How can I return my tablet to the store?

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Published: 10/07/2018

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Current legislation, regulating the relationship between the consumer, seller and manufacturer, allows the former to demand the exchange or return of goods in two cases: if they do not meet consumer requirements and if a defect is detected.

• Legal standards
• Features of returning a tablet within 14 days
• After 14 days
• When non-refundable
• Return procedure

Is it possible to return the tablet to the store if the buyer doesn’t like it? What conditions and requirements does the legislation impose for the exchange and return of technically complex devices in accordance with the Consumer Protection Law?

Buyer's rights

To understand the benefits of the warranty period , it is necessary to clarify what this term means .

During the warranty period, the buyer has the right to present his claims to the manufacturer or seller regarding any detected defects in the product , as stated in paragraph 6 of Article 5 of the Law “On Protection of Consumer Rights” .

But it also notes that the manufacturer is not obliged to set such a period, he just has such a right.

How not to lose the warranty?

In order not to interrupt the warranty period, be sure to use the purchased gadget for its intended purpose, read the instructions and do not interfere with the internal design of this equipment.

Is your tablet out of order? Do not take any action yourself - take the device to the service center or store where it was purchased.

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Deadlines

One of the conditions for the successful implementation of their rights by the consumer is compliance with established deadlines .

The warranty period is usually calculated from the day the product was purchased.

This fact is recorded in the receipt and in the equipment passport.

cannot be determined for some reason , then the period is counted from the moment the product was manufactured.

When the tablet is delivered by mail, the moment of sale and delivery of the goods do not coincide.

Then the warranty period is counted from the day the parcel is received.

Sellers often underestimate the warranty period .

For example, if a tablet has a warranty repair period of 12 months (such as the Lenovo TAB S8 and Eee Pad ASUS), then the store can reduce it to 6 months.

It is easy to identify such a discrepancy: you need to look at the technical documentation, look at the manufacturer’s website and check the warranty term, contact the company or its representative by phone .

But it is often much easier to recognize it: the period is indicated on a special sticker placed on the case.

To the buyer's claims, the seller may respond that the manufacturer's deadline is an “internal deadline” for the seller.

But it's not right. In paragraph 1 of Art. 19 refers to the warranty period established by the manufacturer.

At the same time, the seller has the right to set his own term, but it must be the same or more, but not less (clause 7 of Article 5 of the Law).

Before the end of the basic warranty, the company may offer to extend it for another period.

Lenovo TAB S8 tablets, the additional warranty repair period is extended to 3 years.

But such a service is already paid.

According to the manufacturer, this is beneficial because it allows you to avoid high costs for repairing the device.

for legal entities-buyers to know that warranty obligations for them are regulated not only by legislative acts, but also by service level agreements.

We talk about the warranty and repair periods, as well as the extension of the warranty period after repair work in a separate article.

Features of returning the tablet to the store

Any return of goods to the store will require the buyer to submit a written complaint to the retail chain, indicating the essence of the problem and providing actual data on the defect.

The claim is drawn up in two copies. The applicant's copy must be dated and signed by the responsible person. The application can be sent by registered mail.

If the buyer does not have a receipt for the purchased product, the store does not have the right to refuse to accept the product back. Consumer rights are protected by the Law “On Protection of Consumer Rights”.

If these warranty repair periods are exceeded, then the buyer has the right to the following actions:

• exchange the device;
• return money;
• reduce the cost of the tablet for all days of overdue warranty repairs in proportion to the sales price.

If the device is considered defective, the seller is obliged to return the money within 10 days from the date of the written complaint. If the deadlines are exceeded, you can safely file a lawsuit demanding a refund and payment of a 1% penalty (of the face value of the price tag for the gadget) for each of the overdue days.

In case of purchasing a low-quality gadget through online sales, the consumer has the right to return the product within 7 days. If you were not notified by the seller of this right, then the period for returning the device increases to one month.

How to return any equipment to the store, including a tablet, see the following video:

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If the tablet breaks down, it is sent for warranty repair .

If the repair period is not specified in the contract, then the money or other quality product must be returned no later than 45 days.

The product is replaced or money is returned in the following cases :

• The tablet cannot be repaired;
• it cannot be used for more than 30 days in each warranty year due to frequent breakdowns.

If the seller refuses to carry out warranty repairs, you should go to court .

Then an examination , and the seller pays for it.

