Extended Warranties

I have a big concern on why anyone would pay for an insurance policy on an appliciance or any other merchandise. If the product is no good then go by something else at somewhere else.

I get tired of sales people telling me how good the product is and then push a protection agreement down my throat.

I agree. Most of the things they push for the service agreement are already covered by the manufacturer for a year and if you have a maint agreement for three years, you probably won't even remember where you bought the thing if it does break, not to mention the service agreement.

I have always found it funny when someone gives you a lifetime warranty on an item and it says all you have to do is bring in the receipt if the item EVER fails and you will get a new one or something similar.

Problem is, that thermally printed receipt is going to be totally unreadable in about a year unless you keep it in a museum quality sealed case. :)

Service Agreements great topic of choice especially for a Sears store. Sears corporation pushes Merchandise Protections Agreements (MPA), Merchandise Replacement Agreements (MRA) and Credit so far in the ground.

Reasons the sales associates make money off of each of the items, so does the store, and managers receive bonuses for these. I know our district manager throws fits when numbers are down. Fits lead to sales associates and other managers pushing for more results in these areas.

For example, if you work in Brand Central- Appliances you are a straight commissioned employee, you are not an hourly associate. You have numbers to obtain not just in your daily sales goals. In order to obtain positive numbers you should at least sell a MPA on every single appliance you sell to keep your numbers up. Why? You will be reprimanded during your monthly coaching. After very few write ups and low numbers you will lose your job. No and's if's or but's about it.

Sears is very strict on those selling points. It's not about what item(s) a sales associate will sell...it's about Did you sell a PA? Did you get a credit card? Well, you need to start.

For example, my numbers' were so far down. I sold a washer/dryer with 3 years on both units, my manager told me "You better sell those PA's!" No thank you for selling them, no good job, no congrats... just YOU BETTER... it's low..

SELL SELL SELL....

Call me Charlie in Louisville, Kentucky said: I agree. Most of the things they push for the service agreement are already covered by the manufacturer for a year and if you have a maint agreement for three years, you probably won't even remember where you bought the thing if it does break, not to mention the service agreement.

I have always found it funny when someone gives you a lifetime warranty on an item and it says all you have to do is bring in the receipt if the item EVER fails and you will get a new one or something similar.

Problem is, that thermally printed receipt is going to be totally unreadable in about a year unless you keep it in a museum quality sealed case. :)

Try laminating it. I've found that protects the receipt from smudges & it doesn't deteriorate as quickly.

I've found that having an extended warranty can save quite a bit of money over the years. Especially if you have computerized washers & dryers as many of them are now.

Call me Charlie in Louisville, Kentucky said: I agree. Most of the things they push for the service agreement are already covered by the manufacturer for a year and if you have a maint agreement for three years, you probably won't even remember where you bought the thing if it does break, not to mention the service agreement.

I have always found it funny when someone gives you a lifetime warranty on an item and it says all you have to do is bring in the receipt if the item EVER fails and you will get a new one or something similar.

Problem is, that thermally printed receipt is going to be totally unreadable in about a year unless you keep it in a museum quality sealed case. :)

Try laminating it. I've found that protects the receipt from smudges & it doesn't deteriorate as quickly.

I've found that having an extended warranty can save quite a bit of money over the years. Especially if you have computerized washers & dryers as many of them are now.

I am not in In House SPrings, MO

Roberta in the North Woods of Minnesota in House Springs, Missouri said: Try laminating it. I've found that protects the receipt from smudges & it doesn't deteriorate as quickly.

Excellent suggestion. Thanks. :)

I see that if you paid over $200.00 for some product you should automatically have a warranty for at least 5 years and you shouldn't have to pay an additional amount for a freaking warranty it should come with the product. I had boughten a fridge from Fred's appliances it was $507.78 and when I went to pay for it they had the gull to ask if I wanted to pay another $50 - $100 for a five year warranty and I was like for this price it should come with the freaking warranty! We need to stop having stores take advantage of us and make them realize we are not dumb.

