I need/want to go on sale, try to buy American-made products, and use coupons whenever possible.

I do hope your friend is able to satisfactorily resolve her/his issues with Farberware, Urgrace.

Sia

Thursday, June 06, 2002 - 02:19 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Another question: will someone please recommend a good on-line resource for piano sheet music? Thanks.

Dahli

Thursday, June 06, 2002 - 03:52 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Bravo Sia - I agree with every one of your points - I do them all as well INCLUDING calling up to compliment a company, and my husband thinks that is so goofy!
This probably goes without saying, but one other point I am often asked for my SIN, I never ever provide that .... Good goin' girl!

Sia

Thursday, June 06, 2002 - 04:49 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Dahli, what is the SIN? SSN is Social Security Number and I won't give that out; is SIN the Canadian equivalent of that? (If so, I didn't know you were Canadian, LOL!)

Dahli

Friday, June 07, 2002 - 10:19 am EditMoveDeleteIP
You are absolutely correct on both, it is Social Insurance Number and Canuck I am I am!
sorry no idea about on line piano sheet music tho...

Keepitreal

Saturday, June 08, 2002 - 06:56 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Sia, here is a link to a site that has alot of piano sheet music:


http://shop.store.yahoo.com/encoremusiccompanyinc/index.html

Babyruth

Sunday, June 09, 2002 - 10:47 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I have been known in the past to provide a sin when asked....
but never over the phone....