Business ProfileforStratham Tire

I purchased an inner tube for my skidder tire on August 30. When I installed the tube, I discovered that it was defective. The stem detached from the tube when I started to fill it with air. I immediately contacted Chris at Auburn store and ordered another. When I picked up the replacement, he showed me how he instructs employees to install tubes. I had done everything as he instructed. I went home and installed the replacement tube. Even since then, I have been trying to get Stratham Tire to reimburse me for the defective tube, but they keep giving me the runaround and trying to insist that I made an error when I installed the first tube. I finally contacted D. L********* at their corporate headquarters in Brentwood, NH on Sept 30. This person contacted the store, inquiring as to whether they had any problems with any tubes, a generic question not related to this brand. Someone replied to her, advising that they did not. She replied to my email, stating that she would have the tube sent to them for inspection. My last communication with her was on Oct 3. Today I sent an email to that person. She admitted that she deliberately did not contact me. She is also insisting that I damaged the tube, which I did not. It was totally defective. I have installed dozens of tubes in everything from bicycles to skidders over nearly 6 decades. I have never purchased a defective inner tube like this before and have never had any problems with installing tubes before. This is an isolated incident. My wife and I feel that this is highway robbery and that Stratham Tire may have kept the tube, so that they could add a new stem and sell it to someone else. I am on a fixed income and cannot afford to throw away over $181, just to boost their bottom line sales figures. I was obviously wrong when I mistook Stratham Tire to be an honest business. They are obviously just a bunch of thieves! (Invoice #: 6139142 Part # OP/*534323: 16.9R18.4R34 TR $171.90 + 9.45 tax = $181.35.