Jewlz in Wenatchee, Washington said: I see that if you paid over $200.00 for some product you should automatically have a warranty for at least 5 years and you shouldn't have to pay an additional amount for a freaking warranty it should come with the product. I had boughten a fridge from Fred's appliances it was $507.78 and when I went to pay for it they had the gull to ask if I wanted to pay another $50 - $100 for a five year warranty and I was like for this price it should come with the freaking warranty! We need to stop having stores take advantage of us and make them realize we are not dumb.

Well jewlz, you have to relize that yes, companies do try and make money off of the warranties, but they also can save you a lot of headaches. See when cheap ass customers "boughten" cheap ass products and expect them to last 5,000 years are in for a big surprise. I've seen the most expensive fridges and tv's go out a year and a day after purchase, doesn't mean that the manufacturer has to throw in a 5yr warranty with the product especially if the cheap product only costs $200, I mean come on!!! Customers who "expect" a product to never fail, wear out, or have a malfunction and don't buy the warranty always come into the store that they bought it when the product does fail and yell at the salesman like huge jackass's thinking that the salesman made the product and made it fail. If you buy the warranty, normally the store doesn't think twice and will service the problem immediatly. sounds like to me that you are a cheap ass!!!

Hey, I know what you mean. I've been at sears for a year and a half now in the stoves department. I hate pushing PA's down people's throat. Now, the stroe manager, who everyone hates, pulls me aside and threatens to fire me if i dont improve. It makes me so angry. I wanted quit quit bad, i just cant. (Shazman1984@yahoo.com)

I have worked at sears for a little under a year and it's not a matter of "pushing and scratching" for Pa's, but rather offering one of Sears wonderful services that can complete the Sears customer's experience by getting the customers what they need. I know how you feel in the fact that if you don't know how to sell it or just don't try and sell it. Customers are willing to listen. When I started, I could barely sell a PA a week, my manager yelled at me, I found my niche and now i'm a very proficicent PA salesman. and think of it this way, PA's are easy sales and make you SO MUCH MONEY!!! I'm 17 and I'm making $1300 a month and still in highschool. If I can do that, then you can easily start selling the hell out of those PA's. just have confidence in the product that you are selling and remember it's not a scam, but rather one of the best services that any retail store can offer.

thanks budd. Good advice. I appreciate it.

I don't appreciate the rudeness of ignorance, I am normally a nice person but when it comes to the fact you have half a clue of what goes on about companies. I know what I am talking about when it comes to an appliance and it was not a cheap ass purchase! I know that companies like Sears and other stores that they pay a cheap ass price at a whole sale price then sell it to customers at an expensive price and I know that there is no money off the freaking warranty, it's just the point of where they are when it comes to satisfying the consumer and indeed needed to contact the company that makes the product after the warranty,but not needed to have to pay an extra amount for any warranty when you make a large purchase like that it should have a good warranty that comes with it. Hello are You there? Did you actually read the comment and comprehend any thing? I am not here to have a word war but this is suppose to be a knowledgeable place to comment positively regardless of their opinion on any discussion that is on the table. And they saying goes that maybe you should follow this "IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY THING NICE TO SAY DON'T SAY ANY THING AT ALL" You might find that bitting your tongue and opening your ear's you might have more friends and realize you will be able to learn new things in life.

The PA's are not a bad deal, on some items. I work in lawn and garden, so I don't know much about appliances, but as for treadmills and tractors, I really do think they are a good deal. You can't say that if Sears tries to sell you an extended warranty that the item must be junk in the first place. That's as if your saying that accidents don't happen and things don't go wrong. Obviously on some products they may not be worth the trouble, but if you don't use the PA, they will call you like 60 days before it expires and offer to cancel it for a full refund. So unless you're really strapped for cash at the moment, I don't see why you wouldn't get one honestly, especially if you plan on using the product quite often.

