Do you register your new product purchases?

[browncow]

Why or why not?

I'm clearing the pile of stuff off my desk, and came upon the info packet for the washer I bought months ago.

I usually register high $ products like computers, where they also require it for support, but for this cheapo washer, I'm not so sure. I know that they can't legally deny warranty coverage if I don't register.

I'm not inclined to register and have to participate in a marketing survey, give out more personal information, further propagate even a disposible e-mail address, all in return for little benefit, while potentially inviting a new surge of junk mail.

What say you?

 

[paulg]

Recalls

They need your information if the product is recalled. Without the warranty card, owners are very difficult to find.

 

[alr2903]

Yes and they can mail you that service contract offer about 4 times, approx a $100 to put a service policy on a $200 washer. I did not think of the recall thing though. Good point paulg. alr2903

 

[maytagbear]

The survey

questions can be legally omitted. All they need is model, serial, and name/address.

I usually register products through the 1-800 number, though. Did that last week with my new (additional) glucose meter, a OneTouch Ultra Mini.

If it's over 100.00, or something health related, I register it.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[launderess]

As one with a BS degree in Marketing, am here to tell you those product registration cards/surveys are more about gathering information than anything else. If something is going majorly wrong with a product, and or there is a recall, such things are always announced by the manufacturer and or government, not to mention the media including Consumer's Reports. Therefore unless one lives under a rock or totally cutoff from the outside world, it is highly unlikely you wouldn't know about any such action.

Yes, the information probably does help one get a heads up a bit faster in case of an emergency, but would only put down the vital information such as model number, serial number , etc. Do not divulge personal information and the like. To really keep things interesting, use only your first initial, or spell your first name slighly differently on each card/survery you send in; you'd be surprised how soon and much junk mail starts coming your way. At least then you'll know the source of your personal information.

Personally have never sent in a warranty card or the like in my life, and nobody has died, or suffered any adverse affects.

L.

 

[paulg]

But still...

Laundress has some valid points but...
If a recall occurs, 100% of the cards are called. However, when a recall is posted to the public the manufacturer only gets a response of about 15-30% of the owners at absolute maximum. This leaves most of the owners unattended to, which ain't a good thing.
Fortunately, recalls are rare so your chances of trouble are slim.

 

[red_october]

My granduncle used to fill in such cards, as well as magazine subscriptions, etc, using for his middle initial the first letter of the company he was signing up for, and see what came in the mail to an Arthur G. Edwards, if, say, he had registered a GE washer, and so on.

 

[exploder3211]

Launderess~

BS degree in Marketing

Is that not all marketing is??? LoL

Sorry i honestly did not know what a BS degree was until tonight.. ANd i am 23 years old.. yeesh

 

[whirlcool]

Laundress:

You are correct. A friend told us about this trick to use when completing warranty cards as far back as 1981 or so. Just use a specific name for each company and see what junk mail it brings.
After I saw this is true for myself, we totally stopped completing those forms. We already get a ton of junk mail the way it is.
After I pull the mail out of the mailbox, my next stop is the trash can. I used to have a box in the garage to throw the junk mail in. When it would fill up each week, I just now do "direct filing"!

 

[laundromat]

I always send mine in and never get any garbage mail.Infact,a lot of times I am sent rebate forms showing me which products are available either on sale,discontinued or new products being introduced.The GE dishwasher I regesterd just happens to be on recall and I was actualy thrilled because the replacement model is a "Tall Tub unit I had prior to living here.The one here has the opening to allow the spray arm to extend its tower through to feed the upper rack spray arm and takes away usable space in the lower rack.The Tall tub model has a seperate feeding line for the upper spray arm.

 

[frigilux]

I never fill out those cards, even for major appliances. Somehow, though, Frigidaire still sent me an 'Your________'s manufacturer's warranty is about to expire. You can purchase an extended warranty blah-blah-blah...." One came for each of my ranges, refrigerator, dishwasher, washer & dryer.

 

[sudsmaster]

Agree with Laundress and others. I learned back in the 70's that there is no legal reason why one must send in a completed registration card - that the warranty must be honored regardless. Consequently I rarely if ever send in one of those things. I suppose I would make an exception if I were a real fan of the company and really wanted to receive their junk mail. Hasn't happened yet, lol.

Re: extended warranties. I'm still very glad I got one my my Neptune 7500. It's more than paid for itself. Probably saved me over $1000 in repair bills, for a cost of $120. Never did have to use the extended warranty for the matching gas dryer. Did use the warranty for the KA sxs fridge (ice maker acted up; warranty repair replaced the icemaker controller circuit board, worked slightly better but went on fritz again; turned out the problem was really that a power outage had resulted in the water feed line freezing up... once I defrosted that, all worked just fine).

With some things, you have no choice. If you buy a new car, the mfg already has all your info. Which is good in case of a recall. And of course the computer industry has figured out that they can make the software you "purchased" brain-dead until you register it on-line.