SquareTrade Warranty Blog

Consumer Reports, SquareTrade agree - Don't get pushed around!

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Have you seen the latest Consumer Report's "Dear Shopper" Ad? We love it! The new ad appears in the USA Today, citing results from their national survey of consumers. "Dear Shopper," it reads, "It's time we told retailers how you feel about their pushy holiday-season practices."

No one likes to be hounded with extended warranty sales pitch: According to the survey, most Americans dislike when store employees try to get them to sign up for store credit cards, ask for phone numbers or e-mail addresses, or launch into their pushy sales pitch for an extended warranty. We join consumers in giving hard warranty sales a big thumbs down!  Consumers should have a choice. In fact, that's one of the reasons we're in this business - to provide a refreshing alternative!  Afterall, SquareTrade is about not getting pushed around!

Which laptop manufacturers are most reliable? Study has people talking!

Like our previous studies, SquareTrade's Laptop Reliability report has people talking! 

Join the discussion! Join thousands of others on SquareTrade on Facebook or on Twitter. (Tweet your thoughts or comment below. See live Twitter feed of discusssion below, after the jump.)

	"3-year service history of more than 30,000 laptops has been pored over, analyzed...you get what you pay for -- shocking, right? The big talking point, though, will inevitably be the manufacturer comparison chart..."
	"Our last annual survey of laptop owners turned up a similar result...A reliability report from RESCUECOM, published last March, also put Asus ahead of the pack and HP in dead last, with Apple coming in the middle..."
	"New data from SquareTrade (one of the bigger warranty providers) says Asus and Toshiba have the least hardware malfunctions over 3 years, while one-in-four HP laptops are projected to experience problems."
	"Apple may have played its cards right by not moving into the netbook market, according to SquareTrade's data."
	"...smaller name brand notebook manufacturers are usually more reliable than their larger rivals."
	"Apple ranks a lackluster fourth...The top honor goes to Asus, which surprised me, but I suppose shouldn’t have when I consider the build quality of my fairly inexpensive Eee PC."
	"While Asus topped the list, the bottom part of the list was taken by HP, which would probably be rather disappointing to the numerous HP fans out there."
	"That's bad news for the Dayton area, with such a heavy research and technology sector tied to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base."

If you're on Twitter, you can simply include the hashtag #LaptopReliability to your tweet. (We'll update with a live feed below.) Check out other reactions to the study and tweet your thoughts!

Study Finds One in Three Laptops Fail Within Three Years

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Are you planning to get a laptop or netbook this holiday season? Our team has been collecting data on over 30,000 new laptops and netbooks. As laptops have historically been among the most popular electronics gifts, SquareTrade publicly released its findings to consumers, examining the different aspects of laptop and netbook reliability.

Highlights are below but be sure to check out the full study. Update: For further coverage of the report and discussion, check out Gizmodo, Engadget, PCWorld, Electronista or ComputerWorld and see the "Thoughts on this Study?" section below.

Netbooks projected to fail at a 20% higher rate than traditional laptops The study begins with an overview of laptop hardware failure rates, as well as failures caused by accidents. We then compare netbook failure rates to more expensive laptops and evaluate the relative reliability of several leading laptop brands.

New York Times highlights SquareTrade Value

Did you read the paper? As fans, you've already discovered that SquareTrade offers a refreshing choice so you can say goodbye to those overpriced store warranties. Word continues to spread!

The New York Times draws attention to SquareTrade's value - extended warranties that give control to consumers with prices that are usually about half as much as those other guys:

For instance, a four-year warranty on the Nikon D3000 camera at Best Buy is $150, or more than 27 percent of the $550 price. The warranty on a Hewlett-Packard N270 netbook is $130, or just short of a third of the computer’s $400 price. Such profit margins are high enough that companies having nothing to do with selling the original products have jumped into the market, offering warranties for about half as much. SquareTrade, which offers warranties for products bought in stores or online, will sell you a three-year warranty on that Nikon for $75. The netbook can be protected for $60.

 

Traditionally, warranties have been overpriced with consumers feeling they must make a rushed, uninformed decision at checkout. As the New York Times points out, SquareTrade gives consumers a chance to review their options and make an informed purchase decision.

