Returning Guarantee Registration cards

Anyone know the story with these? You get them, it seems in most appliances nowadays where you are asked to send back a registration for your guarantee.
I thought your guarantee was with the shop you bought the thing and had nothing to do with who made it?
Has anyone failed to send one of these back to manufacturer, gone back to the shop within 12 months with a fault and had grief...?

Your reciept from ther shop is your guarentee, and if you have a problem your dispute will be with the shop.

These cards are basically a marketing device, an attempt to gather names and addresses and usually get you to answer a few other questions.

They are couched in Guarentee/Warranty type phrases to scare people into sending them back.

I tried buying something in Dixons a few years back and they wanted my name and address (for the warranty). I told them I had the recipt so they didn't need my address, if I had a problem the recipt would cover me.

The first Dixons insisted on the Name and Address, so I left, the second Dixons agreed to let me buy the item without giving my name and address.

-Rd

Sometimes, the manufacturer's warranty provides cover over and above the 12 months you're covered for with the retailer — like an extended warranty on parts, etc.

I usually fill the card in and send it off — leaving blank any questions I deem to be too prying (incl. e-mail address, natch...). So far I've never had occasion to exercise my "rights", but neither have I had any junk mail from Philips/Whirlpool/Toshiba/GE, etc.

I tried buying something in Dixons a few years back and they wanted my name and address (for the warranty). I told them I had the recipt so they didn't need my address, if I had a problem the recipt would cover me.

The only time I've been asked for such details is when returning/exchanging an item - faulty or otherwise. I was never sure why they needed this information and was never motivated to refuse it. I suppose it might be fun to do so if it ever happens again. There's nothing to stop the more reticent of consumers giving false details though.

I wouldn't bother returning those (extended) warranty cards myself since, as mentioned earlier, one's statutory rights with respect to the retailer should be adequately covered already.

Most of those cards are made up to look like warranty registration cards, but they bear close examination.

I have come across a few which did offer extended warranties just for filling in the blanks, but most of them are simply profiling exercises by some marketing company made to look like an official product registration.

z

The manufacturer's guarantee is an additional right and cannot limit your rights under The Sale of Goods' Act. This is in fact explicit in the Act itself. The Act points out that the written guarantee must state clearly the name and address of the purchaser.

However, it must be pointed out that your rights under The sale of Goods' Act can be limited due to delay in dealing with a complaint.

Some guarantees are given for an extended period - 5 years, 10 years depending on the product purchased.

Contrary to the opinions expressed above, I would always recommend that guarantees are filled out and sent off to the manufacturer.

Marion :hat