Service Plans---?
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Posted on Jul 09, 2005 08:05 am
xtc
Banned
the wife and I went to circuit city last night to purchase a laptop. she had done all online researching/pricing before hand,so @ checkout time the salesman brings up service plans, 2years for 230 bux or 4 years for like 398 bux. I said NO not interested, does he let it go at that? NO, during the 10 minute check he keeps asking me why i dont think i need it and how they dont work off commision and hes just trying to help me out, my wife is all about security, so he starts working her against me which made me very angry.
am i wrong in thinking service plans are a rip?
does the salesman get something for selling a service plan?
i appreciate any insight on this, it always bothers me when i get something even as low as 30 bux from BB or CC i get asked to buy a 10 dollar service plan @ checkout.
Thanx
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Jul 09, 2005 08:13 am I worked in retail computer sales and service for a couple years and managed a store for part of that time...yes, they are a rip. They are basically just getting free money and the sales typically get a MUCH higher commission on selling those plans.
It something goes wrong with your computer within a year or so, and you go to the store and raise hell, you are going to get it fixed anyway, even within a couple years sometimes, if not, you go to the maker of the laptop and raise hell...the service plan actually pays for itself maybe 1% of the time...I can't say it never is worth, but it is very much a rarity.
vdalehubbardLost for words with all to say.Contributor
Since: Sep 12, 2003
Jul 09, 2005 08:35 am A while back, it was worth it because it was like $150 for an extra 2 years or something. Can't remember what store it was though. Now, $400 for 4 years! Forget it. Raise hell within the first year at the store because the whole laptop/desktop is covered by a manufactory warranty. Even after that year: Most hard drives have 2-3 year manufactory warranty now, most memory have a lifetime warranty, most motherboards and LCD screens have at least a year if not more. Yeah, for $230-$400 service plan, take your chances without it.
BeerHunterwww.TheLondonProject.caMember
Since: Feb 07, 2005
Jul 09, 2005 01:14 pm I purchase a CD player for my truck with an extended warranty. About 8 months later the CD player was stolen. I replaced the deck at the same place I bought it from and found out that the extended warranty wasn't valid anymore and I would have to pay for it again. Not. To me it is a rip off. Even worse is the pushy sales tactics to get you to buy it.
Jul 09, 2005 01:31 pm Well, as an recovering retail guy I'll tell ya, there is a GOOD reason they push it, cuz THEY personally make a lot on them...at least the places I have worked offered significant incentives to sales peeps for selling extended service plans...I didn't do retail long, but long enough to learn it's NOT what I wanted to do for a living.
Jul 09, 2005 01:34 pm I HATE RETAIL! it makes me feel dirty
el musicoFreeleance Producer/Engineer/GtrMember
Since: Aug 11, 2002
Jul 09, 2005 02:02 pm Circuit City makes a lot, but the sales guy doesn't... at least that's how it is with Best Buy (i was a PC tech there).
4 years ago I bought a 43" HD TV from Ultimate Electronics. I bought a 5 year service plan for 250. 2 years after owning it it blew and they fixed it. 6 months after that it blew and they fixed it again. I turn on the TV 2 days ago and it's blown (4 years after purchase) and they are coming next week to fix it. In my situation, it's completely worth it.
I also have a DVD/SACD player that is on the fritz that i have a service plan on with Best Buy and they'll fix that too...
of course, not everyone has something go wrong with their equipment during the service plan coverage and sometimes it's more expensive than just paying for the repairs yourself... i dunno just food for thought
Jul 09, 2005 05:49 pm The good thing about them with big stuff, like big TV's is that THEY COME TO YOUR PLACE to fix it...no lugging that damn thing to the shop.
Over the winter I hope to build a bigger and better home theatre than my current one, and with a projector TV, so if some goes wrong I only have a projector to bring to the shop, not a huge TV :-)
Yeah, it sounds like the service plan payed off for you, for sure.
vdalehubbardLost for words with all to say.Contributor
Since: Sep 12, 2003
Jul 09, 2005 05:55 pm I bought a CD player from Best Buy about 3 years ago. Purchased the service plan for like $80 for 4 years extended. The CD player started skipping really bad on every CD including new ones. Cleaning it didn't help. I took it to Best Buy, they said it would take 8 to 10 weeks to get back to me with it. I said "hey, how about just giving me one that is like worth 3/4 of what I paid for this one and call it even". Wouldn't even do that. So, I said screw them.
JPMember
Since: Jul 27, 2005
Jul 27, 2005 02:43 pm My family purchased a Circuit City Extended Warranty too.
I have been trying to get them to fix/replace the computer we purchased for over a month now. They have been condescending, nasty and arrogant and to this day are still giving us the run-around.
We paid $300 for this warranty and they are cheating us out of our money.
I am planning a picket(you know,walking around the store with signs) around the Burbank Circuit City store this Saturday morning (7/30/05).
If you have been screwed by CC as well and would like to participate, please e-mail me ASAP at [email protected]
Let's fight back!
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Jul 27, 2005 03:17 pm As soon as a salesperson gets pushy, I look right at them and tell them they've lost my business. I will not be manipulated or pushed around by salespeople. It's not their right to be pushy, and I don't have to take it. There's usually plenty other places in this free society for me to spend my money, I don't need to be coerced into it.
WYD, aren't you in retail?
Jul 27, 2005 03:20 pm When I was a tech at a computer store the salespeople used to get pissed at me cuz I could sell people on stuff that they couldn't. People naturally don't trust salespeople, so they'll start up a convo with me, the geek-in-the-back-room and they for some reason put more stock in what I said since it wasn't a "sales pitch"...even though it was...
Jul 27, 2005 03:43 pm yeah we have a small retal music store, and i can't really complain too much cuz i get to talk about music all day, but i hate tryin' to sell crap that i don't like (ie: rocktron amps, and johnson guitars)
zekthedeadcowEat Spam before it eats YOU!!!Member
Since: May 11, 2002
Jul 27, 2005 05:52 pm when it comes to ethically not selling crappy stuff its called "upselling" :) Pushing the "buy nice or buy twice" concept.
Having spent 2 weeks as an HDTV tech the warrenty on those pieces of crap is absolutly critical... especially if it's a 5 year warrenty as their expected lifetime is 3 years (unlike 10years for CRTs)
bbbitterI'm back bitches!!!Member
Since: May 27, 2004
Aug 01, 2005 09:29 am I actually bought one of those one time. I bought a pair of subwoofers for my car with an amp. they were both crappy brands and I did not expect them to last long. They both ended up breaking and now I have a Pioneer 300W amp with two Pioneer 10" subwoofers. Thats the one time I paid for it and it worked out. Now that I have had some experience repairing my own stuff, I would never buy the service plan.
