Bass Fishing Forum - Westernbass.com

A warning to anyone purchasing St. Croix rods.

I have had a horrible experience with the St. Croix warranty program. I bought a Premier rod for my Dad's birthday and on the first trip out using the rod, it broke while setting the hook on a fish. I figured it was a freak incident and that I would be taken care of by the St. Croix team. However, that was not the case. First of all, I am not impressed with the way St. Croix has dealt with me as a customer. I sent in a warranty claim via email SEVENTEEN days ago and NEVER received a response. This prompted me to take the initiative and place a phone call with them this morning. This leads me to my second disappointment. Once on the phone with a representative, I was informed that I would have to pay 25 dollars for a replacement rod. 25 dollars for a $150 rod that broke on the FIRST trip out. To me, I shouldn't have had to pay a dime. After going back and forth with the representative, I caved and paid the 25 dollars. I was not going to just sit back and eat $150 and not get a replacement. Furthermore, I am not even getting the same rod I paid for. I bought the premier split grip casting rod and I was informed that I would only be able to get the full cork handle rod because they "don't offer the split grip rod in warranty replacement claims". I was then given the lame excuse that I could switch to a mojo bass split grip rod. However, that rod is not of the same value and quality, so that was not an option. 
Anyways, I have since sent their customer service team an email explaining the bad experience and I'll update this post if they come up with a resolution. Just very disappointed with St. Croix....

You are right to be upset with this level of customer service. It’s insulting they want to charge you $25 for a lesser quality rod.

Introduce them to Gary Dobyns for a lesson on how to treat customers. Without customers, nobody has a job. So it would be wise for St. Croix to remember that.

I'd take a serious look at Dobyn's. I picked up some Fury's and they are very nice despite the cost/level of that rod!

Good luck!

Why I ended up trading my expride to the RodBroker and only buy dobyns and phenix from manufacturers with top notch customer service and warranty!

I paid $80 to replace my Dobyns swimbait rod and $100 to replace my Loomis spinning rod. If the rod was defective usually you can mail them the manufacturer the rod and they will send you a replacement. Did they offer you that option? I know quite a few guys that use St Croix rods and love them. I’m not sponsored by any of the rod companies and have 5 different rod manufacturers in my boat so I have no skin in the game but if they never gave you the option to send the rod back I would make another call and see if you can get that started.
Bryan

Bryan-

Yeah I was offered a similar option. However, they would not provide me with a shipping label and it would have costed me the same amount to buy the label and ship it myself. They were pretty much reluctant to cover the cost of a rod that broke on the first trip out.

Customer service is not what it used to be that's for shure. For years I have only bought Powell and Dobyns rods trying to support local company's at the time. I have now switched over to Dobyns due to the extremely poor warranty service and quality from Powell. The decision is an easy one better rod better warranty, cant say enough good about Dobyns rods

Update-

I received an email from the St. Croix customer service supervisor and I will be speaking to him next week. Sounds like he wants to make it right and get me the right rod with no charge. Hopefully it all works out, thanks for the input everyone!

Own over a dozen St Croix Legend Tournament Bass rods, up to 10 years old, all of them made in Wisconsin and all of them $260+ These are a higher end rod then a Premier.

They used to be warrantied for life, but this line is now 15 years. Never broke one or had one break.
I have probably returned for repair of broken eyes about 6 rods .... they charged me nothing to repair them other than a flat rate for shipping. Used to be $10, now they are charging $25. They would also sell you a "flat" rate label for freight for what also used to be $10. This is all for no questions asked repair of broken eyes

Never had a customer service issue, always outstanding. Outstanding rods and they are not made in China.

Not into forum bashing anyone. Call St Croix Corp office number 715/762.3226 in lieu of the 800# for customer service issues.
Tom

Just an update, my son has been up in Plumas County on a fire for the last couple weeks. Since he has been gone, St Croix has refunded the $25 dollar shipping fee and we have received the same rod with no extra charge. Kudos to St Croix for doing the right thing!