SC threatens to shut our whole store down

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

I got a lot of this kind of SC at my last job, but not as many (thankfully) at game stores.

Unfortunately one of them found me last night.

Guy and his wife come in to get a replacement on a Wii console that was not working. The main problem was that it would not turn on. I theorized it may be just a faulty power supply, not a FUBARed console. We've been seeing this issue on Wiis every so often.

So I crack a power supply out of one of our used Wiis and - surprise! - The SCs system works as normal.

This is where it gets interesting.

You see our warranties only cover a one time replacement of the unit. These folks paid $45 for the warranty. HOWEVER, we have an adapter in stock for $20. They could buy that and keep their warranty coverage rather than burning their warranty on this issue (though going that route would get them an adapter at no cost).

So I outline the options to the customer. Immediately things go downhill.

SC = Guy
SCW = Guy's wife

SC: What do you mean it will use it up? It's a 1 year warranty.
Me: The warranty covers a one time replacement, if I give you another adapter without paying anything, you'd have to purchase a new warranty to keep your extended protection.
SCW: That's bull, when we bought that the guy NEVER told us it was one time only. Didn't he?
SC: YES. I remember he did. I'd never have paid for the damned thing if I'd known it was one time only.
Me: Well I'm afraid it is.

At this time a long staring match begins between me and the SCs. I figure they are waiting for me to crack and just offer to let them have a free adapter and keep their warranty, something I am not definitely NOT going to do.

SC: Can't you just give us an adapter and let us keep the warranty?
Me: Unfortunately, I can't. I'm sorry the warranty terms weren't clearly explained to you, but the system is set up to only allow one time replacements.
SC: This is bullshit, you need to honor what he said!
Me: I wasn't there, I don't know for sure what he said and I can't take your word for it.
SCW: Are you calling us liars?
Me: No. I am simply pointing out there is no way to prove what you are telling me.
SC: So what are you going to do for us?
Me: The two options I gave before are the only ones available to you, I can give you the free adapter and use up your warranty or you can pay for one and keep the warranty.

SC and SCW proceed to talk amongst themselves for a moment...

SC: Ok, we'll take the adapter

I decide to be nice and give them a slight discount on it since we did have a bit of a misunderstanding here.

(you'd think that'd be the end of it...WRONG!)

SCW: This is ridiculous, I can't believe they cheat us like this. I'm going to report them to the BBB, the Attorney General, get them all fired and get this place shut down for ripping people off. Who's the manager here?
Me: Well I am the MOD, but our store manager isn't in until tomorrow.
SCW: What's his name?
Me: D
SCW: And what's your name?
Me: Crazedclerk
SCW: I WILL be back tomorrow and I WILL be talking to D and telling him about you. Someone is going to make this right I don't care how long it takes me. I'm going to tell EVERYONE I know to stay the hell away from this place!!

*stomps off*

Obviously my manager is going to tell them to pound sand, especially since I already discounted their precious adapter anyway.

[bainsidhe]

Strange. With most warranties I expect a one-time replacement and that's it. When I worked at Media Play, I don't recall anyone ever explaining that it was a one-shot thing ever. These customers just wanted a freebie. (Note: I'm unfamiliar with console warranties, so I could be wrong)

[mariamousie1]

Don't worry. He probably doesn't know very many people.

[Gruesome]

OK, I'm a little confused - they paid en extra $45 for an extended warranty, but that warranty lasts one year, or until they use it, whichever is shorter? So what happens if they bring in a bum unit, get a brand new one, and then it dies within the year? To bad, so sad, I'm stuck with an expensive doorstop?

I'd go ber-fuckin-zerk.

I'm the nicest guy you'd ever meet, but this would drive me over the edge. I'd like to think I would be smart enough to listen to the terms up front and laugh in the guy's face. A warranty should not be a one-shot deal. This smacks of screwing the consumer with fine print. I realize it isn't the fault of the guy who is face to face with the angry customer and s/he should certainly nor be abused for it, but I would be mad as hell in that situation.

[iradney]

The way I understand it, the warranty covers a one time replacement of the power supply. I'm assuming that if they replace the powersupply and the casing gets cracked, the warranty would still cover that - CC2?

[Camry178]

When they go off on their sucky tangent I don't even consider any discounts. It is what it is. This is what you signed up for and this is what I'm offering, take it or leave it.

[VComps]

OK, I'm a little confused - they paid en extra $45 for an extended warranty, but that warranty lasts one year, or until they use it, whichever is shorter? So what happens if they bring in a bum unit, get a brand new one, and then it dies within the year? To bad, so sad, I'm stuck with an expensive doorstop?

Yes and no - you bring in the bum unit, get a brand new one, and then you have the option of paying $45 for a new warranty.

As for the warranty not being a one-shot deal, they could make it unlimited for a year, but the problem with that is to cover the expense, the warranty price would have to be effectively more than the price of the item it covers.

[alacazar]

OK, I'm a little confused - they paid en extra $45 for an extended warranty, but that warranty lasts one year, or until they use it, whichever is shorter? So what happens if they bring in a bum unit, get a brand new one, and then it dies within the year? To bad, so sad, I'm stuck with an expensive doorstop?

