Planetarion Forums

CrashTester · 17 May 2003, 21:01

Tell me everything you know about plasma tele's, thanks.

Leshy · 17 May 2003, 21:03

They're flat and very sharp.

And using the remote you can fire PLASMA DEATH RAYS at people watching it. Don't lose the remote.

Nusselt · 17 May 2003, 21:24

i know that when you go to buy it at any high street retailers the salesman will put an incredible amount of pressure on you to take the extended warranty. I went into curries the other day (had 20 mins to kill so was browsing everything i couldnt buy)and a bloke was buying a flatscreen tv, and i could not believe the amount of pressure they put on him to get the extended warranty while he was at the till the manager and the sales assistant dealing with him both went on and on about how this new flatscreens werent as reliable as the old tvs and how you couldnt get them fixed at any old tv shop and how the circuit boards in the back of them were the property of sony or something and couldnt be replaced by anyone else, it was a good 15 mins of working on this guy and telling him how crap a decision he was making, the bloke (and kudos to him) actually said 'fcuk this' grabbed the credit card out of the cashiers hand and left. Cue much laughter followed by speedy departure from moi. You have been warned m'lad.

CrashTester · 17 May 2003, 21:30

Yeah, the high street shops do that and its annoying. My gf bought a TV recently and they tried to give her (us) a bit of hassle about extended warranty. But on a 400 quid TV it is a waste of money.

As for the Plasma, while it is a big outlay I have read that their reliability is no different to normal TV's. At the end of the day, if its gonna go through bad components I think its gonna go during the warranty period, so they can screw their extended warranty. Well played that man!

Cheapest place I found them BTW is empiredirect.com.

BesigedB · 17 May 2003, 21:49

it is possible for those logos in the corner to burn in

inf · 17 May 2003, 22:23

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2807107.stm

Starbucks · 17 May 2003, 23:05

i bought a 32 widescreen TV when it was sale time in the New Year with my parents

Parents went to currys, they were going to go in comet but i pulled my usual "kingfisher group vandetta" thing on them so they went a few doors down,

Basically the conversation went like this

Salesman: With this TV i really reccomend the monser cables
Dad: How much are they
Salesman: £79.99 each
Me: each
Salesman: yes
Me: For scart cables
salesman: yes
Me: well **** my ass and call me charlie (i actually said this), why would anyone want to spend 80 quid on a bunch of cabes, and we need 3 of those thats £240
Dad: how about you lob em in for free if we get the insurance

Its now you notice, our scheme with me and my dad with salesmen, we know what they want, they want that greasy little "5 year extended warrenty" paper, thats the markup, thats the commission, we try and get as much free stuff as possible with it, and sometimes it works, anyway back to dialougeurama

Me: we could work out a deal that way, because scart cables for any sort of TV apart from Dolby Digital wouldnt require such a extravegence. (i then look round at the laptops)
Dad:yeah, ive seen some a few doors down (argos) for £20 each, and they are really good as my matre has them
Me: to be honest monster cables are as much as a rip off as a...what the **** is that, a £400 coffee maker, christ (i then look at

looking coffee maker)
Dad: so we got a deal with the cables
Salesman: i will ask my manager
Me: Who would spend £400 on a coffee machine?
Salesman: he says he can reduce them to hlaf price
Dad: Thats more expensive than the other ones, i guess we dont need the insurancee and i could send the son round to grab those cables from argos in a min

I cba with this but the jist is we got £240 worth of free scart cables with our insurance that cost £350, which we get our money back on if nothing goes wrong with the television

annoy the salesman = teh win

(tip to anyone buying ANYTHING, research, research, research)

Starbucks · 17 May 2003, 23:17

oh and that comes to my next story, me verses my argos (while i was working there)

My television had broke 2 years after buying it, i had original receipt, and it came with a "12 month warrenty"

i went to the customer service desk and asked for my money back, a friend of mine cherie was there and basically said what i was asking for was insane and i said to trust me and get julie (manager at the time)and it went like this

