The Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) has asked manufacturers and sellers of white goods to ensure that warranty or guarantee policy should reflect commencement from the date of installation rather than the date of purchase. This direction comes during the ongoing festival season when white goods sales witness a surge and is a key season when consumers make white goods purchases.
‘Revise the warranty’
In a letter addressed to industry and retail associations and manufacturers of white goods, Rohit Kumar Singh, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs has strongly advised manufacturers of white goods such as refrigerators, air conditioners, and washing machines, to revise the warranty or guarantee policy in the sale of white goods to consumers, to reflect its commencement from the date of installation rather than the date of purchase.
“White goods typically involve installation by trained technicians and until they are correctly installed on the premises, consumers are unable to use such goods. It is observed that this practice leads to a reduction in the total warranty period which a consumer would have normally enjoyed from the time he could use the product after its installation. This issue is further accentuated in case of purchases made through e-commerce where an additional time is involved in the delivery of the product,” an official statement noted.
The Ministry said that initiating the warranty or guarantee period when consumers are unable to use the products is an unfair trade practice under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.