I bought the warrenty for my ipaq 3765 @ BB for 60 bucks for 3 years. If perhaps my ipaq breaks in a couple of years, i get to trade it in for a new one since they can't fix PDA's and they don't make ipaqs in the future, maybe some sort of tablet PC 🙂 Ipaqs are also known to have problems.
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Hot or Not? Service plan from Bestbuy.
Page 3 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
just purchased an HP Jornada from BB; the salesperson had no idea of it's operation and since he was a palm user, didn't even recommend anything else besides the palm. Also recommended getting the protection plan, saying it would cover batteries (he also stated that a normal battery replacement had to be done at the factory and would cost at least $200 (honest folks, not embelishing :roll😉), along with upgrades and replacing parts not covered under manufactor's warrenty. Basically it was a song 'n dance.
replacement battery is $50 and you can carry it in your pocket. HP will fix anything within the first year. It's been my experience that if something is going to go bad, it will happen within the first 30 days; beyond that, you'll have to drop/break it to make it malfunction.
Sorry, but after the idiot's response and attempt to make be part with an additional $60, there is no way that I would recommended anyone purchasing a warrenty package, especially through BB.
replacement battery is $50 and you can carry it in your pocket. HP will fix anything within the first year. It's been my experience that if something is going to go bad, it will happen within the first 30 days; beyond that, you'll have to drop/break it to make it malfunction.
Sorry, but after the idiot's response and attempt to make be part with an additional $60, there is no way that I would recommended anyone purchasing a warrenty package, especially through BB.
This is my first post. I've been reading these forums on and off for years, but i feel like this topic is something i really need to talk about.
Let me start off by saying this. I used to work at Best Buy in the DC/Baltimore Metro area. Not only that, but i used to work at the Service Desk where you take your broken computers, DVD players, VCR's, TV, etc when something went wrong and you wanted it fixed; whether it had a warranty or not and you thought you were entitled to having it fixed. I worked at this desk for approximately 2 years and 4 months. I've seen or dealt with every imaginable situation imaginable in regards to the Best Buy PSP and PRP (yes they are different!!). I haven't worked there in over a year now, but i still know a person who does, so i know nothing has really changed.
So lets begin...
What's the difference between a PSP and a PRP?
A PSP is a Product Service Plan. That means Best Buy (BB) has at it's descrition, the right to try and repair your item. It doesn't matter what the salesman told you because you can't prove he said they would replace it if you had any problems, even if he probably did. I knew people who were at the "senior" and "supervisor" positions in their respective departments and didn't really have a clue on what the PSP did. This stems from the fact that it's very easy to be hired one month and become a senior the next if the managers like you enough and you do a good job selling PSP's. Most knew sales people haven't even read it. They are trained to tell you 3 good things about it. These are generally tailored to a specific department and to a specific product range (i.e. 9-13" tv's, 27" or greater, etc) and have varying warranty information on them. PSP's are good from anywhere from 3 years to 5 years depending on the product. The time period is almost always inclusive of the manufacturers warranty so you actually waste a year or sometimes two! There are some brands that this is not true and it is stated on the psp. A PSP can also be reused! Just because you're item is replaced does NOT mean you have to buy a new PSP. If you elect to buy a new one and no longer use your old one then you are ENTITLED to a pro-rated refund of the remainder of your PSP.
Also note, that nowhere on the PSP does it state how long it will take to repair a product. So if your computer is gone for 3 months, then you are sol. It also doesn't state that you are entitled to a loan. How long an item takes to be repaired varies depending on what part of the country you live in. All PSP (and Warranty) repairs brought into BB are shipped to a regional repair facility. If your item is under manufacters warranty, it is entirely possible that BB will just ship your item from their repair facility to the manufacturer. This varies from brand to brand. Rockford Fosgate car stereo equipment is like this. There are approximatel 7 or 8 of these for the whole country. In my case, the repair facility in my area was located just south of Baltimore and took care of all the stores in Maryland, Virginia, DC and North Carolina. Not all repair facilities are equal. Some are slower than others. Sometimes by more than a week. I've also had the opportunity to visit the service repair facility in Baltimore at various times to help them on occasion. The tech's there work normal business hours of 8 - 5, and often have the normal watercooler chat. I once watched a camcorder repair tech just back from a vacation monopolize the time of 2 other tech's for 2 hours talking about his vacation and showing pictures. He then moved off to talk to other people letting the first 2 techs get back to work, but still not doing work himself.
