What annoys you? (1 Viewer)

[JQuintana]

Extended warranties are a total scam that is just another way for sales people and stores to rip off customers by forcing them to purchase “warrenties” that should already come with the product.

If the product is such a piece of shit to begin with that you have to pay to cover it just after the first year is over, don’t buy it.

In theory that sounds all well and good. But had I not spent the extra $35 for 3 years of coverage, I'd be out the whole $400. Yes, the process I had to deal with was a bit troublesome but at the end of the day I will get a new 2018 model TV.

For the 99% of the items I have purchased over the last decade or more I've never bothered getting the warranty plan, has it burned me by doing that, sure, on a couple of items that died that I had to pay full price to replace, but overall the my track record of getting a decent product is pretty good knocking on wood.

Nobody ever knows if a product is a "piece of shit" when they buy it, hell, people spend $2000 to surf the web on an Apple laptop and they have been burned by premature hardware failure, so NO manufacturer or store is immune to having lemon products. So the " then don't buy it" stuff is sorta for the birds.

 

[Tony Bensley]

Since the beginning of October, we've had to go to the Canada Post Depot located 2.2 kilometres from our apartment building for mail pickups. This is due to the fact that our Mailroom had been broken into, and a new up to code metal door with a high security lock is now the requirement by Canada Post.

Fast forward to the present: The metal door has arrived at the CP Depot, and is awaiting installation. However, the high security lock is in the severely backlogged (Due to the 5 week long rotating strikes that have just ended!) Canada Post mailing system!

Two months of this bullsh*t and counting!

CHEERS!

 

[BobO'Link]

...people spend $2000 to surf the web on an Apple laptop and they have been burned by premature hardware failure, so NO manufacturer or store is immune to having lemon products...

My employer purchases hundreds of Apple laptops every year. At one point my boss was insistent that they offer at least a 3 year warranty (we require a 5 year warranty on desktop purchases - our expected lifespan). The Apple rep told him "You don't need it - our products are so good they don't fail." He replied "If they're that good then you should be selling extended warranties as it'd just be money in your pocket." It fell on deaf ears.

I have issues with so called "extended warranties" when they cost upwards of 25% of the purchase price of the product. Before making a purchase, check your credit card company. Many offer a 1 year extension of the manufacturer warranty as a perk for using the card for the purchase.

 

[Clinton McClure]

I never have and never will buy the extended warranty on anything.

 

[bmasters9]

I never have and never will buy the extended warranty on anything.

Neither will I!

 

[BobO'Link]

Same here. My stock reply when asked is "Absolutely not."

 

[TJPC]

38 years ago we bought our first appliances from SEARS. (They used to be reliable!). As we bought the washer, dryer, fridge, stove, and dishwasher we bought extended warranties. We realized when they came up for renewal that for the cost of all that coverage we could buy one of the appliances! We cancelled them and never bought an E W again.

 

[John Dirk]

An extended warranty is essentially no different than a lottery ticket. Some folks [the rare winners] will tell you stories of how they saved thousands because of having bought one but you'll find they are in the EXTREME minority compared to the much more common losers!

 

[TJPC]

We are getting a new couch and love seat. This replaces a set that is still perfectly good, but so soft that gramps here is having a hard time getting out of it.

We are finding that no store will take it for any money. We would like to give it to charity, but even places that would take it either do not pick up, or will only pick up from outside.

We thought after two days of bureaucracy, sending pictures, being on hold, and telephone tag, “Habitat for Humanity” was all lined up to remove the items for $75.00, but we discovered we had called the wrong branch and our local branch would not take furniture unless it was out side!

We have given up the charitable impulse and have decided to call “Got Junk” who will take both pieces to the dump for $200.

 

[JQuintana]

When we donate stuff we usually drop off at Goodwill or another local rehab charity that has a retail store nearby that sells used items people donate. They will pretty much take anything and come by and pick it up for free.

 

[John Dirk]

When we donate stuff we usually drop off at Goodwill or another local rehab charity that has a retail store nearby that sells used items people donate. They will pretty much take anything and come by and pick it up for free.

I've had similar experiences as @TJPC , even with Goodwill in my area. I tried to give them a working 65 inch rear projection TV I originally paid $4000.00 for. "Too big for pickup sir." I ended up leaving it for the new homeowners who were all too happy to have it.

 

[JQuintana]

Large items like sofas, box springs etc we just call the local rehab donation center and they happily stop by and pick up for free. But we do tip the guys who come by.

 

[John Dirk]

We are getting a new couch and love seat. This replaces a set that is still perfectly good, but so soft that gramps here is having a hard time getting out of it.

We are finding that no store will take it for any money. We would like to give it to charity, but even places that would take it either do not pick up, or will only pick up from outside.

We thought after two days of bureaucracy, sending pictures, being on hold, and telephone tag, “Habitat for Humanity” was all lined up to remove the items for $75.00, but we discovered we had called the wrong branch and our local branch would not take furniture unless it was out side!

We have given up the charitable impulse and have decided to call “Got Junk” who will take both pieces to the dump for $200.

Where I live the local waste transfer stations have "Amnesty Days" a couple of times per year where you can drop off anything, either free or for very nominal fees in the case of certain items like lead-based paint. I unloaded a full-size fridge a couple of years ago that way. If you haven't already discarded your items it might be worth checking into. Sucks you can't give away perfectly good items these days. Somewhere near you there is likely a family that would love to have this.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Sucks you can't give away perfectly good items these days. Somewhere near you there is likely a family that would love to have this.

+1

Especially around the holidays.

It's too bad it ain't easy...but it ain't (at least not in most instances).

 

[JQuintana]

One thing I bet some of these places fear more than say 10-20 years ago is the uptick of bed bug cases that have haunted some areas of the country.

 

[Malcolm R]

We are getting a new couch and love seat. This replaces a set that is still perfectly good, but so soft that gramps here is having a hard time getting out of it.

We are finding that no store will take it for any money. We would like to give it to charity, but even places that would take it either do not pick up, or will only pick up from outside.

We thought after two days of bureaucracy, sending pictures, being on hold, and telephone tag, “Habitat for Humanity” was all lined up to remove the items for $75.00, but we discovered we had called the wrong branch and our local branch would not take furniture unless it was out side!

We have given up the charitable impulse and have decided to call “Got Junk” who will take both pieces to the dump for $200.

Do you have any kind of local penny-saver/swap newspaper where people advertise things for sale or free? Kind of the old fashioned version of Craig's List, I guess. You might try putting an ad in there as "Free for the taking. You pick it up."

 

[JQuintana]

The other option for the furniture, put it out on the curb. Seems every place has a band of late night thrift "shoppers" driving around (especially before garbage days) to snag stuff. I see it all the time. Old TV's out on curb a few hours and gone by end of day or night.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Yeah. If you CAN get it outside..a picture and "Curb Alert" on Craig's List will make quick work of it for you.

 

[TJPC]

We live on a very busy street. Whatever we put out to the curb is usually gone in minutes. Unfortunately I don’t have any canned spinach left, and Hercules and Superman are busy:

 

[JQuintana]

Any strong looking neighbors or neighbor kids, or co-workers around you could give a few bucks to to carry it outside?