For many consumers, the deciding factors for purchasing this Christmas will be based on low or affordable prices, brands or seemingly good quality, or prior knowledge of the products. Although these parameters are important to consider, it is imperative that you know just who will accept responsibility if the item purchased develops early defects. Many retailers sell imported products with warranties/guarantees that are valid only in the country where the item was manufactured. A warranty is a promise by the manufacturers that they will accept responsibility for defects and liability for repairing or replacing an item sold which is not of merchantable quality. A guarantee is an assurance that the goods or service is of a specified quality and durability. Warranties /guarantees must contain the following information: *Name and address of the guarantor, * The duration of the warranty (6 months, 1 year, etc.), *What exactly the warranty covers (whether the whole product or part), and *The warranty performance (whether the item would be repaired, replaced or cost will be refunded). When making purchase decisions, it is important that consumers pay attention to the warranty or guarantee, the business is offering, especially if they are purchasing items such as electrical appliances, computers, furniture, generators, motor vehicles, cellular phones, etc. In other words, if the business establishment that you would like to make a purchase from does not provide warranty/guarantee on any of the above items or items similar in nature, be sure to find another business that does. Because warranty agreements may vary, purchase decisions can only be good if warranty options are looked at in detail before the decision to buy is made. Sometimes consumers do not pay attention to such factors, but most of the times they regret such decisions after the purchases were made. If not immediately, they regret later when the item becomes defective and they experience difficulties when seeking redress. Consumers, you must be sure about your decision before you purchase any item. As a matter of fact, it is important that you know the exact warranty conditions the seller is offering you and this should be granted to you in writing. As you make your purchases, ensure that warranties/guarantees are not given to you verbally and that they clearly cover the item purchased. Consumers must also take time to read the fine print and seek clarification before it is too late.
Your warranty document and receipt are valuable with seeking redress at the Guyana National Bureau of Standards, the Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission or similar agencies, at the end of the shopping season. Be sure to keep these documents safely. For further information, please contact the GNBS on Tel: 219-0066 or 219-0069 or visit www.gnbsgy.org or add us on facebook.com/gnbsgy
