Factory Direct Extended Warranties

[dishguy1977]

Does anybody have any experience with Factorydirect.ca's extended warranties? I am looking at purchasing a DVD Recorder/VCR for $99.99 which is refurbished and you can extend 90 day warranty to 1, 2 or 3 years for $10, $20 or $30 respectively. For an extra $10 I'm thinking I'll get the 1 year at least and am considering the 3 year. The total of $129.99 for the unit with a 3 year warranty is still well below market value of the unit. Any stories good or bad about FD? Do they actually fix the unit or just give you store credit if it breaks?

[TTony]

if it breaks you throw it in the garbage

[dishguy1977]

if it breaks you throw it in the garbage

Anybody have anything helpful to post?

[Red_Army]

Does anybody have any experience with Factorydirect.ca's extended warranties? I am looking at purchasing a DVD Recorder/VCR for $99.99 which is refurbished and you can extend 90 day warranty to 1, 2 or 3 years for $10, $20 or $30 respectively. For an extra $10 I'm thinking I'll get the 1 year at least and am considering the 3 year. The total of $129.99 for the unit with a 3 year warranty is still well below market value of the unit. Any stories good or bad about FD? Do they actually fix the unit or just give you store credit if it breaks?

for one thing i would stay away from factory direct REFURBISHED products in the first place, because they are not done by the OEM
they are done by third party refurbishers, and from my own personal experience, never last very long

[darkprince]

don't get it. its Refurbished. Plus if it was going to break it will break within that first week. The value of my purchase from there never excess 50$. B/c my expectation lifespan of their products are pretty low.

[dishguy1977]

Well against advice here I went ahead and got it. It's a Samsung DVD-VR357 for $99.99 - it's a DVD Recorder/VCR with DIVX and up-converting. I think it was a good deal and I went ahead and got a 2 year warranty as this is my 3rd DVD recorder and these things invariably do end up breaking. I didn't like the post about Factory Direct doing there own refurbishing and wasn't going to purchase it if that was the case but when I went and looked at it is actually Samsung factory refurbished so I went ahead and got it.

[Red_Army]

Well against advice here I went ahead and got it. It's a Samsung DVD-VR357 for $99.99 - it's a DVD Recorder/VCR with DIVX and up-converting. I think it was a good deal and I went ahead and got a 2 year warranty as this is my 3rd DVD recorder and these things invariably do end up breaking. I didn't like the post about Factory Direct doing there own refurbishing and wasn't going to purchase it if that was the case but when I went and looked at it is actually Samsung factory refurbished so I went ahead and got it.

i didnt say factory direct does the refurbishing...but majority of their products are refurbished non-OEM....whic i will never buy

for a 100$ item i wouldnt even have bothered with an extended warranty

[dishguy1977]

i didnt say factory direct does the refurbishing...but majority of their products are refurbished non-OEM....whic i will never buy

for a 100$ item i wouldnt even have bothered with an extended warranty

Why not? It only came with a 90 day warranty so if it breaks on day 100 or whatever you are willing to just write off $100?? This item costs $180 US new on amazon.com on sale so I figure if I paid $120 and got a 2 year warranty and it's factory refurbished there isn't much risk to me.

[Red_Army]

Why not? It only came with a 90 day warranty so if it breaks on day 100 or whatever you are willing to just write off $100?? This item costs $180 US new on amazon.com on sale so I figure if I paid $120 and got a 2 year warranty and it's factory refurbished there isn't much risk to me.

i suggest you read their warranty policies...they are pretty rediculous, and are a complete hassle to deal with

[prying eyes]

+1..... whoever buys a factory direct extended warranty without reading the fine print will learn eventually.... ;) i suggest you read their warranty policies...they are pretty rediculous, and are a complete hassle to deal with

[dishguy1977]

i suggest you read their warranty policies...they are pretty rediculous, and are a complete hassle to deal with

Does anybody have any actual experience with Factorydirect warranties or is everybody just assuming the worst?? I did read their policy and it seems pretty straightforward - I don't see any ridiculous terms.

