5 features of issuing a warranty card

A warranty card is a document certifying the fact of purchase of the product and giving the buyer the right to repair or replace the product in the event of a malfunction. Some consumers treat warranty cards formally, which is what sellers take advantage of. In particular, store employees often do not fill out this document, assuring that a receipt and a store stamp are sufficient to obtain warranty service. Buyers who agree to this make a mistake and lose the right to service the product. Let's consider how, by whom and under what circumstances the guarantee coupon should be filled out.

Warranty card: what is it and why is it needed?

A warranty card is a document certifying product quality . In particular, such a coupon indicates that the product can be used in full for the specified period. If, within a period of time specified by the manufacturer or seller, the product breaks down, the buyer receives the right to free repairs.

Important! Current legislative norms governing trade do not contain direct instructions for filling out and transferring a warranty card to the buyer. However, Part 2 of Art. 456 of the Civil Code, oblige the seller to transfer to the buyer all accessories and documents directly related to the goods. Such documentation may also include a warranty card.

What should a warranty card look like?

There is no unified standard for this document, so stores have the right to use any forms. However, there are certain standards that the document must meet.

More specifically, the completed form must include the following information:

1. Information relating to a specific product item. This includes the full name, model and serial number. It is necessary to clarify that the presence of all three listed identifiers is mandatory. The fact is that manufacturing plants can produce several products under the same name, while the products will differ in identification number or model.
2. Date of purchase. Warranty service is provided for a certain period of time. The date indicated on the coupon is considered the starting point.
3. Duration of service guarantees. This period can be set by both the manufacturer and the seller. It all depends on the recommended service life and the availability of service centers. Typically the warranty is valid for 1-3 years after purchase.
4. Seller information. This includes the signature of the authorized person who completed the sale, the seal of the legal entity and the details of the selling company. Individual entrepreneurs indicate their full name and address of the outlet.
5. Warranty repair conditions. This is a guarantee of protection of the rights and interests of the seller. In particular, situations are usually indicated here when the company has the right to refuse free repairs and warranty service. For example, if the consumer uses the product for other purposes, breaks seals, etc.

Bosch warranty card sample

Important! Some of the listed items may be missing from the completed form, and this will not be considered a violation. This is possible if the information is already indicated in another document transferred to the buyer along with the goods.

The legal entity has lost the warranty card

In June we bought equipment from a supplier. There is a waybill, an invoice, an invoice. When we started using the equipment, it turned out that it was defective, sealing the packaging crookedly and not over the entire surface. True, such defects do not occur on all packages, but after a certain period of time. So it turns out that about one out of seven packages is spoiled. As soon as they saw that the equipment was malfunctioning, they informed the supplier. He demanded a warranty card. We rushed to look for it, but didn’t find it, apparently we either lost it or hid it well somewhere during the turmoil. The seller is only an intermediary. He says that he has a contractual relationship with the direct manufacturer of the equipment. We contacted the official representative office of the direct manufacturer. They haven't heard anything about our supplier. Accordingly, no one wants to repair equipment without a warranty card. How can we force the buyer or direct manufacturer to repair or replace purchased equipment? Going to court is not an option, everything is very drawn out there and it is more profitable for us to give money for repairs ourselves than to pay a lawyer and incur other legal expenses.

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According to Art. 18 of the Law of the Russian Federation “On the Protection of Consumer Rights” No. 2300-1 dated 07/07/1992. If defects are discovered in the product, if they were not specified by the seller, the consumer has the right, at his own discretion: to demand replacement with a product of the same brand (same model and (or) article); demand replacement with the same product of another brand (model, article) with a corresponding recalculation of the purchase price; demand a proportionate reduction in the purchase price; demand immediate free elimination of defects in the goods or reimbursement of costs for their correction by the consumer or a third party; refuse to fulfill the purchase and sale agreement and demand a refund of the amount paid for the goods. At the request of the seller and at his expense, the consumer must return the defective product. In this case, the consumer also has the right to demand full compensation for losses caused to him as a result of the sale of goods of inadequate quality. Losses are compensated within the time limits established by this Law to satisfy the relevant consumer requirements. In relation to a technically complex product, if defects are discovered in it, the consumer has the right to refuse to fulfill the purchase and sale agreement and demand a refund of the amount paid for such a product or make a demand for its replacement with a product of the same brand (model, article) or with a different product. brand (model, article) with a corresponding recalculation of the purchase price within fifteen days from the date of transfer of such goods to the consumer. After this period, these requirements are subject to satisfaction in one of the following cases: detection of a significant defect in the goods; violation of the deadlines established by this Law for eliminating product defects; the impossibility of using the product during each year of the warranty period for a total of more than thirty days due to repeated elimination of its various deficiencies. The list of technically complex goods is approved by the Government of the Russian Federation (Resolution No. 924 of November 10, 2011).

