John Lewis Five Year Guarantee

Irratus_Rusticus

This is a pre-emptive rant...

You'll have seen the "John Lewis five year guarantee" for TVs? JL's webpage ( titled "Our guarantees and what they're worth" ) says:

"The best example's probably televisions, where we offer a 5 year guarantee -that might be up to 4 years over and above the guarantee offered by the manufacturer."

Sounds excellent and crystal clear? Especially with:

"Why does John Lewis do this? We recognise that certain items are what you might call considered purchases, which people may feel a bit nervous about because of the financial outlay and the reliability factor involved. We want to offer you some extra reassurance that you won't incur expensive repair bills in the unlikely event of something going wrong. [...] What's the small print? We're covering the product to remain in working order for the life of that guarantee..."

So you are covered by the John Lewis five year guarantee for all five years, right?

Before ordering a 32 inch Samsung TV I asked for specific assurance regarding collection/return should a repair become necessary during the five year guarantee (because I don't drive and there's no JL store or Samsung repair centre local to me). JL assured me they "never require customers to bring a TV to a repair centre". So I ordered my shiny new TV.

Even before it arrived I found worrying tales of firmware updates breaking this particular model, and to add to my grumpy-old-git paranoia, found Samsung's website requires TVs "32 inch or below" to be "carried in" to a repair centre under their manufacturer warranty. So who exactly will I have to deal with within the first year if my John Lewis bought set breaks?

I rang JL customer services. I was again assured John Lewis "never requires customers to bring a TV to a repair centre". I explained about Samsung's terms regarding set size and home visits and was told not to worry.

Well I do, especially with all this new-fangled firmware upgrade malarky breaking sets left, right and centre, so I rang JL's technical support to double-check what they do in practice.

Well, yes, they say, you'll be under the manufacturer's warranty for the first year. So will Samsung's home visit size limit apply? John Lewis sets a 26" limit. Interesting I'm sure, but wont I be stuck with Samsung's interpretation? Don't worry, they say, "we go the extra distance for our customer" if a manufacturer refuses to send out a technician. Is this in writing anywhere? No, they say, the guarantee is due for re-writing for other issues.

I've since received a requested email response from John Lewis: "I would like to confirm that our customers are not required to bring in the televisions to our repair centres. It will be collected from your address and will be brought back once it is repaired."

So this means I'm obviously not limited to Samsung's warranty terms in the first year where the manufacturer's terms are less advantageous? After all, is a John Lewis five year guarantee a five year guarantee or not?

I'll be back in the next twelve months if my TV breaks to update....

roddydogs

You ordered a TV that had "Worrying tales of Firmware updates"?
Samsung are not liable, JL are

Irratus_Rusticus

Well, I ordered it before I found the worrying tales.

I'm hoping it's a law-of-averages thing. Folk reporting hassles used the auto-upgrade via broadcast method. That can be turned off. I'll download to a USB and give myself a few months with the new set before I light some incense, do a few chants and click 'OK'. Given my pre-emptive discussions with JL, I'm assuming they'll be sweetness and light if things go belly up with the TV for whatever reason.

Esqui

It's by the by, but some Samsung repair centres will come out and collect smaller items from you if you call the service centre direct.

vyle

Wait, so are you cross with JL about anything? Cos, I presumed that they'd pick the TV up and then do the RMA with samsung.

Sooler

Why not wait until the flippin thing actually breaks :eek:

Oliver14

So you're getting all in a tis about a problem that hasn't actually happened. You must really have some time on your hands if you can spend all this time hasseling JL about an imaginary problem. Go out take up a hobby.

Crazy_Jamie

Look on the bright side; if you have the time to worry so much about an issue that hasn't happened and may well never happen, I can only assume that you don't have many actual problems to worry about. I can't remember ever advising someone to 'chill out' on the internet before, but it seems apt here.

Irratus_Rusticus

Weird... you include a self-disparaging "grumpy old git paranoia" admission and some superior souls still feel the need to take a pop. Still, I'm sure I'll be a much better person for the helpful advice. Perhaps I do have no other problems to occupy my mind...sorry if that offends anyone. Ever thought of just scrolling by? No, really, please do...

loracan1

You've been assured twice that they're going to honour it and had further reassurance via email - what more could John Lewis do to stop you worrying?

Irratus_Rusticus

Goodness me... responding to my critics has triggered a mutual back slapping. Or has John Lewis called out the Home Guard? :rotfl:

"You've been assured twice that they're going to honour it and had further reassurance via email what more could John Lewis do to stop you worrying?"

Odd selective interpretation? I posted to reveal what I had to do to get a written assurance. Superior hindsight wasn't available when I started. This site seems an odd place to be mocked for revealing such matters. "Worrying" is also an interesting term in context. This is the 'money expert' site? Place where folk are always encouraged to check out deals, guarantees and not be afraid to barter etc? Or is the line now, "It might never happen so wait until it does"? Forget written warranties and confirming aftercare service, the retail world is a cuddly place. Martin Lewis must be retiring, 'job well done'?

I clearly must be more submissive to my critics and explain my temerity for posting.

Collect/return for repairs is a common enough question when buying electronic goods - personally I always prefer this rather than RTB especially with non-local purchases (Does this make me overly "anxious"?)

John Lewis - huge brand - offers "five year guarantee" on TVs. I read the only available 'small print' on their website and there's no mention of collect/return. So I asked before ordering. (I know, such a worrier). Was assured verbally on John Lewis's policy so placed order. No anxiety or paranoia. (Chilled, I think is the word?)

Afterwards I discovered firmware upgrades are common cause of early TV breakdowns and my manufacturer doesn't offer collect/return in the first year warranty. So I checked back on the JL website and the small print seems to say the manufacturer's warranty applies in the first year.

Is it 'worrying' to ask John Lewis if their verbal assurance also applies in the first year regarding collect/return? Perhaps not, as JL explained I'd 'have to deal' with the manufacturer in the first year. This was the trigger for the 'worry'. What does 'have to deal with' mean to you? Is it 'worrying' to next ask John Lewis if they're aware of the manufacturer's limitation regarding collect/return under a WRITTEN warranty? JL said they weren't aware of the limitation. Is it 'worrying' to point out this gray area during the first year 'having to deal' with the manufacturer in what is, after all, a John Lewis "five year guarantee", not a four year one?

JL said their guarantee on collect/return in the first year isn't in writing but 'not to worry'. That's okay then, everyone's word is their bond, all gentlemen in retail, obviously? What's this site needed for anyway?

I rang JL's technical folk. They said firmware upgrade problems are a common cause of TVs needing early return to repair centres (definitive cause to worry I'd say, but then clearly I'm a worrier) and that, yes, their customers have to deal with the manufacturer in the first year.

BUT because I was querying the issue, I would receive an email confirming collect/return will be available to me in the first year (i.e. not necessarily to you, dear unworrying critic).

My OP didn't criticise the outcome or John Lewis's final clarification. I posted to highlight the unusual greyness of a so-called "five year guarantee" that isn't in writing on such key points as where a manufacturer's warranty is less favourable. It seems not unreasonable to wonder why John Lewis shouldn't give an expressly termed written 'guarantee' for the avoidance having to ask.

So, just to be crystal clear. I did not receive 'assurances'. I received contradictions. By asking, not worrying, I got a written assurance. That, to me, is the only assurance that counts. Sorry if that offends anyone's gentlemanly sensitivities.

If any further clarity is needed, please do not hesitate to ask. I appear to have too much time on my hands...