Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act

Sellers offering a written warranty on a consumer product costing more than $15 must make the terms available before sale, including online near the product listing, and a warranty on a product over $10 must be labeled full or limited. Warrantors cannot condition coverage on using a specific brand of parts or service unless provided free or approved by FTC waiver, and cannot disclaim implied warranties when they offer a written warranty. Consumers may sue for damages and attorney fees.

Warranty terms drive returns, repairs and reverse logistics flows that 3PLs manage for brands. A brand cannot void a warranty because a customer used a third-party repair shop, a point the FTC pressed in 2018 warning letters to makers of cars, phones and video game consoles. For e-commerce, warranty terms must be reachable from the product page before purchase. Operators running repair or replacement programs should align disposition and refurbishment rules with the warranty promises a brand publishes.

• Return Merchandise AuthorizationRMAApproval number issued for a return
• Reverse LogisticsMoving goods from customers back to the brand
• RefurbishmentRepairing a returned product for resale

• FTC Mail Order Rule1975, expanded 1993 · FTC rule on shipping times, delays and refunds
• Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA)1972 · Law creating the CPSC and its recall powers

1. FTC: Businessperson's Guide to Federal Warranty Law ftc.gov
2. 15 U.S.C. Chapter 50, Consumer Product Warranties law.cornell.edu