We do not guarantee machine, product or software compatibility.
Some products may not be year 2000 compliant.
All products, other than marked XXX in "Condition & Warranty" column come with a 10-day exchange warranty if defective only if all original packaging, manuals, software, etc. are in like new condition. NOTE: Exchange is not for whole unit but only for defective part.
Warranty service is subject to manufacturer or supplier turnaround time where applicable. This can be anywhere from 1 week to 8 weeks depending on the manufacturer or supplier where applicable. For fastest service please contact the manufacturer directly.
Consumables, including batteries, drums, toners, media, ink cartridges, projector bulbs, etc. are not covered by any warranty.
There is a $50 service and administration fee for products returned that are not found to be defective.
All Products returned under warranty (as previously authorized by our RMA department) must be accompanied by proof of purchase (I.E. original invoice) and original packaging.
All warranties are limited to manufacturing defects only and does not cover physical damage, software configuration, year 2000 compliance or software compatibility. All Factorydirect.ca warranties carry limited liability only to the products that are purchased from Factorydirect.ca, defective components not purchased through Factorydirect.ca are the sole responsibility of the customer
Factorydirect.ca is not responsible for any lost data. Please back up your files.
Defective product returned under warranty may be repaired or replaced with similar but not identical parts, at the sole discretion of Factorydirect.ca
Warranty will be voided if product code label is removed.
All warranties are depot warranties, customer must pay shipping on product being returned as DOA or otherwise.
All warranties will be void if the product is damaged due to inadequate care taken in shipping the product back to factorydirect.ca.
RMA REQUEST INSTRUCTIONS

Please fax a copy of your invoice to 905-660-3451. Upon receipt of which an RMA number will be issued.
Once you receive the Return Authorization Number, the RMA number must appear on the outside of the shipping box.
No RMA service on any physically damaged items or missing components.
RMA’s will not be cross-shipped.
Please send back all items, do not add extra items or they will be shipped back to you, collect.
Shipping/Physical damage must be reported within 24 hours of receipt of Product.
factorydirect.ca is not responsible for lost products, stolen or damaged in return shipment FOB - Concord.
factorydirect.ca will not be responsible for product left by customers beyond 30 days.
RMA numbers are good for 30 days, after which time, another request must be made.
factorydirect.ca will pay for return of repaired or replaced product - via GROUND ONLY!

[prying eyes]

@ dishguy1977, after reading, copy pasting it here, still you cant find anything wrong????

OK, copy paste some other warranty here too... that may enlighten ur mind...

anyway, good luck... I sincerely dont want anything go wrong with anybody's purchase...

[dishguy1977]

@ dishguy1977, after reading, copy pasting it here, still you cant find anything wrong????

OK, copy paste some other warranty here too... that may enlighten ur mind...

anyway, good luck... I sincerely dont want anything go wrong with anybody's purchase...

Seriously...I'm not trying to start anything but what do you see wrong with it. You need your receipt, you send it in, they fix or replace at their discretion, they are not responsible for lost data, etc...all seems pretty standard to me.

[darkprince]

Seriously...I'm not trying to start anything but what do you see wrong with it. You need your receipt, you send it in, they fix or replace at their discretion, they are not responsible for lost data, etc...all seems pretty standard to me.

hey lets stop bumping this thread back up and let the guy enjoy his dvd player. We gave him our view on the extended warranty but he got it anyways. "Whatever floats his boat". and dishguy1977 take care of your new baby.

[dishguy1977]

Ok...let me make this clear. I am not an extended warranty guy...at all. I'm the guy always laughing at my friend for buying $300 extended warranties for $1000 laptops at FS, Bestbuy, etc. However, given this was only $20 and the item was a refurb and my other 2 DVD recorders both crapped out on me after a year and a bit I figured it was worth it. Doesn't anybody see my point here??

[plymouthhater]

I purchased a NEW (not refurb) no-name digital camera from Factory Direct a few years ago (Apex 3 mp). At the time of purchase the salesperson asked me if I wanted an extended warranty since the OEM warranty was only 90 days.

I used my Platinum MC which doubled the warranty and declined the extended warranty. Lo and behold when I opened the shrink wrapped box, the warranty documentation said 1 yr. So I called the camera company customer service number (Concord Camera Corp. in Florida).

They confirmed the camera had a 1 yr warranty.

It died within the year and I shipped it back to the mfr. and they shipped me a replacement. The replacement died in the 2nd year and I made a claim on my credit card extended warranty. They paid me in full - even paid the sales taxes.

Moral of the story: FD's salesperson lied to me about the warranty. Never buy a no-name digital camera.

