Warranties
A warranty is a kind of guarantee that is given when you purchase a product or service from a given company. The reason behind a warranty is to give the consumer peace of mind that they are making a good investment. The higher priced the item is, the more consumers will be looking for a warranty to go along with it. Businesses that offer warranties to their customers will make more sales because of it and it shows the consumer that they stand behind what they are selling.
The Federal Trade Commission has established some guidelines that businesses have to comply with in regards to the warranties they offer. All the details of the warranty must be made available to any potential consumer before they commit to a purchase. It is up to the consumer to make sure they read all the details of the warranty so that they don’t have any unexpected surprises.
The warranty must specify when it will begin and when it will end. It also has to specify what circumstances will void the warranty. This generally includes not using the product or service as it was designated as well as making any altercations to it. The warranty will also tell you how they will resolve any warranty issues. This can be taking it to an authorized repair shop or sending it to the manufacture. In some cases they will simply send you replacement parts.
Make sure any type of warranty you are given is in writing and that you have a valid copy of it. It is a good idea to staple your proof of purchase to it. I keep a photo album in my file cabinet with the original receipt and the warranty information for various products on the pages. This way I always know where the information is located.
Don’t ever rely on an oral warranty to be honored or your will be very disappointed.
If you feel that your warranty information is valid but the company won’t honor it, you should write a complaint letter to the business clearly stating the situation, why you feel they should honor the warranty, and how you would like the situation to be resolved. If you don’t get the answers you are looking for then consider filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.
