Warranty worth it?

[arond24]

I picked up the 2 lens Nikon d3400 kit. I am generally against warranties for products but the lady at the camera store said I could use it for cleanings as well..it was $80 for a 3 year warranty...covered everything except theft...what do u gys think? I have a 2.5 yr old boy and a 1 yr old girl rampaging thru my house on a daily basis fyi

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

i think you stole that warranty!

 

[Derrel]

I picked up the 2 lens Nikon d3400 kit. I am generally against warranties for products but the lady at the camera store said I could use it for cleanings as well..it was $80 for a 3 year warranty...covered everything except theft...what do u gys think? I have a 2.5 yr old boy and a 1 yr old girl rampaging thru my house on a daily basis fyi

I hope you payed only $499 for the two-lens 3400 kit, which is what Nikon has had it priced at this holiday season. As a former camera sales associate I can tell you the truth. Long-term three- and five-year warranty sales pay huge spiffs for sales people. Contrary to what many believe, the margins on photo goods are very slim but the sales of extended warranties have hefty profit margin built right in. Camera bags, protective filters, and extended warranty sales are the meat and potatoes for a sales associate at retail. If the warranty gives you peace of mind, fine. But in three years it's likely that this camera will have already been sold or retired, and many of these warranties are non-transferable. Most Nikon gear will not break within three years, and so the retailer will make a clean, quick profit profit and approximately 20 to 25 percent of that $80 sale price for the warranty will go directly to the sales associate in this week's payvheck. As tight as the camera market has become sales of accessories and extended warranty are almost the only areas where a sales associate can make any money for him or herself.

 

[arond24]

Indeed! bought the kit for $499...interesting perspective from u as a former salesman...she tried to sell me on an "Essentials" package...2 filters/protectors, class, sd cards, strap and a lens cleaning pen...

aside from the "essential" sd cards...what are your thoughts on thise UV filters?not needed?

I picked up the 2 lens Nikon d3400 kit. I am generally against warranties for products but the lady at the camera store said I could use it for cleanings as well..it was $80 for a 3 year warranty...covered everything except theft...what do u gys think? I have a 2.5 yr old boy and a 1 yr old girl rampaging thru my house on a daily basis fyi

I hope you payed only $499 for the two-lens 3400 kit, which is what Nikon has had it priced at this holiday season. As a former camera sales associate I can tell you the truth. Long-term three- and five-year warranty sales pay huge spiffs for sales people. Contrary to what many believe, the margins on photo goods are very slim but the sales of extended warranties have hefty profit margin built right in. Camera bags, protective filters, and extended warranty sales are the meat and potatoes for a sales associate at retail. If the warranty gives you peace of mind, fine. But in three years it's likely that this camera will have already been sold or retired, and many of these warranties are non-transferable. Most Nikon gear will not break within three years, and so the retailer will make a clean, quick profit profit and approximately 20 to 25 percent of that $80 sale price for the warranty will go directly to the sales associate in this week's payvheck. As tight as the camera market has become sales of accessories and extended warranty are almost the only areas where a sales associate can make any money for him or herself.

 

[astroNikon]

...what are your thoughts on thise UV filters?not needed?

Ack!! .. the words "UV filters" should be banned when chatting about digital cameras "packages/kits"

 

[Derrel]

UV filters or protective filters whatever you want to call them. they are another huge source of profit for camera stores. Digital sensors are not sensitive to ultraviolet light so a UV filter is not necessary. UV filters are a High spiff area for salespeople. It's not surprising to see a 25 to even 33% spiff on the sale of every UV filter, especially the cheap ones usually sold as add-ons with kits. If you ever hear the phrase , "Well don't you want to protect your investment?', you know what you're being sold-- a high-profit item like a UV filter or a cheap MIC camera bag that the retailer pays $8 for, so he can sell it to you for $59.95.

 

[Derrel]

No matter what you got at the camera store, the holiday price on that two-lens D3400 kit is ridiculously low. I was really shocked to see how far Nikon has cut the price on that--they've knocked a legit 5 bills off of that. It is one of the craziest deals I have seen in a long time. Even if you got nailed for eighty or a hundred bucks on "Essentials" you still made out pretty well. You've got a brand new Nikon d-SLR with Wi-Fi and near field communication,two new zooms, in a compact , capable, and light kit. Hell of a deal for $499---and the huge 5-bill price slash from full retail created plenty of leverage for sales folks and their stores to make some money too.

 

[JonA_CT]

No matter what you got at the camera store, the holidsy price on that two-lend D3400 kit is ridiculously low. I was really shocked to see how far Nikon has cut the price on that they've got a legit 5 bills off of that. It is one of the craziest deals I have seen in a long time. Even if you got nailed for eighty or a hundred bucks on "Essentials" you still made out pretty well. You've got a brand new Nikon d-SLR with Wi-Fi and near field communication,two new zooms, in a compact , capable, and light kit. Hell of a deal it for $499---and the huge 5-bill price Slash from regular retail GIFs plenty of Leverage for sales folks to make some money too.

Seriously. I wish there had been a Nikon package around like that when I bought my SL1 18 months ago. I'd probably still be shooting with that D3x00 rather than the D600 I ended up getting when I decided I wanted the fancy Nikon sensors later (and have more money in my wallet, of course).

 

[weepete]

Ach, extended warenties I do not take. Unless they give me a significant discount on the goods but even then it's unlikley I'll take them up on it. In the UK at least your statitory rights acually cover you anyway.

 

[greybeard35 7]

Has anyone here ever used an extended warranty? Did it work out?

 

[fmw]

I was once a part owner of a warranty company. If they sell you a warranty with the camera, most likely it will be more profitable than the camera itself. My advice is to go through life never buying one. The rare instances in which you have to pay for service will c0st far far less than all the money you spent on warranties. You don't think they do it to lose money, do you?