Are warranty stickers illegal?
Getting a console repaired is tricky business nowadays, mainly because of those pesky stickers that warn of a warranty void if removed. However, it appears that those stickers are in-fact illegal per US law. More specifically, the law says that if a product is sold for more than $5, its warranty can’t enforce any restrictions on repairs. Companies knew about it, of course, but they applied the stickers in question anyway.
Enforcing the law.
Now, the FTC has decided to enforce this law, and this will affect large companies such as Sony and Microsoft. Moreover, Nintendo, Asus, Hyundai, and HTC have received serious warnings:
“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 your company based on past or future violations.”
The original warning dates back to April 9, which means that these manufacturers have until May 9 to comply. This also means that they will have to get rid of the warranty stickers while modifying their warranty policy. Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo have not issued a response at the time of writing. However, we’ll be sure to tell you if they do.
