As we become more and more dependent on our electronics, it is a bit surprising how warranties and repair do not appear to have evolved much in the last few years.
Take laptop or PC repairs. If our family's experience is any indication, if you have to take an item in to an authorized dealer, it is at least a week you are without it. If it is a warranty to support at your business or home, it often takes even longer to schedule the visit, and quite often the technician does not have the appropriate part. With all our remote diagnostics capabilities, the practice of supporting corporate clients with buffer "loaner" units, you think the spare part and technician supply chain could be much more streamlined.
I recently had an unpleasant warranty experience with a store called BuyGPSNow.com. I had a back up Bluetooth GPS receiver in my wife's car, and one day lost while driving it I tried to turn it on. Dead as a dodo. Under warranty, it took a few emails with the store. They authorized a return, at my expense, and sent me another unit. Elapsed time from first contact - 4 weeks. It arrived on December 24 while we were away for holidays, and when we came back the original warranty was almost finished. You can guess what's coming.
I tried the new unit, 3 days after the original warranty expired and could not make it work. I contacted them and they go now its off warranty, but since it's only a few days past they offered to go through another exchange process. I tell them I have lost faith in this particular product/manufacturer. Can I please get a partial credit towards something else in their store? Nope. "No exchange or refund after 30-day. This policy cannot be changed and we cannot grant you any exception." Yes, let's go through this endless cycle of trying, returning when I would happily have tried something new at the store.
In contrast, I had a similar exchange with overstock.com and they agreed a unlocked mobile phone which was not picking up a signal in many locations was only a few days past the warranty date and sent me a prepaid UPS return label and credited the amount back.
One of the more pleasant experiences when it comes to warranties is with an Amex feature called Buyer's Assurance. They extend your original warranty and either repair the item or credit the original amount to your card. I have used them 3 times now - and recently got an AT&T Tilt paid for as a result of my 8125 not working past the original warranty.
But even with Amex the repair or return process does takes weeks. We should be able to do better as an industry.
