| Imagine yourself standing in line at Best Buy to buy | | | | people aren't aware that stores only make 10% |
| new laptop. As you stand there you feel yourself in | | | | profit off electronics like laptops and desktops. They |
| the "outer body experience" of joy and wonder. | | | | have to make up for that loss by offering protection |
| You've been scrimping and saving for 5 months! You | | | | plans and overpriced accessories! Come on, Best Buy |
| are actually holding the brand new unopened box in | | | | charges $39 for a USB cable? You can get one for |
| your hands! You can't wait to take it home, boot it | | | | $7 at Walmart or $3 at eBay! |
| up, and play with it. Your thoughts of bliss screech | | | | 2. Protection plans are often outsourced to |
| are interrupted by the teenage cashier who | | | | companies with very poor customer service. I've |
| mindlessly asks "Do you want to the protection plan | | | | read that Best Buy is NOTORIOUS for not backing |
| for this laptop? It's $199." One Hundred Ninety Nine | | | | up the terms of their protection plan, and making it |
| Dollars! That's like 35% of the total $799 cost! Wow. | | | | extremely difficult to even get the work done. Not |
| Is that worth it? I've been asked these questions | | | | worth it. |
| over and over for the past 10 years. Ah - the | | | | 3. You have to wait 6 weeks or more for the |
| protection plan. Every major big box seller has one. | | | | defective hardware to be replaced. Waiting that long |
| Best Buy, Fry's, Staples, Radio Shack, on and on. | | | | is not worth saving $150 or $200! You don't want to |
| Always when you're in the middle of the purchase | | | | get waiting on poor customer service! Forget that! |
| some type of sales person interjects one reason or | | | | 4. You often pay for something you never need. |
| another to buy their plan. Is it worth it? | | | | Why pay for a service you probably will never need? |
| Bottom line: I would stay away from any type of | | | | It just seems like throwing good money after bad! |
| protection plan. I've never bought a plan for any | | | | Put your money toward good use! |
| laptop I've ever bought. In my opinion I've found that | | | | 5. You're betting the odds that you laptop will fail |
| it's never worth the money. 5 years ago on Black | | | | within 2 or 3 years of purchase. My experience has |
| Friday 2005 I bought a Toshiba laptop for $350 | | | | taught me that they usually last 4 to 7 years before |
| without a protection plan. 5 years later that machine | | | | failing. Ever heard of Self Fulfilling Prophecy? Since |
| is still kicking (the battery only lasts 30 minutes!). I | | | | you're even slightly believing that you system could |
| never needed the plan. I'm glad I never bought one! | | | | fail odds are higher that it will actually fail! Bad vibes. |
| I just did some quick "Google Research" and | | | | Bottom line is that protection plans are not worth the |
| discovered the same things I've always suspected: | | | | money you'd spend. Save that $199 for your next |
| 1. Electronic stores make more money off the | | | | laptop (in 2013) and be happy. |
| extended service plans than any other product. Most | | | | |