Menard, Inc. Menard's Their return policy on gas powered engine products is not consumer friendly! Buyer BEWARE! Nationwide

I bought a lawn mower at my local Menard's store.  The day I bought it, opened the brand new box, and started mowing the lawn, it broke.  The self-propel function quit working practically immediately.  I called the manufacturer, per the instructions on the box, left a message explaining what happened, and finished my yard.  Two days later, no response from the manufacturer, so I called again.  Three days later (over a weekend), no response, so I called a third time.  After THREE attempts to contact the manufacturer, I grabbed the receipt and went to Menard's to return the defective product.

Menard's policy on gas powered engine products (s****.>

I have tried to do my due dilligence and contact the corporate office.  They too hide behind the manufacturer warranty and do nothing to protect their consumer.  They stand by their policy without recognizing their largest competitor has a much better, consumer friendly policy.  Apparently they (Menard) does not want to be better than their competitors and will not protect their consumer against a poorly manufactured product.

For the record, Home Depot's policy is very different.  If you purchased a gas powered engine at home depot and it's defective or you are otherwise unhappy with the performance, you can return the product within 30 days of purchase, with a reciept.  The only requirement is that one empties the gas from the machine before returning.

Why can Home Depot accept a return but Menard can't?  It's no mistake that the Better Business Bureau gives Menard a D+ rating while Home Depot has earned an A+ rating.

This is a BUYER BEWARE!!  People need to know there are choices, be an educated consumer, and shop elsewhere!!  Menard needs to notifiy the consumer that when purchasing a gas powered engine product, it's truly "AS IS" as they do not stand by their product.  They hid behind a manufacturer's warranty, and when you can't reach the manufacturer, the consumer is out of luck.