Julie: Hi craig
Me: hi Julie, id like a refund on this television please
Julie: its 2 years old (laughterish)
Me: and
Julie: its past its warrenty for one thing
Me: and
Julie: you cant get a refund
Me: it broke with in two years, thats not satsfactory quality
Julie: well.
Me: under the sale and supply of goods act 1994 Where the seller sells goods in the course of a business, there is an implied term that the goods supplied under the contract are of satisfactory quality. For the purposes of this Act, goods are of satisfactory quality if they meet the standard that a reasonable person would regard as satisfactory, taking account of any description of the goods, the price (if relevant) and all the other relevant circumstances. ( i read this from a printout of that act)

Would you belvie that a television should last more than two years?
Julie: yes...
Me: cool, heres my card
Julie: (regretting the retail law course she made me do): ok

(full law here: http://www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/a...40035_en_1.htm )

so with that, extended warrentys mean nothing, because under the sale and supply of goods act, the goods you buy have to last what is deemed "reasonable time" based on its price

tell Mr. and Mrs. Customer service this next time and watch em squirm

edit: more here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/guides...dsandservices/

1979 act that was ammended in 1994: http://www.jus.uio.no/lm/england.sal....1979/doc.html

Ragnarak · 18 May 2003, 11:41

Quote:

Originally posted by WorkMonkey
me: hi
salesman: hi
me: put your hands up and no-one gets hurt
salesman: *puts hands up*
me: now empty cash register into this 'ere 'swag' bag.
salesman: *empties cash register*
me: kthxbye
*unloads magazine into shop*

heh
starbuck's stories were better tho

Black Dog · 18 May 2003, 12:10

I do law at degree level. I've studied the Sale of Goods Act 1994 in depth, but I'm too much of a lazy, ignorant, shy, socially retarded tosser to bother having a go at salespeople.

Hence I've just spent £80 on a new mobile when I blatantly didn't have to. I'm a loser.

Snurx · 18 May 2003, 15:55

Salesmen are meant to be ****ed whit.
Oh, and on plasma tv's: They are very very fragile, a sligth bump could possibly destroy the screen, and thats

. Also, don't go out whit the TV on, as the logo's can burn into the screen much much faster then on regular tv's.
But, hey, they rock. Really, they do.

OneColourRed · 18 May 2003, 17:54

Plasma TV's, we had a couple in our student union
broke within a week.

Resolution is poorer that a top end 'ordinary' widescreen

generally a waste of money imo

buy a big widescreen instead.

Starbucks · 18 May 2003, 18:46

wait for the TFT Screens to come in

i know where you can buy a 30" TFT Monitor and Tuner, it will also work as a computer monitor.

its expensive though, i think its around £5000

Tzencath · 18 May 2003, 20:56

i just got a 32" plasma screen, and not being biased, but...

Raging.Retard · 19 May 2003, 02:42

I thought id give a little insight into this from the sales person perspective.

When I was 16, I used to have a Saturday job as a sales person, at none other than good ol' Dixons. (For information purposes, this will apply to all stores owned by the Dixons group, Dixons, Curry's, The Link, PC World, Jakarta, etc etc).

There is no extra commision based on getting the warranty as far as the sales person is concerned. Its still 1% on the total cost of the product over your assigned weekly target. If you get them to buy the warranty, all you get extra is the 1% cost of the warranty too (presuming your over your target).

However, there is HUGE pressure put on you by management to get warranties on products. The store has a % quota that needs to be met, and the area manager spanks the store manager real hard if its not met. As a result that same presure is passed onto sales person. With something like a plasma TV, its a high value product, and thus can signinifcantly affect the days acheived 'coverplan' %. This is why the try so hard. The amount of discout they may offer will vary depending on how much discount they have already given that day (Stores have a discount quote to be above too). The pressue put on to meet the warranty quota is far higher than the discount one, which is why they may offer some high value discounts.

