16 C.F.R. PART 702—PRE-SALE AVAILABILITY OF WRITTEN WARRANTY TERMS
Title 16 - Commercial Practices
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 2302 and 2309.
Source: 40 FR 60189, Dec. 31, 1975, unless otherwise noted.
(a) The Act means the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act, 15 U.S.C. 2301, et seq. (b) Consumer product means any tangible personal property which is distributed in commerce and which is normally used for personal, family, or household purposes (including any such property intended to be attached to or installed in any real property without regard to whether it is so attached or installed). Products which are purchased solely for commercial or industrial use are excluded solely for purposes of this part. (c) Written warranty means— (1) Any written affirmation of fact or written promise made in connection with the sale of a consumer product by a supplier to a buyer which relates to the nature of the material or workmanship and affirms or promises that such material or workmanship is defect free or will meet a specified level of performance over a specified period of time, or (2) Any undertaking in writing in connection with the sale by a supplier of a consumer product to refund, repair, replace or take other remedial action with respect to such product in the event that such product fails to meet the specifications set forth in the undertaking, which written affirmation, promise, or undertaking becomes part of the basis of the bargain between a supplier and a buyer for purposes other than resale of such product. (d) Warrantor means any supplier or other person who gives or offers to give a written warranty. (e) Seller means any person who sells or offers for sale for purposes other than resale or use in the ordinary course of the buyer's business any consumer product. (f) Supplier means any person engaged in the business of making a consumer product directly or indirectly available to consumers. [40 FR 60189, Dec. 31, 1975, as amended at 52 FR 7574, Mar. 12, 1987] The regulations in this part establish requirements for sellers and warrantors for making the terms of any written warranty on a consumer product available to the consumer prior to sale. The following requirements apply to consumer products actually costing the consumer more than $15.00: (a) Duties of seller. Except as provided in paragraphs (c) through (d) of this section, the seller of a consumer product with a written warranty shall make a text of the warranty readily available for examination by the prospective buyer by: (1) Displaying it in close proximity to the warranted product, or (2) Furnishing it upon request prior to sale and placing signs reasonably calculated to elicit the prospective buyer's attention in prominent locations in the store or department advising such prospective buyers of the availability of warranties upon request. (b) Duties of the warrantor. (1) A warrantor who gives a written warranty warranting to a consumer a consumer product actually costing the consumer more than $15.00 shall: (i) Provide sellers with warranty materials necessary for such sellers to comply with the requirements set forth in paragraph (a) of this section, by the use of one or more by the following means: (A) Providing a copy of the written warranty with every warranted consumer product; and/or (B) Providing a tag, sign, sticker, label, decal or other attachment to the product, which contains the full text of the written warranty; and/or (C) Printing on or otherwise attaching the text of the written warranty to the package, carton, or other container if that package, carton or other container is normally used for display purposes. If the warrantor elects this option a copy of the written warranty must also accompany the warranted product; and/or (D) Providing a notice, sign, or poster disclosing the text of a consumer product warranty. If the warrantor elects this option, a copy of the written warranty must also accompany each warranted product. (ii) Provide catalog, mail order, and door-to-door sellers with copies of written warranties necessary for such sellers to comply with the requirements set forth in paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section. (2) Paragraph (a)(1) of this section shall not be applicable with respect to statements of general policy on emblems, seals or insignias issued by third parties promising replacement or refund if a consumer product is defective, which statements contain no representation or assurance of the quality or performance characteristics of the product; provided that (i) The disclosures required by §701.3(a) (1) through (9) of this part are published by such third parties in each issue of a publication with a general circulation, and (ii) Such disclosures are provided free of charge to any consumer upon written request. (c) Catalog and mail order sales. (1) For purposes of this paragraph: (i) Catalog or mail order sales means any offer for sale, or any solicitation for an order for a consumer product with a written warranty, which includes instructions for ordering the product which do not require a personal visit to the seller's establishment. (ii) Close conjunction means on the page containing the description of the warranted product, or on the page facing that page. (2) Any seller who offers for sale to consumers consumer products with written warranties by means of a catalog or mail order solicitation shall: (i) Clearly and conspicuously disclose in such catalog or solicitation in close conjunction to the description of warranted product, or in an information section of the catalog or solicitation clearly referenced, including a page number, in close conjunction to the description of the warranted product, either: (A) The full text of the written warranty; or (B) That the written warranty can be obtained free upon specific written request, and the address where such warranty can be obtained. If this option is elected, such seller shall promptly provide a copy of any written warranty requested by the consumer. (d) Door-to-door sales. (1) For purposes of this paragraph: (i) Door-to-door sale means a sale of consumer products in which the seller or his representative personally solicits the sale, including those in response to or following an invitation by a buyer, and the buyer's agreement to offer to purchase is made at a place other than the place of business of the seller. (ii) Prospective buyer means an individual solicited by a door-to-door seller to buy a consumer product who indicates sufficient interest in that consumer product or maintains sufficient contact with the seller for the seller reasonably to conclude that the person solicited is considering purchasing the product. (2) Any seller who offers for sale to consumers consumer products with written warranties by means of door-to-door sales shall, prior to the consummation of the sale, disclose the fact that the sales representative has copies of the warranties for the warranted products being offered for sale, which may be inspected by the prospective buyer at any time during the sales presentation. Such disclosure shall be made orally and shall be included in any written materials shown to prospective buyers. [40 FR 60189, Dec. 31, 1975, as amended at 52 FR 7574, Mar. 12, 1987]
Title 16: Commercial Practices
PART 702—PRE-SALE AVAILABILITY OF WRITTEN WARRANTY TERMS
Section Contents
§ 702.1 Definitions.
§ 702.2 Scope.
§ 702.3 Pre-sale availability of written warranty terms.
§ 702.1 Definitions.
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§ 702.2 Scope.
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§ 702.3 Pre-sale availability of written warranty terms.
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