Your rights
Warranties, returns and honest reviews.
What federal law says about warranties and repairs, where to find return windows, and your right to post an honest review.
Warranties and repairs
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See the warranty before you buy
If a product has a warranty, the law says you must be able to read it before you buy, in a store or online.
Source: FTC Consumer Advice, Warranties
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Your warranty and third-party parts
A manufacturer can't require you to use specific parts or services to keep your warranty unless it provides them for free or gets an FTC waiver.
Source: FTC Consumer Advice, Warranties
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"Warranty void if removed" stickers
In July 2024, FTC staff warned ASRock, Zotac, and Gigabyte about "warranty void if removed" stickers placed where they get in the way of routine maintenance and repairs.
Source: FTC, press release (July 2024)
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Tie-in conditions are generally banned
The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act is the federal law on consumer product warranties. With some exceptions, it bars tie-in sales provisions in written warranties.
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Implied warranties
State laws create implied warranties that cover products even without a written warranty, unless the seller gives written notice there's no warranty or sells "as is" where state law allows.
Source: FTC Consumer Advice, Warranties
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Defects reported during the warranty
If you report a defect during the warranty period and it isn't fixed properly, the company still has to fix it, even if the warranty runs out first.
Source: FTC Consumer Advice, Warranties
Returns and reviews
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Return windows
Many stores won't take returns or exchanges after a set time, like 30 or 90 days. After that, you might have to contact the manufacturer about a defective product.
Source: FTC Consumer Advice, Solving Problems With a Business: Returns, Refunds, and Other Resolutions
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Where to find the return policy
Return policies and deadlines are usually on the receipt, the packaging, the warranty, or the seller's website.
Source: FTC Consumer Advice, Solving Problems With a Business: Returns, Refunds, and Other Resolutions
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Your honest reviews are protected
The Consumer Review Fairness Act protects your right to share honest reviews, and it's illegal for companies to threaten or penalize you for posting them.
Source: FTC Consumer Advice, Solving Problems With a Business: Returns, Refunds, and Other Resolutions
If a company won’t make it right
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LookupFederal Trade Commission
ReportFraud.ftc.gov
The FTC's site for reporting fraud, scams, and bad business practices.
How to use it: If a company won't fix a warranty problem after you've tried to work it out, report it here or to your state attorney general.