[Red_Army]

like i already said...i have dealt with them and they are a complete hassle to deal with.....enjoy your product breaking in a month, and then enjoy the many months it will take them to ship out and fix your item...best of luck

Does anybody have any actual experience with Factorydirect warranties or is everybody just assuming the worst?? I did read their policy and it seems pretty straightforward - I don't see any ridiculous terms.

We do not guarantee machine, product or software compatibility.
Some products may not be year 2000 compliant.
All products, other than marked XXX in "Condition & Warranty" column come with a 10-day exchange warranty if defective only if all original packaging, manuals, software, etc. are in like new condition. NOTE: Exchange is not for whole unit but only for defective part.
Warranty service is subject to manufacturer or supplier turnaround time where applicable. This can be anywhere from 1 week to 8 weeks depending on the manufacturer or supplier where applicable. For fastest service please contact the manufacturer directly.
Consumables, including batteries, drums, toners, media, ink cartridges, projector bulbs, etc. are not covered by any warranty.
There is a $50 service and administration fee for products returned that are not found to be defective.
All Products returned under warranty (as previously authorized by our RMA department) must be accompanied by proof of purchase (I.E. original invoice) and original packaging.
All warranties are limited to manufacturing defects only and does not cover physical damage, software configuration, year 2000 compliance or software compatibility. All Factorydirect.ca warranties carry limited liability only to the products that are purchased from Factorydirect.ca, defective components not purchased through Factorydirect.ca are the sole responsibility of the customer
Factorydirect.ca is not responsible for any lost data. Please back up your files.
Defective product returned under warranty may be repaired or replaced with similar but not identical parts, at the sole discretion of Factorydirect.ca
Warranty will be voided if product code label is removed.
All warranties are depot warranties, customer must pay shipping on product being returned as DOA or otherwise.
All warranties will be void if the product is damaged due to inadequate care taken in shipping the product back to factorydirect.ca.
RMA REQUEST INSTRUCTIONS

Please fax a copy of your invoice to 905-660-3451. Upon receipt of which an RMA number will be issued.
Once you receive the Return Authorization Number, the RMA number must appear on the outside of the shipping box.
No RMA service on any physically damaged items or missing components.
RMA’s will not be cross-shipped.
Please send back all items, do not add extra items or they will be shipped back to you, collect.
Shipping/Physical damage must be reported within 24 hours of receipt of Product.
factorydirect.ca is not responsible for lost products, stolen or damaged in return shipment FOB - Concord.
factorydirect.ca will not be responsible for product left by customers beyond 30 days.
RMA numbers are good for 30 days, after which time, another request must be made.
factorydirect.ca will pay for return of repaired or replaced product - via GROUND ONLY!

[tlamm]

"All warranties are depot warranties, customer must pay shipping on product being returned as DOA or otherwise" "There is a $50 service and administration fee for products returned that are not found to be defective"

Doesn't sound to good.

Extended warranties in general are a waste of money. Consumer reports has a very select few items they recommend them on.

If it was a dollar or two maybe its a give it a try, but spending an extra 20 dollars on a 100 dollar dvd player is probably not the way to go.

[dishguy1977]

"All warranties are depot warranties, customer must pay shipping on product being returned as DOA or otherwise" "There is a $50 service and administration fee for products returned that are not found to be defective"

Doesn't sound to good.



What doesn't sound too good? That you have to pay yourself to ship the product to them? A lot of manufacturer warranties require you to ship to them at your cost and then ship back to you at their cost. I recently had a Sony camera serviced under factory warranty and I had to suck up the $10 to get it to them.

The $50 admin fee for products that are not defective doesn't sound good - easy remedy there - don't send them stuff that isn't broken...

[KorruptioN]

A lot of manufacturer warranties require you to ship to them at your cost and then ship back to you at their cost.

Yeah, but wouldn't the FD extended warranty cover that sort of stuff? Paying for an extended warranty and still having to spend on shipping is ridiculous. Bottom line is, you're dealing with Factory Direct... most of us here already know to expect the worst with such a retailer.

[dishguy1977]

Yeah, but wouldn't the FD extended warranty cover that sort of stuff? Paying for an extended warranty and still having to spend on shipping is ridiculous. Bottom line is, you're dealing with Factory Direct... most of us here already know to expect the worst with such a retailer.