A PRP is a Product Replacement Plan. Note the keyword here is Replacement. If you buy one of these with an item then you are entitled to a replacement. You are supposed to call an 800 number and have a box shipped to you with a ticket number for replacement and then you ship the item back and wait for a new one. Most people however just take the item to the store and get a new one. PRP's can be purchased for most items under 200 dollars. Anything over 200 dollars generally has an associated PSP. PRP's tend to be significaly less expensive than PSP's. Always try and buy PRP's instead of PSP's if it is available on an item. Items like cell phones and PDA's are really the best for this. PRP's are good for 2 years and once used are no longer valid.
When will BB replace my item covered under a PSP?
Assuming you don't get a green service tech who doesn't have a clue (they are out there and may be the majority), it works like this. Please not that i said COVERED UNDER A PSP. Do not go to the store 6 months after buying your product with no PSP and demand to have your product replaced under the manufacturers warranty. You will be told to contact the manufacturer for repair or they will offer to send the item out for you if the repair facility is capable of fixing it. Also remember that your item might be shipped from the repair facility to the manufacturer, thus adding more time.
1. There is something called DEVO (Devective and Void of Operation). This means if an item is defective, BB can send it back to the manufacturer and receive back from that manufacturer some sort of cash/credit. DEVO items CANNOT be sent to the service repair facility. What items are DEVO you ask? Can't tell you. It's pretty random. E-Machines are ALL DEVO for approximately 6-8 months after BB stops carrying a particular model. I've seen it more times than i could tell where a customer buys an E-Machine with a PSP, has a problem and has it replaced by a newer better model. Has another problem and has it replaced again, and again and again. HP Printers also tend to be like this. Most PDA's are also DEVO and replaced on the spot.
2. The famous "No Lemon Warranty." This is perhaps the most misunderstood policy out there. For MOST states it works like this. Some states have more protective laws, but i don't know all of them. The PSP states that you item must have defective HARDWARE REPAIRED 3 times and have a 4th problem before it can be replaced under the No Lemon Policy. In order for any of these repairs to take place the item must be sent to the repair facility. If your item is sent there and they don't find a problem, determine it was added hardware that caused the problem or a software problem then that is NOT considered a repair. It doesn't matter if your item has 3 things fixed when being shipped out 1 time. That is 1 repair. Some states (Maryland for instance) have laws that state your PSP term is extended for the period your item is out for warranty repair. However, this time is NOT automatically added to your warranty information so you MUST keep your dated service repair orders in order to prove this. Now, assuming you have had 3 hardware repairs AND you have receipts for each showing an actual repair (if you don't have the receipts then forget it) and you're having your 4th problem then you are eligible for a no lemon replacement - pending the confirmation of the problem. This once again must be done at the repair facility, so your item must be shipped out first. Once the item has been tested by a tech there, then it will be entered into the computer system and the store techs should call you the next time they check the system and inform you to come in WITH YOUR RECEPIT for a replacement. If you have no receipt then you could get screwed. If they are unable to find it in their system, then they have the option of giving you the last price in the computer system for your item. This price could be anything from BB's Cost to below cost if BB wanted to really get rid of the item. Incidently, this system is called STAR (Services That Add Revenue), yet it was never profitable while i was there. It in fact lost over 30 million dollars one year while i was there. The system was written in house by BB using some off the shelf software and it had a ton of bugs still while i was there. Do NOT rely on this system to keep your information. Keep your receipts.
3. Take it up with a manager. This varies from person to person. You can be reasonable or yell and scream. If you yell and scream you could have yourself removed from the premises by a police officer at their discretion. The more documentation you have the better. Managers don't like to give replacement's when an item should be repaired because the store loses money. They lose money giving you a new product for yours, they losing money fixing yours, and they losing money selling yours used. Sometimes managers are in a good mood and i will do it. This encompases any manager in the store (there are several different managers: Sales, Merchandising, Inventory, Operations and the Store Manager). Also note that not everyone who has a nametag with manager and claim to be a manager are actually a manager. These are sometimes supervisors who the managers allow to be "pretend managers" when they are busy. If you get a pretend manager and they give you misinformation (like promise you they will replace your item), and an actual manager finds out, then your item may not actually get replaced.
