By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff
The U.S. Senate unanimously passed legislation to allow manufacturers to meet warranty and labeling requirements for consumer products by providing warranty information online. Currently, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rules are unclear regarding the manner in which manufacturers must provide warranty information to consumers. The “E-Warranty Act of 2015” (S. 1359) provides businesses the option to post warranty information on their website rather than include it in the instructions that accompany their products. Under the legislation, companies providing warranty information online would be required to alert consumers about how to access their website either on the product, its packaging or in an accompanying manual. They would also be required to provide a non-Internet-based platform for individuals to access information about the warranty, such as a mailing address or phone number.
While the FTC doesn’t require companies to provide consumers with a written warranty, those that do must comply with the agency’s rules. This legislation helps businesses that provide warranty information to save money through electronic communications. Consumers also benefit by accessing information online rather than having to save the paperwork or product packaging.
For additional information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.