A story about warranties in Panama and PriceSmart

[Sassy Blake]

For the sake of brevity, I've copied here a correspondence between myself and my PriceSmart contact, the VP of Specialty Foods.  This story isn't about Speciality foods but she often helps me with other questions.

Question:  when PriceSmart carries an item for instance Hisense A/C units, does PriceSmart make sure that there is convenient warranty service available to customers who buy their products from PriceSmart?

I know there is a money back guarantee, but after an A/C unit is already installed, having warrantee service is important.

This is an unrelated issue but informs the question:  A couple years ago, I gifted a Farberware food processor to a friend.  Why did I buy that particular processor?  because it was direct drive, that is the workbowl is directly over the motor.  It’s more efficient, is stronger, and won’t lug.

Early on, after a short time of use, but after the warranty expiration, a part broke on the work bowl .  she asked my husband to investigate it and he discovered a defect in manufacturing.  BUT the warranty was expired.

She gave me all the information so I could call Farberware.  Come to find out that model was manufactured in 2011, and discontinued more than 5 years ago.  That means the department store in Terronal Plaza,David from which I bought the processor was selling it 2 years after it had been discontinued.  

This leads me to conclude that probably these retailers in panama buy up merchandise like Big Lots does, and they have no concern about customer service.  They buy cheap, sell high, and the customer gets stuck with obsolete goods, with no replacement parts available.

So this same friend is considering buying an A/C unit, and was price shopping.  But when I told her what I figured out about her processor, she’s hesitant about buying the A/C unit from just anywhere.
The other question is whether the small appliances PriceSmart markets, are also obsolete models?

PriceSmart:  I can say with confidence that our strategy does not include purchasing discontinued/obsolete merchandise.  We work with manufacturers on the latest available and most reliable models.  Price and value is important at PriceSmart, but not by sacrificing quality.  Please let me check with the team about warranties.  I know we have a Corporate team that is dedicated to helping members with service issues, etc, so I feel confident that we will have the support behind the purchases of these items.  I just don't know the exact details behind it because I've always been in the Food area.  
 

I will forward further information when she sends it.

[Sassy Blake]

This is the answer I got from PriceSmart regarding their warranties; I hope this is helpful and reassuring:

 

Warranties.  I got a response from my counterpart, the VP of Buying in Non-Foods.  Here is what she shared about warranties for appliances:

 

We give full refund within 30 days if the member has the receipt, packaging and the product. After 30 days we cover whatever is stated in the instructions or on the box. For example, if the instructions say 1 year parts and labor, we will honor that statement and fix it without charging the member within that time period. If the member brings it in after the stated warranty, we can fix it but we will have to charge the member for the parts and labor.

[Brundageba]

https://www.acodeco.gob.pa/portada.php

 

Panama's Consumer Protection Agency.  There is an office in David.  

21 hours ago, Sassy Blake said:

This is the answer I got from PriceSmart regarding their warranties; I hope this is helpful and reassuring:

 

Warranties.  I got a response from my counterpart, the VP of Buying in Non-Foods.  Here is what she shared about warranties for appliances:

 

We give full refund within 30 days if the member has the receipt, packaging and the product. After 30 days we cover whatever is stated in the instructions or on the box. For example, if the instructions say 1 year parts and labor, we will honor that statement and fix it without charging the member within that time period. If the member brings it in after the stated warranty, we can fix it but we will have to charge the member for the parts and labor.

 

[Sassy Blake]

thank you.  I am aware of acodeco.

what started the post is that I unknowingly bought a new item which had been discontinued from the mfr 2 years before it was on the shelf of a retailer in Terronal Plaza.

So I got the idea that it might not be uncommon, here in Panama, to buy discontinued products from the states or elsewhere, and therefore there may not be warranty service or replacement parts from the manufacturer.

I asked my PriceSmart contact whether PriceSmart also buys those kinds of products.  The First 2 posts are my correspondence with her and her responses.

There are so many people on this site who are PriceSmart members, and when I get any information that I think might enlighten others as I've been "enlightened" , I just share it.

But thank you for posting the acodeco site.  I'm sure it'll be useful for others as well.

[Brundageba]

Thanks for your experiences you shared.  Not a bad idea apparently to go home and look up what you plan to purchase before you do, to see if it is a discontinued model. Sometimes I have found when I meet resistance with issues that are covered by ACODECO  I just tell the merchant I will file with ACODECO, and begin to walk.  Usually I get better cooperation and resolution before I leave the store.   I appreciate your story ...thanks !