A customer purchased an air fryer back in September and has messaged me to say that, after using it several times, the fryer has developed an electrical fault and is no longer working.
I directed them to the manufacturer, as the product comes with a warranty, but the manufacturer has referred them back to me since it was purchased through a ‘reseller.’
Now the customer is asking me to arrange a collection and is requesting a refund or an exchange.
What approach would you take in this situation?
I’m not very keen on providing them with a full refund, considering they’re suggesting the product was fine upon delivery and during initial usage.
The warranty is usually valid for the first customer. So if you bought this from a retail shop, the warranty applies to you only. If you resold the item you bought from a shop, the warranty is not transferable and your customer cannot claim.
That is the (big) problem with retail arbitrage.
If this applies to you and if you still have the original receipt from the shop, you will be able to claim on the warranty. But this also means that you have to accept and refund the return.
In this situation, the best approach is to strike a balance between customer satisfaction and protecting your business interests. Since the product initially worked and later developed a fault, you could offer a partial refund or a replacement as a gesture of goodwill, provided the item is returned to you. Explain that your return policy does not cover faults caused by extended usage but emphasize that you’re willing to assist with a fair resolution. If a warranty claim through the manufacturer isn’t possible, consider absorbing the cost of repair or replacement to maintain a good customer relationship, especially if reviews or feedback could impact your business reputation.
In situations like this, it’s important to strike a balance between customer satisfaction and protecting your business from unfair liability. Since the air fryer was functioning properly at the time of delivery and for a reasonable period afterward, and the issue appears to be a manufacturer-related electrical fault, your initial decision to direct the customer to the manufacturer under warranty was appropriate.
However, now that the manufacturer has referred them back to you due to the reseller relationship, you are unfortunately placed in the middle. Here’s a recommended approach:
Request Written Confirmation: Ask the customer to provide written confirmation from the manufacturer stating that they are refusing service under warranty due to the reseller issue. This strengthens your position if you need to escalate further.
Offer a Practical Resolution: Since the fault occurred after regular use and not due to misuse or damage during delivery, you may consider offering an exchange rather than a full refund. This shows goodwill while avoiding full financial loss.
Clarify Warranty Terms: Check your own return/refund policy and highlight any terms relevant to the situation (such as time since purchase, usage limits, or fault responsibility). This allows you to handle the matter consistently with your policy.
Use it as a Learning Point: Going forward, consider clearly noting in product listings that warranty claims must be handled directly with the manufacturer — and ideally, work only with manufacturers that honor this process even if sold via resellers.
If you feature Scoville or similar models on your platform, this could be a chance to review the product’s support process for future customers. You might also point your visitors to top choice fryers for UK so they can buy with more confidence in brand reliability and after-sales support.
Hope this helps you navigate the situation more smoothly!