GOODS ARE FAULTY? WARRANTY!

Although e-commerce is still developing and maturing rapidly in Malaysia, there are a few areas that need to be focused on in dealing with consumer protection. Other than being scammed by unethical sellers, online buyers are actively expressing their concerns regarding the warranty of their purchased goods. In general, any user guides are attached to the products being sold and return or exchange policies are often posted on the merchant’s website. Consumers are advised to register with them and store any proof of payment be it receipt or bill with them should any events occur. 

 Nevertheless, the warrant claim process could be tiring for buyers as it took quite some time to settle, which could lead for months. On the contrary, from a study carried out by Mukhtar et al., (2016) stated that half of the consumers mentioned that the process of claiming warranty for a product bought online usually required less than 14 days to accomplish. This issue arises because of several factors. Other than the delays, consumers are always denied of warranty because of the dispute between the service centres and their respective brands, together with the lack of service centres in the buyer’s location. 

In other cases, warranty claims are often ignored due to the absence because purchasers do not acquire formal bills from the sellers. Furthermore, the negligence of the dealer to stamp or sign the warranty card may decline the purchaser’s rights. Plus, due to the component being phased out by the goods manufacturer despite the products are still under warranty, dealers are not able to cover any future warranty claims. The issue involving the product life-cycles and growth in outsourcing is evident when purchasers buy items belong to the computer industry. 

It is important for both purchaser and dealers need to be certain that the warranty card is stamped with a clear date of purchase. Consumers should always keep in mind to check the expiration date of the warranty and the conditions that may void coverage. Also, it is recommended for consumers to look for conditions that could prove expensive or inconvenient especially when buyers need to deliver a heavy purchase to a factory for service. Lastly, because the e-commerce in Malaysia is lagged behind approximately 3 to 5 years when compared to industries in the US (Mukhtar et al, 2016), both stores and brands should come up with a feasible solution to resolve their issues.