That's NOT how a warranty works!

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

What a warranty usually covers:

- Replacement of parts of product due to NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR

Seems simple enough. Unfortunately SCs don't get it, they think...

...their warranty should entitle them to a new phone when junior drops their existing phone in a jug of kool-aid and it stops working. These types of people are usually the same cheapskates who never buy the protection coverage (which DOES cover damage).

...their warranty should entitle them to upgrade their product free of charge so long as the current version they are using is in perfect working order.

...their warranty should allow them to get a fancy new Xbox 360 free of charge after they borked their existing unit...by attempting to hack it.

...their warranty should entitle them to free repairs for life regardless of the actual reason or cost of those repairs.

...their warranty should allow them to replace a stolen item free of charge with no questions asked.

These are taken from real experiences I've had dealing with customers both in wireless services and retail.

It just boggles my mind how people misinterpret what are pretty basic guidelines on when a warranty should apply.

And these people get so entitled. They feel so high and mighty because they have a warranty! (You know, the same kind of thing that comes with practically EVERY CONSUMER PRODUCT EVER!).

I'm not going to bend over backwards for you just because you have a warranty.

The cell phone people were the worst. I've been cussed out in several different LANGUAGES (on separate calls that is) after telling people they can't replace their phone under warranty and will have to fork out $500 for a new one.

I've also had people want to me to submit fraudulent warranty claims on their behalf to "help them out". Well gee...let me think....NO.

[Mr Hero]

*Gives 360 to a friend*
I had my 360 stolen. I believe I'm entitled to a new one!

[Sakka]

Or when a unit develops a faulty part, warranty covers replacing the faulty part. SC insists that no, warranty means whole new, top of the line system. (From a system that was lower side of middle of the road to begin with)

[EricKei]

static -- Sadly enough, there are people out there who think hacking a system (read: prepping it to play pirated games, usually -- note, please no comments on legality/morality to avoid Fratching ) is an ordinary, everyday thing that most users do, and don't see anything odd about it. What's worse, they have no problem admitting that they have done so.

[fireheart]

Or when a unit develops a faulty part, warranty covers replacing the faulty part. SC insists that no, warranty means whole new, top of the line system. (From a system that was lower side of middle of the road to begin with)

Or in the case of cars, when the part that was replaced borks it within 12 months, you get it replaced for free (which is what happened to me...my engine head had to be replaced, the replacement head had a pinhole leak so the mechanic managed to get the replacement part for free and I didn't have to pay for labor either)

Ah lads... Did they freely admit this or did they think their hacking skills that were shoddy enough to make a bollocks of their Xbox were still good enough that you wouldn't know what the problem was?

-.- This is why I am so glad that my favourite game store chain has a note on their website (something along these lines): "We do not chip (mod) consoles. We do not accept chipped (modded) consoles for trade-in. If you chip (mod) your own console, you void the warranty." or something like that.

[cono1717]

The worst thing for me is in the uk we have an act called the sales of goods act (soga) now soga says that of you can prove the item has an inherent fault you get a 6 year warranty for repair or replace.

Of course customers see this as 6 year warranty regardless...

[starsinthesky]

Most of my customers are too lazy to go a warrenty route. They expect us to replace it long after the orignal purchase. When we refuse they often acuse us of "not standing by our products". We do...but we also know that if customer could exchange for a new item in a year they would.

[ozcatbug]

-.- This is why I am so glad that my favourite game store chain has a note on their website (something along these lines): "We do not chip (mod) consoles. We do not accept chipped (modded) consoles for trade-in. If you chip (mod) your own console, you void the warranty." or something like that.

Unfortunately that doesn't stop the trade-ins of chipped consoles. I work for the company that used to be a boutique and I just looked at our website. In the fine print it says that a traded console must be unmodded, but I know for a fact that I and all my co-techs regularly find chipped consoles that have to be repaired. Could be a CoC or MiM issue, but I wish they would actually follow the rules that are stated on the website. I understand sometimes it is hard to tell if something is modded, but there are a lot of companies that put their own void sticker on the consoles that state they are modded.

