In the Kitchen & Bath design industry, companies are always changing. There are mergers or certain conglomerates acquire smaller companies, it’s constantly morphing. It’s up to you to keep us with these industry changes, so you know who’s responsible for customer support and warranties.
A while back, I had a problem with my JADO faucet – the cold lever was not turning properly, and the cartridge was leaking. I called JADO and they sent me a new cartridge, but unfortunately, it was still broken. They told me the only way to get it replaced would be if I had the original receipt. It didn’t matter how old it was (because it must have been at least ten years old!) – the only thing that mattered was that I was able to find the receipt. Luckily for me, I found my receipt, and because JADO was taken over by DXV, they sent me a new faucet! I am now the proud owner of a brand-new DXV faucet. Woohoo! (You should see the fancy polishing cloth that came with it ?)
This is what you get when you invest in high-quality products – you get a long-time warranty and good customer service.
I thought of this situation because the other day I got a call from one of my past clients, who had purchased a Blanco sink from me. She had purchased a Fireclay Undermount sink, and I remember way back when she was first looking to buy the sink, she was originally going to purchase it off the internet. I had cautioned her…
Why You Need To Be Careful With Buying K&B Products Online
I had discouraged her from buying the sink off the internet because it was unclear on the site whether or not the company was actually an authorized distributor of the product. If there is no photo of the piece you want on the website – DO NOT BUY!
Either they are certainly NOT an authorized distributor, or you run the risk they might not be an authorized distributor. And trust me, that’s not a risk you want to take with kitchen and bath products. Because if you purchase from them and then something goes wrong – what then? You’ve got nothing! It’s not covered under warranty, because it wasn’t purchased from an authorized distributor or dealer. Make sure you’re extra cautious with buying K&B products online and that you have 100% certainty that you’re buying from an authorized distributor.
I, on the other hand, am a New York state-licensed reseller. I told her it was not worth the risk to spend all that money on the internet when she couldn’t be sure it was authorized, so she bought it with me instead.
So the other day, five years later, she reached out to me – she had a problem with her faucet, but she couldn’t find her receipt. I went into my records and was easily able to find it within a few minutes. I use Quickbooks, which means there is a record of everything, so I quickly sent her the invoice.
To be clear, this sink won’t be easy to replace – it’s a farmhouse sink and is under-mounted on a granite countertop. But because she’s dealing with a reputable company that offers good warranties, she will be able to get this resolved. And even though she misplaced her receipt, because she bought from a local, authorized reseller, I was able to quickly help her. She made the best long-term decisions and she was supported when something goes wrong!
Moral of the story?
- ALWAYS be careful when buying K&B products online.
- Make sure to buy products with an authorized reseller!
- When designing, make sure you’re sourcing from reputable companies that offer long-time warranties.
- Always keep a receipt or record of purchase handy! You never know when you’re going to need it.
I’d love to know…do you reach out often for warranties? What’s the last piece or part you’ve had to replace?
Let me know in the comments below or come and tell me about it in my Facebook Group, Kitchen and Bath Design Tips for interior designers.