Posted by Admin on December 23rd, 2007
*Moved from comments to the front page by Admin*
First of all, extended warranties are ’scams’….. With markups or margins so low on electronic equipment, extended warranty is the way to go where profit margins are a lot higher…. an average of 80% (according to various consumers reports)…. And according to them, it’s not a good investment)…
Especially if you get it at FutureCrap!
It didn’t happen to me (but to a friend) but it just irks me, whether you buy a $50 cd-player or a $2000 laptop, you get almost pressured into buying this, what they call ‘peace of mind’ insurance, extended warranty!
I’m a compute r consultant and a friend purchased a Compaq computer from FutureCrap a little over a year ago and fortunately for him (so I thought), he purchased an extended warranty for two more years (for an extra $159+tax)…
Well, his computer broke and I diagnosed it (am also a A+ certified technician) and the problem is the hard drive… You hear a ‘click-click-click’ and it hangs and freezes, you don’t have to be a certified technician to figure out it’s a hard drive problem.
Anyways, we took the system to FutureCrap and (me, knowing what am doing), told them it’s a hard drive problem. They check my friend’s receipt and no problem, it’s covered and to call them back in a week (how long does it take to get another hard drive?).
After a week, I called and they claimed there’s a problem with the motherboard…. What the heck!? I said, the only problem was the hard drive!… But they claimed they found other problems, so, give them the benefit of a doubt, they ordered another motherboard…
After a couple more weeks, they said they got the motherboard but are waiting for a CPU!…. OK, nuff is nuff, what is the extra problem? Motherboard or CPU? Because they’re completely separate!
So, anyways, after two months, finally got a call from them saying that they’re authorized to give us a new computer since they can’t fix it (duh?!)….. I told them it’s only over a year old and my friend doesn’t really need a new computer! But what the heck, might as well get another one….
So, off we went to FutureCrap, got the paper work done and we pick up a computer replacement and the salesperson asked if we need extended warranty…..
This is how the conversation went:
Me: “What? We already have extended warranty for almost two more years!”…
Salesperson: “Sorry, but since we can’t repair the computer, the warranty is over… However, you’re getting a new one with more hard drive space and more memory”…
Me: “Who cares!”
Salesperson: “Besides, the extended warranty this time will only cost $99+tax. What happened to you doesn’t happen too often that we cannot fix the computer”…..
Me: “Well, it did happen, and my friend just lost $159 in extended warranty and you extect him to purchase another one when you can’t even honour the first!”….
Salesperson: “Sorry, but like I said, this doesn’t happen often and if we can’t fix it, we do give you a new one but the extended warranty doesn’t apply… store policy, sorry, I just follow the rules”….
Me: “So, you have to follow the rules no matter what right?
Salesperson: “Sorry, yes we do… but”
Before he can do more salespitch… I said “So does Hitler’s Henchman…. You know it’s wrong, but you still have to follow the rules right?”….
By this time, he had a ‘frown’ (considering he didn’t get his ‘commission’ on the extra extended warranty, which by the way, is how the salespeople at FutureCrap makes most of their money on commish)… I shook my head and headed up to the counter….
My friend and I went ahead to the counter (with the frowning salesperson carrying the computer replacement)….
And at the counter, the saleslady ringing up the stuff, ask me if I wanted extended warranty! Apparently, the computer she’s using must be saying “Sell… Selll…. Selll….!”…. yeah right!
At this time, I was very tired and just said “You gotta be kidding me!”…
She just smiled and we left.
If I wasn’t there, my friend could’ve been scammed a second time!
My advice is, FutureCrap (like Bestbuys, Steals, or whatever super electronics store… why do you think Radio Schack changed their name to “The Source”?), buy stuff because it’s a good (or great) price, don’t get any extended warranty whatsoever (the manufacturer’s give atleast a year warranty anyways! For LCD monitor, most manufacturer’s give three-year warranty so why bother!)….
Don’t buy small computer accessories there! Go to the small computer shops… Like, USB cables selling at FutureCrap in a nice retail box or whatever (who cares about the box!), or computer memory and stuff…. you’re better off getting it at the good ol’ small computer shops…
The retail electronic stores are just good for high-price electronics stuff (since they purchase ‘bulks’)…. But whatever you do, don’t touch ‘extended warranties’ (you’ll always be told it’s the way to go… yeah, right!)….
If you don’t believe me, do a Google search on ‘Extended Warranties
” and you’ll know what am talking about……
Dec 18, 5:19 AM
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