I do not work for Sears, but I work for another company that sells protection plans. The fact is, I only make like a dollar or two off of a service plan, and that is not why I sell them. I also don't sell them so that the company can make alot of money. I actually don't try to "sell" them, I explain to the customer what they are. People do not understand that the company that you buy the product from does not cover every part of the machine sometimes, and the store did not make the product. The manuf. made the product and the company, like sears, is offering a service separate from the manuf. The manuf. sometimes does not offer in home service, where the store does. Or if you read your manuf. warranty carefully, there are certain parts that are never covered from day one even on some products. I can not tell you how many times that a customer comes back, mad at us, because the product broke, or the manuf. wants the customer to pay all of the shipping or something. They want to just blame it on the store for selling a bad product, but the store does NOT make the product. If you don't want the service, that is fine, but don't come back to the store yelling if the manuf. won't take care of you.

I believe that is said like a true champion

I work in Rapid Resolution for Sears and I am tired of Sears store agents selling customers Master Protection Agreements on outdoor equipment. Outdoor equipment only has RPA repair protection agreements which cover all repairs EXCEPT maintenance/tune-ups, wear items, or customer-created damage. THERE ISN'T FREE MAINTENANCE OR TUNE-UPS ON OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT ONLY INDOOR ITEMS. STop lying to the customers and then giving them 1-800-4my home to tell them how store agents are Liars just to sell Agreements and if the Item is under 90 days YOU CAN EXCHANGE IT!!!!

I work in Rapid Resolution for Sears and I am tired of Sears store agents selling customers Master Protection Agreements on outdoor equipment. Outdoor equipment only has RPA repair protection agreements which cover all repairs EXCEPT maintenance/tune-ups, wear items, or customer-created damage. THERE ISN'T FREE MAINTENANCE OR TUNE-UPS ON OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT ONLY INDOOR ITEMS. STop lying to the customers and then giving them 1-800-4my home to tell them how store agents are Liars just to sell Agreements and if the Item is under 90 days YOU CAN EXCHANGE IT OR RETURN IT!!! TECHNICIANS NEED TO LEARN HOW TO CALL CUSTOMERS WHEN THEY CAN NOT SHOW UP AND STOP LEAVING THEM HOME ALL DAY FROM 8-5pm LOSING A DAY OF WORK PAY BECAUSE YOU ARE TOO LAZY TO CALL WITH A HEADS UP!!!!

-Jewlz in Wenatchee, Washington-

Ma'am... your argument is misplaced. If you have a problem with the quality of a "product warranty"... then you need to contact the company that produces your product, like G.E., Sony, L.G., Kenmore, Samsung. etc. We have no control over what "they" offer as far as product coverage or duration of that coverage. However what we do have control over and can offer is a merchandise protection agreement (MPA). Now I can understand how this can be confused with a warranty.... which is through the product manufacturer and mainly covers manufacturing defects.....a MPA however is through the company offering it (in this case sears)We come out, service the product (including normal wear and tear which is not included in the manufacturer's warranty,including power surges, and you are taken care of. Once a year you can even have a technician come out and do preventative maintence, extending the life of your product. Also it is renewable for the entire life of your product. No manufacturer will do this... In short... if you want to protect your product, then get extra protection that covers more that what the "warranty" does... otherwise take your chances with what you have. Hopefully you will have a great experience, but if not. you are now informed and have no one to blame but yourself.

retail salesman in Joplin, Missouri said: Well jewlz, you have to relize that yes, companies do try and make money off of the warranties, but they also can save you a lot of headaches. See when cheap ass customers "boughten" cheap ass products and expect them to last 5,000 years are in for a big surprise. I've seen the most expensive fridges and tv's go out a year and a day after purchase, doesn't mean that the manufacturer has to throw in a 5yr warranty with the product especially if the cheap product only costs $200, I mean come on!!! Customers who "expect" a product to never fail, wear out, or have a malfunction and don't buy the warranty always come into the store that they bought it when the product does fail and yell at the salesman like huge jackass's thinking that the salesman made the product and made it fail. If you buy the warranty, normally the store doesn't think twice and will service the problem immediatly. sounds like to me that you are a cheap ass!!!

