Long Warranties Guarantee Nothing

One of the queries and comparisons we often come across is the subject of warranties. Many people still believe that the longer the warranty, the better the quality – despite so much evidence to contradict it! Take the auto industry for example. BMW and KIA both offer warranties for their cars. The Germans offer a generous 4 year warranty on their cars, while South Korea’s second largest car company offers an unbelievable 10 year warranty! However – when I look at both brands, one is known for being a high quality and reliable brand and the other is seen as being a cheap alternative to the big brands. So what does a warranty really mean?

What does a warranty really mean?

The concept of long warranties has been around a long time and it is simply a marketing ploy to give the impression of high quality. After all, if the manufacturer trusts it to last then I can too, right? Wrong. If there is something fundamentally wrong with a product, if it is going to fail on something such as a manufacturing defect, then that will happen pretty quickly. In fact, most defects will show up even before your statutory rights have expired which will be covered without a warranty!

So, if a product fails on something aside from manufacturer defects or suitability for purpose, it is most commonly not covered by a warranty! These can include things like:

• Misuse of the product
• Accidental damage
• Acts of God

This means that in the majority of cases, the cause of damage to the product will not be covered, regardless of how long the warranty is marketed as. So you see, these extremely long warranties guarantee nothing. In some cases, an extremely long warranty should raise more questions, such as why is the company trying so hard to convince me that it is good quality? Surely the product itself should show you that, without any big sales pitch or marketing techniques.

So how can I ensure I get the best value products for my money?

When it comes to ensuring the longevity of a product, of getting your money’s worth for a product, it is often more important to look at the supplier than the product. Given that manufacturing defects are covered, how can you ensure that your product is at least some way protected against the more common causes of damage to your product?

When you buy from an established, reputable and specialist company, you have the peace of mind that if you happen to damage your product in a year or two, you can go back to them and ask for assistance and they will know what to do and be able to assist you in repairing or replacing parts.

At Colorado Canopies we offer a manufacturer defect warranty on our products which means that in the unlikely event of a product being defective, we fix or replace the product. Simple as that. No marketing spin, no sales pitch. Just a clear, peace of mind warranty which sits alongside the experience and know-how we have gained through our 17 years in the business.

Oh, and by the way, if your product does get damaged for any other reason, we will be here to advise and assist you in the most cost-efficient and quick manner possible.

Now that’s a guarantee you can rely on read more about our warranties and customer service here.