Touch Kobo Touch Extended 2 Year Warranty - Is it worth the $34.99?

EverC · 08-30-2011, 05:25 PM

I was wondering, if I should purchase the 2 Year Extended Warranty offered online by Kobo. Does anybody have experiences/opinions to share?
Also, I do wonder how long I have to purchase the Extended Warranty, it says that it's valid from date of purchase of the Kobo Touch, but do I have to buy the warranty within a certain timeframe? Like within 1 month of purchase?
Or can I decide before my manufacturer's warranty runs out, that I would like to have coverage for an extra year?

Pistos · 08-30-2011, 08:39 PM

A Kobo representative could probably have better answers, but I'll say that I bought the Protection Plan within 48 hours of getting my KT. Some points to think about: you have to plug in the KT and sync over the Internet to complete the purchase of the Protection Plan. That'll probably be hard to do if it is already damaged significantly.

As well, I read the fine print, and one of the points is that, to make a claim, you must send your KT to them in the original box/packaging -- so don't throw that away!

Personally, I think it's worth it, assuming they keep their word, because it covers drops and liquid damage, which is not something I see with many other electronic device warranties. I've had three hand-held devices damaged in my life so far, so I think the empirical evidence is against me.

exNookie · 08-30-2011, 08:48 PM

My feeling is the cost of devices will drop significantly over the next year. Also, there will be major improvements in the hardware and software on new product releases.

I personally am not into paying an extra ~30% of the original cost for warranty protection on a device that will probably be outdated within a year.

Then again it's a great device and offers more than what many people want and need for the next 2 years so maybe it makes sense for some.

shighfield · 08-30-2011, 09:36 PM

They will have to issue refunds for them all soon. They are 100% broken. I'm tired of re loading my books, not using Calibre just the Kobo store and the memory STILL gets corrupt.
I'm not a happy camper and Kobo doesn't care one bit.

SensualPoet · 08-30-2011, 10:12 PM

I think it's worth it from this stand-point: you get 100% full warranty for two years for $17.50 per year. No arguments, no hand-wringing about whether you qualify.

However, I'm a gambler and would choose not to. Then again, I have an Original Kobo and a Kobo WiFi as back up ... and a Kobo Touch refurb will likely be available for under $100 if/when I needed one. And, I might not needed one. So far, all my ereaders are in tip top shape and three get used regularly (as in daily/weekly).

PeterT · 08-30-2011, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shighfield

They will have to issue refunds for them all soon. They are 100% broken. I'm tired of re loading my books, not using Calibre just the Kobo store and the memory STILL gets corrupt.
I'm not a happy camper and Kobo doesn't care one bit.

Um.. they DO care... trust me on that!

shighfield · 08-31-2011, 07:52 AM

They have done nothing for me but tell me it's obviously something I am doing. So Peter, sorry I don't trust you on that.

SCION · 08-31-2011, 09:26 AM

Whether to purchase an extended warranty or not depends on your financial condition and/or whether you regularly buy new gadgets. Are you able to plop down another $140 (or whatever applies to you) to buy a new one? After a year or so will you lose interest in the device and crave something fresh.

rashkae · 08-31-2011, 10:43 AM

It's a $130 device. Well within my "Oh, damn, I'm sad, now I have to replace it" budget. This "protection" plan is 27% of the price of a new device, paid up front, in case it might prove deffective or get damaged in the time frame I want to replace it with a refurbished model of the same??? That's crazy. I don't know what the failure/damage rate of Kobo's are, but I'm willing to wager that it's less than 1 out of 10.

Pistos · 08-31-2011, 12:51 PM

I got my device at "standard" Canadian price, which was $140. $35 is 25%, not ~30%. And, as has been mentioned, it boils down to your comfort zone -- I feel that the chances of my KT being damaged are non-negligible, so I had no qualms paying for the Protection Plan. I fully intend for this device to last me several years. 3 at the least. If I'm going to lay down money for another electronic device, it'll be a smartphone or a tablet, not another eReader, especially if my current eReader is doing its job just fine, which I expect to be the case 2, 3 or even more years from now.

Shankill · 09-01-2011, 12:39 AM

Having had a Kobo 1 stop working, then a warranty replacement Kobo 2 stop working, and also given my past history of spilling cereal all over my keyboards, I felt the $35 a small price to pay for the peace of mind. And given that I feel its features and speed are at the point where I'm not going to contemplate replacing it in the next two or three years, I thought I might as well.

Also, since it's USD 35, I only paid AUD 32 for it.

24% of the Kobo's price for me!

The Terminator · 09-01-2011, 12:47 AM

I think it's worth it, my Kobo Original went a little under a month before the warranty was up.

08-30-2011, 05:25 PM	#1
EverC Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Canada Device: Amazon Kindle 3, Kobo Touch (returned)	Kobo Touch Extended 2 Year Warranty - Is it worth the $34.99? I was wondering, if I should purchase the 2 Year Extended Warranty offered online by Kobo. Does anybody have experiences/opinions to share? Also, I do wonder how long I have to purchase the Extended Warranty, it says that it's valid from date of purchase of the Kobo Touch, but do I have to buy the warranty within a certain timeframe? Like within 1 month of purchase? Or can I decide before my manufacturer's warranty runs out, that I would like to have coverage for an extra year?

