Don’t Forget the Warranty
September 18, 2013Just about every product manufactured on the planet today comes with a warranty, but how many of us actually read it or know how or when it applies? I for one have a tendency to assume once a product breaks that my only option is to buy a replacement, but that’s not a very good assumption. For example, I recently broke the clip off of my cell-phone holster—the thing that holds my cell phone on my belt—and I was content to just buy a replacement. As I began searching, I came across a comment from someone whose holster had suffered the same fate, and they said they called the manufacturer to request a replacement under the warranty. This prompted me to pick up the phone and to see if I could get a replacement as well, and what do you know—I did!
This is not the first time I’ve successfully had a broken product replaced for free by the manufacturer. Last year I wrote about having my TV screen replaced by the manufacturer when it went bad. It seems that some companies take pride in their workmanship and are willing to stand behind their products, even when it’s our fault for the damage that occurs (which was the case with my cell phone’s holster).
So here are some takeaways as it relates to product warranties:
1. When something breaks, contact the manufacturer first before throwing it away.
Go to the manufacturer’s website or call their customer service number to see if your product is covered by a warranty. Even if the warranty has expired, as was the case with my TV last year, the customer service representative may be able to sell you an extended warranty on the spot that you can use immediately to have your damaged product replaced for a fraction of the cost of what it would be to buy a whole new product. My brother also had this happen to him when he was given the opportunity to buy an extended warranty after his daughter dropped her cell phone and cracked the glass (but don’t tell his daughter that).
This is not the same as the extended warranty that the retailer likes to sell you at the cash register during checkout (see the aforementioned blog post from last year). This is an extended warranty you purchase directly from the manufacturer. There is no guarantee an extended warranty will be offered, but then again if you never need it, you don’t pay for it—it could be a win/win.
2. Research products before you buy them, being sure to look at what is said about the warranty.
It is often said that the true value of an organization is not its ability to avoid problems but rather its ability to deal with a problem when it occurs. Just about all product manufacturers back up the quality and durability of their products with a warranty, but not all manufactures make it easy to file a claim against the warranty. Read product reviews and see what others are saying about the product itself, as well as the company that manufactures the product. You might also pose the question to your friends on Facebook or Twitter to see what they think. When it comes to our experiences, good or bad, we have a tendency to want to tell others (see http://www.suddenlyfrugal.com/2013/03/products-with-a-lifetime-warranty-3-companies-compared/ and http://www.slotmachinesforum.com/showthread.php?23428-Companies-that-stand-behind-and-don-t-stand-behind-warranties-for-their-products).
3. Know which warranties to avoid.
In addition to extended warranties sold at the cash register during checkout, I would generally avoid home warranties and third-party car repair warranties. Occasionally, you may find someone who has benefited from one of these types of policies, but for the number of complaints, I’d say the odds are stacked against you that you’ll find them worth the cost. As I’ve learned, no product is too expensive or too cheap to benefit from a warranty. Whether it’s a $1,000 TV or a $10 plastic holster, discounted or free replacement is money in your pocket!