If you find yourself in need of home appliances to either install in a new home or need to replace an existing item. Do NOT go to Spencer's TV and Appliance to buy one. Their prices may be better than other places, but their business practices are not what you would call honest.
Many people who have purchased an appliance from them and bought the 5 year Total Service Contract for $99.00 got screwed! Major appliances include in the "bargain price" a one year manufacturers warranty. Anything sold to the customer is not an extended warranty it is a service contract. Service contracts are an additional cost to the consumer and DO NOT COVER ANYTHING AT ALL WHILE THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY IS EFFECTIVE.
So, when those of us who bought a service contract from Spencer's who peddles the contracts for Centurion Service Corp. needed service during the 5th year we were denied. Why you ask? Centurion says that the contract was expired. How can that be, when the effective date or start date for the contract is one year after the install date and expiration of the manufacturer's warranty. Then end date is 4 years from the start date which is 5 years from the install date.
When it's brought to their attention that they made an error and that the start date and end date is off a year which makes the item still covered. They say that the contract is for 5 years from the date of install. The contract shows that coverage began one year after install and ends 4 years after it began. If it is 5 years from install why would the contract say that the contract cannot start any later than one year after install. There would be no need for a date of install and a start date if the coverage began upon install.
If you look closely at the contract you'll notice that Spencer's is the sales representative for Centurion Service Corp. contract also says Centurion Home Shield. When we got no where with Centurion we called Spencer's. As a reputable company they should be aware that the company they sell service contracts for is not honoring the full 5 years. When we got the exact same excuse from Spencer's using the same words as Centurion for denying service. It made me wonder. If Spencer's is just a representative selling these contracts they either would have told Centurion if they don't fix it and honor the contracts they will stop selling them. Then I got to looking at the number of dissatisfied customers in recent years Spencer's has and the complaints about the contracts they sell. I couldn't believe they would continue to sell the contracts. For them to do so they would mean they had to be in on it. They could be selling the manufacturer's service contracts instead. But, not they insist on screwing the customers with these 4 year contracts that are sold as 5 year contracts.
It got me thinking there is only one reason they would do this. Yep, if they were all the same company. Sure enough I found out from the Arizona Corp Commission that the owners of Centurion Service Corp. Richard and Kathy Biederbeck Trust also own Spencer's Air Conditioning and Appliance who is the owner of Spencer's TV and Appliance and Goldwing Appliance Factory Service. These are just the ones I looked up there may be more.
So, when we continued to press Spencer's for satisfaction they actually told us. This is what I want you to do, go hire and attorney and sue us. We said OK. But, I've got one better for them. Everyone who has purchased a 5 year contract from Spencer's and was denied service during the 5 year, file a complaint against Spencer's and Centurion with the Federal Trade Commission for deceptive and unfair acts. The information they collect is used by lawyers to file class action suits and if the FTC agrees that they have been using deceptive practices they can be fined $11,000.00 per deceptive act or per deceptive sale.
Spencer's wants people to file suit against them so instead lets do one better. There isn't one benefit to the community by selling these contracts as 5 years when they are only giving coverage for 4 years. The risks do not out weight the benefits. Had I known that the contract was only for 4 years and not 5 like the sales person told me and the contract says, I would not have bought it. Just as I'm sure everyone else wouldn't have bought it.
DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM SPENCER'S TV AND APPLIANCE AND IF YOU HAVE TOO. DO NOT BUY THE SERVICE CONTRACT FROM THEM GET ONE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. CENTURION AND SPENCER'S ARE SCAMMING CUSTOMERS!!!
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