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Touch Kobo Touch now available in Best Buy stores in Dallas/Fort Worth area	jswinden	Kobo Reader	8	08-11-2011 01:44 AM
Touch Kobo Touch Extended Warranty Program	SensualPoet	Kobo Reader	1	07-17-2011 05:08 AM
Extended Warranty	vmill	Amazon Kindle	9	09-17-2010 07:46 PM
Just spent USD 106 for an extended 4-yr warranty... worth it?	cmhsieh54	iRex	9	09-04-2010 05:30 PM
2-Year Extended Warranty for Kindle 2. Yea or Nay?	kilofox	Amazon Kindle	37	07-03-2009 02:19 PM

08-30-2011, 08:39 PM	#2
Pistos Connoisseur Posts: 95 Karma: 3198 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Touch	A Kobo representative could probably have better answers, but I'll say that I bought the Protection Plan within 48 hours of getting my KT. Some points to think about: you have to plug in the KT and sync over the Internet to complete the purchase of the Protection Plan. That'll probably be hard to do if it is already damaged significantly. As well, I read the fine print, and one of the points is that, to make a claim, you must send your KT to them in the original box/packaging -- so don't throw that away! Personally, I think it's worth it, assuming they keep their word, because it covers drops and liquid damage, which is not something I see with many other electronic device warranties. I've had three hand-held devices damaged in my life so far, so I think the empirical evidence is against me.

08-30-2011, 08:48 PM	#3
exNookie Member Posts: 20 Karma: 90 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Calgary, Canada Device: Kobo Touch	My feeling is the cost of devices will drop significantly over the next year. Also, there will be major improvements in the hardware and software on new product releases. I personally am not into paying an extra ~30% of the original cost for warranty protection on a device that will probably be outdated within a year. Then again it's a great device and offers more than what many people want and need for the next 2 years so maybe it makes sense for some.

08-30-2011, 09:36 PM	#4
shighfield Groupie!? GROUPIE!?!? Posts: 319 Karma: 649 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: The Dirty Shwa Device: EBW 1150, Libra Color	They will have to issue refunds for them all soon. They are 100% broken. I'm tired of re loading my books, not using Calibre just the Kobo store and the memory STILL gets corrupt. I'm not a happy camper and Kobo doesn't care one bit.

08-30-2011, 10:12 PM	#5
SensualPoet Wizard Posts: 2,302 Karma: 2607151 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Asus ZenPad 3, Kobo Glo	I think it's worth it from this stand-point: you get 100% full warranty for two years for $17.50 per year. No arguments, no hand-wringing about whether you qualify. However, I'm a gambler and would choose not to. Then again, I have an Original Kobo and a Kobo WiFi as back up ... and a Kobo Touch refurb will likely be available for under $100 if/when I needed one. And, I might not needed one. So far, all my ereaders are in tip top shape and three get used regularly (as in daily/weekly).

08-31-2011, 07:52 AM	#7
shighfield Groupie!? GROUPIE!?!? Posts: 319 Karma: 649 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: The Dirty Shwa Device: EBW 1150, Libra Color	They have done nothing for me but tell me it's obviously something I am doing. So Peter, sorry I don't trust you on that.

08-31-2011, 09:26 AM	#8
SCION Séduisant Posts: 4,706 Karma: 2107018 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Texas, USA Device: Boox Note Air2+; Kobo Libra2; Kindle Scribe, Oasis3; iPad Mini6	Whether to purchase an extended warranty or not depends on your financial condition and/or whether you regularly buy new gadgets. Are you able to plop down another $140 (or whatever applies to you) to buy a new one? After a year or so will you lose interest in the device and crave something fresh.

08-31-2011, 10:43 AM	#9
rashkae Wizard Posts: 1,221 Karma: 5372649 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Ontario, Canada Device: Kobo Aura HD	It's a $130 device. Well within my "Oh, damn, I'm sad, now I have to replace it" budget. This "protection" plan is 27% of the price of a new device, paid up front, in case it might prove deffective or get damaged in the time frame I want to replace it with a refurbished model of the same??? That's crazy. I don't know what the failure/damage rate of Kobo's are, but I'm willing to wager that it's less than 1 out of 10.

08-31-2011, 12:51 PM	#10
Pistos Connoisseur Posts: 95 Karma: 3198 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Touch	I got my device at "standard" Canadian price, which was $140. $35 is 25%, not ~30%. And, as has been mentioned, it boils down to your comfort zone -- I feel that the chances of my KT being damaged are non-negligible, so I had no qualms paying for the Protection Plan. I fully intend for this device to last me several years. 3 at the least. If I'm going to lay down money for another electronic device, it'll be a smartphone or a tablet, not another eReader, especially if my current eReader is doing its job just fine, which I expect to be the case 2, 3 or even more years from now.

09-01-2011, 12:39 AM	#11
Shankill Nameless Being	Having had a Kobo 1 stop working, then a warranty replacement Kobo 2 stop working, and also given my past history of spilling cereal all over my keyboards, I felt the $35 a small price to pay for the peace of mind. And given that I feel its features and speed are at the point where I'm not going to contemplate replacing it in the next two or three years, I thought I might as well. Also, since it's USD 35, I only paid AUD 32 for it. 24% of the Kobo's price for me!

09-01-2011, 12:47 AM	#12
The Terminator Retired Posts: 2,552 Karma: 37638420 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Vancouver Island Canada Device: Kobo Touch, Optimus One (2.3), Nexus 7 (4.2)	I think it's worth it, my Kobo Original went a little under a month before the warranty was up.

Advert

Advert