Even when it isn’t Christmas, shoppers are always on the lookout for a bargain which usually comes in the form of sales be it for the purposes of stocktaking, liquidation or closing down (rug industry anyone?) amongst others. You might also get special deals with store cards such as interest free arrangements (like David Jones) or maybe even further discounts on the goods purchased.
One thing that doesn’t tend to factor into the equation for bargain hunting shoppers is the option of an extended warranty (unless it is thrown in for nothing). More often than not the existence of an extended warranty remain unknown until the decision to purchase has been locked in. Understandably, shoppers may think that the store or the manufacturer is attempting to erode or claw back the saving on the goods and, as a result, turn down the option of an extended warranty.
In one mind I don’t blame them. Today, we had our Prius serviced and after I had handed over the keys at the reception area I was asked if I wanted the wheels balanced and realigned as well as the air conditioning system cleaned and disinfected. Despite not having either of those things explicitly undertaken as part of a scheduled service or conducted elsewhere I felt like this was a last minute revenue generation activity. This was despite the obvious benefits of having the work carried out given that they had not been done before (more so the wheel balance and alignment in my unprofessional opinion).
On the other hand it would seem ludicrous not to obtain extended especially on more expensive goods such as televisions, home theatre systems, computers or higher end smartphones. Especially when some of these devices come with just twelve months warranty (which many may expect as the period of time in which a fault is most likely to occur).
Have you bought something and had it fail just outside the standard factory warranty period? Perhaps you’ve had problems with a lemon within a short period of warranty?
What it all boils down to is whether or not a consumer accepts the risk and cost of repairing or replacing a faulty device outside the warranty period. In my mind, it’s a simple choice even for quality goods – an extended warranty is a relatively small investment to protect your ongoing use of a device after the standard factory warranty has expired. It can’t hurt to give it some consideration as part of your next major device purchase as it could save you major pain later on.
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