You decided to buy a new product. This might be a smartphone, a notebook, a TV, a fridge, whatever you want. Purchasing a product from retail stores or online platforms like Amazon has some advantages. You buy a brand-new device (probably…) covered by a warranty. Typically, it is for one or two years, depending on your country. Depending on the store or the device, you might be offered extra warranty plans, paying an additional fee. The latter sounds like a good deal, especially if you bought an expensive device. But nothing is perfect.
Following crmaris (EVGA example) and Gamers Nexus (Asus ROG Ally service), recent articles and YouTube videos make me wonder if warranties are worth it. As a term, it is ok, but what is applied in practice? Because official manufacturers’ warranties are limited to terms and conditions. And the fine print matters if you ever need your device repaired or replaced. The warranties never cover the so-called user error. And this is where nothing is straightforward if you are not the manufacturer or a lawyer. If you throw the device down and break, it is the consumer’s fault. The same is applied to liquids and other reasonable conditions.
But user error, as I stated, covers other terms, too. Terms that usually make it easier for the manufacturer to deny the repair or the replacement. That might even be a scratch on the device because scratches might mean the user threw the device or modified it. According to the manufacturer, of course. And it is not so easy to prove it otherwise. So, you must pay for the repair even if it is not related to the problem. What is worse is that you might have to pay the shipping costs, which are occasionally expensive. Depending on the device and its price, sometimes repairing it isn’t worth the cost. For example, if the panel of your TV is damaged and isn’t covered by the warranty, then the price is so high that buying a new TV is preferable.
Another practice is the fast and urgent repair agreement to pay when the warranty does not cover it. Gamers Nexus Asus ROG Ally is a perfect example of this practice. Companies are trying to convince you to accept the fee. By giving you limited time and showing you how urgent that is, they don’t want you to have the time to think or find another solution. This is done for two reasons. The first is for you to accept it, and the other is to send you back the device sooner. Keeping a device is time and space. A replacement that the manufacturer should do is a loss of profit. It is not viable, but that doesn’t make it ethical or right.
Warranties, as I stated, don’t cover all the parts of a device. E.g., the battery of a smartphone might be covered for six months. After this period, it is considered out-of-warranty. And the battery is the part that is more prone to premature failure. Especially if it is non-removable, replacing it might be a headache. And the battery is just an example. Many parts are partially or limited-time covered. And most of them are not, by chance, selected not to be fully covered. They are usually the parts that are susceptible to failure easily or earlier. And don’t forget what I mentioned about the user’s error.
So, what can you do to extend the warranty? Companies and retailers came up with another solution. Extended/ premium warranty deals or offers. These are more versatile and cover the device for more years or from breaks, even from lightning. But they come at a cost and might be almost half the device’s price tag. And might need more than one offer to cover the device better. For example, Dell and HP are among the ones that offer a wide variety of extra services (many of them might be bloated or unnecessary). Terms and conditions are applied, too. So, it might sound like a great idea, but in practice, it depends. It depends on the device and the consumer’s wallet.
On the other hand, some products offer extended warranties. But this is not as great as it sounds. Nothing guarantees that the product will be up to newer standards, be in stock or production, or be modified (as in the crmaris EVGA video). Even the company might be out of business till then. So, it is more like a good marketing strategy than anything else. Offering ten or more years to a product shows confidence for the consumer. But nothing is always as it shows. So, it might sound great, but nothing is perfect.
Last but not least is the support for the product. Not all companies offer the same level of support or offer it worldwide. And support is not always easy or the best way. Some companies are offering so bad support that you can’t trust them. They are doing complicated things and unnecessarily confuse consumers into giving up or accepting their solutions (watch the Hardware Busters Microsoft video). Occasionally, it is necessary because some customers ask more than they should. But that doesn’t justify these practices. Otherwise, why should you offer support when you don’t know how to deal with it? Support is for giving solutions, not more problems to deal with. And support is what makes a company better or not. The customer will judge you by it. Some companies should be aware of it and improve their services. It will be best for all of us.
All the abovementioned makes me wonder. Are warranties, extended warranties, and support still worthy? Or is it just an obsolete term that is nothing more than thin air these days? Do the consumers mean anything to the companies, or are they nothing more than wallets? Of course, companies can’t know us. But treating a customer as it should doesn’t need to know of them. Some customers might take advantage or wrongly RMA a device. But that is something a manufacturer should take care of. If you RMA a working device, you can’t offer a solution. Better training might be your best option.
A proverb says: “The customer is always right”. This is not entirely true. A customer is a customer. Just treat them the way it should. We need better warranties and support. That would be best for both the companies and the consumers. Respect from the consumer heavily depends on how a company treats them. A satisfied customer is the real deal. That makes a company a great one.