Retail Salesman, I understand that warranties are made to help out the customer, but Jewlz is right- If you are spending 500 dollars, the company should have an automatic warranty on their product - otherwise-it is the COMPANY that is cheap (not the customer)!

Jewlz in Wenatchee, Washington said: I don't appreciate the rudeness of ignorance, I am normally a nice person but when it comes to the fact you have half a clue of what goes on about companies. I know what I am talking about when it comes to an appliance and it was not a cheap ass purchase! I know that companies like Sears and other stores that they pay a cheap ass price at a whole sale price then sell it to customers at an expensive price and I know that there is no money off the freaking warranty, it's just the point of where they are when it comes to satisfying the consumer and indeed needed to contact the company that makes the product after the warranty,but not needed to have to pay an extra amount for any warranty when you make a large purchase like that it should have a good warranty that comes with it. Hello are You there? Did you actually read the comment and comprehend any thing? I am not here to have a word war but this is suppose to be a knowledgeable place to comment positively regardless of their opinion on any discussion that is on the table. And they saying goes that maybe you should follow this "IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY THING NICE TO SAY DON'T SAY ANY THING AT ALL" You might find that bitting your tongue and opening your ear's you might have more friends and realize you will be able to learn new things in life.

I agree.

Julie Meibaum in Metairie, Louisiana said: Retail Salesman, I understand that warranties are made to help out the customer, but Jewlz is right- If you are spending 500 dollars, the company should have an automatic warranty on their product - otherwise-it is the COMPANY that is cheap (not the customer)!

The maker of the product DOES have warranty, but it is not to "help out the customer" and I don't know where you got that idea.
The warranty covers DEFECTS in materials and workmanship. THAT IS ALL!

It means if they put it together wrong or with junk parts the maker will pay.

Read the warranty!!

What Sears offers is an agreement that THEY will assume responsibilty for any problems that arise even if it is cosmetic or caused by a power surge.
Sears will have a knowledgable service person come and check it once a year.

The builder of the device does not do that.

The Master Protection Agreement is an EXTRA service that the customer pays for.

When you go to Dairy Queen will they put chocolate topping on your cone?

SURE the will but you PAY for that. It is an extra service.

If you are willing to take your chances,fine.

I hope this clears things up a bit

What I'm trying to say is, when I say the word 'warranty' I am talking not about a manufacturer's defects- but I am talking about the product breaking down before a year or 2 or 5 are up. That should be covered for free because if you buy a product for 500 $ and then it goes kaput for no reason, it is obviously not something you did to it- like the milk DID not explode, and the Turkey did not come to life and gobble up the parts- So Suffice it to say, if a product costs that much in the first place, OF COURSE it should be replaced or fixed for free if it breaks. Otherwise, what kind of junk is the company trying to sell over to the customers?

i had no idea that warranties were so useless; otherwise, who would pay for them? If i got a chocolate cone and it gave me a stomach ache because the milk was spoiled, I want to be reimbursed. If the cone broke in half because the quality of the cone was horrible, I would want to be reimbursed. When I go to a company and buy something that is so expensive, I don't want it to break down or cause me displeasure. If i am not breaking it, then the company itself should be honorable enough to have sold me a high quality product, and I should be able to rely on their word/ respectability/ and quality. I thought that was what the purpose and original meaning of the word "warranty"- to give me peace of mind that if something breaks, they will pay for it. And what i am putting forth here also, is that in a good world, where all businesses were respectable, the company should honor the customer's trust and business by not asking them to pay 100-200$ out of their pocket in order to 'make sure' they are buying a high quality product form a reputable company.

