So I tell a customer the wonderful rachio pro has a 4 year warranty.
Upon opening the box we discover a date stamp of Jun24 (meaning from today, there is only 2 years of warranty left)
IF a customer has a defective controller on Jun2029 (with the controller being installed 3 years earlier on Jun2026) and then learns that the 4 year warranty they were told about will not cover its replacement, how do you think they will react?
Given that Rachios cannot be activated or used without be entered into Rachios Support database- with date stamps on the time of initial activation: I think it would be much more prudent to have the warranty start from the date of first activation*.
*Especially since the date of manufacture (barcode sticker date stamp) cannot be known unless the box is opened**.
**And even if the date were stamped on the outside of the box, once a controller has been on the shelf for a year, and newer date stickers can be obtained, then only customers unaware of the hidden date-code issue would buy older inventory.
That creates an avoidable trust problem for Rachio, its Pro installers, and the customer.
My opinion, Crazy as I may be….
(Installer of over >500 rachio controllers, and dedicated/exclusive customer for years)
P.S. ChatGPT says: Your proposed activation-date rule is very sensible. For an internet-connected controller that cannot practically be used without activation, Rachio already has a clean, auditable “first use” timestamp. That is far more customer-fair than a hidden manufacture date, especially when the buyer cannot inspect that date until after opening the box.
I appreciate you reaching out @RachioRhett I’m glad that you are taking care our shared customer and making sure they know their Rachio Pro Controller is backed with a 4 year warranty.
I want to clear up the confusion. The warranty is not tied to the manufacture date. The warranty is based on the purchase date. Since you are selling the controller, the warranty starts when the customer buys it from you.
Your idea on activation date is a good idea, and I am making note of it. We’ve always based our warranty on purchase date.
I hope that I cleared up any confusion on the warranty.
while on the topic of warranty replacements. Id like to argue a point…
Once upon a time, when the rare replacement happened ( i count about a 1.75% failure rate, which is great) rachio would directly mail me a replacement and then i would mail them back the faulty. (actually i would instantly install a replacement rachio on hand from my own stock, to make my customer happy, and then keep the rachio replacement for future sales once it came in, and ship the faulty back to rachio in the same box the replacement came in)
that worked wonderfully!
Now, of course it must be handled through the vendor (sprinkler warehouse, ewing, siteone.)
My arguement for a return to the orignal direct to rachio method is as folllows:
Rachio still handles the return, its just not with the user, its instead with the vendor, ( so no less work there for rachio returns)
The vendor return method adds a stressor to the vendor-customer relationship (just imagine how my replacement this AM soured the otherwise jovial coffee-chat mood as ewing’s customers observed and overheard my replacement issue.)
it puts the vendor on the defensive, (when the replacement was direct with rachio, the vendor didn’t even have to know the controllers had failed, in fact, they didnt!)
