If you do not give Sears your phone number, you have no warranty. Sears warranty records are kept under a customer's phone number. Those who decline are completely void of the manufacturer's warranty.

In any case, I am surprised that it wasn't a one-time occurrence.

Consumer Reports never said that. They stated the jury is still out on the long term repair rate (see December Issue). Their only data on flat panel repair is from 2005 to 2008 and how many people in that survey have had their tv under 1 year when nothing happens? Of course nothing happens during the first year, that is why all these companies give you 1 year manufacturer warranty with their tv's. Why not 3? Why not 5? If these tv's are as reliable as Consumer Reports says, then what are the afraid of? Making more money? Even LCD Computer Monitors are coming with 3 years.

I think the sad thing is how many people DON'T buy service plans based off what other people say. How many people know someone who has had a LCD or Plasma flat panel for more than 3 or 4 years? To say that these things are as reliable as the old tube tv's is just plain ridiculous. You are comparing a technology thats been out 50 years against a tech that hit the stores 5 or 6 years ago, if that. And there are thousands of posts all over the internet from people who have had trouble with these tvs and guess what, they NEVER pay the high repair bill, they go out and buy a new tv.

What is in it for Sony or Samsung to make a product that will last a long time? They come out better if the tv only lasts a couple of years because they know people are just going to buy a new one and guess who they buy from again? People have to have their Sony or Samsung, etc because Consumer Reports said they were the best. Even if the last one crapped out on them, they still buy the same brand and you better know that Sony, Samsung, etc knows this.

Answer this question. Why would Sony stop making the "tried and true" tube tvs they became famous for? Because the damn things lasted 15-20 years on average that is why. It was good for Sony when those tv's sold for $800-2,000, but as soon as they hit rock bottom, they stopped making them. If they are barely making a profit and know that everyone who buys one is most likely not going to be buying another one for quite sometime, you could go out of business.

I see the service plan as a pretty good investment IF you want to keep a tv for a long time. One of the dirty little secrets these tv manufacturers don't want you to know is that most of these tv's CAN'T be fixed do to lack of parts. (Do you really think Sony has a bunch of parts somewhere for the tv you bought 3 years ago?) Big companies like Best Buy and Sears write it off and you get a brand new tv if you have a service contract and they can't fix the tv.

You have to check before you buy.

BEST BUY tried the same trick a couple years ago. Told us the TV would need its "comb filter" cleaned, that dust and things clog this up and one must clean the filter every year or two or the TV will stop working. We didn't fall for it and we've had the set for a few years now. Works fine. (almost ALL service contracts are total ripoffs, guaranteed!)

@MrEvil:

Agreed. I have the plan on my Blackberry and have already used the insurance twice in the past 3 years.

When I worked for Ritz Camera, it was a little known fact that their Extended Service Plans covered everything up to fire and theft. Meaning that you could throw the camera against a wall in a fit of rage, and they'd repair or replace it.

I know at least one customer who asked how long the repair would take, we estimated two weeks. He walks out of the store, comes back later with the same camera, though heavily mutilated, and said he accidentally left it on the top of his truck and drove off. We call up ESP, they authorize a replacement right there, and he walked out happy.

Don't know if the plans are still the same now with the way the economy is.

On the other hand, if that was just a $50 prepaid phone and it breaks, you'll only lose the cost of the phone plus your airtime. While CSR's can usually tie a replacement phone ESID to an old number, they're not happy to do it. I've had to do this before, and trust me, even the corporate CSR's run you through the loop. So the cost of the replacement plan on prepaid phones also factors in the loss of all your accumulated airtime. Trust me, if you were one of those people that used the $100 a year prepaid plan, you'd be pretty upset to lose that with your also dead/lost phone.

In my opinion, phones and (expensive) mp3 players tend to be worth it if the service plans aren't too expensive, while most everything else is a ripoff. Really anything with a built in, non removable battery is worth it too.

Broken springs are not that uncommon if you've got a lot of miles on the car.

And yeah, I did look into battery replacement costs after that conversation about the protection plan, and I could buy two new, compatible batteries for what the cost of the plan they were pushing on me would have cost.

@MrEvil: It's amazing how literal minded most people are around here, aint it? What's funny is that most people will give you a long-winded, convoluted explanation for nearly any story you see here, but when confronted with something that requires a bit of creative thinking, the lights go off. It's amazing really.

Um, she is most likely performing her job to the letter. I would bet anything that the more "protection" plans she sells, the higher her commission is.

Mine is about a year old and the battery fades pretty fast, but I usually use it plugged in anyway. I almost never use the battery.

I hated having to ask customers to purchase one, but my job depended on it.

@Casimir Couvillion: No. They fill it with the blood of that little girl who was on that commercial a couple years back, yapping about "little tiny mirrors."

Laptop hard drives and any other hard drive usually has a 5-year manufacturer warranty. If it dies, just RMA the poor thing and get a new one. You do not under any circumstances need a service plan to cover a hard drive.