I tried to be as informative as possible without seeming to flame BB. There are advantages to PSP's and PRP's depending on your knowledge of repair, your budget, convenience and other factors. If you have more specific questions and want my advice then feel free to PM me or post it in this thread.
Let me start off by saying this. I used to work at Best Buy in the DC/Baltimore Metro area. Not only that, but i used to work at the Service Desk where you take your broken computers, DVD players, VCR's, TV, etc when something went wrong and you wanted it fixed; whether it had a warranty or not and you thought you were entitled to having it fixed. I worked at this desk for approximately 2 years and 4 months. I've seen or dealt with every imaginable situation imaginable in regards to the Best Buy PSP and PRP (yes they are different!!). I haven't worked there in over a year now, but i still know a person who does, so i know nothing has really changed.
So lets begin...
What's the difference between a PSP and a PRP?
A PSP is a Product Service Plan. That means Best Buy (BB) has at it's descrition, the right to try and repair your item. It doesn't matter what the salesman told you because you can't prove he said they would replace it if you had any problems, even if he probably did. I knew people who were at the "senior" and "supervisor" positions in their respective departments and didn't really have a clue on what the PSP did. This stems from the fact that it's very easy to be hired one month and become a senior the next if the managers like you enough and you do a good job selling PSP's. Most knew sales people haven't even read it. They are trained to tell you 3 good things about it. These are generally tailored to a specific department and to a specific product range (i.e. 9-13" tv's, 27" or greater, etc) and have varying warranty information on them. PSP's are good from anywhere from 3 years to 5 years depending on the product. The time period is almost always inclusive of the manufacturers warranty so you actually waste a year or sometimes two! There are some brands that this is not true and it is stated on the psp. A PSP can also be reused! Just because you're item is replaced does NOT mean you have to buy a new PSP. If you elect to buy a new one and no longer use your old one then you are ENTITLED to a pro-rated refund of the remainder of your PSP.
Also note, that nowhere on the PSP does it state how long it will take to repair a product. So if your computer is gone for 3 months, then you are sol. It also doesn't state that you are entitled to a loan. How long an item takes to be repaired varies depending on what part of the country you live in. All PSP (and Warranty) repairs brought into BB are shipped to a regional repair facility. If your item is under manufacters warranty, it is entirely possible that BB will just ship your item from their repair facility to the manufacturer. This varies from brand to brand. Rockford Fosgate car stereo equipment is like this. There are approximatel 7 or 8 of these for the whole country. In my case, the repair facility in my area was located just south of Baltimore and took care of all the stores in Maryland, Virginia, DC and North Carolina. Not all repair facilities are equal. Some are slower than others. Sometimes by more than a week. I've also had the opportunity to visit the service repair facility in Baltimore at various times to help them on occasion. The tech's there work normal business hours of 8 - 5, and often have the normal watercooler chat. I once watched a camcorder repair tech just back from a vacation monopolize the time of 2 other tech's for 2 hours talking about his vacation and showing pictures. He then moved off to talk to other people letting the first 2 techs get back to work, but still not doing work himself.
A PRP is a Product Replacement Plan. Note the keyword here is Replacement. If you buy one of these with an item then you are entitled to a replacement. You are supposed to call an 800 number and have a box shipped to you with a ticket number for replacement and then you ship the item back and wait for a new one. Most people however just take the item to the store and get a new one. PRP's can be purchased for most items under 200 dollars. Anything over 200 dollars generally has an associated PSP. PRP's tend to be significaly less expensive than PSP's. Always try and buy PRP's instead of PSP's if it is available on an item. Items like cell phones and PDA's are really the best for this. PRP's are good for 2 years and once used are no longer valid.
When will BB replace my item covered under a PSP?