Store sales people are trained quite well to get results when selling the warrenties. You are taught counter arguments to the most frequently used arguments by customers saying why they dont wish to buy the warranty for the chosen product. The Dixons warranites provided by MasterCare (part of Dixons group too), do actually cover for quite a lot, far beyond what a lot of stores offer. However, ive still only ever bought ONE warranty in my life, and that was for a mobile phone (Obv the warranty was discounted too). Value for me, as ive damaged it a few times already, but I guess its all circumstancial.

Id like to try something though, see what people think.

Take say a digital camcorder, none in particlar, valued at £999.99 (We are assuming here that its not over priced, and is good value). How much would you say the product would be worth if it was missing the standard 12 month manufactural warranty? (Please ignore the fact this country requires the 12 month manufactural warranty to be provided by law)

SbOlly · 19 May 2003, 02:46

Quote:

Originally posted by Raging.Retard
Take say a digital camcorder, none in particlar, valued at £999.99 (We are assuming here that its not over priced, and is good value). How much would you say the product would be worth if it was missing the standard 12 month manufactural warranty?

£999.99 ? I thought the 12 months was covered by law or something? So even if it wasn't included, I would still be able to whine on about it to the shop?

Someone above was implying you could do this after 2 years, possibly more.

Have I missed the point?

Raging.Retard · 19 May 2003, 02:53

Quote:

Originally posted by SbOlly
Have I missed the point?

Yes, it wasnt a question of legality, i asked how much you thought it was worth.

Ill amend the post, to make it clearer.

MAdnRisKy · 19 May 2003, 04:33

depends Raging.

since it IS standard practice, if something didn't come with the 12 month warrenty I wouldn't trust it and hence wouldn't pay nearly as much as the 1k asking price (for a reasonable figure, assuming it was bought at a store -£200). If you meant that there was no such thing as standard practice 12 month warrenty then I doubt I would expect to pay less than the asking price.

Basic psychology really.... if you think its expected, and it doesn't come with, you intrinsicly distrust it. we don't trust deviations from the norm as a rule of thumb

Mirai · 19 May 2003, 09:01

They're crap. Get an LCD.

Plasma TV's may be thin, but the current production method is so horrible that 4 out of 5 screens fail and have to be discarded, hence the price is 5x more than it should be. And the screen is crap, breaks easily, and still needs a control hib in order to work. The screen might be 1 inch wide, but it still needs a cable box, decoder, power supply. All of that is in an ugly external box.

CrashTester · 19 May 2003, 10:55

Quote:

Originally posted by BesigedB
it is possible for those logos in the corner to burn in

Yes, apparently they can get burn in after a fairly short while. However, the burn in can generally be 'washed out' using grey images or continual full colour ranges over several hours.

CrashTester · 19 May 2003, 11:03

Quote:

Originally posted by Mirai
They're crap. Get an LCD.

Plasma TV's may be thin, but the current production method is so horrible that 4 out of 5 screens fail and have to be discarded, hence the price is 5x more than it should be. And the screen is crap, breaks easily, and still needs a control hib in order to work. The screen might be 1 inch wide, but it still needs a cable box, decoder, power supply. All of that is in an ugly external box.

Hmmm....LCD production is much higher risk than Plasma in higher sized panels and as far as I know, the largest LCD at the moment is 40" compared to 63" for plasma. And price wise, LCD costs far more than Plasma and will be for the next couple of years.

Raging.Retard · 19 May 2003, 15:35

Quote:

Originally posted by MAdnRisKy
Since it IS standard practice, if something didn't come with the 12 month warrenty I wouldn't trust it and hence wouldn't pay nearly as much as the 1k asking price (for a reasonable figure, assuming it was bought at a store -£200).

Good man, you fell into the trap I hope you would.