After repair, the warranty is extended for the period during which the tablet computer was repaired.

That is, if the repair lasted a month, then the seller must extend the warranty .

Tablet warranty repair periods

In most cases, manufacturing companies or stores themselves provide a warranty for tablets equal to one calendar year. This period may be less or more. This information is contained in the documentation accompanying the gadget.

For example, warranty repair of tablets from Irbis is provided within 12 calendar months from the date of delivery of the device to the buyer.

However, this period cannot exceed 1.5 years from the date of production of the gadget. The company also offers a three-month warranty on batteries (it should not exceed a year from the date of sale).

The tablet is a complex technical device, which can be returned if a defect is discovered only within 14 days from the date of purchase. However, in some situations, the period for returning the gadget and repairing it at the expense of the seller may be extended.

The following periods are allocated during which the tablet is transferred for free correction of identified deficiencies:

• within a two-week period from the date of purchase;
• throughout the entire warranty period specified in the documents accompanying the device;
• within two years, unless a warranty is provided at the time of purchase.

It is worth considering that individual components of the tablet may have a longer warranty period, exceeding the warranty on the device itself. In this case, the law takes the user’s side and extends the period during which it is possible to file a claim with the seller or manufacturer to a greater extent.

Thus, if the warranty on the tablet itself is one year, and on its parts - 24 months, then you can return the gadget for repair within two years.

In total, repair work may take no more than 45 days, according to Article 20 of Law of the Russian Federation No. 2300-I. In this case, the parties must discuss the timing of repairs in a special agreement. If this period is not enough to restore the functionality of the tablet, its extension is only permissible if the agreement is re-signed.

Possibility of warranty extension

The warranty can be set either by the store or by the manufacturer. In practice, selling organizations underestimate the warranty period.

In accordance with Part 7 of Article 5 of the Law of the Russian Federation No. 2300-I of February 7, 1992, the store is obliged to accept an unusable device before the expiration of the warranty provided by the manufacturer.

In some cases, companies offer to extend this period for an additional fee.

For example, warranty repairs for tablets from Samsung can be carried out within 12 calendar months, while the tablet PC itself is designed for 3 years of uninterrupted service. The company also offers the purchase of a “Service+” certificate.

Service”, thanks to which the user will be able to repair a faulty device free of charge at any time at the nearest service center and after the end of the warranty period.

Shop or service center?

You can apply for warranty repairs not only to the store , but also to the service center .

The requirement to contact the service center may be presented in the store, but it is illegal: the consumer decides this issue on his own.

If both the store and the manufacturing company’s service center are equally accessible, then the store is still preferable - the hassle of organizing warranty repairs .

When choosing a service center, there are several important points that are disadvantageous for the tablet buyer :

• if a service center is selected, then the store may say that they were not sent to this workshop, and therefore they are not responsible for the actions of its employees;
• the service center can say that, according to the agreement between it and the manufacturer, they do not return money and do not exchange the product for a new one if the repair period is violated.

Such actions, of course, can be challenged in court , but this is unnecessary trouble and a waste of time .

What does the consumer protection law say - is it possible to return a phone or tablet to a store?

The process of regulating the relationship between buyer and seller in the field of retail sales is carried out in accordance with the Law “On the Protection of Consumer Rights” (LAP). This regulation establishes the rights of buyers and also reflects ways to protect their interests.

The Consumer Rights Protection Law regulates the procedure for purchasing various products (high-quality and with some defects), including phones and tablets. The following provides information on the possibility of returning purchased electronic devices in accordance with the ZAP.

Read about the rules for exchanging and returning technically complex goods here, and from this article you will learn how to act correctly if you purchase a product of poor quality.

For what reason is it permissible to do this?

A phone or tablet purchased in a store can be returned to the seller in the following situations:

• if a defect (factory breakdown) is detected;
• if there are faulty elements of the device coating;
• in the presence of other defects due to which the product cannot be fully used.

Among other things, if the purchased phone meets quality standards, the buyer has the right to return it if:

• after the purchase, it was discovered that the client was not satisfied with the color, shape or dimensions of the device;
• the design of the entire model, or individual elements, does not satisfy the consumer;
• The color or configuration of the gadget is not suitable for the buyer.

During what period?

Within 14 days after purchase

According to the law, the consumer has the right to return or exchange the phone within 14 days from the date of purchase if the product is of adequate quality, but does not suit the buyer due to other characteristics (color, dimensions, design). The return request must be fulfilled provided that the product has not lost its properties.

