On the market there are certain types of products that are advertised and sold with a lifetime guarantee. These types of products are very attractive to consumers as they often believe that by purchasing such goods they are making the best deal.
But what does a lifetime guarantee really mean? Whose lifetime is the guarantee referring to? The consumer’s or the product’s?
Usually, the word ‘lifetime’ refers to the product’s life expectancy, that is, the number of years a product is expected to last.
A lifetime guarantee may also be directly linked to the product’s ownership. These guarantees usually remain valid as long as the original owner owns the product. If the product is sold or passes to a new owner the lifetime guarantee no longer remains valid. When this is the case, the condition that the guarantee is not transferable should be clearly written on the commercial guarantee’s certificate.
Before buying a product advertised with a lifetime guarantee it is important that we request to see the terms and conditions of the guarantee.
Lifetime guarantees may not be what we really expect
When reading these guarantees we should look for any conditions that refer to the length of the guarantee.
If there is no such reference, then we should ask the seller for how long the guarantee covers the product. If the length of the guarantee refers to the average lifespan of the product, then it is in the best interest of both consumers and trader that a specific number of years are stated in the guarantee.
It is the consumer’s responsibility to make sure that when we consider purchasing a product that carries a lifetime guarantee we are given documentation as proof of the guarantee and we should also be made aware of the conditions that
regulate the use of the guarantee. We should also be aware that if a commercial guarantee is mentioned in a statement or advertisement by any person, it is binding on that person even if the commercial guarantee is not specifically mentioned in the contract of sale. If a lifetime guarantee is mentioned in an advert it is legally binding on the trader who advertised such a guarantee.
The commercial guarantee should also stipulate the remedies it commits to provide should something go wrong with the product.
Does it repair the defective product or does it offer a replacement? If any parts of the product are excluded by the guarantee, this should also be clearly specified in the terms and conditions. The person responsible for the guarantee and how to contact him must also be written in the guarantee.
Lifetime guarantees may not be what we really expect. It is in our best interest to check out what the guarantee really covers before we conclude the sale. This is especially so if our decision to buy a specific product is based on the promised lifetime guarantee.