Is Noel Leeming product protection worth to buy?

Forums › Off topic › Is Noel Leeming product protection worth to buy?

1 | 2

Batman

Mad Scientist
29765 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2627225 27-Dec-2020 18:22

zyo:
I guess I will go against the popular opinion based on my own experience with similar offerings from Harvey Norman.

I have a Pyrolytic F&P oven with extended warranty (they call it product replacement warranty)

After 4 years the motherboard developed a strange buzzing noise and I was offered a replacement of a similar model of the same purchase price (exact model has gone out of production).

I couldn't find one that I liked without having to fork out extra $$ (missus wanted one with steam function which costs at least couple of hundreds more) and because the oven is still working I accepted a cash settlment instead (of the full purchase price, minus product care), if the motherboard dies I will just get that replaced.

Basically got a Pyrolytic oven for under $400, not sure how much the motherboard will cost but a 2nd hand replacement can't be more than 500 I'd say.

On the other hand I own a Bosch washing machine without extended warranty and it cost 200 dollars callout for a user error (blocked pipe), similar issue with a dishwasher w extended warranty and call out is free.

YMMV obviously

Heh I have abosch wm that had a stuck sock too! Lol

nztim

3818 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

TEAMnetwork

Subscriber

#2627236 27-Dec-2020 19:05

Back in the day at Dick Smith I brought my first flat screen TV

It failed at 13 months I could have claimed CGA but it was replaced with no questions asked under extended warranty

Choice is yours - for laptops I always go HP with the manufacturers carepack with accidental damage cover

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

BlinkyBill

1443 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#2627240 27-Dec-2020 19:17

Some people spend their money on the horses, some on the lotto, some on the blackjack tables, and some on consumer protection surcharges.

You can’t win if you’re not in; but the house always wins.

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#2627241 27-Dec-2020 19:20

BlinkyBill:

Some people spend their money on the horses, some on the lotto, some on the blackjack tables, and some on consumer protection surcharges.

You can’t win if you’re not in; but the house always wins.

Based on those comments I assume you don't have any form of insurance on any goods or property you own?

qwertee

709 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2627263 27-Dec-2020 20:56

For big ticket items I always haggle for the type of store protection they offer and get it.

3 months ago my Sony TV from HN had a fault - cannot switch on from the remote unless TV is power cycled.

HN insurers called me and offered to repair, or give my money back. I got the full purchase price back and got a newer model of TV

I just cant wait for the long delays in waving the CGA in front of them and getting them to respond - buts thats me, and other forum users will disagree.

Happy New Year

eracode

Smpl Mnmlst
8860 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#2627274 27-Dec-2020 21:39

snnet:

eracode:

If it just ‘stopped working’ why wasn’t it covered by CGA?

Because they cited liquid damage (which baffled me as it was always in a case nowhere near liquids) and, since their own documentation said anything bar lightning strikes were covered, I expected their policy to take care of it

Seems there’s more to this story than meets the eye. Sounds odd. If they cited liquid damage but that was demonstrably wrong, you would have been covered. Either the issue was liquid damage or it wasn’t. If it wasn’t, why did you give up so easily? I think most people would be outraged by a false accusation and wouldn’t let it go - not just laugh in the angry saleswoman’s face and walk out.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

Yabanize

2350 posts

Uber Geek

#2627283 28-Dec-2020 00:11

I think the providers of extended warranties did have to up their game due to new regulations about them from 2014 and also the general uproar about them.

From 17 June 2014, when you offer a consumer an extended warranty, you must comply with new Fair Trading laws enforced by the Commerce Commission.

Customers will have the right to cancel a warranty within 5 working days of receiving it. You must tell consumers about:

the extra protection your extended warranty provides on top of the guarantees included in the Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA)
the cooling-off period and how they can cancel during that time.
You will also need to make sure your agreements include certain information on their front page and disclose all the terms and conditions of the agreement.

A friend of mine who worked at Harvey Norman a couple of years back used to say "if you buy a laptop with a non-removable battery, buy our extended warranty because when the battery starts to wear down in a couple of years you can just get a new laptop"

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

BlinkyBill

1443 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#2627285 28-Dec-2020 05:00

sbiddle:

BlinkyBill:

Some people spend their money on the horses, some on the lotto, some on the blackjack tables, and some on consumer protection surcharges.

You can’t win if you’re not in; but the house always wins.

Based on those comments I assume you don't have any form of insurance on any goods or property you own?

I take an actuarial approach to insurance. And appliances are a different category of risk to property, so a poor point of comparison.

Geektastic

17943 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2627300 28-Dec-2020 08:30

Although not realistic for whiteware, I will habitually choose products that are warranted for life by the maker over those that are not, generally regardless of cost unless it’s truly insane.

I once broke a Snap On spanner using it as a prybar to remove a tractor starter motor. Snap On guy tossed the broken one in the bin, apologised and handed me a new one. No “where’s the receipt” or “when did you buy it” nonsense.

That’s my preferred modus operandi.

snnet

1410 posts

Uber Geek

#2627304 28-Dec-2020 09:14

eracode:

Seems there’s more to this story than meets the eye. Sounds odd. If they cited liquid damage but that was demonstrably wrong, you would have been covered. Either the issue was liquid damage or it wasn’t. If it wasn’t, why did you give up so easily? I think most people would be outraged by a false accusation and wouldn’t let it go - not just laugh in the angry saleswoman’s face and walk out.

