A lifetime warranty can vary depending on the manufacturer’s definition, and the terms “lifetime” and “guarantee” need clarification. It’s up to the consumer to understand the warranty’s limitations, especially if paying for it. Misinterpretation can lead to disappointment.
Lifetime warranty is a confusing term that only means as the manufacturer defines it. In other words, each lifetime warranty may be different and may be specifically defined by the product manufacturer, warranty vendor, or service provider. In fact, many times the term can be such a headache, that other terms such as a time limit are offered as collateral. A four-year warranty, for example, is much easier to pin down than a lifetime warranty, though it may still have some unforeseen gaps.
Both words in the phrase “lifetime warranty” need further definition as people’s conceptions of them can change how they interpret these warranties. First, the word life is open to interpretation. Life typically does not mean the life of the person or the length of time they own a product. Instead it usually means expected life of a product. During testing, manufacturers can determine how long something will last and then give it a real life age. This would mean that people who get a lifetime warranty would have to ask what the life span of the product is, as defined by the manufacturer or company offering the warranty.
The word guarantee is subject to many misunderstandings. The warranty usually does not guarantee replacement, but instead guarantees the repair of the defective part. A warranty, on the other hand, can mean replacement. The warranties also specify that the product must have been used as suggested by the manufacturer and that any damage resulting from misuse may void the warranty completely, meaning that no repair or replacement is offered. This is true even if there is an area of damage somewhere that is unrelated to the defective part. This may be “evidence of misuse” and will void your warranty.
While there’s no reason to avoid products with a lifetime warranty, there is reason to educate yourself about what warranties mean. This is especially true if a person is being asked to pay for one. Again, stores that sell extended warranties never imply that they are for life. More often than not, people attach this warranty to products sold on the Internet, infomercials, and elsewhere. The warranty is intended to give confidence in the product and result in a sale. By most company standards, it is perfectly fine for the seller to allow the buyer to interpret this warranty any way they want, with many mistakenly thinking they are getting product replacement as long as they live and own the product.
This means that it is always up to the consumer to figure out how to interpret their warranties. These by no means imply that a product is bad. However, if the warranty is the selling point, customers need to understand exactly what they are buying.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
