Overextended

In a fit of boredom, I went out and bought yet another electronic toy today, and as usual they tried to lean on me for an extended warranty. You know, I'm getting tired of people trying to sell me extra stuff when I go to a store, things that raise the total cost of your purchase while giving you absolutely nothing in return. As if sales tax piled on top of the tax already taken from your wages isn't bad enough.

I've never bought an extended warranty, and contrary to what the sales people say, I've never lived to regret it. Generally, these contracts don't cover accidental damage, which should be the only kind of problem you'll encounter after the real warranty runs out. Especially with electronic stuff, where manufacturing anomalies tend to manifest themselves within a week or so after you plug the thing in. Also, in the event that you do need something repaired, and they actually agree to do it, the folks who sold you the extended warranty usually contract the work out to a third party, someone that you probably wouldn't have picked on a dare.

And another thing. Why is it that these extended warranties tend to cost more than they're worth? I once bought a $39 clock radio and the guy tried to sell me an extended warranty for $15 bucks! Not only is that directly out of proportion to the overall value of the item, but under the RICO statutes those guys should be nailed for extortion! The way I see it, if that clock radio craps out after the original manufacturers one year warranty expires, I'll just throw the thing away. I'm usually late for work anyhow.

Personally, I find it unethical for a store, or anyone else for that matter, to sell insurance on their own products. Sort of like when banks and credit card companies started pushing identity fraud insurance. I mean, if they didn't make your information so accessible in the first place you wouldn't need insurance! Likewise with stores. If you're selling good stuff, I shouldn't have to pay you anything extra to insure it.

So, instead of telling me, "I'd really recommend that you get the extended warranty to protect your investment, Sir," I think I'd have more respect for you, Mr. Pushy Sales Dude if you'd just come out and say, "Psst...Look, I need to jack up the price of this item by about fifty bucks in order to increase my commission and meet the store's arbitrary sales quota."

I still wouldn't buy the warranty, but at least we could both have a good laugh. The way it works now, I'm the only one who ends up laughing. And then everybody looks at me like I'm the one who's crazy.