Recently, we purchased a new oven at Sears. As I was getting ready to pay, the salesman began to pitch the extended warranty. He did so by stating that it's great because you don't have to pay a dime for anything that goes wrong with the oven. So I said, "But that's why I'm paying top dollar for a quality product." And he said, "Yes, but, these ovens sometimes get a little out of tune and you need to have someone tune them up." So, I'm starting to see the irony here and it's really getting under my skin. I say, "Yes, but, I am paying for the service. You're asking me to pay now instead of later. So, I'm actually paying even if I don't know that something will go wrong with the product." He says, "Well, it's nice if you just want to have someone come out and tune up the product once a year. Then you don't have to pay for it."
Now I'm getting really steamed. Time was when retailers would tout the quality of their products, how long it would last and how well it was designed. Now, retailers sell the product at already expensive prices, then tell you that they will need to be serviced annually and you have to pay more money for the service. I know why they do this. It's practically pure profits. I doubt many people actually use these warrantees.
I still remember when, if something you purchased broke down within a year or two of buying it, the store stood behind the product and would replace it. Now, stores sell you, by definition, faulty equipment and then charge you for the priviledge of having someone come out and fix it.
Later, we bought a table from Levitz. I had once promised myself I'd never buy furniture from them after seeing some of the shabby work they do and the poor quality of their furniture. But we found a table that seemed quite well made and bought it. The saleswoman told us "You won't find a bit of pressboard in that table." So, naturally, I looked underneath the table to see that there were two pressboard buttresses for the leg supports...
"Hmmm, looks like there's pressboard here" I said, with my legs sticking out from under the table. The saleswoman was unflappable. "Oh, that's just the supports, the table top and the rest is all solid wood..." Later when we opened the table box and looked inside, the table was damaged and sure enough, some of the hardware had broken off revealing that not only was the sideboard structure made of pressboard, but the entire table and table top was also pressboard made to look like hardwood. Well, we'll be waiting a little longer to have a table to eat off of.
So, I've been going to a store that sells furniture built by the Amish. It's a totally different experience. The furniture is quite expensive, but built like no other I've ever seen. It's true solid oak and opens and closes so smoothly, it's amazing. When I talk to the salesman about it, there was no long term warranty, no claims of solid wood. Rather, he explained how they used no nails or staples, but rather used fit and glue. There was clear pride in the workmanship of his wares. And looking at the furniture, it was obvious. I asked, "What if it gets burned or something with a hot pan." Well, he said, sand it down and oil it, good as new. He did make one promise however, he said it was furniture that my great grandkids would be fighting over. Guess where we'll be spending a little more money... Some things were definitely better "in the old days."
Oh and, yeah, that gal that sold us the table? She tried to sell us an extended warranty too!
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