Joined Nov 2017
L1: Learner
Forum Thread
Broken Sony TV, getting the run-around from Costco and Allstate/Square-Trade Warranty
Yesterday at
09:57 AM
I purchased a Sony OLED 77" TV from Costco on Sept 11 2022, using the Citi Costco card if that matters. The TV was a floor unit, and was sold with a bundled Allstate 3yr warranty that went into effect after the first two years of manufacturer warranty are up. This warranty was not a separate "Do you want to add it", it was included with the TV purchase same as tv's now do. Tomorrow marks year 4 of the Allstate warranty, so well within the time frame. And I have the original paper receipt to confirm all this too.
On 9/6, the TV was working perfectly and was turned off at nighttime. On 9/7, the TV failed to power on. I am able to see a red LED flashing 4 times repeatedly at the very bottom of the TV.
I started the claim process with Allstate on 9/7, only to learn today while on the phone with them that the TV is actually ineligible for the warranty due to it being a floor model, meaning it only had a 2 year warranty (and now I wonder if Sony would even cover a floor model under their warranty). They have since closed my case that took 3 days of constant emailing back and forth to get to this state, and have disabled me from opening a new claim without first calling in now (probably voiding future coverage now).
Allstate ended the call by saying they recommend contacting Costco since they shouldn't have included the warranty, to which I said "yeah that makes sense" and do they transferred me over. Costco Technical and Warranty Services told me then that what they see about Allstate not covering floor units makes sense as it's in their policy, and that I shouldn't have been able to purchase warranty for a floor model, but also that there is nothing set in stone currently about it specifically not being able to be bundled at all with floor model TV's.
Costco finished the call saying it is outside of their 2 year manufacturer warranty scope so they can't do anything about it, and that "they can't exactly go back 4 years to correct this problem". I don't think excluding a floor model from a warranty policy is unreasonable, but that should not be my responsibility to verify it was void for a display unit when it's included in the TV purchase and sold by Costco as a 5 year warranty backed product.
I'm unsure how to continue. Has anyone experienced anything similar or would be able to chime in with anything useful?
On 9/6, the TV was working perfectly and was turned off at nighttime. On 9/7, the TV failed to power on. I am able to see a red LED flashing 4 times repeatedly at the very bottom of the TV.
I started the claim process with Allstate on 9/7, only to learn today while on the phone with them that the TV is actually ineligible for the warranty due to it being a floor model, meaning it only had a 2 year warranty (and now I wonder if Sony would even cover a floor model under their warranty). They have since closed my case that took 3 days of constant emailing back and forth to get to this state, and have disabled me from opening a new claim without first calling in now (probably voiding future coverage now).
Allstate ended the call by saying they recommend contacting Costco since they shouldn't have included the warranty, to which I said "yeah that makes sense" and do they transferred me over. Costco Technical and Warranty Services told me then that what they see about Allstate not covering floor units makes sense as it's in their policy, and that I shouldn't have been able to purchase warranty for a floor model, but also that there is nothing set in stone currently about it specifically not being able to be bundled at all with floor model TV's.
Costco finished the call saying it is outside of their 2 year manufacturer warranty scope so they can't do anything about it, and that "they can't exactly go back 4 years to correct this problem". I don't think excluding a floor model from a warranty policy is unreasonable, but that should not be my responsibility to verify it was void for a display unit when it's included in the TV purchase and sold by Costco as a 5 year warranty backed product.
I'm unsure how to continue. Has anyone experienced anything similar or would be able to chime in with anything useful?
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I've never disputed something that long after purchase so I don't know if it's even possible but a simple phone call should tell you.
Provide the credit card company with the documentation showing you have the extended warranty and they are not honoring it. It's too bad you didn't 'purchase' the extended warranty, that would probably give you more leverage as you would have clearly paid for a service they are not providing...
Good luck.