Tablets belong to the category of technically complex goods, which, according to the law, cannot be exchanged or returned provided they are in proper technical condition.

You can find out how to return household appliances within 14 days after purchase and later here.

During the warranty period

Often the warranty period for a phone or tablet is from 1 to 2 years. If significant deficiencies or breakdowns are detected in the device, the consumer can contact the store, where he will be offered several options for the development of events:

• Return or exchange of goods.
• Repairing the device to troubleshoot problems.
• Reducing the cost of goods by the amount that repairs will cost.

It is important to understand that repairs and warranty service are allowed when the breakdown of the phone or tablet was not the fault of the buyer . For example, if a customer drops a phone in water or accidentally steps on it, warranty repairs are not provided. The consumer chooses the scenario; he can either return the phone and take the money, or ask for repairs under warranty.

Reference. During the repair, the client must be provided with another device for temporary use.

Provided that the first failure of the device is considered insignificant, the store customer will be able to rely solely on phone repair in the future. Refunds or replacement of goods will not be available.

Upon completion of the warranty

If the warranty period for an electronic device has expired, you can return the broken device if certain conditions are met:

• During the warranty period, the phone was sent in for repair many times, and the total repair time was 30 days or more.
  To make a return, it is important to keep the receipts for any repairs performed so that you can present them to the seller as proof.
• Repairs under warranty took longer than 45 days.
  It is in the seller's interests to ensure that the broken device is repaired within a period not exceeding 45 days. If the repair receipt indicates a longer period, the buyer can safely apply for a refund.
• High cost of repairs + long terms. This information about warranty repairs will become known after diagnostics are carried out. For the seller, the best solution in this situation would be to exchange or return the device.

Reference. If one of the above conditions is met, the buyer can contact the store to return the phone or tablet.

The seller may also require an examination, which the client carries out independently at the service center or in the seller’s store. Before submitting your phone for examination, it is important to take care of drawing up a transfer and acceptance certificate , where all faults will be recorded.

What documents are needed?

When handing over your tablet for warranty repair, you will need to present a sales or cash receipt , as well as a completed warranty card without errors.

the originals of these documents with yourself, and give copies to the seller or the center, having shown the originals first.

If the seller insists on giving him the original documents , then you need to keep copies for yourself.

This documentary evidence will be required if the case goes to trial.

Some companies, such as Toshiba, have eliminated paper warranty cards.

But every device has a serial number .

After purchasing equipment from this company, you need to independently register the device on the company’s website.

Sometimes stores refuse to provide warranty service, citing the fact that the original packaging is missing or the set of additional accessories with which the product was supplied is incomplete.

Such actions are illegal - goods without it must still be accepted for repair .

The fact of handing over the tablet must be documented.

In return, an act of acceptance of the goods for repair .

It contains the following data :

1. The name of the person who accepts the device for repair – organization, individual entrepreneur, address, contact phone number.
2. Last name, first name, patronymic of the buyer, contact information.
3. Product name, brand, model, serial number.
4. The appearance must be described - damage, scratches, abrasions.
5. Complete set - the presence of a protective film, charger, any headset.
6. The purpose of the reception is quality control or warranty repair. Lawyers advise indicating in a separate line when you need not a repair, but an exchange of the tablet or a refund for it .
7. Date of delivery of goods.
8. Detailed list of defects that need to be checked or eliminated.

It is important to remember that all postage , if necessary, is carried out at the expense of the seller .

Swing fund

For many, the tablet has become an integral attribute of study or work.

Therefore, even his short-term absence will affect the performance .

To prevent this from happening, the Law “On the Protection of Consumer Rights” introduced the concept of “replacement fund” (clause 2 of article 20, clause 1 of article 21).

According to its standards , while troubleshooting, the buyer can demand from the store or manufacturer a free temporary replacement of the faulty tablet from a special replacement fund.

The application for replacement is drawn up in two copies. The first is given to the store or service center, the other, with a mark and preferably a receipt stamp, remains with the buyer.

The requirement must be fulfilled no later than 3 days from the date of submission of the application .

Delivery to the buyer, if he is in another city, is carried out at the expense of the seller.

If the demand remains unsatisfied, then a monetary penalty is applied to the violator of the law: for each day of delay, he must pay the buyer a penalty (penalty) - 1% of the price of the tablet .