Assuming you don't get a green service tech who doesn't have a clue (they are out there and may be the majority), it works like this. Please not that i said COVERED UNDER A PSP. Do not go to the store 6 months after buying your product with no PSP and demand to have your product replaced under the manufacturers warranty. You will be told to contact the manufacturer for repair or they will offer to send the item out for you if the repair facility is capable of fixing it. Also remember that your item might be shipped from the repair facility to the manufacturer, thus adding more time.
1. There is something called DEVO (Devective and Void of Operation). This means if an item is defective, BB can send it back to the manufacturer and receive back from that manufacturer some sort of cash/credit. DEVO items CANNOT be sent to the service repair facility. What items are DEVO you ask? Can't tell you. It's pretty random. E-Machines are ALL DEVO for approximately 6-8 months after BB stops carrying a particular model. I've seen it more times than i could tell where a customer buys an E-Machine with a PSP, has a problem and has it replaced by a newer better model. Has another problem and has it replaced again, and again and again. HP Printers also tend to be like this. Most PDA's are also DEVO and replaced on the spot.
2. The famous "No Lemon Warranty." This is perhaps the most misunderstood policy out there. For MOST states it works like this. Some states have more protective laws, but i don't know all of them. The PSP states that you item must have defective HARDWARE REPAIRED 3 times and have a 4th problem before it can be replaced under the No Lemon Policy. In order for any of these repairs to take place the item must be sent to the repair facility. If your item is sent there and they don't find a problem, determine it was added hardware that caused the problem or a software problem then that is NOT considered a repair. It doesn't matter if your item has 3 things fixed when being shipped out 1 time. That is 1 repair. Some states (Maryland for instance) have laws that state your PSP term is extended for the period your item is out for warranty repair. However, this time is NOT automatically added to your warranty information so you MUST keep your dated service repair orders in order to prove this. Now, assuming you have had 3 hardware repairs AND you have receipts for each showing an actual repair (if you don't have the receipts then forget it) and you're having your 4th problem then you are eligible for a no lemon replacement - pending the confirmation of the problem. This once again must be done at the repair facility, so your item must be shipped out first. Once the item has been tested by a tech there, then it will be entered into the computer system and the store techs should call you the next time they check the system and inform you to come in WITH YOUR RECEPIT for a replacement. If you have no receipt then you could get screwed. If they are unable to find it in their system, then they have the option of giving you the last price in the computer system for your item. This price could be anything from BB's Cost to below cost if BB wanted to really get rid of the item. Incidently, this system is called STAR (Services That Add Revenue), yet it was never profitable while i was there. It in fact lost over 30 million dollars one year while i was there. The system was written in house by BB using some off the shelf software and it had a ton of bugs still while i was there. Do NOT rely on this system to keep your information. Keep your receipts.
3. Take it up with a manager. This varies from person to person. You can be reasonable or yell and scream. If you yell and scream you could have yourself removed from the premises by a police officer at their discretion. The more documentation you have the better. Managers don't like to give replacement's when an item should be repaired because the store loses money. They lose money giving you a new product for yours, they losing money fixing yours, and they losing money selling yours used. Sometimes managers are in a good mood and i will do it. This encompases any manager in the store (there are several different managers: Sales, Merchandising, Inventory, Operations and the Store Manager). Also note that not everyone who has a nametag with manager and claim to be a manager are actually a manager. These are sometimes supervisors who the managers allow to be "pretend managers" when they are busy. If you get a pretend manager and they give you misinformation (like promise you they will replace your item), and an actual manager finds out, then your item may not actually get replaced.
I tried to be as informative as possible without seeming to flame BB. There are advantages to PSP's and PRP's depending on your knowledge of repair, your budget, convenience and other factors. If you have more specific questions and want my advice then feel free to PM me or post it in this thread.
SpongeBobPalmBay
Senior member
On a Gamboy Advance or a printer... I would pass.
On tv's, camcorder's, camera's.... yes... hell yes... they rule.
I bought a 27" Samsung quite a few years back at Best Buy. About three months before the warranty went out I started to see different colors in the upper right hand corner of the tube. I called the local repair shop they use and they stopped by and told me that it would be to expensive to replace the tube. Three or so weeks later I walked out of BestBuy with a BRAND NEW 27" TOSHIBA w/ S-VIDEO - a much better tv.
