[TIP] Extended Manufacturer Warranty vs Squaretrade, Etc.

[britechguy]

It bothers me that the $1,400 Lenovo Legion 5 Pro with RTX 3070 I got from Walmart may be built inferior to one purchased direct from Lenovo.

And you can know, or at least get a much more accurate impression about whether that's possibly true or not, by doing as I said earlier: Look to the model number.

I do not know of a single manufacturer, of anything, that will use the exact same model number if there exist "chain models" versus "models we sell direct."

That is how you tell. If your machine has precisely the same model number that the one from Lenovo direct does, it's the same machine.

 

[Appletax]

Psssst....wanna know a secret?

Discounted & Clearance Lenovo Laptops | Outlet

Your daily destination for exclusive offers, overstocks and closeouts. Discounts on laptops, desktops, tablets and more. Get it before it is gone!

www.lenovo.com

Takes a while to view what's available....a little clunky to learn how to sort and narrow down the results filter to see what you want to.
But for the past....over 20 years, I've purchased a few laptops myself through here, as well as had a few "budget" clients use this link to purchase their own laptops. I recommend the models, and specs...and send them this link. I'd rather a client purchase some factory refurb Thinkpad T/X/P or even L models.....versus, Best Buy/Walmart 1 year grade crap. <==that I will not support.

My current Carbon X1 laptop, about 5 years old now, I paid around...oh, I think $860 for it, and it was MSRP new at around $1,750.00
You can get "still new in the box" computers, as well as "factory refurbished". And that $860.00 got me a laptop far superior to anything that could be bought from Worst Buy or WallyWorld.

Their stock changes nearly every day, so skim the pages every other day or so if you're looking for something.

Looking right now,
P15s Gen2, for $710, i5, 8 gigs, 256 M.2, Win10 Pro
X1 Carbon Gen8, $775, i5, 8 gigs, 256 M.2, Win10Pro and a Gen9 for $815
T480S, same specs, $775
X1 Carbon 7th gen, i7, 16 gigs, 512 M.2, Win10Pro, $935

I see an X1 Extreme Gen3, i7, 32 gigs, 512 M.2, Win10Pro, GeForce GTX1650...$1,445. So....just 45 bucks more than your Legion laptop...but...it's an "X1 Extreme"...the best..of the best...of the best....most coveted laptop, of all time!

I do similar. I recommend people consider purchasing a refurb unit because they can get way more for their money. I usually recommend eBay because you can see actual pictures of what you'll get. Don't want to receive a refurb that's in lousy cosmetic condition.

That's cool to know the X1 Extreme if the best-of-the-best most coveted laptop of all time. Incredible.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

That's cool to know the X1 Extreme if the best-of-the-best most coveted laptop of all time. Incredible.

I realize that's more subject to opinion (which I'm never in short supply of ) But yeah, the X1 models...both Carbon, and Extreme...are generally considered the best Windows laptop at least. I know MacBook Pros are top notch also...I occasionally have to sit down in front of some Macs, even though business wise I live in the Microsoft world, we do have a few Apple users that we'll have to support.

 

[Porthos]

Here is an example of a Walmart-only item. https://www.walmart.com/ip/HP-Pavil...Lunar-Gold-15-eg0070wm/823285811?athbdg=L1600

Note the model number. 15-eg0070wm
They do this so the other price matching retailers won't match the price as this one is exclusive to Walmart.

 

[Porthos]

Here is an example of a Walmart-only item. https://www.walmart.com/ip/HP-Pavil...Lunar-Gold-15-eg0070wm/823285811?athbdg=L1600

Note the model number. 15-eg0070wm
They do this so the other price matching retailers won't match the price as this one is exclusive to Walmart.

The same one at Best Buy. https://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-pav...-8gb-memory-512gb-ssd/6448279.p?skuId=6448279 different model and different price. Even though BB price matches, this has a different model but exact same specs. Walmart gets the sale every time.

 

[britechguy]

Walmart gets the sale every time.

While I get your central point, the truth is, not always. There are plenty of people who will not set foot in a Walmart who will gladly purchase the same items elsewhere. That's why those competing in the same market segment can and do carry what is, for all practical intents and purposes, the WM model that has a different postfix.

 

[River Valley Computer]

A friend of mine has worked for Walmart for over 23 years in the purchasing division in Bentonville, AR. He told me several years ago when I posed the question to him of if the quality of electronics from Walmart is sub-standard e.g. TVs, computers, tablets, etc. What he told me is that WM buyers go to the manufacturers and sit down with the sales team from say H.P. Walmart will say we want to buy 200,000 H.P. model 15-bq009 laptops for $250 each. The HP reps. go into another room and have a discussion and come back saying aye or counter. He said it is the same with TVs, etc. ONN is WMs own brand so they can do what they want. How the manufacturers determine an equitable price is by Q.C. (quality control check standards) - When they manufacture stuff they run QCs on them and rate them like A=perfect, B =not as perfect, C=less than not as perfect, etc., thus reflecting different cost levels.

I found this out about 10 years ago. We bought 4 new tires for our vehicle. A month later we went on a trip to Nebraska to visit our daughter and family. We got 200 miles from home and had a blowout on the interstate. Had the SUV towed to a local tire dealer that was open on a Saturday morning thankfully. He checked it out and said that it definitely was a factory defect. I said we were sure lucky you are a Firestone dealer. He then said the only problem is he can not do a warranty replacement on the tire - it is a WM branded tire stamped on the side. $130 later we're on the road with a new tire.

 

[britechguy]

he can not do a warranty replacement on the tire - it is a WM branded tire stamped on the side.

Which, I'm sorry, is insane. If Firestone (in this case) puts their name on it, then the Firestone network should be responsible for warranty service. Tires seldom fail (period) but if they do, it's most often at the most inconvenient time and when you're nowhere near to the dealer where the tire was purchased.

If you're willing to put your brand name on it, I don't care who you're making it for, it's your product.

 

[NJW]

If Firestone (in this case) puts their name on it, then the Firestone network should be responsible for warranty service.

Not if the retailer has negotiated terms and conditions with Firestone, as @River Valley Computer alludes to, above.

I've bought big-brand-name (Samsung consumer electronics, for one) stuff from Amazon and the brand's customer service has specifically told me that Amazon has to handle the full consumer warranty, as a contract requirement between brand and Amazon.