email2peter, I can assure you your experience is NOT typical of the Product Service Plan experiences I have seen.  I don't know both sides of your story, but I can assure you that if the product you had was unrepairable, Future Shop would do everything in its power to get you an equivalent replacement.

As with any agreement, there are terms and conditions. If you lived up to your side, then there is no reason why Future Shop would be unwilling to help you.

An appliance is not returned or exchanged, just because it needs a single repair. However, if your appliance could not be repaired within 60 days, or had suffered 3 or more major repairs, then you would be entitled to a replacement of equivalent value. If they indeed had the same refrigerator, the exchange should have been automatic. There are entire systems in place to make the process as painless as possible.

Very rarely, if an equivelant refrigerator is not available, a store credit will be offered. Any way you slice it, you are recouperating the value of the refrigerator you had originally purchased. No one wants to have a problem with an appliance, but it can and does happen. Believe me, Future Shop wants your business, and wants you to be happy.

Anytime I have been involved with a warranty exchange the experience is a positive one. It is sometimes hard to see the value when your refrigerator isn't working, and you have to wait for a repair person to come to you. But just imagine if you also had to pay out of your own pocket for the same experience. Imagine how upset you'd be if you were paying the $75.00/hr plus parts repair bill 2 or 3 times before being told you have to go buy a new fridge out of your own pocket anyway.

Sadly, Future Shop Associates cannot guarantee you will never have a problem, but they can offer to protect your pocket book by offering a service plan.