I was about 17 and the phone wasn't very expensive, and I could see I wasn't going to get anywhere with them. I had argued previously over the course of about a week (this was a really long time ago to me), and I needed a phone for work. I was happy enough to have removed the sim before handing it over. So I just got a new one and carried on. I got pushed into the sale of the insurance at the time. I hope that's ok with you and checks all your balances mr policeman sir :)

(And if it isn't ok that's just too bad I guess)

I do recall my mum trying to talk to them as well, but this store in particular as we later found out was particularly dodgy in the chain, selling educational software licenses to people not entitled to them, staff taking cash amounts from customers to sell stock cheaply, etc.

The laughing in the woman's face was at her absolute audacity to ask for money to look at the phone which had one of their insurance policies attached to it. I couldn't believe it.

eracode

Smpl Mnmlst
8860 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#2627316 28-Dec-2020 10:27

@snnet +1 Thanks - that does make sense now that we hear more backstory.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

sir1963

3261 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#2630867 5-Jan-2021 23:48

Sons Xbox, its just over 2 years old. He bought it from EBGames. It died, nothing on the screen (Tried cables, screen, etc swap)

They told him it was a Microsoft problem and that he would have to deal with them.

So I went into the store and explained the CGA to the sales person. I was told that they had a "policy" that the customer has to deal with Microsoft. I pointed out that "policy" was a beach of the CGA and the FTA. I explained the LAW says I have the deal with the store we bought it from and their "policy" did not out rank the law. While explaining the points to the sales droid another staff member called the mall security. Eventually the droid told me I would have to talk to the manager who would be back the next day.

Next day went through the spiel with the manager (including a letter of complaint, there are free examples you can find on the web explain what you need to say)) and they said they would handle it with my son, but could they have a word with me. They said I was yelling in the store (I wasn't), I was abusive and threatening (I wasn't). I did point out that if that were true the security person would not have just stood at the door. I also suggested they teach the staff about the CGA, and they claimed they do, so I then asked how the "policy" fitted into that... and back to me being threatening. I will admit that I will not be fobbed off by BS , but I am polite , know my rights, and are unwavering. My son heard some of the staff saying they thought I was a lawyer....I am not...but I thought that was funny as (also ads credibility to my view I was polite but insistent ).

Of COURSE they have a policy, it consumes zero staff time, they do not have to get a RMA number, do not need to pack it and courier it, etc.

Long story short, Video chip had fried its self and we are getting it fixed for free.

They are basically "desktop computers" so should have a life expectancy of 5 years. And yeah, I would go to the small claims and argue it.

So, roll on the Boxing Day sales and the step son buys a new fridge and pays $100 to Noel Leemings for an extended warranty, I explain they are worthless and its just paying them $100 to meet their obligations under the CGA which they have to do for free anyway. So waltz back in later that day and ask for the insurance to be cancelled, no argument, which was a pleasant surprise, but I knew we had 5 days to cancel it, and they had NOT be informed of their rights under the CGA so they breached the rules governing the extended warranty.

sir1963

3261 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#2630872 5-Jan-2021 23:54

Batman:

depends. in theory you are covered by the CGA. eg i had plenty of out of warranty repairs done when i quoted CGA. from car brakes to xbox controllers and malfunctioning laptop screen.

however ... if you have a 1 tonne fridge and that is turned on 24x7 ... those things i'd buy a 6 year protection - coz if they break i don't have a truck nor 4 big strong dudes to cart the fridge to NL and argue a CGA and wait 2 months for them to agree to sort it out. i pick up the phone and it gets sorted ASAP and I have my fridge back stat. in fact i've had a lot of household items giving problems 1 month before the 6 year protection expired!

YMMV

1 tonne fridge would probably be considered commercial so may not be covered. However if it was they there is no need to take it back to the store, they can arrange for a service engineer to come to your place. If they insist on it being bought in they you tell them they can arrange to have it picked up as under the CGA you are entitled to claim for all reasonable expenses , including the costs to return it.

I view the CGA as entertainment. I have used it successfully a number of times and I have helped others with their claims. Sure I Amy have to argue the point with the store, but its kind of fun seeing them wallow around not knowing how to deal with a person who does know their rights.

andrewNZ

2487 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#2631047 6-Jan-2021 10:06

snnet:
I wouldn't go for the noel leeming type of insurance. I did it once many years ago with a mobile phone which stopped working after about a month. I read all the documentation they had given me carefully, looked on their web site and saw I should be covered for anything bar a lightning strike. Great! I took it in, they sent it away, came back saying it was liquid damaged (NO idea how that could have possibly happened) -- but okay -- so replace it/fix it under your policy, as that clearly isn't a lightning strike? Nope. Oh you now want $60 to look at it too? I just laughed in the angry woman's face and told her to get stuffed and left, and I haven't been back to any of their stores or their partner stores since. Absolute criminals.

The liquid damage thing is/was a scam. I had an iPhone 3g repair declined years ago due to liquid damage. The fault was the mute switch breaking off due to an air bubble in the injection molding.
The replacement phone had a lower profile mute switch...

I've heard so many similar stories its ridiculous.

MadEngineer

4287 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#2631052 6-Jan-2021 10:19

Batman:
depends. in theory you are covered by the CGA. eg i had plenty of out of warranty repairs done when i quoted CGA. from car brakes to xbox controllers and malfunctioning laptop screen.

however ... if you have a 1 tonne fridge and that is turned on 24x7 ... those things i'd buy a 6 year protection - coz if they break i don't have a truck nor 4 big strong dudes to cart the fridge to NL and argue a CGA and wait 2 months for them to agree to sort it out. i pick up the phone and it gets sorted ASAP and I have my fridge back stat. in fact i've had a lot of household items giving problems 1 month before the 6 year protection expired!

YMMV

Again as others have pointed out - that’s what insurance is for and collection of items that cant reasonably and easily be returned will have pick up arranged by the store.

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

1 | 2