Appliance Warranties
Jun 05 '00
Gee, you've just purchased that ultimate Major Appliance. You sidle up to the cash register, eyeing the display model with pride as you pull out the store credit card to make the purchase. The clerk asks, "would you like to purchase our lifetime service warranty? Should your appliance ever break, just bring it in and we'll fix it under our warranty agreement". Sounds good. The monthly fee for the warranty is minimal and heck, what if the appliance does break down? One can't afford to make major purchases every day, right?
Wait a minute here, folks. That same salesperson just sold you that shiny, new appliance based on the idea that it is a quality product. If the store believes in the product enough to sell it, why do they push their service warranty so hard? Because it's a scam. Service warrantees are just another way to add 20% or so to the purchase price of the item. The fact is, the store where you purchased the item has a reputation to maintain. They cannot do this and sell junk that breaks down. In the unlikely event that you buy a lemon, they will give you an exchange or refund in order to protect their image. If the item breaks within 30 days of purchase, warranty law requires them to repair or replace it anyway.
In addition to the store's warranty, the item manufacturer is also bound by product warrantees that likely cover the first year you'll own the appliance. Many cover much more than a year. They have a reputation to maintain as well, and upset customers are not good for the public image. They will take care of you as a matter of good business.
Then there are the products themselves. How many people do you know who have 20-year old refrigerators, stoves, washers, or dryers? The fact is, most people replace these items for fashion reasons, long before they actually break down mechanically. Big appliances are tough, that's why mom and dad still use the same washer and dryer you knew as a kid. It's also why you see appliance give-aways in the local newspaper want ads. People get tired of perfectly functional, yet ugly, old refrigerators cluttering up the front porch. In the unlikely event you do purchase a lemon, you'll know it within the first few weeks after purchase, when it's already warranteed to the hilt.
Thus, a retail-store's service warranty is a gamble. When the store offers you one, they are betting that your new appliance will never break within the time period of the agreement. You, if you buy the warranty, are betting that it will indeed break down. My question is, if you think it'll break down while under warranty, why did you buy the piece of junk? Skip the warranty and buy a better product. Service warrantees are nothing more than easy money for retailers.
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
2manykids
|
|
Member: Dave
Location: Jacksonville, Arkansas
Reviews written: 102
Trusted by: 23 members
|
|
|
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.