The catch is that the contract I had stated that they would replace with a SIMILAR model. Since the new Samsung's did not have the same features as the one I bought 3 years ago I got a better tv!!!
HalfFerengi
Member
I think the moral of the stories here is: If you are planning to buy your item at BB read what is covered on the individual PSP for the individual product you are buying before you buy it, even if that means sending the sales rep away. Like i said before, which was not a lie, the Manager in the computer department does have his bonus affected by % of service plans, so don't buy it because the employee's tell you to,
Buy it because you read the Service Plan and it seems like you can live with paying the money for the exact service stated in the little booklet!!
Just be aware of EXACTLY what you are getting. The plans vary from item to item. So does the cost and length of the plans per item.
Happy Shopping "deal" hunters!
Buy it because you read the Service Plan and it seems like you can live with paying the money for the exact service stated in the little booklet!!
Just be aware of EXACTLY what you are getting. The plans vary from item to item. So does the cost and length of the plans per item.
Happy Shopping "deal" hunters!
SinnerWolf
Senior member
As far as laptops go, i would most likely end up shelling out the $220 for a warranty. Mainly because of the battery. A battery within 3 years, assuming you use the damned laptop, is going to die...period. They wear out like nothing. Depending on which brand you choose, the batteries range from $100-250 ($ony is $uck for battery prices), and you can get a new one mailed to you through best buy. The next most common problem with laptops is probably the cdrom going out (or any modular drive for that matter), or the Ac adaptor internal plug breaking from use. Best buy's warranty doesn't cover misuse/abuse, liquid damage, software, or insects (doritos in keyboard are a bad thing it seems)....but it does cover heat, humidity, dust, electrical, and hardware defects/failures. Be your own judge...just know that if you have to get it serviced it's going to take anywhere from 2-8 weeks.
Aceman, the problem with selling a PSP based on the fact that the unit is DEVO is the fact that DEVO status can change. Whe nthe person buys a product it may fall under DEVO at the time but a year from then it could easily not be DEVO anymore, there goes that advantage.
The problem with BBY and PSP's is the fact that how it is handeld changes so much depending on the store. Some stores will bend over backward to help someone who has bought a PSP on a product, others will still try and screw them every way possible.
"I've worked as a Best Buy Comp Sales for over 3 years. There is no Computer Mgr, there is a Computer Supervisor. Yes, Sales Mgrs do get a bonus from how well the store sells service plans. Never have I been threatened or seen another employee threatened or fired for not selling service plans. If they can't sell, they're moved to cashier or Media or Warehouse"
That might be the way it is at your store, others will simply fire them. Also, not only do the Sales Mgrs get a bonus depending on how well the store does on accy%'s and PSP%'s but department supervisors do to.
Some stores you will have employees that will lie strait to the customer to make that PSP sell because thats how their taught from the day they start there, can't really blame them, they either have to BS you to buy the PSP or get bitched at from their supervisor and sales managers. As far as corporate is concerned the minute a customer says no, you leave it at that, unfortunately they really have no decent way of enforcing that and with their constant pressure about making numbers some stores feel this is the only way they will get by.
The problem with BBY and PSP's is the fact that how it is handeld changes so much depending on the store. Some stores will bend over backward to help someone who has bought a PSP on a product, others will still try and screw them every way possible.
"I've worked as a Best Buy Comp Sales for over 3 years. There is no Computer Mgr, there is a Computer Supervisor. Yes, Sales Mgrs do get a bonus from how well the store sells service plans. Never have I been threatened or seen another employee threatened or fired for not selling service plans. If they can't sell, they're moved to cashier or Media or Warehouse"
That might be the way it is at your store, others will simply fire them. Also, not only do the Sales Mgrs get a bonus depending on how well the store does on accy%'s and PSP%'s but department supervisors do to.
Some stores you will have employees that will lie strait to the customer to make that PSP sell because thats how their taught from the day they start there, can't really blame them, they either have to BS you to buy the PSP or get bitched at from their supervisor and sales managers. As far as corporate is concerned the minute a customer says no, you leave it at that, unfortunately they really have no decent way of enforcing that and with their constant pressure about making numbers some stores feel this is the only way they will get by.
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