Most people I have tried this on devalued the product from anywhere between £100 to £400 pounds based on a missing manfactural warranty. In your case, you valued a single year parts and labour warranty @ £200. This makes their 5 year warranty for covering not only parts and labour, but accidental damage, even in home repairs look a snip for just £299, thats just £60 per year for a lot more.

Its an interesting argument anyway. A lot of customers didnt know what to say after I used it on them.

Nusselt · 19 May 2003, 17:08

Quote:

Originally posted by Raging.Retard
dixons

so lemme get this clear there is a quota to discounts?? is it a min or a max quota, would it be better to go at the beginning or the end of the day??? and this % is it like if they sell a big tv the warranties cost more so its better than selling a lot of little camcorders etc??? and can you give me the answers to the arguments you were taught so i can think of my own counter counter arguments. Oh and if i dont buy the warranty, can you fck me up by delaying the product etc????

ps did you get your nick after working in dixons or was it a prerequiste?

Raging.Retard · 19 May 2003, 19:55

I have had this nick for a while, long before I worked there. I hope your not implying I was retarded for working at Dixons when I was a teen looking for a Saturday job, they payed well.

They have a % discount target which they are meant to keep UNDER. They have a coverplan target which they are meant to keep OVER. Targets are issued weekly, and weeks start Monday.

Theres no need to think of counter arguments, if you stand firm and say 'No, I dont want it thanks' there is not a lot else you need do. Sure they might ask a few more times, but make your decision BEFORE you enter the store, that way its not subject to pressue.

If you dont buy the warranty no, they cant delay the order. Products are either pulled from the instore warehouse, or ordered from a delivery center to your door. If ordered, all the sales person can do is set up the order, then its out of their control, they have no means to delay the order.

meglamaniac · 19 May 2003, 20:09

I got a coverplan (yes, from dixons) for my printer.
Given that it was a cheap £60 printer on special offer and I got them to give me a free colour ink cartridge with it, I think it was probably worth the £20 given that
a) the ink cartridge was priced at around £12 or something
b) the printer will probably break in under 2 years anyway, especially the ammount I use it

Starbucks · 19 May 2003, 21:19

i got a 3 year for my laptop

keyboard, mainboard, irda, harddisk

mostly everything has been replaced the last two years,

its worth it imho, for items you cant repair yourself easily, or buy cheaply

Mirai · 20 May 2003, 10:46

Quote:

Originally posted by CrashTester
Hmmm....LCD production is much higher risk than Plasma in higher sized panels and as far as I know, the largest LCD at the moment is 40" compared to 63" for plasma. And price wise, LCD costs far more than Plasma and will be for the next couple of years.

Uh no.

I have a 60 inch LCD screen in my living room. I got it for 3 grand. A plasma TV that was the same size was on sale for 5 grand.

Plasma TV's suck.

Radical Edward · 20 May 2003, 10:58

they tried to get me to buy a 50 quid warranty on a 75 quid scanner in Dixons. I just said "look, if it breaks in eighteen months I will just buy a better one´. I'd much rather pay an extra 25 and get a nice new scanner than lose 50 and get nothing but the old one back on the off chance that it breaks"

CrashTester · 20 May 2003, 12:06

Quote:

Originally posted by Mirai
Uh no.

I have a 60 inch LCD screen in my living room. I got it for 3 grand. A plasma TV that was the same size was on sale for 5 grand.

Plasma TV's suck.

So you have a 60inch LCD panel? Not one of those LCD TV's that uses 3 panels to make one big one thats 60inch in size?

Sounds good. Whats the model, I'm interested in checking those out.

-CP- · 20 May 2003, 12:24

I'd rather have a regular tv now and wait a couple of years until they can make larger and more reliable OLED tv's. Plasma quality is not good imho. I'd rather have a great 32" tv at a fraction of the price with a lot better picture quality then plasma for now.