Laptop batteries suck, it's true. But they'll usually last you at least as long as you'll tend to keep the laptop. It's usually the second owner that has to get the new battery.

They also offered to activate the phone for $30. They tried to turn a $6 purchase into a $50 purchase.

Do you not get it? Probability that your product will need service that is provided by the protection plan (and not by the manufacturer's warranty) times the value of the services the warranty will provide equals a dollar value. The plan is then priced to be substantially above that dollar value, thus representing a long term profit for the company providing the plan.

By definition, if Best Buy offers the plan, it's statistically very good for Best Buy and very statistically very bad for the user -- they are offered because they generate a profit. And they are pushed because they are, statistically, an abominable ripoff for the consumer. Any client concerned about preparing for the television failing should put the money in a locked interest bearing account for the length of the manufacturer's warranty and they'll wind up even farther ahead in the long run than by gambling against your statistical edge that is greater than any slot machine or game in Vegas is LEGALLY ALLOWED TO OFFER.

And that whole "peace of mind nonsense" means nothing. If you can afford to buy a fancy TV, you can afford to repair it. If you cannot afford to repair it, you cannot afford to buy it.

I defy Best Buy, or any company who would "poo poo" my thinking on the subject, to open up their books to the client when offering this service. Let them see how much you gross per year on services plans, and how much you spend per year honoring them.

If they're so great for the customer, why do you pressure them into buying them at the store and do not allow them to come back and buy it any time for the next 30 days, once they've had a chance to go home and think about it?

Doing that could ONLY be good for Best Buy, right? Start the plan from the moment the product is bought, not the moment the warranty is bought. In theory, if your plan "makes sense", you'd make even more money letting them buy it for the same price and letting them apply it retroactively, and it won't bite you in the butt because the product will still be under manufacturer's warranty, making it hard for them to run any scam that hurts you.

Of course, none of this matters. They are a staggering profit for Best Buy, a staggering rip off for the customers, and you coming on (maybe even during company time) to parrot their rhetoric will get you nothing.

Not that I could blame you. I would imagine that Best Buy could not survive if they never sold another service plan from this day forward, so you must protect that golden goose at all costs.

@verucalise: Might not be worth it on a simple clamshell or candybar phone. But on smartphones it's a NECCESSITY especially when you're not off contract.

@Bruce Bayliss: He was lying to get the sales guy to back off.

Plasma screen TVs could be banned under new EU legislation

Large screen Plasma TVs have had a bad reputation among users of the Short Wave radio spectrum because of the high level of RF interference they can generate and many radio users will be pleased to see them go.

It's no surprise they come up with BS lines to sell them since the person most likely to buy is someone who does not know the product well and is therefore likely to buy into whatever bogus "facts" the salesperson is using to try and sell the warranty.

The previous poster was right. The company doesn't give a crap about your product sales, it's the upsells and add-ons that determine whether or not, in their eyes, you're an effective salesperson.

I have a 12 year old 25 inch sanyo I am giving to my daughter still works great. My son just gave me his 37 inch hitachi as he upgraded to a new 50 inch 1080p. Free is the only way I would replace that sanyo out here in the sticks you learn to not be picky about tv quality as the rabbit ears get 3 chanels fuzzy. I guess its a new antenna for me with the digital switch.@verucalise:

@ken2148: I guess it would depend on what exactly the details of the "protection" being offered is, because some of them can be a good investment, but they are hard to come by. By far, most plans are "crap" and shouldn't be purchased ever.

Still, I'd buy a second computer before I bought a sleazy protection plan.

Indeed. As a technology, LCD TVs are actually much simpler than CRTs. A lot goes into shooting a beam of electrons toward a phosphor screen and deflecting it properly, while with an LCD it's just a matter of twisting the right pixel to the right degree. CRTs also lose a lot of brightness with age and have a much lower quality when aged than plasmas, DLPs or LCDs. I'd rather have one of the newer techs than a CRT any day. They are actually vastly more reliable and better quality, especially with age.

The more intricate the technology, the higher the chance of breakage.

Useless warranty/protection plans are everywhere. Many people pay $5 a month for that cell phone protection plan for their cell phones, myself included until 2 years ago. The sales people warn, badger, manipulate you- "If you lose your phone, drop it in a mud puddle, anything pretty much... it'll cost you HUNDREDS to replace." I paid $5 a month for 16 months to Verizon, $80 total. When my cell phone broke, the company wanted a $50 deductible just to get the claim started... on a phone that I could buy on Ebay for about $40. I essentially was paying $130 for a phone, almost the full replacement retail value.

I quickly cancelled the protection plan. I refused to give them one more red cent. I got my cell phone used off of ebay for the price of $30 including shipping. It was not worth renewing my contract to get a phone for free.

I'm sure these protection plans are smart for the $400 blackberry phones or whatever they are... not for a phone as basic as my own.