Correct me if I am wrong, but i think most standard store warrenties are like this. A one year or more "warrenty" which allows you to replace the product at the store, or in some cases, through their warrenty replcement program. This replcement burns the store warrenty but you can purhcase it again on the replacment device.

As you can imagine, since most equipment comes with a seperate manufactuers warrenty I dont bother with store warrenties much..

In this case if the SC had used the warrenty, the Wii's manufactuers warrently would remain in effect for the rest of the year since purhcase, so the only reason not to use the warrenty is that the power supply is worth less than the warrenty is.

Then again Nintendo products in general are dang near indestructable so I personaly would have use the warrenty anyways and assumed id never have problems again

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

OK, I'm a little confused - they paid en extra $45 for an extended warranty, but that warranty lasts one year, or until they use it, whichever is shorter? So what happens if they bring in a bum unit, get a brand new one, and then it dies within the year? To bad, so sad, I'm stuck with an expensive doorstop?

I have on my desk a brochure on my company's Extended Protection Plan for electronics (don't ask me why) and it indicates that if an item is replaced or repaired under the plan, then it terminates once that is completed. It's not unlimited for a year or however long the plan goes for.

So yeah, if a power supply dies, and it's replaced under warranty, and it dies again, then your protection plan is terminated.

It is quite possible somebody lied to the customer about whether or not it was unlimited for a year. With the pressure corporate puts on us wage slaves to sell those damn things on all qualifying items, I'd bet some people would resort to lying if it meant their sales numbers would improve.

This is why I think extended warranties are a bad deal in most cases, and I won't bother trying to sell them. I don't run a register so I can't be tracked on the number of EPP's I sell.

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

On a new console you get a one year manufacters warranty. You can also opt for our store warranty that allows you to bring a defective console back to our store and we immediately swap it out with a new one. Easy.

If a swap occurs you have to pay again to keep your warranty coverage. The manufacturers warranty still stands.

I could go on an extended rant about why I dislike store warranties (the least of which is when a salesperson will try to sell one to you using the argument that the manufacturers warranty SUCKS and the store warranty is the only one worth investing in).

There are three things I want to point out:

1) Nintendo's customer service is awesome - Since they were still under the Nintendo warranty, I am certain they could have had a replacement power supply sent to them at no charge.

2) In my experience, most customers realize the extended warranty is a one time deal.

3) I've only seen two instances where a console needed a SECOND replacement, both issues were with preowned systems (A PS2 and 360) so in most cases a one time replacement is all you'll ever need. Even the much maligned Xbox 360 has a decent track record in this area, but that's also because of the extended coverage Microsoft offers on the consoles.

Also, Irv is SO RIGHT when he mentions the corporate pressure on us to sell these things.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Actually, at the swamp the pressure to sell EPPs isn't quite as thick as you might think. Just a bunch of stupid little posters and gimmicks telling you how much money you can make talking people into EPP, that people expect to be asked about EPPs so you shouldn't feel uncomfortable asking, how to overcome common customer objections, etc.

And some stupid little table tents in the breakroom telling you that the company makes $8 when an application for a store Visa is accepted, and you'd have to sell $60,000 worth of Tide laundry detergent to make that same $8 profit, and some other BS.

But that doesn't mean corporate can't become more strict on this. If the economy stays bad for a long time, and they start getting antsy about profits, there's nothing stopping them from telling the cashiers and salespeople "Either you get X number of EPPs/Visa applications/Loyalty cards in X amount of time or you're fired."

And I can easily see that happening here. Our conversion rates on EPPs, Visa applications and loyalty cards are the worst in the district.

[Fire_on_High]

Nintendo stuff seems to be generally indestructible, as someone else mentioned. This only makes the third karked Wii I've heard of so far, with the other 2 being a dead power LED, and a DOA from one of the very first ones, about a month after release.

[tropicsgoddess]

I honestly wouldn't have given that asshat a discount to be honest with the way he treated you.

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

Gee! I can get a free power brick and thus end my warranty on a $250 gaming console that's harder to find than a fart in a jacuzzi...

...or I can spend $20 on a simple to replace part and thus preserve the warranty on the $250 gaming console that's harder to find than a fart in a jacuzzi so when it goes tits-up with something major I can get a replacement.

I'd be happy with the second option especially in the light of a discount...happier than a pig in shit in fact.

But then again I'm not a douchenozzle SC.

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

Nintendo stuff seems to be generally indestructible, as someone else mentioned. This only makes the third karked Wii I've heard of so far, with the other 2 being a dead power LED, and a DOA from one of the very first ones, about a month after release.

To date:
One broken Nunchuck connector - Kids getting a little excited playing Legend of Zelda - Not Nintendo's fault

One broken Wiimote - Kids weren't using the strap and it flew into the fish tank - Not Nintendo's fault

SD Card failure - Farking things fail all the time and even though it's Wii branded, is still a Sandisk product - Sandisk's fault

This story - likely Nintendo's fault...but they did make them cheap so replacements are affordable.

That's all of the failures I've heard of and or dealt with. Unlike the hundreds of "Red Ring of Death" stories and flaming PS3's I've read about.