Warranty voided stickers are illegal under Federal Law

[jpaine619]

Read a story on motherboard.com and I think it may apply here:

https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/arti ... llegal-ftc

The story contains some harsh language, so it's probably NSFW.

But the general gist of it, is that it is illegal under the 1975 Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act to place those "warranty voided if opened" stickers on any electronic device sold for more than $5. (The article says $15, but it is in error, the law itself specifies $5)

[Dave]

Netonix switches are not "consumer products", so I believe the 1975 Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act
does not apply....

[sirhc]

That legal case was primarily awarded towards computers and other electronics that had expansion capabilities such as computers where the user wanted to add memory, a hard drive, a CD Rom, and so on but the warranty sticker limited their ability to fully use the computer by expanding it which was often used as an advertisement such as supports X Ram, or multiple expansion bays, and so on.

There are ZERO expansion slots in our switch and ZERO serviceable parts such as user changeable fuses, everything is soldered to the board.

Keep in mind that any manufacturer voids their warranty if any modifications are performed on the electronics. For instance if you own an iPhone and break the screen and have the screen replaced at a non apple store then later the iPhone dies within the warranty period and you try and return it to Apple for warranty.....good luck with that.

Please name a single reason you want to open the chassis of our switch as there is no expansion capabilities or serviceable parts.

[jpaine619]

I don't want to open it. But.. before you dismiss this out-of-hand, you may want to do a bit of research. I don't know how you don't think your switches are consumer products. I purchase mine via Amazon. I'm the end user. The act does not specify any level of technical knowledge to determine if something is a consumer device.

This is what the FTC had to say: (this is an excerpt from the letters they are sending out)

Claims by a warrantor that create a false impression that a warranty would be void due to the use of unauthorized parts or service may, apart from the Warranty Act, constitute a deceptive practice under Section 5 of the FTC Act…

This letter places you on notice that violations of the Warranty and FTC Acts may result in legal action.FTC investigators have copied and preserved the online pages in question, and we plan to review your company’s written warranty and promotional materials after 30 days. You should review the Warranty and FTC Acts and if necessary, revise your practices to comply with the Acts’ requirements. By sending this letter, we do not waive the FTC’s right to take law enforcement action and seek appropriate injunctive and monetary remedies against [company name] based on past or future violations.

[jpaine619]

I, personally, am fine with send y'all my switches for repair. This is not a complaint.

What I was TRYING to do, is give you guys a heads-up that the FTC has begun to enforce this law. Soooooo... rather than dismiss this information, I suggest you give it some thought.

Warranty void if removed stickers are ILLEGAL. End of story. I'd rather not see you guys get nailed. I happen to like your products...

[Dave]

thanks for your comments, however, stickers are illegal for "consumer" products, as used typically in a home...Netonix switches are not "consumer" products used in a home.

[avious]

Hey, I don't really care about the sticker thing but I just wanted to add that I actually do use a Netonix switch in my HOME. It powers the radio for the P2P I have back to my ISP. lol.

[sirhc]

Hey, I don't really care about the sticker thing but I just wanted to add that I actually do use a Netonix switch in my HOME. It powers the radio for the P2P I have back to my ISP. lol.

We can not enforce people do not use them as consumer electronics but we do not sell them as such.

They are sold as Commercial / Industrial Electronics.

Someone could buy a 60 lb electric jack hammer and duct tape it to their bed frame to make a vibrating bed that does not make the jack hammer a consumer electronics product.

Either way we did recently stop using the sticker but not because it is illegal but because it saves money.

But I still fail to see the logic why anyone would want to open it as it has no serviceable or expansion capabilities.

Try opening your iPHONE then taking it to an Apple Store for warranty.

[mike99]

I pretty sure Netonix is fine since the repair is free under warrenty. If warrenty is broken by something no covered like water in the case and you repair it yourself, or make it repair somewhere else, warrenty is void anyway.

That not a cell phone that cell phone that you can broke glass, or digitizer, but everything else should still be under warrenty even if you replace those part. Netonix as only two part, main board and power supply. The only case I could imagine that this would be debatable is because you make a mistake with DC power supply and would like to repair this part yourself but would like the switch board to still be under warrenty.

From what I know, netonix team have been flexible on warrenty and even let some fix small problem themself to avoid shipping delay without broking warrenty. Instead of claiming illegal and "I have the right to", maybe you should begin with first having a problem and then check out with the Netonix team how the could handle this.

[Charlie]

Keep in mind that any manufacturer voids their warranty if any modifications are performed on the electronics. For instance if you own an iPhone and break the screen and have the screen replaced at a non apple store then later the iPhone dies within the warranty period and you try and return it to Apple for warranty.....good luck with that.

Actually thats normal in Australia and NZ
Guarantees Act states that you can replace a faulting part on a device, and if another part fails which would normally be under warranty, then they have to fix it and prove that the damage was caused by your 3rd party repairer. Apple keeps getting fined for denying warranty repairs in these situations.

Then there is those stupid humidity sensor stickers. Phone companies deny warranty repairs if a 3M humidity sensor has changed color inside the phone due to humidity from being in ones pocket. That then becomes the retailers responsibility to repair here because the phone was sold as a consumer product and it is perfectly normal to place a phone in a trouser pocket.

With regard to netonix units, we had a few sites problems where a bug would crawl into the case - probably through the fan while it was off and then short itself on the board. The only way we confirmed this is by opening them up to have a look and pull the bug out.
I have 3 or 4 saved up which I am going to send back for a paid repair because it looks like they are only simple repairs which we will happily pay for, but shipping from australia to the USA is quite expensive so I want to send a few at once.