Sony's Extended Protection scam

[LarryW]

I ordered a customized Sony Flip laptop for my daughter on 11/26/13 from Sony.com. I just got a notification from Sony on 12/9/13 that the product is shipping from China. When I purchased the computer I also purchased a 3 year protection plan (spills, drops and accidental damage). Sony considers the start date of the plan to be 11/26/13 and ending 11/26/16 so they are effectively stealing 2+ weeks of what I paid for the warranty while they built the product. It only works out to be a few dollars, but if you take all the people they have done this to then Sony could be stealing tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars from consumers.

 

I escalated the issue with Sony and spoke with Marcus (badge# CJCC) who said there's nothing they will do to either change the start date or extend the end date. I'm not sure what my next steps will be. I am planning on filling out the complaint form for the State Attorney Generals Office once the computer arrives. I'm also working with the credit card company to get a refund for the days of coverage I won't be getting at the end of the contract, but this the effort seems hardly worth it and I think that's what Sony is counting on.

[adrynalyne]

Apple does the same thing.

 

So does HP.

 

So does...and so on.

 

Pretty much any computer I've purchased online started warranty on purchase date, not delivery date.

[Brian M. Veteran]

You'll have whatever coverage your local consumer protection laws - which is normally from the date of delivery.

Those services, however, are in addition to your normal rights though - so it's down to what the T&C say. If they say it's from the date of purchase and not delivery, that's how it is.

[firey]

I ordered a customized Sony Flip laptop for my daughter on 11/26/13 from Sony.com. I just got a notification from Sony on 12/9/13 that the product is shipping from China. When I purchased the computer I also purchased a 3 year protection plan (spills, drops and accidental damage). Sony considers the start date of the plan to be 11/26/13 and ending 11/26/16 so they are effectively stealing 2+ weeks of what I paid for the warranty while they built the product. It only works out to be a few dollars, but if you take all the people they have done this to then Sony could be stealing tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars from consumers.

 

I escalated the issue with Sony and spoke with Marcus (badge# CJCC) who said there's nothing they will do to either change the start date or extend the end date. I'm not sure what my next steps will be. I am planning on filling out the complaint form for the State Attorney Generals Office once the computer arrives. I'm also working with the credit card company to get a refund for the days of coverage I won't be getting at the end of the contract, but this the effort seems hardly worth it and I think that's what Sony is counting on.

99% of Warranties are money grabs.  I've fallen victim to Future Shop warranties too many times for my own good.  I currently spend 14$ per month on a warranty for a device I no longer have as it was not honored by their warranty (even though it should have been).  Personally, I don't see the two weeks as an issue,  I mean what would you do if you got the warranty starting on the 9th, but don't actually use the laptop till the 24th/25th as it is a christmas gift.   Should the warranty start then?

I don't see how it is a scam though as you still get the warranty.

[Davo]

I ordered a customized Sony Flip laptop for my daughter on 11/26/13 from Sony.com. I just got a notification from Sony on 12/9/13 that the product is shipping from China. When I purchased the computer I also purchased a 3 year protection plan (spills, drops and accidental damage). Sony considers the start date of the plan to be 11/26/13 and ending 11/26/16 so they are effectively stealing 2+ weeks of what I paid for the warranty while they built the product. It only works out to be a few dollars, but if you take all the people they have done this to then Sony could be stealing tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars from consumers.

 

I escalated the issue with Sony and spoke with Marcus (badge# CJCC) who said there's nothing they will do to either change the start date or extend the end date. I'm not sure what my next steps will be. I am planning on filling out the complaint form for the State Attorney Generals Office once the computer arrives. I'm also working with the credit card company to get a refund for the days of coverage I won't be getting at the end of the contract, but this the effort seems hardly worth it and I think that's what Sony is counting on.

 

 

I'll get on this right away

[_dandy_]

If that's your only problem with Sony, then I think congratulations are in order.

 

Personally, I've been boycotting them for at least a decade.  Sony's just one scam after another...whether it's shady policies as you've described, proprietary hardware, proprietary connectors, proprietary media, proprietary DRM schemes, rootkits that leave computers open to attack, last year's PlayStation Network disaster, leaking customer data by the tens of millions...take your pick.

[Phouchg]

Pheh. Did you actually think for a single flick of an eyebrow that Sony (or anyone else for that matter) would be willing to play dice and stick to their bet if no law whatsoever requires them to do so? Nobody does, much less companies which have the legal obligation to make as much money as possible.

 

And spill protection and the like? What kind of warranty is that? Warranty is for manufacturing defects. Manufacturer claims that either it has made a fully functioning product that will continue to function under defined circumstances for a foreseeable amount of time or it will exchange or repair it at no cost. This, on the other hand, is an insurance that just happens to be offered by the same people who made the thing. One with much too high possibility of happening, too. They know their gamble and are reducing the disks wherever possibe.

 

I do believe extended warranties smell of scam, but just like million other things in morally gray waters, they're voluntary. By all means, good luck fighting for the truth and good for you if you succeed. But it's the stone of Sisyphus, if you'll have it that way.

[LittleNeutrino Veteran]

just about everyone does this. warranty starts on sale date as it is difficult for them to prove receipt of the device to start the warranty.

