Online Retail - Should I offer a guarantee?

[JMR]

I run a company which sells products online as well as through a small number of local pharmacies.
Our market is approx 65% UK and 35% Ireland.
Small bit of background on the product.....
It's the premium product in a very small niche, which I import from the US.
Although the product will last years with continual use, the vast majority of customers will only use it for approx 6 weeks and possibly never again.

I have read that, especially online retailers should be screaming that they offer a full money back guarantee in order to remove any risk from the mind of potential customers.
I accept payments via PayPal so effectively offer a 60 day money back guarantee already. I have no personal experience of PayPal disputes but I have heard that the buyer is nearly always favoured in a dispute.

Currently I offer a no questions asked 7 day refund policy in line with distance selling regulations and a 90 day replacement warranty in the case of a faulty product.
The thinking behind this was to prevent any unscrupulous buyers seeking a refund once they no longer required the product, they are far less likely to seek a replacement product if they no longer need it.

Expert opinion seems to say that the vast majority of people are genuine and the benefits gained from advertising up front that you are so confident in your product that you are willing to guarantee satisfaction or your money back far outweigh the small number of unscrupulous buyers who will try to rip you off.

Any opinions on the above, anybody in a similar situation?
What time limit do you think should be placed on such a guarantee?

Thanks in advance....

 

[mathepac]

Your product, sold through a bricks and mortar retail outlet is subject to the Ts & Cs of the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act, 1980 which covers international sales too. Any warranty you offer is in addition to the protection this act offers the consumer.

You'll probably need to familiarise yourself with it. In the interim, it might be safe to assume that your product comes with a legally enforceable 12-month warranty. You should probably also familiarise yourself with corresponding legislation in the UK.

IANAL, layman's opinion

 

[Brendan Burgess]

Do they stop using it after 6 weeks, because it's done its job or because they just lose interest?

I would guess that most people dont' bother returning stuff unless they are really annoyed or really well organised.

If it's an expensive produce relative to the cost and hassle of postage, you might get more returns than usual.

Brendan

 

[JMR]

Do they stop using it after 6 weeks, because it's done its job or because they just lose interest?

After 6 weeks, for most people it's done it's job and is of no further use.
Of the current range of products on offer to solve the particular problem, most would suffer quality wise and in general I would get a lot of enquiries along the lines of "does your product really work? will it solve my problem?".

For this reason and the fact that I know I have the best product because I am a satisfied customer turned supplier, I am thinking along the lines of an unconditional money back guarantee.
Obviously I would need to place some time frame on it though....