Difference between Squaretrade, Applecare and Geek Squad
For any purchase that you make, the warranty is one of the most important factors that should affect your purchase decision. In fact, the warranty is so important that nowadays, independent warranty providers exist to ensure that consumers get their money's worth with every significant purchase. In this comparison article, we compare three such companies: Squaretrade, Applecare and Geek Squad.
Profile
Squaretrade is one of the biggest warranty providers in the country. Squaretrade deals primarily with consumer electronics and appliances, and its headquarters are located in the financial district of San Francisco. Starting out by providing dispute resolution services to the online community in 1999, the company has since made the shift towards consumer electronic warranty services.
Applecare is not actually a company per se, but rather a set of services that provide customers of Apple Inc. with 90 days of phone support at no charge, along with a year’s worth of hardware warranty coverage. Both these services can be extended to up to two years for iPods, iPads, and iPhones and three years for Macs, via the company’s AppleCare Protection Plan. AppleCare was first offered to customers in the 1980s.
The Geek Squad is a division of the Best Buy Company that offers a host of computer-related services and accessories for both the residential and commercial markets.
Services
Squaretrade started out providing direct to consumer warranty for electronics, appliances, computers, and various other devices in 2004. These warranties are considered alternatives to the warranties offered by retailers. At present, the company provides warranty services to customers of Amazon, Crutchfield, eCost, Buy.com, Woot, and Vanns, among others.
Applecare’s Protection Plan is available from Apple itself or from various third-party resellers. The plan can also be purchased from eBay, and it is offered for virtually every major Apple device. Among the products that you can use Applecare for are iPods, iPhones, iPads, MacBooks and Macs. Unlike other warranties, the Applecare plan can be purchased at any time during the original 1-year warrant period set by the manufacturer. This allows customers to purchase the plan at any time they want, which may or may not coincide with the purchase of the device in question.
The Geek Squad provides a variety of in-store, on-site, and Internet support, the latter of which it provides by way of remote access. The Geek Squad also offers round-the-clock phone support, as well as emergency on-site assistance.
Competition
Squaretrade does not actually compete directly with Apple, since the latter company only offers warranties and service plans for its own products. That being said, Squaretrade does offer warranty and insurance, and even accident and theft coverage to buyers of Apple products as well.
Similarities and Differences
Squaretrade
- One of the biggest warranty providers in the country
- Offer warranty and insurance and even accident and theft coverage to buyers of Apple products
Applecare
- A set of services that provide customers of Apple Inc. with phone support and hardware warranty coverage
Geek Squad
- Provides a variety of in-store, on-site, and Internet support
