By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff
The U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee passed legislation to allow manufacturers to meet warranty and labeling requirements for consumer products by providing warranty information online.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rules are currently unclear on the manner in which companies must provide warranty information to consumers. The E-Warranty Act of 2015 (HR 3154) would provide businesses with the option of posting warranty information on their website rather than including it in the instructions that accompany their products. Companies providing online warranty information would still need 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. The U.S. Senate has already passed the E-Warranty bill which will help companies save money through electronic communications and allow consumers to access information online rather than having to save the paperwork or product packaging.
For additional information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.