<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9540340#post9540340 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BeanAnimal
I have a few basic thoughts here.
1) Proof of purchase: This can be argued either way, but in MOST cases is used to deny warranty claims and returns on items that should obviously be covered. In other words in most cases it is used as a tool deny claims, NOT Prevent fraud. I would hope that this is not the case here (though it appears to be).
2) We also require a standard Warranty Card (provided with the aquarium) to be filled out and returned for our records within 10 days of original purchase. This way we can verify the original purchaser, and purchase date. None was ever provided. You may want to look into warranty law my friends. Users (customers) are NOT required to send in ANY information to activate a warranty or receive warranty coverage. You can certainly offer additional services for registered users, but you CAN NOT tie your warranty to those registrations. In addition, you must clearly state the terms of the warranty (I.E. transference) and if you do not, then in most cases the CUSTOMER gets the benefit of the doubt. The law is fairly clear, even though many companies abuse the law and are not taken to task for it. You want us to beleive that this guy is trying to defraud you. You have painted the picture that he was NOT the original owner and that he has abused the tank. Yet, these are both assumptions on your part and certainly not warranty provisions (at least from what I have read).
3) Several modifications have been made to the top, with improper tooling. This has NOTHING to do with the warranty or the cracks. Instead it is a simple tactic to divert the subject away from the problem. Please show us how the CUSTOMERS modifications are the CAUSE of the cracks.
We have offered to remove a small section of the top and have it analyzed, at our expense to determine the exact nature of the failure. This would not affect the structural integrity of the aquarium. You want to remove a section of the tank, but have just also said that the end user modified the tank (and insinuated that the cracks are due to the customers modifications). It would appear that you can not have both. Of course some modifications are safe and others are not. The point is you have raised an issue and then somewhat contradicted yourself. Please show US how the customers modifications have caused those cracks and please explain how the CUSTOMER is to modify the tank to get your sample? Will you send him the "proper tooling"? Will you send out a technician?
4) You mentioned (at least twice) how all of us have had to go through this process. Yes, we have! Most of us are tired of arguing with folks who hide behind fine print and ambiguous language.
Should you pay for frivolous claims? Of course not. But this does not appear to be frivolous, instead it appears that you guys have a sparkly warranty that in reality it is fairly useless. It also appears that the basic premise is to blame the user and the component vendors instead of honoring the big sparkly talk that gives users comfort in buying your product.
