Electronics

[Moonchilde]

I have bought Square Trade warranty policies for years. Fortunately, I've never had to actually use one. Any time I have called them in the past I've gotten very helpful, cheerful US-based service and it was a pleasure dealing with them.

Today I purchased an item on Amazon where I could add on a ST policy for a few dollars. I wanted to know specifically if the warranty covered battery replacement, as that would be the only reason I would need a policy for this inexpensive item.

It wasn't quick or easy to find a phone #, and when I did I was switched around. The first person I spoke to sounded German (I swear) and had a lot of trouble both understanding my question, and also responding to me as he read from a script. 

He passed me off to someone else, who also sounded fairly clueless and also as if he was outside the US, but a different accent (not Indian or Asian). Both people were abrupt and gruff, and neither particularly helpful. I decided not to bother with a warranty (that was no big deal to me).

I was kind of taken aback. I don't know who I would have spoken to if I'd had a claim, whether that would be taken care of in the US or not - hopefully someone in the US. 

ST has an excellent CS reputation as far as speed in paying off claims, but the response and blah unhelpfulness I got when calling kind of put me off. Anyone who has spoken with CS in the past year - was it in the US, or not?

[Nuttmeg]

You may want to go to ST's site. Do an online chat or contact CS at their site.

[juperier]

From what I've read over the years, the ones profiting from extended warnaties are mostly the companies offering them. Defective parts are typically going to fail during the included warrantly period. And, honestly, if a part fails after the extended warranty has taken effect, I would usually prefer to apply the money saved byt not purchasing the extened warrantyt towards a new device.

[phoenixbrd]

Just bought a refrigerator and used Square trade as the warranty.  I hope your negative experience is not indicative of service.  It was purchased because of the positive customer service response.

[Moonchilde]

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@Nuttmeg wrote:

You may want to go to ST's site. Do an online chat or contact CS at their site.

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Not sure why I'd do that? So I would again see a scripted non-reply to my question as I'd already experienced? I had already been all over the site looking in both their FAQs and for a phone number and didn't find the answer to my question OR a non-claim CS phone #. I found the latter by googling.  

[Moonchilde]

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@juperier wrote:

From what I've read over the years, the ones profiting from extended warnaties are mostly the companies offering them. Defective parts are typically going to fail during the included warrantly period. And, honestly, if a part fails after the extended warranty has taken effect, I would usually prefer to apply the money saved byt not purchasing the extened warrantyt towards a new device.

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I warranty very few things - laptops, phones, cameras, TVs, not anything else. The items experts suggest you DO get extended warranties for because they DO fail or have accidents, and are expensive to repair or replace.

In the instance of what I was calling about, the warranty was $3.30 for 2 years - but even at that price, I knew it was pointless unless it covered the battery; it apparently doesn't (if I can believe what I was told, lol), so no point. The item is considered kinda disposable, as the cost of a new battery is - wait for it - the exact cost of a brand-new device.

[Moonchilde]

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@phoenixbrd wrote:

Just bought a refrigerator and used Square trade as the warranty.  I hope your negative experience is not indicative of service.  It was purchased because of the positive customer service response.

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That was my fear as well. I don't know if my experience is a result of the company growing hugely from its beginnings, or what. I was calling during the day on a weekday, so it's not like one might expect overseas or less than stellar CS nights and weekends, it was prime calling time.

The only other time I had to call, several years ago, was a very different experience. It seems like currently they're into getting warranties bought and claims paid via website/email, and don't consider the rest of CS important.

[151949]

I have had very good experiences using Square Trade. I have only good things to say about them.

[Moonchilde]

Interesting.  I just did some googling and reading online. Apparently their CS is often foreign, and as happened to me, people are shunted from rep to rep. Just like QVC, people swear the reps tell them they are entering info in the computer and then don't, so your word against theirs. And the more they pass you on to different people (customers have related), the more hard-nosed about "no" they get.

I guess I'm lucky I've never had to file a claim, and haven't needed to contact them often. When I first signed on with them, speaking to a friendly, helpful rep in the US was a big selling point. I currently have a warranty on my phone & iPad, but I may not use them next time around. Eep. Sad.