Problems with product warranty registration forms

[geothorn]

Currently, I have warranty registration forms, from three different companies, just sitting around my place, rather than getting filled-out and sent back to their respective manufacturers. "Why is that?" you ask.

Well, in my opinion, to register for a company's warranty, on one of their products, I think that all of the information that the manufacturer *needs* is my name, mailing address, which of that company's products that I purchased, the date of the purchase, and what retailer did I purchase it from. Why a manufacturer seemingly *needs* to know whether I own or rent my property, what my income range is, the ages and number of children in my household, and/or what magazines me and my family subscribe to is totally beyond me.

I only want to register the products that I've purchased, to be eligible for their warranty service, not to give the manufacturer enough information so that they can sell the information and I can increase my weekly supply of junk mail. When I've purchased a product, I think that should be the end of my paying for a product - I shouldn't have to get more junk mail solicitations for me to buy something, just because I filled-out another company's warranty registration card!

Manufacturers have their reasons for creating data files on their customers...and I have my reasons not to be included in spreadsheets that manufacturers are creating about their customers, without the customers' explicit knowledge.

GeoThorn

 

[Cougar Allen]

If you read the fine print I think you'll find they only request you give them all that unnecessary additional information. I think there's a federal law about that, isn't there?

Some of those forms are on the net these days, and sometimes have some required fields that IMHO should not be required fields. All the dumb software knows is whether you typed something in that field or not, though.

 

[gajinoz]

I don't know how these things work where you are but in my part of the world a manufacturer CANNOT refuse warranty if you don't send in the card. Might be worthwhile for you to find out what the story is for you and maybe you can just throw those things in the bin.

 

[tarsier]

Slightly off-topic, but I heard that Radio Shack finally stopped asking for name and address on every purchase. That used to royally piss me off. My standard answer was "Rusty Shackleford...123 Elm Street". I kind of felt bad for the clerks, who didn't set the policy, but had to take the brunt of people's anger.

 

[mete]

That isn't Radio Shacks big problem.They sell junk !!...Those warranty questions are mostly marketing surveys. Just leave off whatever you don't want to answer.

 

[gajinoz]

Slightly off-topic, but I heard that Radio Shack finally stopped asking for name and address on every purchase. That used to royally piss me off. My standard answer was "Rusty Shackleford...123 Elm Street". I kind of felt bad for the clerks, who didn't set the policy, but had to take the brunt of people's anger.

A chain of computer shops here used to ask for name and address when you bought anything, they must have got too many people like me telling them to shove it and now they just ask for postcode for "statistical" purposes!

 

[etp777]

Tarsier, we used to ask ofr that at sears for products with extended warranties(they probably still do). We used to just use fake acccount we had setup(went by phone number, so used number of our phone there in hardware department), whenever someone hesitated/argued/whatever. Don't htink manager cared, as he felt same way as me, that it's not really our business. as long as they have receipt with that extended warranty printout, we'd honor it.

 

[geothorn]

If you read the fine print I think you'll find they only request you give them all that unnecessary additional information.

The fine print on one only has:

Thanks for taking the time to fill out this survey and registering your product. Your answers and personal information will be kept confidential.

I daresay that the word "confidential" can have flexible borders/different meanings depending upon its perceived 'necessity.'

[ ] Please check here if you do not wish to receive mailings or e-mails about special offers or programs from _______.

You've got a double whammy there. If you don't check that box, you might miss out on special offers! And, if you do check the box, it says nothing about receiving mailings or email from companies other than the company I'm registering a product with. The ones that they may "share" the information with.

I think there's a federal law about that, isn't there?

I'm going to have to try looking that up. It'd be nice if there's a federal law about not needing to complete entire warranty cards, if one feels that they are getting unnecessarily intrusive. However, if the companies have thought this bright idea up, maybe no federal law has been sought to stop this version of "data mining."

Some of those forms are on the net these days, and sometimes have some required fields that IMHO should not be required fields. All the dumb software knows is whether you typed something in that field or not, though.

I try to avoid filling-out too many online forms, myself. As far as buying things online, well, I'll research the product, online, like building a computer, and I'll follow the ordering process until I can total-out the price online, and then I'll call the company and make the order.

My "business" doesn't need to be all over the Internet.

GeoThorn

 

[Gollnick]

Just put your name, address, model of unit purchased, date purchased, and serial number of unit purchased. That is all they need for registration. The major use for this information is safety recalls. They call it "warranty registration" just to get people to fill the card in. You have a warranty whether you register or not. The other stuff about color of hair and how many dogs you own and so forth is just marketing survey stuff and can be left blank.

 

[geothorn]

I don't know how these things work where you are but in my part of the world a manufacturer CANNOT refuse warranty if you don't send in the card. Might be worthwhile for you to find out what the story is for you and maybe you can just throw those things in the bin.

I like the way that things work for you down there, Mr. gajinoz. I'll have to contact the manufacturers and see what they each have to say about their warranty registration forms. Some of the information on the forms is necessary, from my point of view, but, some companies may see their entire warranty form as necessary to complete.

They might rely on the profits gained from selling their customers' information and they couldn't very well come out and admit it.

GeoThorn

 

[underaged!]

I heard you dont even need to fill BM ones out. But then they'll automatically send you the catalogs, earlier too, if you do.