SquareTrade.com Offers a Square Deal
Written: Jan 27 '08
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Ever buy a new electronics device or other household product and worry about what might go wrong and how you will pay for it? Most products are manufactured with a good deal of quality care, but there is always the chance for a malfunction right after the basic warranty has expired. For those who want to extend their warranty protection, one place to turn is Squaretrade.com, a web service for purchasing warranties.
What Does This On- Line Service Offer:
Squaretrade.com is in the warranty business, and the company offers warranties on several different products, like digital cameras, cell phones, television sets, computers, camcorders, and household appliances. There are optional warranty upgrades that can be purchased, too.
For businesses, Squaretrade.com offers the option to partner with them in order to better facilitate warranty purchasing and service to consumers, and also to offer better prices. The SquareTrade seal is displayed on items in web sites that have partnered with SquareTrade, and this seal of approval is often associated with increased security on the part of customers.
Payment Methods:
Squaretrade.com requires up- front payment before warranties can be purchased. Payments can be made using Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or PayPal and there are often offers to extend your selected warranty plan further by a discounted price, at the time of checkout.
Final Thoughts:
Squaretrade.com is a web site designed to give consumers added peace of mind by selling warranties on thousands of different products, both new and used, at a fraction of the price quoted by the manufacturers. Squaretrade.com partners with AmTrust insurance company to bring its warranty protection to the consumer.
I don’t usually purchase extended warranties. Unlike other people who feel safe and secure when they purchase extended warranties, I feel like I have just flushed valuable money down the toilet. I am more likely to take my chances and hope that my item of merchandise doesn’t malfunction within the next couple of years. Most of the time, I am correct and I can pat myself on the back for not wasting my money on something I would have never used. But every now and then, an item does break down in a short time, making me wonder if perhaps buying that extended warranty might not have been such a bad idea.
Still, the prices quoted by manufacturers and retail stores for purchasing extended warranties is far too much in most cases so it’s no wonder I rarely purchase them. But now that I have gotten to know Squaretrade.com, I am more inclined to purchase a warranty- especially if I am buying a gift for someone who is known to be overly worrisome. With the added warranty from Squaretrade.com, those who once worried incessantly about electronics or appliances falling apart can rest easier knowing that Squaretrade.com is there to protect them.
With Squaretrade.com, warranties can be purchased quickly and I was surprised when I first used this service at how few questions are asked before a quote is processed. Basically, you select a product, the price paid for the product, and whether it is currently new or other. What Squaretrade.com defines as “new” is something that is in factory sealed condition with a minimum 90- day manufacturer’s warranty given at the time of purchase. Anything else is considered “other” and should be categorized as such. Once these questions are answered, a quote will display. One more click and you will be taken to the page to make a purchase. It really is that easy! There is no extensive set of questions to answer about the present condition of the electronic device or appliance, the special features, or anything else. And the prices are very low. When I used this service for the first time, I was quoted a price that was less than half the quote given to me in the electronics store where I made the initial purchase.
Squaretrade.com makes it simple to process claims, too. There are no deductibles to pay with Squaretrade.com (deductibles would complicate matters too much, so Squaretrade.com doesn’t use them) and they cover 100 percent of the labor and parts. If your item cannot be fixed, Squaretrade.com will refund the full price of the item back to you. They even offer a warranty management section through the web site, where customers can inquire on the warranties they have purchased through Squaretrade.com, as well as check the status on any existing warranties. This is a nice way to keep warranties organized and it eliminates the need to keep warranty information stored in one’s home, the old- fashioned way. Now, with Squaretrade.com, warranty information is stored electronically.
Squaretrade.com specializes in servicing items purchased through Ebay.com, but Squaretrade.com will gladly assist anyone who wants to purchase an extended warranty, regardless of whether the purchase was made on- line in a web site other than Ebay or through a retail store. Just keep in mind that, if you’re purchase was made someplace other than Ebay, you will need to keep your receipt of purchase and send it to Squaretrade.com to complete the warranty purchase.
Overall, Squaretrade.com is a very competitive, economical way to purchase extended warranties on several different electronics products and appliances. It would be nice if they would extend this service to even more products (my prediction is that they will, over time), but there is still enough product warranty coverage at Squaretrade.com to accommodate many different purchases. It gives buyers peace of mind at a fraction of the cost quoted by manufacturers and retail outlets.
Recommended:
Yes
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? Warranty
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