Is Tool Registration Really Worth It?
Mods: Please move this post if it is better served in the Off Topic forum. Thanks
So I bought the Porter Cable 14" bandsaw yesterday and am fairly pleased with it. Now usually, I tend to fill out and send in the registration form on all of my major tool purchases, just in case something goes horribly wrong with them... but now I'm not so sure.
This concern stems from the Black & Decker takeover, where I've been hearing stories of less than adequate customer service, no resolutions for replacement parts, etc. On top of it all, I was reading through the registration form that came with my new bandsaw and was stunned by the amount of personal information they inquire about, such as the gender and age of your children, family income, level of education, type of internet access, money investments, home life and the list goes on.
I mean wow... really?!? Sounds to me that they're more interested in selling this information to third party advertisers than they are actually helping anyone with a problem concerning one of their products.
Perhaps my memory is faulty in my old age, but I don't ever recall registration forms ever being this intrusive about personal lifestyles. Has it always been this way?
With that rant aside, is there really any benefit to sending in registration forms these days or am I just wasting my time here?