Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I purchased Square Trade warranties with all the Kindles I bought last year at Christmas and was well pleased with the company, so when I had the chance to purchase a Square Trade warranty for a Christmas gift this year, I didn't hesitate. Well - last year the warranty arrived shortly after the Kindle - certainly within several days of ordering. So, when I didn't receive the warranty this time, I was concerned. I called Amazon first and they gave me a number to call. I called that number and, even though it was Square Trade, I was given another number to call. After three calls I eventually reached someone that said they could help. That's the first red flag. The second red flag came when we began discussing specifics. First, unlike the Kindle, Square Trade didn't have any idea what kind of hard drive, model, etc. They began the conversation by asking what kind of hard drive it was and what was the serial number. I explained that I had no intention of opening the drive to get the serial number because it is a gift. In other words, they had no idea what they were offering the warranty for other than and external drive. That's bad execution on Amazon's part. If they produce a pop-up offering a warranty, then there ought to be closer integration of what is being purchased. It seemed all Square Trade received is that someone with a specific email address had purchased a warranty for a hard drive within a specific price range. That leads me to the next red flag. Although the product specifically states "free shipping", Square Trade has no intention of shipping you anything! You don't get a written warranty to hold in your hands, or give as part of a gift for the item you purchased. They don't even have your mailing address. Now - in all fairness - every time I've dealt with Square Trade on a warranty issue, they have come through. That was on the Kindle though, which is fully supported by Amazon and Square Trade. I have a very uneasy feeling about the warranty that I purchased for both a hard drive and a camera. It also concerns me that Square Trade no longer covers the warranty protection for Kindles. I wonder if they backed out or if Amazon dropped them. I cannot recommend this product because of the reasons explained above. If you are purchasing a product and expect to get a written warranty, perhaps you might want to check brick and mortar stores like Best Buy, Target, Wal-Mart before you take your chances with this one. I'm highly disappointed because I relied on my previous experience with Square Trade. As they say in the stock market - past behavior is no guarantee of future performance.