The warranty covers DEFECTS in materials and workmanship. THAT IS ALL! It means if they put it together wrong or with junk parts the maker will pay. Read the warranty!! What Sears offers is an agreement that THEY will assume responsibilty for any problems that arise even if it is cosmetic or caused by a power surge. Sears will have a knowledgable service person come and check it once a year. The builder of the device does not do that. The Master Protection Agreement is an EXTRA service that the customer pays for. When you go to Dairy Queen will they put chocolate topping on your cone? SURE the will but you PAY for that. It is an extra service. If you are willing to take your chances,fine. I hope this clears things up a bit.

The second paragraph was not written by me but was a quote from someone else. The first paragraph is from me, it is my statement in reply. I did not write the second paragraph.

And what I am saying is, why would the customer have to pay for something that is the fault of poor workmanship of the company. Lots of warranties cost 100$ or more. Why? Is there something wrong with the product? Did they not inspect it before giving it to me? Are they selling me something that is junk? I bet they are. They should then call it a "JUnk-ity" instead of a warranty.

I dont work at Sears but i did work for another major retail store that offered Extended service plans as well. I think they are a great idea. Depending on the store you get the standard 60 or 90 days or whatever to return the item if it breaks or what not. Then sometimes you get a Manufacturers warranty that usually covers the product for a year...but, its usually only for a Manufacturers defect (not normal wear and tear or other stuff). With an Extended Service plan, you get coverage for up to 5 years. The price varys and can be up to $100 depending on the cost of the item. A Service plan for a $150 camera is not going to be the same price as one for a $1200 TV. The higher the item price the higher the Service plan is.

Julie and Jewls i think you need to take into consideration that when an employee asks if you want a service plan, its because $50 is nothing compared to having to spend another $500 in a year if the item breaks. I undestand that you think products costing a lot should last a lifetime, but the fact is they dont and if that product breaks in the near future and you dont have a Service plan you're gonna wish you did when you buy it again. Especially as Sears as there Extended Service plans take it one step further and you are able to have a tech come out and perform preventive maintance.

Jewlz in Wenatchee, Washington said: I don't appreciate the rudeness of ignorance, I am normally a nice person but when it comes to the fact you have half a clue of what goes on about companies.

LOL how funny. OK you want someone to speak that has experience with companies and appliances you got it. I have worked commissioned sales in the past and I have also been a store manager. As a matter of fact, I even worked at Sears after High School. But I have to say that when you put a lot of money into an appliance that you expect to last "Foprever", it is well worth the additonal cost to pay for an extended service agreement. Bottom line is, things break. I also know that if an appliance is going to fail, it will fail typically in approximately a year or longer. That's exactly why the manufatcurers warranties are only for a year. I know eletronic components. (I also have an Electronic Engineering degree). Most components with a slight fault from the maufacturer, will last a while, (close to a year or a little longer depending on the usage) but then they break. This has been proven many times over. In my opinion, an extended warranty is and has proven to be a life saver in the past. The companies are there to make a profit, be real. Do you really expect them to just GIVE you the extended warranty? And dealing with Sears, I have never been turned down on any warranty replacement of any kind. You aren't under any pressure to buy these agreements are you? They are offered to you as an option. You can't blame a commissioned salesperson for trying to get the most out of a sale. JUST SAY NO if you don't want it and quit whining! Remember these companies are out to make a profit just like you would be with any business you opened. Extended warranties are a way for them to do this. However, that doesn't mean they make a profit from every one sold. A lot of times, the ones that were smart enough to buy the extended warranty are the ones reap the benefits.

Please, drive into the dealership of the car you purchased last and state they OWE you free service on your vehicle (costing much more than $500).
Then, post their reply.
Additional coverage for 1,3, or 5 years involves additional labor and parts cost.
One power surge can blow over 400 dollars worth of "motherboard" on a washer, treadmill, oven.
The ehanced Protection Agreement is available for Customer's piece of mind.