In what cases can you return the tablet?

If the gadget fails due to a manufacturing defect, the tablet can be returned within 14 days from the date of purchase from the seller. The buyer is given the opportunity to choose a way to protect his rights:

• terminate the purchase and sale agreement and return the money for the purchased goods;
• exchange a tablet of the same model for a working one or choose a similar option with recalculation if there is a difference in prices between them.

In a situation where the tablet breaks down after 14 days from the date of sale, the procedure for returning money or exchanging for a working gadget is complicated by a number of conditions:

• the breakdown must be significant (see section of the article - The concept of a significant defect);
• While under warranty, the tablet constantly breaks down, is sent in for repairs several times, and the time of actual use by the consumer does not exceed a total of one month (30 days) for each warranty year of operation (for example, the warranty period for the tablet is 24 months, of which within 60 days (2 months) the consumer operates the gadget, and for the remaining 22 months it is under repair. The periods of the tablet’s operating condition may vary, not necessarily continuously for 2 months);
• the breakdown was not repaired within the required 45 days (Article 20 of the Law “On Protection of Consumer Rights”).

In this case, cases of breakdowns and deficiencies due to the fault of the manufacturer are considered. They consist of the following points:

• poor quality manufacturing process;
• violation of the rules for the delivery of finished products from the manufacturer to the distribution network;
• improper storage of goods prior to sale to the consumer.

You may be interested in an article on how to return jewelry.

You can read about how to return bed linen to the store here.

You can read the article on how to return train tickets.

Tablet failure can also be caused by careless handling on the part of the consumer. Such cases include factors:

• identification of software of pirated origin;
• tablet falling from a height;
• filling with water or other liquids (tea, coffee, etc.);
• using recharging from another type of device;

In such situations, the consumer will not be able to return even a warranty tablet to the store.

Check after repair

After warranty repairs, it is imperative to thoroughly check the operation of the device .

It is necessary to make sure that the defect has been eliminated and that the device is externally in the same condition as indicated in the repair acceptance report.

A certificate of work done must be provided.

It indicates a list of work performed and parts replaced .

This document will be useful if repeated repairs are required and the same deficiency is discovered.

You need to sign the document only after a thorough check of the device.

It often happens that, when picking up a tablet after warranty repairs , the buyer discovers scratches or other damage to the case on it - for example, scratches that were not there before - this can be proven by presenting an acceptance certificate.

In this case, they turn to the norms of the Civil Code (Articles 1064, 1065), as well as the Law “On the Protection of Consumer Rights” (Article 14).

If such a defect is discovered, there is no need to take the device back for repair.

You must request compensation for damages .

It can be reimbursed in kind when the housing is replaced, or in cash - the consumer will be reimbursed for the cost of the housing and services for its replacement.

You can pick up the tablet from repair, but before that you should draw up a document stating that there is damage to the case or display that was not present at the time the tablet was accepted for warranty repair.

In the absence of such a document, there is no need to talk about any compensation .

Unfortunately, anything can break during the warranty period. Therefore, for our readers, we have prepared useful articles about the features of warranty repair of phones, cars and products from Sony and Samsung.

Reasons for implementation within 14 days

According to Article 18 of the Law “On the Protection of Consumer Rights”, the buyer has the right to demand from the seller the termination of the purchase and sale agreement for a technically complex product, or replacement with a product of the same brand or another product, if necessary, with recalculation of the price within 15 calendar days, starting from the moment of the transaction, but only if there is any defect in the product.

The defect of a product is understood as non-compliance with the stated requirements, the terms of the contract , or the standard requirements for goods of this kind. This also includes non-compliance with the purposes for which this product is usually purchased and about which the seller was informed. Or the product does not correspond to the sample and description.

It follows from this that a defect can be considered not only the presence of defects in appearance or missing, faulty functions, but also other characteristics that do not correspond to its properties and do not allow its full use for the purposes required by the buyer. These include:

• visual – violation of the design, damage to the paint, etc.;
• unnecessary parts, protrusions, which complicates the use of the product;
• other properties that can imitate characteristics necessary for a specific use, but cannot be used for their intended purpose (example - a wallet, without pockets, having a decorative, but not a practical function).

If the seller does not agree with the buyer’s arguments regarding the presence of a defect in the product, it is necessary to check the quality of the product, which can confirm or refute the consumer’s arguments. The check is carried out by the store or an authorized service center at its own expense.