In recent years, due to well-known reasons, the public hasn’t had a good impression of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). However, the FTC recently did something commendable, especially for digital technology enthusiasts.
Digital tech enthusiasts know that almost every electronic product now comes with a sticker that says something like “Warranty Void If Removed” (see article cover image). These stickers are mostly placed over screw holes, and even if you open the case, there might be many inside as well.
To be fair, manufacturers have a certain rationale for this. If a user’s device malfunctions and is repaired by unqualified third-party technicians or with substandard components, significant safety risks could arise, leading to disputes between consumers and manufacturers.
However, this practice is not entirely fair and reasonable. These stickers might get damaged for unforeseen reasons, or users might just open the device to clean dust or change the battery. Manufacturers then refuse to provide warranty service, citing the removal of the sticker, which consumers find hard to accept.
On July 3, the FTC stated that this practice might obstruct and limit consumers’ legitimate rights to repair the products they purchase, violating the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. They issued warning letters to eight companies engaging in such practices.
Among these, four companies are air purifier vendors: aeris Health, Blueair, Medify Air, and Oransi. The fifth company is a treadmill manufacturer named InMovement.
The FTC reminded these five companies that requiring consumers to use specific parts or service providers to maintain full warranty coverage is illegal.
The sixth to eighth companies that received warning letters are ASRock, Zotac, and Gigabyte (see image below). The FTC explicitly demanded that these three companies not use stickers stating “Warranty Void If Removed” or similar wording.
The FTC asked these companies to review their promotional materials immediately upon receiving the warning letters and correct any wrongful practices. The agency will review the situation in 30 days and impose further penalties if necessary corrections are not made.
Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, stated:
“Our goal in sending these warning letters is to make it clear to these companies that restricting consumers’ right to repair violates the law. We will continue to work to protect consumers’ repair rights and the competitive rights of independent dealers.”
As of now, ASRock, Zotac, and Gigabyte have not responded to this matter. We will share the latest updates as soon as they are available, so stay tuned.
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