Many merchants offer you an extended warranty. It’s money thrown out the window.
The representatives are fluent in the right vocabulary to get you to purchase an extended warranty. They know how to exploit your insecurity. Don’t take the bait. The only one who wins in this market is the merchant, who makes extraordinary margins on a useless product 99% of the time.
Because the extended warranty is equivalent to the period of normal wear and tear for reasonable use provided for by the legal warranty conferred by law. Worse: most of the time, the extended warranty extends over a shorter period than that of the legal warranty. The consumer therefore loses.
Especially since warranty contracts often provide for exclusions. The fine print matters a lot, but who reads it on the corner of the merchant’s counter, when the store’s speakers blare blaring Christmas music?
Obligations
The law provides that, when you buy a good, the merchant must describe the guarantee offered by the manufacturer and make you aware of the legal guarantee, in particular by giving you a document (usually a piece of paper) which describes its broad outlines. This is an obligation often ignored by merchants.
The law provides that if you buy a good that is defective or does not conform to the seller’s promises or advertising, even if the merchant does not have an exchange or refund policy, he must recover the good for the exchange it or refund it to you.
Finally, if you regret purchasing an extended warranty, the new provisions of Law 21 provide that you have ten days to request a cancellation and refund. The merchant must therefore give you the amount you paid for this guarantee.
Advice
- Some credit cards provide additional protection. For example, if you drop your phone or if your screen refuses to work properly, the card’s warranty will cover the cost of the repair or replacement of the item. These warranties are normally accompanied by exclusions or limitations. Sometimes it’s complicated to benefit from the service.
- There is no law that forces merchants to refund or exchange goods if the customer is not satisfied. But if a merchant has such a policy, it must clearly display it on its website, in store or on the receipt.
- For online or telephone purchases, you should use a credit card, which allows you to benefit from chargebacks in the event of a disagreement with the merchant. Especially if it is based in China.
- If you request a refund or exchange, have the invoice or receipt, instructions and warranty. If the merchant does not want to hear anything, you can file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Office: 1 888 672-2556, opc.gouv.qc.ca (section for consumers).