Do you really need the extended warranty with your purchase?
78Retail stores push extended warranty plans on all sorts of merchandise especially electronic products. Have you received the ``extended warranty treatment``? You know what I mean, the persuasive, you are doomed in 30 days if something goes wrong so buy this extended warranty "if you know what I mean". Utterances from sales professionals purveying endless stories of product doom one day after the warranty expiration date. Do you really need the extended warranty? Not always ...
One Saturday morning I was on my way to the local mall where I purchased my expensive camera. I was on my way to get help with the defective behavior of my camera that quit only a week ago.
My camera was used under what most would consider ``normal usage`` and I was thinking that possibly my camera might still be under the manufacturers warranty. However, I wasn`t going to expect much since the camera was about a year old by now. The cameras age was only 14 months and due to the date of purchase was only really 13 months old.
I arrived a the mall hoping to get a quick close parking spot so that I can take care of business quickly on a busy Saturday morning. Things were going good, I found a parking spot and upon entering the mall, to my surprise there wasn`t much of a crowd.
I proceeded to the camera store and greeted the clerk and proceeded to describe my problem. That`s when I received the `` extended warranty treatment``. The first thing the clerk does before looking at my camera or my receipt is to pointedly ask if I`ve purchased the extended warranty. Seeing the clerk`s facial reaction and realization that I wasn`t actually there to purchase anything immediately made me realize his attention was already shifting to other customers wanting to purchase.
Preparing myself, I knew what was coming next! I was right, the clerk proceeds to tell me how I should have purchased the extended warranty and grudgingly asked to see my receipt. Annoyed-ly, scanning my receipt the clerk pronounces doom upon my camera after seeing that my camera is 13 months old, just one month after the warranty expired.
Protesting the determination of doom I complained that the store should be able to do something since, after all, this was an expensive purchase and the manufacturer well know and reputable. Surely, I said, your store could do something right? A quick no was the response. Realizing that I wasn`t going to get anywhere I proceeded to inquire about repairs. Still not giving me the total attention I deserved as a paying customer, the clerk proceed to ignore my question and spew case after case of persons that did not purchase the extended warranty and could not get help only 2 days after the manufacturers warranty expired.
Frustrated by the clerk`s lack of enthusiasm and attention I stopped him short and complained. Look I said, I didn`t ask you about the extended warranty I asked you about repairs. Can you please tell me what your repair policy and prices are? The clerk, with a blank stare on his face then fumbled around for the repair price listing. The clerk then scanned the listing and announced the price of repair without evening knowing what was actually wrong. One hundred sixty two dollars is the standard repair for what looks to be the problem. The clerk did not offer a price on sending the camera in for an estimate and I could tell by the look on his face that he was thinking about how I should have purchased the extended warranty. Finally, I simply decided to give up and check at other repair shops for an estimate.
The store was Ritz Camera
The product was the Nikon N80
After working in electronics retail, I have to tell you that it`s simply not true that the retailer can`t do something, at least in most cases. Working in retail previously, I`m aware of the mounds of defective electronic equipment normally piled nearly to the ceiling in the stock room. Quite often, as a retail clerk, I was able to exchange a product that was close to the 12-month warranty without any problem. Simply, we sent the camera back to the manufacturer as defective and received a replacement that we sold. The store rarely lost any money in the deal.
I believe that the extended warranty can, and often does provide a useful service. However, I despise getting the `` Extended Warranty Treatment`` especially only a month after the manufacturer warranty expires.
The story doesn't end there either. I found a mom and pop camera shop that was very helpful and agreed to send my camera directly to Nikon as they were an official Nikon reseller. I only had to pay the shipping. Every week I stopped in to check the status and after about six weeks I managed to get the camera shop to call Nikon. Turns out that Nikon had record of receiving my camera but had lost it. I thought I was doomed, however the camera shop owner had convinced Nikon to send me a brand new replacement. Yeah! Mom and Pop shops!
The moral of the story is, screw the extended warranty treatment and help out those mom and pop shops that really care about you. They need you and you don't need the extended warranty treatment! And, NO, you don't always need the extended warranty because good businesses will take care of you!
By the way anyone want to buy a Nikon N80, film camera and lens? I just got a Canon EOS 40 D for Christmas. Nikon is great but man... this Canon Camera is awesome.
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Comments
Joe, you obviously didn’t get the point of this article and apparently you think 13 months is a year and a half. That would actually be 18 not 13. The point of this article is how big chains really don’t help customers. Big chains are ready to take your money but don’t bother walking in the door with a problem because people ready to buy are more important than customers that have already purchased. The mom and pop shop actually listened to the problem and offered reasonable paths to fixing the problems. Not a blind, hand over your cash now and maybe we will tell you what is wrong if ever. As for price of plans most of the time they do cost so much you may as well as toss your gear in the trash and get new anyway. I worked in retail for many years many of those warranty plans are a pure waste of cash.
Salespeople get very good commissions on the extended warranty plans, so that's why the push them so hard.
I've even had them try to sell them to me for a $50 printer ferchrissakes!
I generally get the warranty for 3 or 4 years if I buy someting that will last a few years, and is complex.
I've received well over my money's worth in camera repairs. I like Canon ixus cameras, and have owned several. Pity that they all have had some kind of fault that required repair - both within and outside the warranty period.
In any case, you chouse ba able to negotiate the price of the extended warranty down quite a bit.
I normally pay less than 50% of the listed price.
cheers, Eric G.
wow, why were you dealing with Ritz in the first place? In my area thats a mall store with extreme mark ups and completely worthless low paid staff.
But I agree with you....if your dropping big money on a high ticket item and a reputable brand a decent warranty should be implied...if Ritz isnt good for their name why bother paying their huge markup
I have to agree with Joe. The Manufacture states they will cover the camera for 12 months and you agreed to make the purchase knowing it was covered for 12 months, not 13. I am happy to hear another store helped you out but all that is doing is driving up the cost for everyone else. Do you truly believe that in the long run a Camera Manufacturer did not make up the cost to replace your camera on future consumers?
I worked retail for many years and manufacturers have a built in defect percentage allowing retailers the flexibility of exchanging defective products without any additional cost to the retailer. There is no making up the cost as it is already figured as the cost of doing business and would not drive up costs for other consumers. The reason retail stores push the extended warranty is because of the well know defect rate on electronic products. The whole point of this article is customer service. Retailers know the defect rates on the products they sell and as the mom-n-pop shop example demonstrates, Ritz could have done something but chose not to when they were clearly able. Yes, if a mom-n-pop could take care of the issue certainly a major retailer like Ritz could as well.
Thank you for your hub. The way you used "extended warranty treatment" really made me laugh. I've had a lot of success with employees and managers making exceptions to policy when I've come at it from an understanding and persistent perspective. So, I know from experience that most retailers are able to be more helpful than the one you experienced. I've gradually become more convinced, like you, that shopping at the mom 'n pops stores are worth paying a little more.
Joe says:
17 months ago
You know, people like you really upset me. Ok, you purchase a camera that is well over 1k with accessories, then when they tell you about a service plan that covers the leng, hardware and accidents, you decline because you have this idea in your head that no matter what happens you can always return the camera to the store. Well you can't. The stores usually have a 14 day return policy, or it's posted somewhere there. So do yourself a favor and for HD TV's and cameras and laptops, purchase some sort of plan, they usually aren't that much and you'll be glad you did, instead of trying to take back a camera that is almost a year and a half old to the store. What do you expect them to do ?. I wouldn't help you either.
Joe -