Jason Dunn
06-27-2006, 05:00 AM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.sandiego-online.com/issues/february06/journal0206.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.sandiego-online.com/issues/february06/journal0206.asp</a><br /><br /></div><i>"I never dreamt my Circuit City purchase would become the international incident it did. Yes, I took a gamble buying an off-brand television. But months later, when the set broke, who knew getting it fixed would take me on a saga touching on the United States’ abysmal service industry, Draconian Chinese business practices and real-life hostage-taking and torture? I’ll get around to all that in due time...On February 20, 2005, I purchase an Apex LCD 27-inch flat-screen TV from Circuit City on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard. It costs $1,447.77 (including wall mount and taxes). Comparatively, it’s a good price. But I decline the Circuit City extended warranty—my cheapskate mistake. I distinctly ask the floor salesperson about Apex. He assures me it’s a reputable off-brand. Best of the not-quite-best."</i><br /><br />An entertaining read, and I can really sympathize with the guy - there's nothing quite like getting screwed over by a bad brand name. My own little "off-brand" story: Dell Canada had a Protron (feel the quality!) DVD player + amp + 5.1 sound system on sale during one of their "Days of Deals" promotions in the fall of 2005. The price was normally $160 CAN, and they were 50% off, a mere $80. I thought "Hey, that's a good price for a $160 system - not top quality, but not $80 Wal-Mart junk either." I picked up two of them for Christmas presents, and they ended up being complete junk. Both units had problems with the left/right front speakers not playing back audio properly. Even after replacing the three cent cables they didn't work. <br /><br />I tried seeing if Dell would replace them, and of course they wouldn't. I looked up Protron and their "repair" policy was for me to ship the entire thing back to them, which would cost more in shipping fees that what I originally paid. I ended up throwing the system in the trash (I kept the DVD player) after having it on my workbench for six months. Sometimes it pays to pay a bit more and get a brand where customer service is a known concept.