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ELECTRONICS/APPLIANCES -
Appliances (continued)
same part will vary considerably. Even if you are not doing the repairs yourself, you may want to check the cost of parts on the Internet to make sure your appliance repairman is not charging an outrageous price for that part they installed.
c. Once in a while, even a good manufacturer will produce the occasional “lemon.” This is an appliance that just was not built correctly and continues to have problems. Most “lemons” become fairly obvious within the first year of purchase, which is usually within the standard manufacturer’s warranty period for large appliances. So, if you purchased a “problem” appliance, make sure you let the retailer or manufacturer know you are unhappy and want a new replacement. Tell them that continuous visits to your home to repair the appliance are not acceptable, and that something is clearly wrong with the appliance that is not easily corrected. If you are having enough problems, and are insistent enough, most of the time they will replace the appliance. But beware, if you do not get the “lemon” replaced, it will some day come off warranty and will be your problem. So make sure you act quickly and don’t take no for an answer.
Rebates, Price Guarantees, Warranties & Gift Cards
Many retailers will offer rebates and price guarantees on electronics and appliances. They may also offer extended warranties, in addition to the normal manufacturer’s warranty. Their relative value to the customer varies. Gift cards are also popular at retail stores. Consider the following:
1. Rebates can really decrease the price of your purchase, and should be used to their fullest. Many people do not bother to apply for the rebate, because they either do not take the time or they feel it will never be honored. For the most part, applying for a rebate is relatively easy, and most always you will receive a rebate check for the promised amount.
a. Before you leave the store, make sure the cashier or salesperson explains what you need to do to collect the rebate, and provides you with all the necessary documentation you will need to apply for the rebate.
b. Make sure you apply for the rebate within the application period indicated. But do not apply until you have made sure that the product is fine, and that you will not be returning it to the store. If you have already applied for the rebate, you will probably not be able to return the product, even if it is still within the return period.
c. Follow all instructions exactly when applying for the rebate. If not, your rebate will probably be refused.
d. Make a copy of all documents supplied with your rebate application in case there
is a problem. Many times, manufacturers and retail stores will provide you with
email notification of the status of your rebate, or will provide a means for you
to follow the rebate’s status on the Internet. If your rebate does not arrive within
the indicated time frame, follow-
2. Many stores also offer price guarantees that say they will refund the difference, if the same product is sold at either their store or a competitor’s store at a lower price, within a certain number of days of your purchase. Some stores even offer 110% price matches where they will match a competitor’s price plus 10% of the difference.
a. For the most part these guarantees and price matches are hard to use because of many conditions, particularly that the product number be identical. Stores have gotten manufacturers to place slightly different product and model numbers on essentially the same product for sale at different retail stores, so identical comparisons for products you buy are difficult to find.
b. However, if you do feel your purchase might qualify for a 110% price match or a refund due to a price guarantee, read the fine print to see if that really is the case. If so, make sure you ask for the 110% price match or apply for the price guarantee. There are also services that will help you take advantage of price guarantees. PriceProtectr.com is one such service that will allow you to register a purchase from many different major retailers and will notify you by email if the price declines. Once notified, you can proceed to place a price guarantee claim with the retailer.
3. Keep the following in mind with respect to manufacturers’ warranties and extended warranties.
a. Do not fill out the manufacturer’s warranty card and send it in until you are sure you are not going to return the product. If you do, returns will probably not be allowed.
b. Generally, do not buy an extended warranty. They are really only very expensive forms of insurance, and the store’s or manufacturer’s profit margin is very high. Stores will push these very hard, but do not buy. It’s possible if you have a big repair bill in the future, you will wish you had purchased the extended warranty, but most of the time you will be spending hundreds of dollars for nothing, especially given the fine print about what is really covered and for how much.
c. If you use a credit card to make your purchase, many credit cards will extend the manufacturer’s normal warranty period. Check to see if your credit card offers this benefit; many do. Look into how you can apply for or receive this benefit.
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