Criterion of the Implementation of Extended Warranty Standards for Household Appliances Has Been Undoubtedly Ineffective

Extended warranty services are not new, and several major home appliance stores have provided similar services, but they are all doing their own affairs. Now that there is a unified standard for extended warranty services, this month, the “Standard for Extended Service of Home Appliances” issued by the China Household Electrical Appliance Service and Maintenance Association is formally implemented. However, after the reporter visited, he learned that for this non-mandatory standard, the sellers are not very aware, and consumers are also skeptical.

The “Contract Extended Service Specification for Household Appliances” clarifies the responsibilities of the extended warranty service provider in the contract. The party providing the extended warranty must sign an extended warranty service contract with the consumer, and should have legal insurance coverage in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Insurance Law. Qualified insurance companies are insured. At the same time, it also requires that home appliance extension service providers need to set up special maintenance accounts within the company.

The reporter visited a large home appliance store in Pudong, and almost every counter was tagged with the “Home Appliance Extended Service” advertisement for the store. A salesperson told reporters that the extended insurance program was launched by the mall. There are not many sales people know about the relevant regulations in the "Code" that has just been tried. When a reporter asked about how to enjoy the service after purchasing an extended warranty, he heard different answers. "Without signing the contract, it is sufficient to purchase the invoice for payment when it is extended." A salesperson told the reporter. Another salesperson of the mall stated that when it comes to purchasing an extended warranty, it will sign a contract for extending the warranty, according to which the relevant service during the extended warranty period will be available. The “Standard for Extended Service of Home Appliances” clearly states that the content of extended warranty services must be agreed in the form of a contract.

Store personnel are unclear, and consumers are also suspicious of the “standardization of home appliance extended warranty services”. "I had purchased extended warranty service at a store. Later, something went wrong during the extended warranty period. When I contacted the store, I found that it was closed. The manufacturer said that the extended warranty is an agreement between the consumer and the store. No matter if you need repairs, you have to pay a fee.” Mr. Cheng, who once purchased extended warranty services, raises questions about whether the newly issued “norms” can help consumers avoid these problems.

Liu Buchen, an analyst in the home appliance industry, said that consumers’ fears are not excessive. Many store salespersons will not explicitly say during the extended warranty period who will be responsible for repairing key products such as problematic products. Most consumers will find that they are still looking for factory. Although the "Code" was promulgated, it was not mandatory. In order to avoid disputes, one should keep one more eye when buying extended warranty. “Consumers should pay attention to the qualifications of the extended warranty service provider. The contract should include the extension period, service phone number, vendor’s responsibility, and cost commitment,” said Liu Buchen.