SUSTAINABILITY
WARRANTIES – ARE THEY WORTH IT?
Are product warranties worth the paper they are written on? BMJ talks to wastewater treatment and management solutions provider Klargester to find out.
F
or merchants and customers alike, product warranties can (and should) matter.
A warranty represents a
manufacturer’s guarantee that their product/s will function as described and intended. So, essentially, the value of a warranty is in giving a customer peace of mind that their investment will be protected over a reasonable length of time. Dave Vincent, Kingspan Klargester Commercial Director IK, IE, MEA and US, says: “A warranty also gives merchants confidence that they are selling reliable products from a company who is prepared to stand behind the product’s structural integrity and/or performance claims.”
Warranties and the Law The Consumer Rights Act 2015 states that products must be of satisfactory quality, as described, fit for purpose, and designed to last a reasonable length of time, taking into account the description and price. Buyers have these rights for six years in England and Wales or five years in Scotland (source:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ ukpga/2015/15/notes/division/3)
22
Vincent continues: “Of course, there are caveats to any cover. There is an expectation that the user will install the appliance in line with manufacturers guidelines, that it will be used “reasonably” (in line with the manufacturer’s advice) and kept well-serviced and maintained. Again, this is usually made clear in the warranty’s wording. “Wear and tear are usually not covered (either in law or by warranties) and parts are typically excluded for this reason.” As well as manufacturer’s warranties which are provided to customers when they buy a product, there are what are known as “extended warranties”. Extended warranties can be purchased by the customer once the manufacturer’s warranty has ended. It is a further service contract to provide maintenance cover and repairs over a longer (stipulated) period.
While warranties are included in the price of the product, most extended warranties cost extra and are sold separately. Applied correctly, they are there to ensure the product continues to function effectively and reliably over its lifetime, supported by trained/specialist engineers associated with the manufacturer themselves.
The small print matters Despite their ubiquity, warranties haven’t always had the best press over the years. This is likely to be a rather skewed reflection of reality; it’s unlikely that a manufacturer upholding the terms of their warranties will attract quite as many headlines – although they can lead to positive online reviews from happy customers!
However, it’s inescapable that issues such as the cost of extended warranties, concerns around customer data capture*, and small print exclusions have been subject to criticism. [*Note, data capture, storage and restrictions around its use are now covered by EU law under the terms of the GDPR and this legislation is currently retained in UK domestic law, post-Brexit.]
Vincent says that Klargester always recommend customers read the small print to ensure their warranty isn’t invalidated unwittingly. “For this reason, manufacturers that are transparent and open about what is covered and what is not are a boon for merchants and customers alike. It means that merchant teams can highlight the main points of a warranty as part of the sales process, without having to search for them.
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net May 2021
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48
