[HsvHeelFan]

Customer service and warranties are very important.  They're an indication of how a vendor stands behind their products.

Mid level and high-end audio gear is expensive.   Decent customer service and warranties are essential to providing that extra level of confidence in making the initial purchase.

The other thing I consider is how much money am I spending up front and how long is the warranty on it?

HsvHeelFan

[usedabuser]

Super important if I do not know the brand. Usually that's the case nowadays on the internet. I like a face or voice to talk to and then know the person's background. If it's a company like Harmon, Sony, etc. I like for the dealer to be "there' just for support.

[mav52]

It means everything to me, also.  Integrity is everything. That's why I dont do business with Quicksilver (Mike). 

Goodluck.

After 10 years of using their products I never had an issue with their customer service.

[mix4fix]

Warrantees in itself are important. I've seen several non-audio brands get bought out and the new corporation will not honor the old warrantees. People should know about that.

If a company treated one person bad, but do not have a history of bad customer service, people should know about that. Take everything with a grain of salt but get that information.

Be an informed buyer. That includes information that's not directly related to the product. Vote with your wallet.

[trackball02]

I care tremendously. Both my speakers and electronics are built in the USA, not China. Both are small companies and it's very easy to contact them in case of any questions. For my speakers, I was able to purchase updated drivers that were easy to install myself, and the old drivers were returned for credit. My amp had a capacitor defect, and I was able to trouble shoot initially via email, and when it was not resolved, it was sent back and repaired under warranty. I got a feeling that they would have fixed it no charge even if out of warranty anyway.

I appreciate that both companies really want to keep their customers happy and eventually upgrading to their higher end models. I will be doing so in the next few years. 

[brooklyn]

For me, customer service begins with reliable equipment but yes, customer service is paramount when I
do purchase anything in general, I also look for USA made when possible. If I need to call for any reason
and theres someone on the other end of the phone I can’t seem to understand, I no longer do business
with that company..... No exceptions.

[gregcss]

Length of warranty is a bit above negligible important to me. I find that if something is going to break due to a bad part it'll break in the first 30 days. Customer service after something is out of warranty is highly important. In recent years I've only contacted Parasound (out of warranty) and Reebok (broken hockey stick within 30 days) and both were great to work with.

[Bemopti123]

The more money spent on a product, the more I care about warranty.  Most of the audio gear I now possess, is US made by large or small firms but I do notice that manufacturers with longer histories, 10-20 years, even though produce less by volume, seem to me most reliable in terms of getting warranty service.  There are small, cottage manufacturers that although might easy to reach, are in themselves, always in limbo for a longer period of time.  Those companies that offer 5-10 or even more years of warranty...If they survive more than 10 years, I will trust things to be fixed.  How many companies have bitten the dust within 2-5 years of their existence?  I remember companies that took full page ads in Stereophile....just to have their companies disappear into nothing within 1-2 years. 

But, if a company disappears into obscurity and I am left with a piece of gear....I want it to be simple enough to rebuilt through a different company, whenever it is possible.  Tube circuitry and the like, this is easily doable but those companies that use surface mount components with hundreds of parts, good luck with that..... Like my Crown professional amplifier that uses Class D amplification boards, which I believe are proprietary....but then, it is a pro amp, it should be reliable enough.  Of course, if it goes bust, I least I can afford to replace the entire unit.... unlike big name maker amplifiers. 

PS:  I cannot recall any company that provides beyond 5 years of warranty on their electronics except Bryston and the older Classes made by S Reich. 

[Guy 13]

Hi all.
I was browsing on the Internet for an alarm clock
and I saw that the well known brands like Wesclox, etc...
have a much longer warranty period then the unknown brand
and that tells me something about the quality of the product.
If the manufacturers really believe in the quality of their products
the manufacturers will give a longer warranty.
Now what about those manufacturers that give 20 years
or even lifetime warranty?
To me it's because they believe in the quality of their products,
however, I've noticed that many products with a lifetime warranty
are much more expensive for something similar with a one year warranty.

Guy 13

[I.Greyhound Fan]

Customer service and a decent warranty are important.  I have own an AVAHiFi Preamp and DAC and Frank Van Alstine's customer service is the best in the business and he has a loyal following because of it.  I also own Parasound, BAT and Pass gear and their customer service is very good as well.  Their long warranty's show that they stand behind their products.

The same goes for cars.  I have owned many different brands but all take a back seat to my Acura dealer and their service shop.

[srb]

Now what about those manufacturers that give 20 years
or even lifetime warranty?
To me it's because they believe in the quality of their products,
however, I've noticed that many products with a lifetime warranty
are much more expensive for something similar with a one year warranty.

A warranty is factored into the price of an item.  All products have failure rates which the manufacturer knows and is used to calculate the cost of the warranty that is added in to the total just as are parts, labor, transportation and overhead.

A quality component that has a 20 year warranty may have a similar failure rate to another quality component that has a five year warranty .  Each manufacturer has to determine how much warranty to include and decide if a longer warranty justifies the higher retail price in relation to their competition.

What isn't a calculated number, and the consumer only hears about via word of mouth, is how quickly and efficiently the manufacturer completes the warranty service, whatever the warranty period.  This varies and is also important.

I have to give kudos to a few non-audio manufacturers that I've dealt with that have quality products, lifetime warranties and exceptional service - Mag Instruments (Maglite), Delta Faucet and Fiskars.

Steve

[Bemopti123]

I think the worst type of warranties are those that are given my manufactures of home improvement or home related items.  For example, sprayer heads for garden hoses.....Lifetime warranty...... knowing fully well that No one will keep the paperwork for the item in question and when and if they fail..... No one bothers to return or go through the process of replacement. 

The best non warranty warranty service I ever had for a product that obviously had a limited lifespan are the folks from Etymotic Research....Once had a ER4P....  It went back to the factory at least 4-5 times for cable and other replacements.  The last time it was repaired, the invoiced said.... "Last warranty repair on good will terms."  There is only so many times that a company can repair wear and tear on a product without having $$$$ repercussions. 

Etymotic was awesome....  Whestone headphones?   2 year warranty....  If product fails within warranty awesome, outside....  Facing hundred of $$$$ for a replacement.  Absolute inverse from what Etymotic has done.  Etymotic made in Illinois, Whestone?  PRC....Cannot understand why to pay couple of hundred bucks for replacing $400 worth of headphones.

I have also heard that McIntosh has awesome service. 

[brooklyn]

Back when I lived in NY I purchased a Melnor oscillating sprinkler and the warranty read “Guaranteed for as
long as you own your home”. Well that sprinkler would only last one season and I would send it to them and
they sent me a brand new one. On the third year I sent it in and the box came back and it said moved on it.

I guess they decided they didn’t want to honor there warranty anymore because the
sprinkler wasn’t forwarded to there new address.

[WGH]

I have to give kudos to a few non-audio manufacturers that I've dealt with that have quality products, lifetime warranties and exceptional service - Mag Instruments (Maglite), Delta Faucet and Fiskars.

I bought a JC Penny Lifetime Battery in 1979; they will replace it for free for as long as you own your car. I still drive my '77 Jeep Wagoner everyday, the AZ heat kills batteries so every 2 or 3 years I get a new battery and it costs me nothing. Kudo's to JCP for honoring the guarantee and doing the right thing.

Wayne