1. Inconsistency of information about the product with what is indicated in the coupon. Example, different serial numbers.
2. Obvious defects of the goods resulting from improper transportation or storage.
3. Violation of the rules for using the product.
4. Violation of labels and seals.
5. Damage to goods due to force majeure.

1. The beginning of the period is determined from the moment of purchase.
2. The seller is obliged to repair the equipment, but in the absence of the buyer’s fault.
3. The duration of the service itself should not exceed one week.
4. The seller is not obliged to repair the product if it turns out that it was used incorrectly or was previously repaired by an unauthorized person.
5. The seller is not obliged to issue similar equipment for the period during which repairs are carried out.

Correct filling

There are no strict rules for filling out warranty cards. The main thing is that the information included in the document allows you to verify the fact of purchase of the product in a specific store, the person who made the sale and the terms of free service. There should not be anything superfluous in the document. The warranty card is usually filled out by hand, with the exception of the paragraph concerning the rules for contacting the service center. Errors and corrections are not allowed.

Who does the registration and when?

Typically, the warranty card is filled out by the sales consultant at the time of purchase. However, you can issue a coupon even after warranty repairs have been carried out. In this case, the filling is carried out by an employee of the service center.

What is stated in the document

The warranty card contains all information directly related to the purchased product. It could be:

• Serial number;
• Color;
• Model;
• Batch number;
• Year/date of issue;
• Size.

Additionally, data regarding free repairs are entered if they were carried out:

• Full name of the service center;
• Receipt date;
• Date of return to the buyer.

In some cases, a list of work performed or parts replaced is indicated.

Warranty card

Availability of seals and signatures

The seal of the legal entity and the signature of the seller are desirable, but are not a prerequisite. The warranty card is not a document of strict accountability, so you can do without the listed certification methods. At the same time, the absence of a signature and seal is not a justification for refusal of service and warranty repairs.

Information Contained

In addition to the number, it may contain the following information:

1. Date of registration.
2. A place for information about the seller and buyer.
3. A column to describe the product.
4. Terms of warranty service. A reference may be made to the Law of the Russian Federation of February 7, 1992 No. 2300-1 “On the Protection of Consumer Rights”.
5. Section for entering data on service repairs (date of acceptance and return, name of the contractor).
6. Signature box for the buyer and the seller's representative.
7. Space for the distributor's seal, if available.

What to do if the form is empty or there are mistakes when filling it out?

In such situations, the warranty card is invalid, however, this does not cancel the buyer’s right to free service. For such service, another document must be presented confirming the fact of purchase of the goods and the date of sale. A cash receipt or sales receipt can be considered such a document.

Considering that the law does not in any way regulate the procedure for filling out warranty cards, there are many violations here. The most common ones look like this:

• When filling out, indicate the data of the distributor or the official dealer-manufacturer. The fact is that consumers are not required to contact the manufacturer directly for repairs, although this option is not excluded.
• The delivery service makes its entries on the already completed coupon. Such edits make the document invalid.
• The coupon is not filled out. We noted above that the law does not oblige the seller to fill out this document. However, some stores provide their own extended warranty for the product, receiving additional compensation for this. In this case, a ticket without a signature and stamps is considered a violation.

Important! Even if the warranty card is filled out incorrectly or is missing, the buyer does not lose the right to contact the service center for repairs. By law, this can be done within 2 years from the date of purchase, provided that you have a cashier's receipt in hand.

What to do if lost

If we consider the situation as a whole, there is no need to worry about the loss of the warranty card. This is due to the nuances of document design. In particular, the law does not give direct instructions to the seller to fill out a warranty card. The legislator only indicates that the transfer of all documents related to the goods is mandatory. In the current wording of Article 456 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, the warranty card is not mentioned.

