Extended Warranty on One Piece Sticks?

[G.M. 0]

I am just curious as to why companies have never offered this. Everytime I go to Best Buy, they always ask if I want to buy the extended warranty.

Now, I always turn them down, figuring that the TV I am buying is going to last me a couple of years. But these hockey sticks are different. We KNOW they are going to break, and probably sooner than later.

Most of the companies have 30 day warranties. What would you be willing to pay for an extended warranty?

I think I would pay $5 for an extra 30 day warranty; probably $15 for an extra 60 day warranty on the stick, but I cannot see paying more for longer.

What does everyone else think? Would you buy it and what is the MOST you would pay.

[Chris_H 0]

Excellent poll question, I would bay more for a 60 day warrantey.

[kovalchuk71 212]

ya but the companies would loose sooooo much money. a tv is somthing that supposed to last for a long while. a hockey stick isnt supposed to. 20 bucks wont be enough for them :)

[Chadd 916]

Most warranties are supposed to cover manufacturers defects, any manufacturer defect would become evident within 30 days. Adding an extended warranty would only ensure that the stick comes back after getting beat to hell. Last I heard one company was running nearly 33% on the return rate as it is, no way they want any part of an extended warranty. Hespeler offers 60 days on the Nemesis Pyro model they introduced this year.

[G.M. 0]

ya but the companies would loose sooooo much money. a tv is somthing that supposed to last for a long while. a hockey stick isnt supposed to. 20 bucks wont be enough for them :)

I disagree with you. I think that they would make money on the deal and come out ahead, using a program like this to make money. If you break the stick within the extended warranty period, they are still sending you a replacement stick, right?

Plus, what a great way to get a mailing list of hockey players. Hmmmmmmmm

[G.M. 0]

Most warranties are supposed to cover manufacturers defects, any manufacturer defect would become evident within 30 days. Adding an extended warranty would only ensure that the stick comes back after getting beat to hell. Last I heard one company was running nearly 33% on the return rate as it is, no way they want any part of an extended warranty. Hespeler offers 60 days on the Nemesis Pyro model they introduced this year.

I would agree with you that you would see the mfg. defect within that time period, but, would you buy into it?

Don't worry about the mfg. and their defect; we shouldn't be worried about them. I don't think they worry about us consumers too much...

[kovalchuk71 212]

ya but going with chadd, u should only get a replacemnt within 30 days. if they gave u an extra 40 days, they would have to replace 2x more sticks and loose money. who cares about a mailing list. all they want is $$ and how can they make any if theyre supposed to be selling the sticks they have to use to replace?

[stevo 0]

I can't believe anyone thinks that these manufacturers could stand to LOSE money! I'm guessing that their markup is somewhere in the 400% range. They don't even have huge marketing bills to pay...they just make their sticks really bright colors and get the most popular players in the game to use them. Anyways, even if they have to replace your stick 4 times, they are making a killing.

[Chadd 916]

No company is going to be willing to cut their margins to make people happy. Stevo, getting pros to use gear is an expense, not really a source of income for most manufacturers. They have reps who are on the road all of the time trying to convince players to switch to their brand, including paying them to do so. I would love to see how you figured out that profit margin as well. Each company has to pay for production, payroll, marketing, shipping and all of the other expenses out of the cash they make on the products.

[G.M. 0]

ya but going with chadd, u should only get a replacemnt within 30 days. if they gave u an extra 40 days, they would have to replace 2x more sticks and loose money. who cares about a mailing list. all they want is $$ and how can they make any if theyre supposed to be selling the sticks they have to use to replace?

You guys are missing my point. I don't care about the manufacturers this or that. All I am asking is if they offered an extended warranty, would you buy it?

kovalchuk71, I agree that the replacement would have to keep the extended warranty active for a "reasonable" period of time. Say you broke your stick on day 37 and you had bought an extended warranty for an additional 30 days. Would it be reasonable that the replacement stick only have the 30 day warranty on it, thus forfitting the remaining time left on the warranty? Keep in mind here, you wouldn't have gotten a replacement without it, unless you are frauding the companies by producing a false receipt.

Going back to the TV example that I used earlier, let's say you purchased a TV (which most have a 1 year warranty). You end up buying a 3 year extended warranty. Did you know that after 1st year of the extended warranty (year 2 in total), in the event that you need a replacement, you do not get to transfer the warranty to the new unit? I thought that was interesting.

[stevo 0]

Sure Chadd, I will explain how I came to my estimate of the profit margins. Take Ballistik for example. This company currently manufactures their own brand name sticks and shafts. As well, in the past, and possibly today, Ballistik makes OPS for some of the biggest brand names in the sport. On just about any given day, you can purchase one of their sticks (which is comparable in quality to $300 sticks) for about $60US. As a matter of fact, I believe they set their reserve price at about $50US. Now I have to imagine that they are not selling these sticks in order to lose money. I think they are selling these sticks at this low price and still turning a nice profit. So you can own a pro quality OPS which is made by the same company that manufactures sticks for some of the big brand name companies and the only difference is the paint job and/or stickers. I'm not saying that brand name OPS are overpriced. They are worth what the consumer is willing to pay. I'm just saying that it is absurd to think that a big name OPS brand is going to LOSE money if they have to replace your stick a couple times.