@badgeman46: Anyone who makes such a huge purchase should at least have basic knowledge of the product, and what factory warranty was available on it. Good job OP for doing your homework instead of being bullied. I'm still very much disturbed by how this saleswoman said the TV would need to be recharged in 5 years, yet the warranty was only for 3. Only individuals lacking common sense would be lured into this scheme.

I agree, Badgeman. I have a 27" Sanyo tube television (not even flat screen) I bought back in 2006 when my 1990 26" General Electric TV finally died. (It had such a beautiful picture on it... I was so upset.) I paid $125 for the Sanyo.

I'm not into High Def, or anything like that. The picture is clear and decent, and I won't cry if it breaks in 2,5, or another 10+ years. The more intricate the technology, the higher the chance of breakage.

Awesome for all of you who want and can afford the flat screens.... myself? Perfectly content with primitive technology.

The best was at BB. Bought Nokia phones for $50 each. Tried to sell us the replacement plans for $50 each. Told them I'd just buy a new phone if it broke.

Also don't forget to use cold-weather air in your tires during the winter for improved traction.

@bohemian: New "springs"?! Seriously? I'm guessing the tweed in the automotive department meant "shocks" (which I admit, look a bit like springs, depending on the type that you have on your car).

Just yesterday, I take my car into a Mr. Tire for three things: Rotation, Oil Change and a repair of a tire that won't hold air. -- $50

As I am waiting, the mechanic comes out and reads a lit of things I need to the tune of about $1100. Transmission pan is leaking and the power steering is making lots of noise. I told them, I ain't got $1100. On the way home, I stop at Walmart and pick up a bottle of power steering fluid for $8 and fix the noise and when the weather turns warm, I will replace the transmission pan gasket for under $50.

As far as the plasma goes. I just bought a Panasonic 50" at COSTCO for <$1000. Came with a free 2-year warranty and no one tried to upsell me anything.

I knew when I needed a cabinet depth fridge, I was getting the plan, because this type of fridge frequently needs repairs, and they are expensive.

But Plasma TV, LCD TV, the plan is usually too expensive versus the replacement cost.

Fark Sears.

Full-timers also told me stories of the managers basically refusing to sell to someone (or driving the person away) because of pressuring the customer so much to buy those plans and accessories. That is how stores are rated at the box stores.

I knew it wasn't for me when I sold a lady a computer and was able to get her to buy the plan and a ton of accessories because that is what she "needed", even though I knew she only needed a computer to do what she would need it for. It was at that point I didn't go back to work the next day...

@i_love_life: I just don't get why all those new fangled tvs are junk right out of the box.

@Great Mutato: and tools. Despite all the complaining I see on Consumerist about the tool warranty almost every tool I own is Craftsman.

Overall I think Sears gets a little more hate than they deserve.

After working in Best Buy's customer service for 2 and half years and seeing ghosting on almost all the plasmas being sent out to service, it is a good idea to get a protection plan on something that you spend so much money on.... but re-filling the gas??? seriously?!?! that's absolutely ludacris and I've never heard such a thing. This lady clearly has no idea what she's talking about.

@oldtaku: I wouldn't buy electronics there, but only because there are much cheaper outlets available.

For appliances though they are still the first place I look. I've never had a problem with any Kenmore item.

I even bought my last mattress there.

I just decline the extended service plans and I never hear from them again.

When I can't get any more answers, I demand that they Never Call My Number Again... and promise legal action against the companies involved and the telemarketer personally if I ever hear from them again... and "My wife is a lawyer, so I can get you charged with criminal harassment and defiant trespass without spending a dime."

Most of them never call back.

@ken2148: I always ask those clowns why they sold me a crap product if they are so sure its going to break! I'm under the impression that lots of these big box retailers like Worst Buy, Bankrupt City, and others are more in the business of selling warantees than they are selling products. Kind of like those car dealers who are more in the financing business than they are selling cars. Or even like Monster Cable is more in the business of squatting on trademarks than they are selling cables.

At anyrate, I refuse to buy any of those new fangled tvs. My 1995 set is big and works great, and its not going to "burn out pixels." The tv at work just broke and its not even 6 months old. They build crap these days!

Maybe at the markups that *they* sell the batteries it would pay for itself, not to mention the fact that battery failure is far from a foregone conclusion, much less within the first three years of the battery's life.

I think the media that covers consumer issues (other than Consumerist, obviously) needs to be better about getting the word out about what a bad deal these plans usually are.

You probably don't want to NOT pay for your TV with a credit card for obvious reasons, but if you pay with cash they will have no way of getting your name and phone number to call you to bug you about the plan.

I bought a 140$ CRT TV at Sears many years ago and they kept calling me to ask me to buy the protection plan, it would happen like once a week. I still have that TV in my bedroom and its working perfectly.

It amazes me how many "myths" the sales people come up with to try to sell these "protection plans". "Protection plans" are evil and a waste of money.

that is B.S. i hope she gets punished in some way