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If you understand the specifics of returning products of inadequate quality and providing after-sales service, the consumer does not need the document. The fact of purchase can be confirmed:

• Purchase and sale agreement;
• Technical passport or operating instructions;
• Sales/cash receipt.

If issuing a coupon is of fundamental importance to the consumer, restoration is possible at the store where the purchase was made. However, this is possible provided that the seller has kept a copy of the completed document. Considering that warranty cards are not considered strict reporting forms, this is unlikely.

Is warranty repair possible without a coupon?

As the fifth paragraph of Article No. 18 of the Law “On Protection of Consumer Rights” states, the seller does not have the right to refuse the consumer his demands in the absence of a sales receipt or other document certifying the fact of purchase. This also applies to the warranty card. If it is not available, you can use a cash receipt, invoice or sales contract as proof of the transaction.

But in the absence of documents confirming the purchase, some unscrupulous sellers, referring to the second paragraph of Article No. 19 of the PPSA, declare that the warranty work period, based on the date of production, has already expired. However, you should not always agree with this decision of the performer. Based on Article No. 18 of the PPA, the consumer has the right to prove the fact of purchase in any other way. This could be an interview with witnesses, print screens of an order, video surveillance data, preserved parts of product packaging, serial numbers of technical products, etc.

Source

What to do if a fiscal document is missing

Even then, there is no reason to worry. In particular, there is a law that protects consumer rights. If we turn to Article 18 of this bill, we can find out that the absence of a cash register/sales receipt, as well as other documentation certifying the fact of purchase of goods, is not a justification for satisfying the buyer’s claims. This is directly indicated by paragraph 5 of Article 18 of Law No. 2300-1.

However, in this case, the consumer will have to provide convincing evidence that the product was purchased in this particular store. However, the law does not specify a list of such evidence, so the consumer can use any methods to prove his case. For example, invite witnesses or use video surveillance recordings.

Is it possible to exchange a product if the receipt is lost, but there is a warranty card?

Yes, you can . Again, you need to rely on the law “On Protection of Consumer Rights”, on Article 18.

In this case, the buyer has the right to demand from the seller:

• exchange the product for another one that is the same but in good working order;
• return money for the goods.

If a consumer bought, for example, a refrigerator or a TV, but the equipment broke down before the warranty period, then he has the right to file a claim with the seller.

In this case, the seller must accept the goods of inadequate quality and, if necessary, check the quality of the goods sold.

In this case, the buyer has the right to participate in checking the quality of the purchased refrigerator (TV, etc.).

If the seller claims that the goods were not purchased from him, then he can conduct an examination of the goods, but he must do this only at his own expense.

Other features related to warranty repairs

Here we can highlight three interesting points that the consumer needs to know about.

1. If the product is sent for service, the warranty period is extended. This is done by the seller or service center where the repair was performed.
2. In the case when we are talking about the repair of large-sized goods, the seller is responsible for delivery. In this case, the consumer can deliver the product to the service center on his own; he has the right to demand reimbursement of transportation costs from the seller.
3. In controversial situations, when it is unclear whose fault the goods were damaged, an independent examination is carried out. All interested parties can attend. If the seller’s guilt is proven, the consumer has the right to demand replacement of the product with a similar model. In this case, the warranty period is calculated anew from the moment the product is purchased.

Knowing these features, you can defend your consumer rights when conflict situations arise.

They will not accept warranty repairs without a warranty card.

Many buyers are worried that they will not be able to return their equipment for repair due to a lost or unfilled warranty card. In fact, according to the law “On the Protection of Consumer Rights”, the presence of a warranty card is not a prerequisite for filing a claim with a store or service center. The law even says that in some cases the buyer can make claims without a receipt at all, confirming the fact of purchase with testimony.

If the store writes in the warranty card or contract that the goods can be accepted for warranty service only with a warranty card, this will be considered a violation. Rospotrebnadzor and arbitration courts fine for this under Part 2 of Article 14.8 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation (inclusion in the contract of conditions that infringe on the rights of the consumer). Those interested can look at cases A50-46/2017 and A50-5277/2017.

• Note: When submitting equipment for warranty repair, it is still useful to have a receipt and other documents confirming the validity of the warranty. If the store most likely has information about the date of purchase and warranty period, then the ASC may not have such information. Before submitting for warranty service, make copies of the receipt and other documents and be sure to keep the originals for yourself.