[G.M. 0]

Sure Chadd, I will explain how I came to my estimate of the profit margins. Take Ballistik for example. This company currently manufactures their own brand name sticks and shafts. As well, in the past, and possibly today, Ballistik makes OPS for some of the biggest brand names in the sport. On just about any given day, you can purchase one of their sticks (which is comparable in quality to $300 sticks) for about $60US. As a matter of fact, I believe they set their reserve price at about $50US. Now I have to imagine that they are not selling these sticks in order to lose money. I think they are selling these sticks at this low price and still turning a nice profit. So you can own a pro quality OPS which is made by the same company that manufactures sticks for some of the big brand name companies and the only difference is the paint job and/or stickers. I'm not saying that brand name OPS are overpriced. They are worth what the consumer is willing to pay. I'm just saying that it is absurd to think that a big name OPS brand is going to LOSE money if they have to replace your stick a couple times.

I'd like to know who Ballistik is making OPS for. I know for fact that Easton, INNO and TPS all make their product themselves, in their own factory (with exception of Easton's Havoc).

Furthermore, they aren't doing you any favors on price when their Ultra stick is quoted to weigh 480g at $159, XtraLight is quoted at 525g ($129), and their Light is quoted at 595g ($99). For those prices and weights, I'll buy more GEAR Hornet's from Hockeygiant which I weighed at 497g before use, for $59, and, it looks better.

[ambro 0]

Most warranties are supposed to cover manufacturers defects, any manufacturer defect would become evident within 30 days. Adding an extended warranty would only ensure that the stick comes back after getting beat to hell. Last I heard one company was running nearly 33% on the return rate as it is, no way they want any part of an extended warranty. Hespeler offers 60 days on the Nemesis Pyro model they introduced this year.

Unless like some people, you only use it maybe 3 times within the first 30 days of owning the stick. I doubt a defect would become evident after 3 uses.

[Chadd 916]

Ballistik isn't the best example to use, they are a fly by night operation and don't operate on the same level as the "big boys". Last I knew, they weren't making sticks for anyone else that had much of a reputation. Bauer stopped buying from them years ago. Ballistik is a composite production company that is trying to turn all of the machinery that is sitting around into something that makes monry for them. Hockey is just a minor thing for them and not a major source of income for the parent company.

Despite all of that; the good Ballistik OPS is still about $100 cost to dealers, similar to a Synergy. Out of that comes design costs, materials costs, as well as payroll, mortgage for the factory, power, all of the normal business expenses. How many sticks do you need to sell to cover a couple hundred grand in salaries, plus the facilities costs, plus production costs, et al.

Now factor in the hundreds of thousands of dollars for marketing, pro service and the other costs of the big brands. If the manufacturers didn't have good margins on OPS, we may only be stuck with Easton CCM and Bauer and no other competitors.

The Ballistiks on eBay are also seconds that they couldn't sell to their dealers.

You also need to change your avatar, animated avatars are not permitted. It's one of the rules, please check them.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Ballistik used to make Bauer's composite shafts back in the day.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Let's look at it this way -

Kia offers a 10 yr warranty. I've never heard of Porsche offering a 10 yr warranty...

I really don't agree with warranties...wear and tear has to be accounted for, and the way some people justify the purchase of OPSs are that they're getting two for one...

[G.M. 0]

Let's look at it this way -

Kia offers a 10 yr warranty. I've never heard of Porsche offering a 10 yr warranty...

I really don't agree with warranties...wear and tear has to be accounted for, and the way some people justify the purchase of OPSs are that they're getting two for one...

I totally agree with what you are saying, but, you also work/manage a store, so therefore, warranties truth be told, eat into your sales.

Despite that, and as a consumer, would you buy a warranty for a OPS?

[Chadd 916]

Customers have been abusing warranties, that's a fact. How many people on this board have admitted to breaking an OPS because they didn't like something about it?

The point we're trying to make is no company will offer that type of warranty unless they make enough to cover the second stick they know they will be sending out.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Well, it's a manufacturer's warranty - if we have the stick on hand, we'll swap and get a replacement or credit if the stick isn't selling too hot...so it really doesn't affect our sales much.

As far as the warranty is concerned, a lot of people think that since they're paying upwards of $140 on a stick, that it's going to last them forever. I know it's a performance stick, they think it's a durable stick. I actually had a woman scream at me b/c her son's stick broke after 4 months. Her exact words were, "I paid $150 for this stick. It should last me 15 years."

[G.M. 0]

Customers have been abusing warranties, that's a fact. How many people on this board have admitted to breaking an OPS because they didn't like something about it?

The point we're trying to make is no company will offer that type of warranty unless they make enough to cover the second stick they know they will be sending out.

And all I am trying to say is that is for the company to decide.

If it was offered, would you buy it?

[Chadd 916]

The responses wouldn't be accurate unless you have accurate prices for extending the warranty. Those prices are far too low.

[G.M. 0]

The responses wouldn't be accurate unless you have accurate prices for extending the warranty. Those prices are far too low.

So in that case, the prices being too low, what is the most you would pay for an extended 30 days? How about for 60 days?

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

If I'm not mistaken, there was an online retailer who was doing this.

[G.M. 0]

If I'm not mistaken, there was an online retailer who was doing this.

Now that to me would be suicide. Why would a retailer offer it? Maybe he knows something we don't...

[Chadd 916]

Actually that makes more sense than a manufacturer doing it.