How to make a warranty claim, step by step

What a warranty is

A warranty is a company's promise to stand behind its product. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission describes three kinds: written warranties, spoken promises and implied warranties. Implied warranties come from state law. The basic one is that a product will do what it is supposed to do. They usually apply even when there is no written warranty, unless the seller disclaims them in writing or sells the item "as is" where state law allows it. In some states they last up to four years.

Spoken promises are the weakest of the three. A business may refuse a service it promised out loud if it is not in the written warranty, so ask for anything important in writing.

Before you contact anyone

A claim moves faster when you can answer the first questions right away. Put these together before you call or write:

• Proof of the purchase date: the receipt, invoice or order confirmation. The FTC advises keeping your receipt with the warranty, because it shows the date and that you are the original owner.
• The warranty itself: how long it lasts, what it covers and what it excludes.
• The serial number from the label on the product.
• Photos or a short video of the fault, and the date it started.
• Notes of every call: the date, who you spoke to and what they promised.

Step by step

1. Check the warranty.

   Read how long it lasts and what it covers. Look for how service works: shipping the product, taking it to a service center or calling first.

2. Start with the seller.

   Explain the problem, show your proof of purchase and ask what they can do. Many sellers can arrange a repair or an exchange directly.

3. Write to the manufacturer.

   If the seller cannot help, write to the address listed in the warranty. The FTC suggests certified mail with a return receipt, and keeping copies of your letter and every document you send.

4. Let them try to fix it.

   The company may have the right to repair the product before it refunds your money. Ask how long the repair will take, and get a receipt when you hand the product over.

5. Report the defect inside the warranty period.

   If you reported a defect during the warranty period and it is not properly fixed, the company must still correct it, even if the warranty expires in the meantime. That is why the date of your first report matters.

6. Escalate if you get nowhere.

   You can report the problem to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to your state attorney general.

Example: a blender bought at Home Electric stops working eight months into a one-year warranty. You email the seller with a photo of the receipt and the serial label. When they refer you to the maker, you send a letter too. Your first email, dated inside the warranty, is your proof that you reported the fault in time.

Lost the receipt or the registration card?

Under federal rules, a full warranty cannot depend on mailing back a registration card, as long as you can show the purchase date in a reasonable way. A card statement, an order email or a copy from the store can help. Our guide on lost warranty paperwork covers this in more detail.

How Keeptly helps

• It keeps the receipt and the warranty document with the product, so your proof is in one place.
• You can save the serial number on the product's page.
• It counts down to the end of the warranty and reminds you 30, 7 and 1 day before. You can change these days.
• With Premium, it builds a warranty claim PDF: product, store, purchase date, amount, serial number, receipt number and warranty end date, space to describe the fault, and the original documents after it.

Your receipts stay on your iPhone, and there is no account to create.

Questions

Another guideIs an extended warranty worth it? Questions to ask first

Sources

1. Warranties · U.S. Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Advice
2. 16 CFR 700.7: Use of warranty registration cards · Code of Federal Regulations