I know, take a look at the forum title. People following rules, huh, what was I thinking?

[ozcatbug]

Huh, just looked further at the fine print on our website. Seems traded consoles must be in working order. From the amount of consoles that are written off everyday, I would imagine this rule isn't being followed. Again it might be hard to tell if something is repairable, or if it is dead, but you would think that a DS lite missing the entire top half of the console, with both triggers missing, touchscreen smashed, visible broken motherboard, and what appears to be bite marks through the battery, that is probably not going to be repairable, so is probably not "in working condition".

Have to say that has to be one of the worst consoles I have seen. And I hope that the owners of the console got their dog to the vet after it had eaten through the battery.

[fireheart]

Unfortunately that doesn't stop the trade-ins of chipped consoles. I work for the company that used to be a boutique and I just looked at our website. In the fine print it says that a traded console must be unmodded, but I know for a fact that I and all my co-techs regularly find chipped consoles that have to be repaired. Could be a CoC or MiM issue, but I wish they would actually follow the rules that are stated on the website. I understand sometimes it is hard to tell if something is modded, but there are a lot of companies that put their own void sticker on the consoles that state they are modded.

I know, take a look at the forum title. People following rules, huh, what was I thinking?

It's the non-boutique one

[EricKei]

When we refuse they often acuse us of "not standing by our products".

Well, while this may vary by store type, they're the *manufacturer's* products. They need to stand by them

Then again, we all know how well this worked out on the XBOX 360. It took MS something like a year to a year and a half to acknowledge that a hardware failure rate of something like FIFTY percent in the first year of use (ten percent or less is normal) just might be a manufacturing/design issue, rather than an end-user abuse issue.

FWIW, it was the former. Boneheaded placement of heat sinks; they were placed in a narrow, effectively unventilated space on the undersides of the system boards...great place to put something that radiates large amounts of heat, guys. That issue really wasn't 100% corrected until at least 2 major hardware revisions later!

[Earl_Grey]

Oh, we had one of these in today. "What do you mean I can't replace this curling tong that I've used? I was told it had a two year warranty!!!"

Best part? I overheard her saying she'd come back tomorrow when I was helping someone else. When both my co-worker who served her and I'm working again.

Should be fun.

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

Ah lads... Did they freely admit this or did they think their hacking skills that were shoddy enough to make a bollocks of their Xbox were still good enough that you wouldn't know what the problem was?

The guy brought it in to my store to see if I could anything for him. When I powered it on I noticed right away it had custom firmware on it. This guy honestly did not have a clue that such a modification voids a warranty.

Huh, just looked further at the fine print on our website. Seems traded consoles must be in working order. From the amount of consoles that are written off everyday, I would imagine this rule isn't being followed. Again it might be hard to tell if something is repairable, or if it is dead, but you would think that a DS lite missing the entire top half of the console, with both triggers missing, touchscreen smashed, visible broken motherboard, and what appears to be bite marks through the battery, that is probably not going to be repairable, so is probably not "in working condition".

Have to say that has to be one of the worst consoles I have seen. And I hope that the owners of the console got their dog to the vet after it had eaten through the battery.

If this is the company I think it is, stores are encouraged to keep trade in dollars high, thus encouraging them to NOT scrutinize things too closely, especially when trade dollars are low.

[Cole's Law]

Part of the problem is there are several "warranty-like" products, such as cell phone insurance, that do cover theft or damage. Heck, I think Best Buy even had/has a service you can buy where they'll buy back your device after a year (at a discount, of course) for credit towards the next new shiny thing. These things cost money, but in the minds of a SC, they carry over to the free warranty that most products come with.

[Mike Taylor]

Heck, I think Best Buy even had/has a service you can buy where they'll buy back your device after a year (at a discount, of course) for credit towards the next new shiny thing.

This program no longer exists. The Trade-in program actually gives a better deal and replaced it completely.