I guess the way I look at it is it brings my 90 day refurb more up to par with a manufacturer warranty and not an extended warranty. I don't know. I'm pretty happy. I got my DVD Recorder/VCR that would have other wise cost me over $300 with taxes for $136 with a 2 year warranty that is much like a mfg warranty.

This is the same unit at Futureshop but with a built in analog tuner:

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0665000FS10087842&catid=24857

and I actually don't want the tuner because I use a cable box and the tuner would just another input for my Harmony remote to have to deal with.

[NG]

The $50 admin fee for products that are not defective doesn't sound good - easy remedy there - don't send them stuff that isn't broken...

A lot of problems are intermittent with electronics thus providing problems if the tech doesn't see the same problem you do. Buying the extended warranty is your show and if you're happy with it then that's great for you however it smacks of an ad for the Factory Direct extended warranty program to keep coming back again and again to talk about how great the program is.

[dishguy1977]

A lot of problems are intermittent with electronics thus providing problems if the tech doesn't see the same problem you do. Buying the extended warranty is your show and if you're happy with it then that's great for you however it smacks of an ad for the Factory Direct extended warranty program to keep coming back again and again to talk about how great the program is.

Alright...you got me...I work for Factory Direct and it's my job to promote their warranties...lol

Man...we just got a FD in Kitchener recently and it's my first time buying something there...I knew from reading the forums that it didn't have the greatest rep but I didn't realize how much people really hated it! Oh well, I think I got a great deal for Samsung FACTORY refurb at less than half of retail. I think I am going to buy another one for the basement. I do find it hillarious how people really have a closed mind when it comes to FD!!

[kuqdew]

*checks sig*

[dishguy1977]

*checks sig*

LOL...yeah, yeah...I never do but I thought I might need it for something from FD!

[8BITJONES]

Ok...let me make this clear. I am not an extended warranty guy...at all. I'm the guy always laughing at my friend for buying $300 extended warranties for $1000 laptops at FS, Bestbuy, etc. However, given this was only $20 and the item was a refurb and my other 2 DVD recorders both crapped out on me after a year and a bit I figured it was worth it. Doesn't anybody see my point here??

Don't listen to these guys...I Think it's O.k and understand your point. Asking rfd' ers if buying an extended warranty o.k?...might as well throw your last chicken into a foxes den

[dishguy1977]

Don't listen to these guys...I Think it's O.k and understand your point. Asking rfd' ers if buying an extended warranty o.k?...might as well throw your last chicken into a foxes den

Finally!! Thank you!! Somebody sees my point!! :lol:

[NG]

Alright...you got me...I work for Factory Direct and it's my job to promote their warranties...lol

Man...we just got a FD in Kitchener recently and it's my first time buying something there...I knew from reading the forums that it didn't have the greatest rep but I didn't realize how much people really hated it! Oh well, I think I got a great deal for Samsung FACTORY refurb at less than half of retail. I think I am going to buy another one for the basement. I do find it hillarious how people really have a closed mind when it comes to FD!!

Man you gotta relax. I never said this was an ad. Just smacked of one with all the defense coming from one person in a sea of opposition. Plus remember man - you started a thread asking people for their opinion on Factory Direct warranties. You shouldn't be surprised when people give them.

I certainly don't know how well FD handles their warranty service (no stores in my area so I haven't really considered them a regular option) however I welcome all views on their products, service and warranty but I won't be basing my opinion based on one review one way or the other. It would have to be a cumulation of reviews in conjunction with their actual written policy.

That brings me to my final point. The $50 service fee (I assume they get this by refusing to return your item unless you pay it). In your acerbic response to my post you glossed over that I pointed out that often problems in electronics are intermittent. In that case doesn't their $50 service fee policy seem, possibly, worry some?

[nopn]

Anybody have anything helpful to post?

he just telling the truth, if you dont think so, go ahead and buy your extended warranties.

[krazy]

Ok...let me make this clear. I am not an extended warranty guy...at all. I'm the guy always laughing at my friend for buying $300 extended warranties for $1000 laptops at FS, Bestbuy, etc. However, given this was only $20 and the item was a refurb and my other 2 DVD recorders both crapped out on me after a year and a bit I figured it was worth it. Doesn't anybody see my point here??

Well, you will see your point when you return back to FD with the product having finally broken down within the warranty period.... Good Luck!!!