More Consumers Say No to Retailer Warranties

From PC Magazine…

“According to retail analysts The NPD Group, more and more American consumers are opting to buy their warranties directly from the manufacturer, or from a third party.

However, the choices did vary. PC owners chose to do it themselves, as 52 percent of consumers surveyed said they bought their PC warranty either from the manufacturer or a third party, with 27 percent buying from a big-box retailer.

However, the big-box retailers also convinced a growing number of PC consumers to buy an extended warranty, covering additional years or levels of support. In general, PC OEMs either did not offer an extended warranty or were simply outsold by the big-box retailers, as manufacturers only captured between 7 and 8 percent of the PC extended-warranty market.

Independent installers convinced more consumers to buy a warranty for home theater installations, or 26 percent. But when it came to flat-panel TVs, the big-box retailers owned the secondary warranty business, NPD found.

Fifty-two percent of consumers who said they purchased installation services for their desktop computer in the past year did so from either an independent installer or directly from the manufacturer. Only 27 percent purchased installation services from big box retailers.”

Best Part is the SquareTrade Warranty

“Ok enough of the weather. I’ve been a bit busy working (UGH) lately so the website has been abused. I did correct my cell phone problem by going the Ebay route and getting a SLVR from aVZW reseller no doubt. Yes it cost less than buying it direct from VZW, I didn’t have to extend my contract, there were no questions or restrcition placed on me and the damn thing works.

The best part is for a $29 one time payment I get a SquareTrade warranty for 3years vs paying some crappy VZW sub-contractor $6 a month for insurance that doesn’t cover as well as the $29. In those 3years if the phone fails for any reason, they either get a few days to fix it, replaxce it with a new like / same phone or give me my original price paid back to me. Sounds too good to be true but better than VZW’s insurance giving you a POS phone as a loaner while they break your original overpriced one…”

Senators’ ire over warranty bill cools

From The Olympian…

“Two lawmakers who fired off criticisms when House Speaker Frank Chopp killed their home-warranty legislation have softened their tone.

“I don’t want to start a war. I don’t see any good coming from a war with Frank Chopp,” Democratic Sen. Brian Weinstein of Mercer Island said Tuesday. “After he killed the bill, he was gracious enough to come see me in my office Friday afternoon. I was very angry and he was polite.”

Weinstein’s proposal, Substitute Senate Bill 5550, created a 10-year home warranty for new-home buyers. It guaranteed entire structures for 10 years and covered some details. Among those details were guarding against general defects for two years, electrical and plumbing problems for three years, and moisture for five years…”

iPod Warranties

From MacNewsWorld…

“Apple has promoted itself as the anti-company — truly interested in building great products and making its customers happy. So when the products break down, consumers feel betrayed, especially if it happens after Apple’s limited one-year warranty has expired, or results from an uncovered accidental drop.

Apple’s products are getting more and more expensive. Its latest video iPod tops $400 — a not-inconsequential replacement sum.

Then there is the iTunes-iPod synergy, which essentially means you are married to an iPod for life if you have invested a considerable amount of money in iTunes content…”