It’s every consumer’s worst nightmare. You pay good money for a product only to find out that when you get it home something is wrong. Then, having purchased the thing in good faith, you return to the business you got it from and they tell you there is no warranty. Cue hysterical scream.

Usually a warranty will last a year or two, but some companies guarantee their products for even longer. Many businesses realize that even though a consumer may not need to use these warranties, it gives the consumer confidence that the company that supplies the goods stands by their quality and wants to keep their customers coming back.

There are two types of warranty: most companies will offer you two types of warranty.

Manufacture’s warranty: This guarantees the product for one two or three years. The store will not be responsible for refund or replacement if the purchaser wants the warranty honored. Instead the store will instruct the customer on how to send the product back to the manufacturer, for replacement or refund. When this happens you will need to be sure that you will not be paying high shipping costs to send the product back to the manufacturer.

Store warranty: The warranty will still be valid for one to three years. The only difference is that the customer will deal directly with the store not the manufacturer. This is more convenient for the customer.

It shows a great deal of confidence in their goods when a company or business offers a long term warranty like a three year term. Customers can make purchases knowing that they are covered by the guarantee and this adds to a businesses reputation.

Companies usually offer what is called extended warranties. These will be the ones that last for one to three years. Sometimes they are included in the price of the product and at other times they are offered as an up sell, an added cost to the consumer. If you are purchasing the extended warranty as an added cost be sure to read the fine print and know exactly what it covers. Sometimes there is a limited warranty on different parts of the lighting fixture, at other times it is comprehensive and will cover everything.

If you are buying your lighting fixtures online be extra cautious when you examine the warranty. Contact the customer service department if you have any questions about the guarantee that is being offered. The FAQ section of their web site can be a useful source of information about the warranty.

So, now that you know exactly what a warranty is, your light fixtures should be a whole lot easier to purchase with confidence. Just remember that it won’t matter how much you save if the product doesn’t work, so cover your back with a warranty.