Q. A number of years ago, we bought a refrigerator from a major appliance store and paid with a check. Almost from Day 1, it gave us trouble. They sent out a repairman who made a temporary fix. It failed. Twice more, they sent a repairman who could not get it to work right. We tried very hard to get a replacement, even writing to the manufacturer. All we got in response was a statement that they would repair but not replace the unit. It now works, but sometimes decides for itself to overcool for a day or two. Last month, we bought a new big-screen TV. Fortunately, we charged it on our credit card. When it started to give us headaches, we got the same nonsense from the store that they would repair but not replace. However, the bank issuing the card entered on our side and got us a new TV that works fine. We hope you will advise your readers to use their credit cards for all major purchases. They give you a kind of consumer advocate in your dealings with any vendor.
Credit cards can give buyers leverage when problems arise
A. You said it very well. In the many years that we have had credit cards, we have had two instances in which the issuers came in on our side. One was a double charge for gasoline that was an obvious error. The other involved a charge from a company that we had never even heard of. How they got our credit-card number, we never found out, but the bank deleted the charge after a short investigation. There are other big advantages of the credit card. However, unless you pay your balance in full each month, you could get clobbered with stiff interest rates.
Write Harry Gross c/o the Daily News, 400 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19130. Harry urges all his readers to give blood — contact the American Red Cross at 1-800-Red Cross.
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