Business ProfileforElliott Hardware, Inc.

On November 23, 2022, we purchased 5 strands of Sylvania outdoor Christmas lights. When we plugged them in on November 23, 2023, each strand had a third of the lights out. I immediately reached out to Sylvania to try to troubleshoot the problem. We then tried to change bulbs and fuses with no luck. When I called Sylvania again the following Monday, they informed me I was ineligible for a refund or replacement through them because the lights were discontinued (since they were from 2017.) We then went to the store with the original receipt, all original packaging, and the light sets. The manager there claimed that we were sold these items at a discounted rate which reflected the model change. However, when we purchased these lights they were simply shown as a sale price - not a discontinued item or any other reference to them being unsupported (and using an app that is no longer even available for download.)At $22 a strand for standard C6 and Mini LED lights, we never would have anticipated an issue one year later. The sale price did not reflect that these lights would be garbage one seasons later. Their return policy is quite irrelevant to something like holiday lights that get boxed up ***** months of the year. The sale pricing should more clearly indicate obsolete items.Ace Hardware's response to our negative ****** review:Our manager recalls your recent visit to our store when you attempted to return Christmas light sets purchased a year ago. While our return policy is typically generous at 90 days, unfortunately, the 12-month timeframe exceeded that policy. Regarding the light sets, ******** had informed Ace Hardware Corporation of a model change, prompting us to offer them at a discounted rate, which was reflected in the low price you paid. It's common in the holiday light category for manufacturers to introduce new versions, and in this case, the sets were not recalled but discontinued to make room for a new model.