OLED will be a lot cheaper to manifacture and the picture quality is far better then plasma/tft and all other competitors. Unfortunately they haven't come far enought to make it big enough and it's lifespan is short for now.. So a couple of years is worth the wait, instead of paying a lot of money for a half decent plasma.

Radical Edward · 21 May 2003, 14:12

Quote:

Originally posted by Starbucks
Me: under the sale and supply of goods act 1994 Where the seller sells goods in the course of a business, there is an implied term that the goods supplied under the contract are of satisfactory quality. For the purposes of this Act, goods are of satisfactory quality if they meet the standard that a reasonable person would regard as satisfactory, taking account of any description of the goods, the price (if relevant) and all the other relevant circumstances. ( i read this from a printout of that act)

did this really work? my mates TV just broke, and it is just past it's warranty. plus is there anything that he should try to get the sales assistant to say to make doubly yure (like get the sales assistant to admit that it is an unsatisfactory lifetime?

Starbucks · 21 May 2003, 14:36

Quote:

Originally posted by Radical Edward
did this really work? my mates TV just broke, and it is just past it's warranty. plus is there anything that he should try to get the sales assistant to say to make doubly yure (like get the sales assistant to admit that it is an unsatisfactory lifetime?

its kind of an expectancy thing

would you expect to shell out £1000 every 3 years on a TV??

Radical Edward · 21 May 2003, 14:39

what is the point of a warranty then though?

MrL_JaKiri · 21 May 2003, 14:43

Quote:

Originally posted by Radical Edward
what is the point of a warranty then though?

To give money to the shop?

Radical Edward · 21 May 2003, 14:44

Quote:

Originally posted by MrL_JaKiri
To give money to the shop?

how benevolent of us...

Intrepid00 · 21 May 2003, 18:51

Quote:

Originally posted by CrashTester
Tell me everything you know about plasma tele's, thanks.

Unless it can cure world hungary and solve the energy curisious then its not worth the money.

Glatze · 22 May 2003, 08:25

about the warranty: its just that people feel much more confident when they buy an extra 3 years of service for a tech product, while they shouldnt if they knew the law and know how to talk to salesmen. I never bought extra service, and probably never will, but that depends on the product and the price I guess. For a digicam that can fall on the floor and might break, I will consider it. I wont take the risk of meeting a salesman that keeps denying. There is a list on the Internet tho by a consumers protection group that tells you how long a product should last and that should be the standard of garanty they need to offer.

Radical Edward · 22 May 2003, 08:32

Quote:

Originally posted by Glatze
There is a list on the Internet tho by a consumers protection group that tells you how long a product should last and that should be the standard of garanty they need to offer.

any idea where it is? if not don't worry.

Glatze · 22 May 2003, 08:55

Quote:

Originally posted by Radical Edward
any idea where it is? if not don't worry.

Seen it about a year ago somewhere, cant remember the site. Dunno if you are from Holland, but I guess its different per country?

Can remember I saw some interesting time frames on it, like washing machine 7 year or something.

Woof · 22 May 2003, 09:02

I always but major electrical stuff with my BraclayCard, that way, BarclayCard give an additional 12 months warranty on top of the manufacture’s 12 month guarantee.
I’ve never had to use the BarclayCard warranty [which has justified me never needing to buy the store’s warranty] so I have no idea if it is comparable or how good BarclayCard is at replacing/repairing products.

I guess ignorance is bliss

starmog · 22 May 2003, 09:54

heh im 16, i currently work at currys...

and yea i do agree that some of the extended service agreements are over priced, tbh i dont really care if i sell them or not, we get no extra commission from it, and its really not work the hassle on the customer, im trying to build some freindships with customers u see....

this would work but the mangers hassle us big time to sell extended warrenties, its how the company makes a profit, and well i like my job and i dont wanna lose it...

oh and plasma tv's stop working after about 5 years, the gas runs out and u cant get it replaced... we have a 40 inch LCD for £8000 if ur interested though