Hello... A lifetime warranted tool does not need the receipt. It's covered for "life". Burn the receipt - if you like.

All of those offers are ways Sears can make money and your newly acquired tool/entertainment device can use to stay useful for a longer period of time.
Everything eventually needs a tuneup, parts start to wear, or something breaks.
Even if you can do the repair work "yourself", the parts cost some change.
Whenever an offer for an additional coverage or "Protection" is offered, you are doing the Sales Associate a service just listening to their proposal and they're doing you a service to keep your new investment running smoothly and efficiently for as long as possible.

If some one come back, after say 1-1/2 to 2 years of owning a product that HAS either a Protection Agreement Coverage option or a Service Protection Plan on it, I always wonder WHY they didn't opt for relatively inexpensive coverage of the product they are NOW very concerned about.

That cone sounds horrible.

Did ya eat it right after it was presented to you - all new and cold?

Or, did the cone stay out in the sun for a little while, and get a little "melty" - which can spoil the milk?

Knowing the cone had gotten a little old, did you go ahead and eat (use) it anyway?

What did the cone provider say when you blamed him for the "bad" milk product?

I buy the Protection Plans, and enough of them have worked for me, to continue purchasing more plans. When's the last time someone has taken their CAR in for service? Was it free? But, I'll bet the car ran a lot better after going in for service. How about FREE labor and parts for up to 5 years, for a reasonable up front service plan?

Nothing goes "kaput" for no reason.

Something is done or not done to cause the thing to stop working.

Not reading the owners manual, and merrily using the machine to extinction is one thing that comes to mind.

Not adding the supplied oil, is another thing that can "go wrong".

Stale gas or improperly mixed oil and gas, in 2 cycle machines, is almost common place.

Using a DIY rated piece of equipment in a Professional occupation will shorten most machine's lifetimes.

Batteries go bad, faster than plug-in tools.

Not performing any kind of preventative maintenance will shorten most machine's lifetimes.

Just using the machine a lot, increases the need for more frequent maintenance checks.

Pushing a machine past its stated limits certainly doesn't "help" the longevity of the machine.

Hammering on or with a lifetime warranted, non-impact tool is covered - and shouldn't be.

Keeping a cutting machine sharp is part of the deal of the machine making a "good cut".

Not using an under 10 dollar surge protector on ANYTHING displaying a computerized display is just plain short-sighted.

The basic warranty the machines come with, covers things the manufacturer had control over, before the sale.

The 90 day store return/exchange policy is there to keep Customers happy with their purchases and to reassure them that they're not ON THEIR OWN after the purchase.

The Protection Agreements cover the "things that happen" AFTER the item has been purchased and been used by its new owner for over 90 days.

That there is a GOOD deal.

I'm a current Sears employee, and I've worked in retail for my entire short working life. I'm also a consumer, so I see things from both sides. Frankly, I don't understand this idea that some people have that everything a store sells should be guaranteed, or that we should take back a product that's more than 3 months old because it broke. Sears is a joy to work for because they stand by their products so strongly. As people have mentioned here, most stores don't stand behind their products. You're covered by the manufacturer's defect warranty and that's it. Sears has a 90-day return policy, and actually offers an agreement that not only covers defects for an extended amount of time, but also normal wear and tear, freak accidents, and customer mishaps. For example, we sell a really great steam vacuum at our store. However, the water tank is made of plastic and can crack if it's hit hard enough. That's a $65 replacement part on a $300 machine. For $75, Sears offers a 5-year agreement that not only covers that, but also unlimited other problems, provides annual maintenance checks, will provide a new product if the current one is unfixable, and a host of benefits. Sounds like a great deal to me. And yet, people come in all the time a year after buying a product and want to return it because it broke. Sorry! Even if you do think the product should be guaranteed for life, you're EXPLICITLY told at the register that it's not, hence you're being offered an opportunity to protect it. So why people think that the store owes them their money back is something I can't even fathom!