[adrynalyne]

Pheh. Did you actually think for a single flick of an eyebrow that Sony (or anyone else for that matter) would be willing to play dice and stick to their bet if no law whatsoever requires them to do so? Nobody does, much less companies which have the legal obligation to make as much money as possible.

 

And spill protection and the like? What kind of warranty is that? Warranty is for manufacturing defects. Manufacturer claims that either it has made a fully functioning product that will continue to function under defined circumstances for a foreseeable amount of time or it will exchange or repair it at no cost. This, on the other hand, is an insurance that just happens to be offered by the same people who made the thing. One with much too high possibility of happening, too. They know their gamble and are reducing the disks wherever possibe.

 

I do believe extended warranties smell of scam, but just like million other things in morally gray waters, they're voluntary. By all means, good luck fighting for the truth and good for you if you succeed. But it's the stone of Sisyphus, if you'll have it that way.

I got a brand new laptop (newer, different model, better)  with one of those accidental damage warranties.

 

The trick is to wait until a month before it expires and have them fix it.  They likely won't have parts for it, and therefore have to compensate you or give you a new computer.

[Jeston Veteran]

Moved to General Discussion

[Phouchg]

I got a brand new laptop (newer, different model, better)  with one of those accidental damage warranties.

 

The trick is to wait until a month before it expires and have them fix it.  They likely won't have parts for it, and therefore have to compensate you or give you a new computer.

 

You know that anyone who's bought anything from the said manufacturer has already paid for your cunning plan? They know it, too, and would never offer it otherwise.

 

It's a shamefully common thing with the ever decreasing shelf life of all kinds of components, especially graphics cards where, for example, 460 still under their 36 month warranty are being routinely replaced by 560 or even 660 and 6-series Radeons are nowhere to be seen at all as well. And then there's the fringe cases where *cough* "accidents happen" *cough*... zap, bzzt, looky, I got me a new thing, twice as powerful. It's all in the bill, though.

[adrynalyne]

You know that anyone who's bought anything from the said manufacturer has already paid for your cunning plan? They know it, too, and would never offer it otherwise.

 

It's a shamefully common thing with the ever decreasing shelf life of all kinds of components, especially graphics cards where, for example, 460 still under their 36 month warranty are being routinely replaced by 560 or even 660 and 6-series Radeons are nowhere to be seen at all as well. And then there's the fringe cases where *cough* "accidents happen" *cough*... zap, bzzt, looky, I got me a new thing, twice as powerful. It's all in the bill, though.

Sony, etc. is not going to fix my laptop if I dump a cup of coffee in it with their standard warranty.  Whether its been for, overpriced, or what not, it is still the only way to have the manufacturer fix your computer under warranty if you broke it yourself.  

 

Granted there is other insurance out there, but again...you are still going to pay for it.

[Phouchg]

you are still going to pay for it.

 

Not if I could avoid it, I got me own bad luck a plenty, thank you very much. But I can't avoid it. Pardon, but if you spill coffee on it, and as a result it fell from the 9th floor window and then a boy scout band marched over it, followed closely by a fleet of heavy mining machinery, or whatever happens that's not Sony's [manufacturer's] fault of engineering or design, I have a dream that's your own lookout and you, no one else, should cough up in full for that sort of bad luck.

[firey]

 if you spill coffee on it, and as a result it fell from the 9th floor window and then a boy scout band marched over it, followed closely by a fleet of heavy mining machinery,

Hate when that happens.  The company never believes me, happened 3 times now.

[adrynalyne]

Not if I could avoid it, I got me own bad luck a plenty, thank you very much. But I can't avoid it. Pardon, but if you spill coffee on it, and as a result it fell from the 9th floor window and then a boy scout band marched over it, followed closely by a fleet of heavy mining machinery, or whatever happens that's not Sony's [manufacturer's] fault of engineering or design, I have a dream that's your own lookout and you, no one else, should cough up in full for that sort of bad luck.

You make it sound like I am raising the price of a company's prices for getting an accidental protection warranty.  That is paranoia talking there.

[Phouchg]

You make it sound like I am raising the price of a company's prices for getting an accidental protection warranty.  That is paranoia talking there.

 

Yes. Yes, it is :o

[adrynalyne]

Yes that is your paranoia talking, or yes I am raising prices?

 

Because we both know the latter is not true.  No company that ditches breakage warranties lowers their prices.

[madd-hatter]

I don't see what the big deal is. It's 2 weeks on 3 years when the tech will be outdated in 1.5. Don't spill stuff on a laptop, don't drop it, don't shoot it with a pellet gun, and don't worry about it...

I have never opted for any optional warranty and I have never regretted it.

 

Do you throw a fit when a store has a 5 for $5 sale and then you get charged 5.35 post tax?

[Phouchg]

Yes that is your paranoia talking, or yes I am raising prices?

 

Because we both know the latter is not true.  No company that ditches breakage warranties lowers their prices.

 

First one is definitely true. One has to be at peace with his demons. Second one? I'm afraid pricing strategies don't work the same way up and down. You can drive the price up easily, and once they're up, they won't come back down, not nearly as quickly. Don't believe it? Try gas prices.