Defective product
Guarantee, repair or replacement: prepare your request to the seller
Legal guarantee, commercial guarantee and after-sales service do not cover the same commitments. To avoid unnecessary referrals, it is necessary to qualify the default, find the seller and ask for a precise solution.
Quick response
Essential in a minute
Start by writing to the professional seller by describing the default and the date of delivery, with useful invoice, reference and photos or video. The legal guarantee of compliance adds to a possible commercial warranty and should not be confused with a paid service. For a property, compliance is normally through repair or replacement, free of charge and under the conditions prescribed by law. Keep each exchange and request a document when the product is deposited.
1. Qualify default and retrieve contract
Note the date of delivery, the exact reference, the configuration and the time when the problem occurred. Compare the received product with the description, accessories, instructions and intended use. A lack of conformity is not a simple personal preference. Find the invoice, delivery note and product sheet kept at the time of purchase, as a current page may have changed.
- Invoice and delivery date available.
- Reference and serial number photographed.
- Deviation from the description formulated without hazardous diagnosis.
2. Identify the right care regime
The legal guarantee of conformity is due by the professional seller. A commercial guarantee is an additional commitment, free or paid, defined by his contract. The after-sales service covers other services related to the property and can be invoiced. Read the conditions without accepting that an optional guarantee masks or reduces legal rights. For a purchase from an individual, the rules are not the same.
- Status of the verified seller.
- Guarantee invoked specifically named.
- Commercial contract separate from legal rights.
3. Ask the seller for an explicit solution
Send a dated message with order number, symptoms, conditions of use and desired solution. As part of the compliance of a good, repair and replacement are the main routes, subject to the conditions of cost and feasibility foreseen. Compliance must not create a charge for the consumer. If the seller requires a return, ask for the label, the packing instructions and the document attesting the delivery of the product.
- Written and dated request.
- Desired solution indicated.
- Methods of transport and deposit confirmed.
4. Monitoring the deadline and the refund
Keep a simple timeline: report, answer, deposit, diagnosis, intervention and restitution. Check the product as soon as it returns, as well as any accessories and personal data involved. If the solution delays, fails or creates a major inconvenience, the official sources detail the possibilities of reducing the price or of resolving the contract according to the situation. In case of blocking, formalize the complaint and then use mediation or SignalConso.
- Receipt and accessories listed.
- Dates of each step retained.
- Product tested immediately after restitution.
Compare
Distinguish support
| Device | Principal Interlocutor | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Legal guarantee of conformity | Professional seller | Failure, delivery and solution |
| Commercial guarantee | Contracted enterprise | Duration, exclusions and territory |
| After-sales service | Seller or repairer | Description, diagnosis and parts |
| Hidden vice | Seller | Gravity, hidden character and proof |
Before you continue
Final checklist : Make a warranty claim
Check the points you actually checked. Checks stay in this page during the visit; they are not sent to the server. A checked point does not constitute a validation of the merchant.
Guide: Make a warranty claim · Révision éditoriale : 17 October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Useful answers
Can the seller only send me back to the manufacturer?
For the legal guarantee of conformity, your contact is the professional seller. A manufacturer support can be practical, but it must not erase the seller's responsibility.
Do I have to pay for the diagnosis?
In a covered compliance, no fees must be charged for repair or replacement. Without warranty, ask before deposit if the diagnosis or estimate is paid.
What should be saved before a repair?
Save your data if the product allows, disconnect your accounts, remove unsolicited accessories and photograph the external condition as well as the delivered content.
To check
Reference sources and documentation
This guidance draws on French and European sources. For a cross-border purchase, check the seller’s country, your country of residence and the type of contract. The language of this page does not determine the rules that apply. Consumer rights in the EU — Your Europe.
The editorial update date does not guarantee a new verification of each source. See the references for an individual situation or regulatory evolution.
- DGCCRF — Legal guarantees of compliance and hidden defectsDuration, compliance, repair, replacement and commercial warranty.
- DGCCRF — After-sales serviceVAS contract, diagnosis, intervention and responsibility of the repairer.
- Your Europe — Consumer rights in the EUScope of consumer rights for purchases in the European Union.
Putting into practice
Explore relevant shops
Continue
Other purchase guides
Before a new purchase
Repair or replace an appliance
A method for comparing diagnostic, repair estimate, new or reconditioned replacement, cost of use and life uncertainty.
Read the guide
Home Internet
Improve your home Wi-Fi
Distinguish internet and Wi-Fi coverage, compare measurements per room and choose a repeater or a suitable network after the first checks.
Read the guide
Daily audio
Choose headphones or earphones
Compare headphones and headphones according to the devices used, connections, comfort, calls, charging and maintenance information.
Read the guide