Let’s talk dirty here for a minute. Who cares about the warranty? Is it enticing enough for me to want to initiate the program on the enclosed CD ROM and/or fill out paperwork?  Is there a reason I should visit your website or fill out a piece of paper and mail it in to you?

You are just going to take that information and use it for your own purposes. Why do I think this? …well, because I am on the inside – I know what happens with data. I know how to use it. And quite frankly, as a consumer, I don’t believe that your warranty is WORTH it to me to fill out that post card or to insert the CD into my laptop to follow your antiquated process in order to get 90 days extended warranty on something that will last for (on average) 1 year and 9 months… Furthermore, by the time it breaks, it will be out of warranty or I will have lost your paperwork.

So there, the secret is out. It’s not that dirty. But it is true.

OK – besides that. Think about this. Technology has continued to develop faster and faster. I don’t even have a CD ROM/ DVD ROM in my laptop anymore. Why not? Because I don’t need it. Why don’t I need it? Because online downloads can happen in a flash or I can use a flash drive or I can airdrop it or e-mail it or use DropBox.

Having this great warranty on an item may indeed be enticing enough for me to buy the item – as a gift – or for my own use, but is the process by which you have to apply for the warranty easy and simple enough for me to engage with your company to make it worth my while for me to share the info You want to know?

The only exception I know to this anomaly – offered NOT by the manufacturer, but by the seller, is the lifetime warranty offered by Hammacher Schlemmer. If it breaks. They replace it. Or, they offer you the current value of the item – which is “at retail” … so you can actually go and buy a new one – or even better, not “go” anywhere. Just call. Or e-mail. New one is on it’s way.

Voila! Well done. Easy enough for me to become a customer of yours, online or on the phone even… and you will keep the info handy for me. Now, that offer and warranty is certainly enticing enough for me to become a customer; to buy your (perhaps) frivolous items and to come back to you again and again when I need a gift.

~ Dawn aka Hat Girl