warranties

DirecTV Thinks You Need Protection Plan, Won't Take "No" For Answer

DirecTV Thinks You Need Protection Plan, Won't Take "No" For Answer

Brooks is a DirecTV customer, and he wrote in to warn other DirecTV customers to watch out for a shady “Protection Plan” the company signed him up for against his permission:

  • I was not told anything about a “standard policy” to sign me up for the protection plan upon having warranty work done.
  • I specifically declined to sign up when pitched on the idea.
  • I was signed up anyways.
  • I received the letter stating that there would be no charge.
  • They attempted to charge a cancellation fee for canceling a plan I never agreed to.
  • I had to waste time and energy to haggle to get the charges off, when it really should have been a simple fix.

Read Brooks’ full DirecTV encounter after the jump.

Best Buy Overlaps Their Product Service Plans With Manufacturer's Warranty

Best Buy Overlaps Their Product Service Plans With Manufacturer's Warranty

Wiliam writes in to point out something he noticed in the fine print of Best Buy’s Product Service Plan: it begins as soon as you purchase the item, and doesn’t cover anything covered by the manufacturer’s warranty.

Not Even Geek Squad's CEO Can Get Your Computer Fixed

Not Even Geek Squad's CEO Can Get Your Computer Fixed

On May 3, 2007 a reader wrote in to explain an issue he was having with Best Buy’s Geek Squad. His computer was randomly shutting off and generally acting crazy. His warranty was with Geek Squad so he took the computer in for repair. Geek Squad wiped his hard drive and returned the computer without fixing the problem.

Best Buy Switches Laptop Cover, Then Accuses Customer Of Fraud

Best Buy Switches Laptop Cover, Then Accuses Customer Of Fraud

Jed’s Gateway MX6030 laptop worked pretty well for a couple of years, then the problems started—faulty power adapter, kaput motherboard, dead hard drive. Luckily, he’d bought a 3-year extended service plan. Unluckily, when his motherboard was replaced, the bottom of the laptop—where the serial and model numbers are located—was swapped out with one from a different model, so that when he brought it back for the hard drive repair, the store manager accused him of fraud.

Man Haggles With Dell Over Failed Laptop For 3 Years

Man Haggles With Dell Over Failed Laptop For 3 Years

Ethan writes:

I purchased a laptop through my company in 2005. The laptop I bought was the Dell XPS (Gen2). I had several issues with the DVD burner right off the bat. Within months Dell was replacing my 6800 Ultra laptop video board due to video artifacts. This happened again and more parts were replaced. In Late 2006 Dell swapped my Gen2 system for a M1710. In my book, both the customer service and the quality hit the fan. They sent me a laptop with less memory and poor video.

Canadian No Longer Has To Pay More For AppleCare

Canadian No Longer Has To Pay More For AppleCare

Zachariah no longer has to wonder about why AppleCare costs more in Canada ($199) than in the US ($169), he found a deal at L.A. Computer Company where he could get it for $119. They emailed him the agreement number, he registered the number online at Apple, and received his official AppleCare Protection Plan Certificate in the mail. So what’s the solution to the mystery of why there was a pricing disparity even though there’s parity between the dollar and the loony? We don’t know for sure, but we’re placing our money on that the prices were figured out when the dollar was worth more and they just haven’t been readjusted since.

Best Buy Charges Woman $35 For Free Repairs

Best Buy Charges Woman $35 For Free Repairs

Did you know that if you request a repair under warranty for an appliance you bought at Best Buy, and the repair isn’t made, then Best Buy will charge you a fee?

Xbox 360 Breaks Down 5 Times In A Row, But Microsoft Refuses To Replace It

Xbox 360 Breaks Down 5 Times In A Row, But Microsoft Refuses To Replace It

Greg writes in to tell us that on January 2nd, his Xbox 360 unit broke down for the fifth time—it lasted eleven days this time, setting a new record for Shortest Period of Functionality. In the past year, it’s been out of commission for over 12 weeks total. He’s now asking for a new or refurbished unit, or else a refund, but Microsoft is determined to keep him in an extended warranty repair cycle indefinitely and won’t negotiate. Surely by this point it’s just cheaper to replace the defective unit, isn’t it?

Warning: Those Breast Implants Do Not Come With An Extended Warranty

Warning: Those Breast Implants Do Not Come With An Extended Warranty

Thinking about buying yourself some new boobs? You might want to make sure you can handle the after effects. The NYT informs that breast augmentation doesn’t always involve a single surgery and there’s no warranty on your boobs. In fact, one third of women who get breast implants end up having another surgery within four to five years.

6 Confessions Of A Former RadioShack Employee

6 Confessions Of A Former RadioShack Employee

Note: This is not a rant or venting session. I was laid off after the holidays, and I have no hard feelings about it ( Layoffs happen to everyone these days) . This is simply a guide to shopping at RadioShack ( henceforth known as RS) for any consumer who likes or buys electronics,written by someone who’s sold far too much of them.

I'm Writing To You From The Laptop Sony Claimed Was Soaked In "Pink Liquid"

I'm Writing To You From The Laptop Sony Claimed Was Soaked In "Pink Liquid"

I’m composing this email with rather mixed emotions. I am, on the one hand almost lightheaded with relief. I am, on the other hand so incredibly angry I’m almost sick. Let me explain.

Canadians Wonder Why They Have To Pay More For AppleCare

Canadians Wonder Why They Have To Pay More For AppleCare

We all know that Canadians have to pay more for books, but why do they have to pay more for AppleCare?

Sears Repair Doesn't Show Up, Claims You Weren't Home

Sears Repair Doesn't Show Up, Claims You Weren't Home

I’m not actually concerned with receiving an extension on my warranty as I just purchased another 5 year warranty from Sears on my fridge. Which brings me to my point…

Dell Replaces Out Of Warranty Computer Messed Up Since The Day It Was Born

Dell Replaces Out Of Warranty Computer Messed Up Since The Day It Was Born

I understand that Dell is an enormous company that does not make any of it’s profit from customer service, but I hope that maybe you’d like to help your PR… at least in my mind. My name is Dave S and I purchased an Inspiron 600m directly from dell a year or two ago for $1100. The man on the phone was pushing very hard to sell me the extended warranty. I asked if he had so little confidence in the product he was attempting to sell that he insisted it would break within 30 days….

Reach The HP Quality Case Managers

Reach The HP Quality Case Managers

x 94 goes to Notebooks

../../../..//2007/12/15/compusa-has-publicly-announced-their/

CompUSA has publicly announced their consumer hotline for repair questions: 1-877-520-8324. (It’s the same as the number in the letters they’re mailing out to customers.) You can also visit a new website, www.compusaconsumerhelp.com. [Dallas Business Journal]

6 Months Later, Reader Gets New Xbox After UPS Loses His

6 Months Later, Reader Gets New Xbox After UPS Loses His

Dan, whose Xbox360 was “lost in transit,” spent the past six months trying to get either UPS or Microsoft to give him what he had paid his hard-earned money for, has finally succeed in his quest. After we posted his story (see Microsoft Presents: UPS And The Case Of The Vanishing XBOX 360) and he sent executive email carpet bombs (EECBs) to both UPS and MIcrosoft, they are shipping him a brand new Xbox360. We briefly spoke with Dan over IM about his harrowing journey…

LEAKS: CompUSA Warranty Information

LEAKS: CompUSA Warranty Information

Dear Valued CompUSA Customer,