A guarantee offered by the household appliance brand Darty disappoints many customers, who regret having used this merchant.
Darty Max is this formula for around ten euros per month supposed to cover breakdowns of large and small household appliances, with home repairs and, in the event of a major problem, a replacement or a gift card. The idea is simple: rather than paying for an expensive repair, we spread the risk over the year. Except that, in reality, many subscribers have the impression of paying for a long time for a service that they use little, if at all. And when things go wrong, things don’t always go as planned.
Consumer associations, including UFC-Que Choisir, have already pointed out the limits of the system. In several local surveys, the testimonies are similar: rare interventions, sometimes billed despite the promise of “all inclusive”, and conditions which strongly restrict the cases of support. The very principle of the subscription raises questions, because it is based on statistical logic favorable to the distributor: the majority of recent devices rarely break down, especially in the first years. As a result, many customers pay each month without ever requesting the service.
This is also what many subscribers on forums and social networks are saying. Some explain that they subscribed after an initial breakdown, thinking that they would quickly make the subscription profitable. A repair announced at 200 euros, travel included, and the subscription suddenly seems very attractive. Then time passes. The device works again, no new problems arise, and the subscription continues to run. One year, two years, sometimes three, for a total that far exceeds the cost of a few one-off repairs. “I took out the subscription saying to myself ‘I only pay 10 euros instead of 200 euros for repairs and travel’, so I was a winner, at the beginning you say to yourself ‘you never know it’s very practical’, then you forget and you pay for nothing”summarizes a subscriber.
Another point often misunderstood: coverage strongly depends on the origin and age of the devices. Products purchased from Darty or Fnac are better supported. For others, additional costs may be added. As for old devices, they are sometimes considered too old to benefit from replacement or compensation, even if the subscription is still active. The promise of a gift card of up to 100% of the purchase value, widely highlighted in the conditions, is governed by strict criteria. In practice, many discover at the time of the breakdown that their product is no longer eligible. “They told me my machine was too old and non-refundable”says a customer, who has been a subscriber for several years.
Even home interventions, presented as free, are sometimes debated. Some subscribers report having to pay for a trip or part of the repair, without always understanding why. Here again, it all depends on the contract clauses and the type of breakdown. Nothing illegal, but an accumulation of small lines which transforms the initial promise into a more complex journey than expected. Also, the real point to check before subscribing, and especially before letting the subscription continue, is ultimately simple: honestly estimate whether you really need this guarantee, and for how long. A few months can sometimes be enough to make it profitable. Several years, much less.
However, we note that the subscription can make sense in very specific situations, for example if several recent devices, purchased from the same distributor, are at risk of imminent repair. On the other hand, over time, many find that they would have been better off paying for a one-off repair or directly replacing an aging device.