If you missed the Sunday paper, the full article can be found here: New York Times: Don't Worry, Be Happy: The Warranty Psychology

TUAW lauds SquareTrade Accidental Damage Coverage

Sang Tang of TUAW (The Unofficial Apple Weblog) writes of lessons learned when his MacBook has an unfortunate encounter with Diet Coke. As he reconsiders the value of extended warranties and laptop insurance, his experience highlights how the value of SquareTrade coverage stacks up when compared to AppleCare.

While AppleCare is certainly compelling for many (phone support and timely repairs of manufacturer defects by Apple-authorized technicians, among its values), its defect is that hardware repair coverage is restricted to manufacturer defects.

AuctionBytes: SquareTrade Boosts Consumer Confidence

If you're a serious eBay shopper, you may regularly peruse sites like AuctionBytes in search of the latest tips and resources for online auction buyers and sellers. In case you missed the current issue of AuctionBytes, be sure to check it out for the usual roundup of industry news, including an interview with SquareTrade CEO Steve Abernethy:

As SquareTrade celebrates 10 years in business, AuctionBytes Editor Ina Steiner chats with cofounder and CEO Steve Abernethy to learn more about the company's rather unique service: warranties for purchases of new - and used - consumer electronics and appliances, online and offline. No longer in the business of online dispute resolution, SquareTrade continues to offer eBay sellers and online merchants services to help shoppers feel more confident.

The full interview can be found here: AuctionBytes: Giving Shoppers Confidence through SquareTrade Warranties.

Creative? SquareTrade Fans are Awesome!

We've been blown away with the response to our 10 Day, 10 Kindle Giveaway!

It's a known fact that SquareTrade fans are clever. (After all, you're savvy consumers who know where to get the best deals - and you've helped us start a revolution!)

With the announcement of our 10th Birthday, you have floored us by responding with such enthusiasm and creativity. So much so that yesterday we announced the addition of the Creative Entry Award: $1000 Amazon Gift Certificate!

Here's a glimpse of how real fans are getting really creative:

While we consider an appropriate response to this marriage proposal - here's some creative inspiration. This is just a sampling of some of the #squaretrade entries that caught our attention. Check back to see if your entry is featured on our blog!

Think your entry should be featured here? Check back and post in the comments below. (If you entered via Twitter, be sure to include a link to your tweet.) Thanks!

Questions about our #SquareTrade Giveaway? Check our F.A.Q.

With all the excitement, we realize there might be some further questions about our 10 Kindles in 10 Days Giveaway.  Rather than repeating ourselves every day on Twitter or Facebook, below are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.

Of course, we still recommend you visit http://www.squaretrade.com/giveaway for the Official Rules and details.

I saw all my friends tweeting #SquareTrade. So, who is SquareTrade?

Let's start by saying that warranties suck.

Or, at least they did before SquareTrade stepped in to give consumers a refreshing choice never offered before. We sell electronics warranties direct to consumers at prices that make sense – up to 70% less than other warranties!

Want to learn more about us and how we're revolutionizing the industry? Join the conversation with us here on our blog, on Facebook or on Twitter. And, of course, check out our official home a squaretrade.com!

Why are we doing this giveaway?

Our 10th Birthday is a celebration of our customer's belief in SquareTrade's mission to change the way people buy warranties - and we're glad to make you part of that celebration!

Starting today –10 Kindles in 10 Days Give Away!

SquareTrade turns 10, with over a million warranties sold! We couldn't have done it without you. Please join us as we celebrate!

We're giving away a Kindle a day. And, of course, we'll include SquareTrade coverage to protect your prize from drops and spills.

Entering is simple - just tweet #squaretrade for a chance to win. 

The rest of the message is up to you. Got a would be nightmare with a happy ending thanks to SquareTrade? Or perhaps you've been dreaming of a Kindle? Tweet #squaretrade and tell us about it!

Visit http://www.squaretrade.com/giveaway for the official contest rules and details.

Less than 3 days til SquareTrade's 10th Birthday, 10 Day Giveaway!

10... 9... 8... Anyone else wishing we could speed up the countdown timer? We find ourselves wishing it were Monday already.

Don't forget: SquareTrade is gearing up to celebrate it's 10th Birthday and you're all invited!

Some of the details of our celebration are still a secret, but all are welcome to come crash the party. 
 In fact, we'd love it if you invited your friends to join the party too. If you're as excited as we are, feel free to use the buttons at the top of the post to tweet your excitement or spread to the word to your friends on facebook.