Switched

This is much different from retail "Service Plans". Being a shopper at Best Buy, I find it WELL WORTH the money for their "Geek Squad Service Plans". It's not an extended warranty in the fact that it covers so much more, and doesn't necessarily deal with manufacturers. Most Service plans, Which includes Computers, and Cameras have Accidental Damage Coverage. So as long as you don't completely submerge the item in water, anything goes. I brought my camera to a pier one day, and some lady who I didn't know, sat on it. I brought it in to Best Buy, and they sent it off to be looked at. within a week I had feedback from them, and they actually gave me a camera that was better than what I had originally purchased because the one I purchased was no longer carried in stores. they are DEFINITELY a good use of money, even if you are careful with your electronics, they cover battery replacements and service for nearly everything they carry in the store. I have been very pleased, and very well taken care of by their plans.

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Sorry but I have a warranty/insurance on all my cell phones and it's worth it. At the cost of a new cell phone or having to extend a contract another 2 years to get a free (rebuilt) one, I'd rather pay the few extra dollars a month.I've had 4 lost, damaged or stolen cell phones in the past 4 years and the most recent was stolen. It wasn't anything fancy but was replaced with a Motorola Razor.

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Well at least someone had luck with Best Buy. I refuse to shop there anymore.First, it was a brand new computer that wasn't working properly. It was a week old. I took it back with the receipt but instead of replacing it, they sent it to the Geek Squad for "restoration". They made me order a recovery disk ($24.00 for postage), misplaced my computer for a week, said it was done and it wasn't and wound up leaving my recovery disk 90% full. Thing still doesn't work right. Next, it was an expensive mini camcorder that didn't work properly. Also, a week old. Same thing, took it in, they said they didn't have another one to replace it and offered a cheaper model when they should just have ordered another one.Never again will I shop there.

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Things may rarely go wrong soon after that 1st year, huh! I had a Brand New Gateway desktop that my boss gave me as part of a bonus package. He said he did not get the extended coverage, not worth the cost. POW! It was 13 months old, exactly 1 month after warranty expired, and the thing crashed with a hugh bang! I was lucky, my boss felt so bad he paid to have it repaired and even upgraded the harddrive. The sad thing was, he had bought 6 units, 3 or the office & 3 as bonus gifts for home use. Within 2 1/2 months of the warranty expiration, 3 had crashed.

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Just be aware of the high pressure sales places like Best Buiy and Office Depot put on you the consumer. But don't blame the sales person. In most cases they are not getting any kind of bonus for selling. What they are getting to to keep thier jobs if they do sell it. Most retails tell thier employees you either sell a certain percentage of these each week-month-quarter and if you don't we will not be working here any longer. In a personal case at Best Buy even though I could see 3 of the computers in boxes on the stock shelf above the displays they refused to sell me a computer with out the insurance plan. My guess was someone was in danger of job loss so he had to keep his percentages high.

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I suggest buying one for every computer. Our computer wasn't even a year old and the harddrive and motherboard fried on us. If it wasn't for the warrenty we would have had to buy a new computer.

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I think it is very irresponsible to suggest that extended warranty's are a bad idea for laptop computers. (The are not refrigerators or stoves) I manage a computer store at a prestigious college and I can tell you that you have over a 50% chance of a catastrophic failure after the warranty is up (on a laptop computer).
And by the way, most warranty's do not cover damage. INSURE, INSURE, INSURE when at college.

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For those people that listen to these people there tell you that extended warrantys are a bad idea, YOU ARE STUPID. It takes longer than a year for a tech product to have its wear and tear and the manufacture knows this. that is why they only warrant the product for a simple year. thats why the retailors offer the extra coverage. So you dont come back to the store on the 3rd year after you bought your new Plasma TV and want it replaced because it had a power surge that killed the tv. Also, for those of you who think that your product will last forever. You are STUPID TOO. everything breaks. nothing is made to last forever. If that was the case, there would not be things called junk yards. There would be no such things as repair men. Bottom line, stop listening to what they say in a magazine. those people get PAID to write that stuff. listen to the person in the electronics store that deals with this stuff day in and day out. they are the one that knows the products history. If you dont want to do that. ask to see the stores repair room. you will then see how much stuff actually breaks and how long parts can be and are on order for those items.

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No dont get extended warranty these compaines make there trashiie products to last a bout a years or so buy locally so you can bring them back I bought from horrible packard had a lot of problems but they are 2000 miles from and it was a waste of good money

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I never buy the warranty but always pay with a VISA or Master Card as they extend the warranty for one year from manufacureres.
I have had a camera repaired ($80)a laptop ($400) and o washing machine $150 paid for by the credit cards.

But I have always been huigh pressureed by the sales reps especially at COMP USA (out of business now) and the other electronic people.

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I never buy an extended warranty for anything...EVER! Here's the reason. Often times the cost for the extended warranty is about 10-20% of the value of the item. Let's say it's laptop for $1000 and the warranty is $200. You would have to have something go wrong after it's out of mfg warranty but within the extended warranty coverage and a repair to cost greater than $200 before your ahead. Ex. 1 yr mfg warr. 3 yr extended, something worth more than $200 would need to be fixed in those 2 years to be even worth it. Now, seriously, on the off chance of that happening you're ahead, but if it doesn't, you flushed $200 down the drain. Like taking $200 and tearing it up. Now say you do this for everything you buy paying 10-20% more, it's a lot of money to throw away. Not to mention often whatever you bought, especially electronics, there going to try fixing your outdated phone, computer, whatever first before giving you a new one. Computer crashes, how much to get it fixed? More than the warranty, okay they fix it, your computers still 3 yrs old and in 2 yrs you'll buy a new one anyway. Some people come out on the winning side of the warranty, but there's a reason they sell them. TO MAKE MONEY!!! They're not doing it for you, they're a business. In response to sadiemae1214 , maybe if you were a little responsible you wouldn't have lost 4 phones in 4 years, hello??? Who's fault is that?
Finally, service plans are different though and if you're not a do it yourselfer, I could see the advantage of having someone maintain your appliances every year and go through them while having the warranty since you are getting something in return, service. However, who really maintains there appliances anyway?

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Service plans are worth it if they cover more than the Mfg warranty or an extended warranty. They are usually between 10%-20% of the purchase price. If you never havce a problem you are out that money. However if the plan covers the battery (Laptops, camcorders, digital still cameras) or Prev maintenance (Appliances) than you can get your money's worth even if your product never fails. You certainly don't pay for life insurance every year in the hopes that you'll use it.
My experience has always been that the item you don't buy the plan on, will be the one that needs it. Bottom line, over the years I have saved over $5000 on items I bought (Laptops and Big screen TVs) at Best Buy, becuase I bouth their plan. Just remember, like anything, buyer beware. Make sure it has comprehensive coverage.

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Sqaure Trade! I buy ALL my warranties thru them and their customer service line is in the USA so when I call them for something I can understand them and they can understand me. They sell warranties with or without accident insurance and they are MUCH cheaper than a store bought warranty. Just go to squaretrade.com to check them out, you will be glad you did!

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I still think so about anything . I am wink. I'll never leave again it.

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