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GenevaPlaying the guarantee at Fnac, a risky operation
The chain charges a fee for some repairs. This way of doing things displeases the French-speaking Consumers’ Federation.
The French Federation of Consumers considers the practice of Fnac legal but open to criticism.
TDG – Lucien FORTUNATI
It is better to think carefully before bringing an item back to Fnac to be repaired, even under warranty: the case can be expensive. Luc* figured it out with 200-franc headphones, one of which no longer worked. The brand made him sign general conditions of following-sales service reminiscent of Russian roulette: the object is sent to the manufacturer, but if he judges that the breakdown is not covered by the guarantee (fall, humidity, etc.), 100 francs administration fee is charged. It’s regarding being sure of your shot before you start.
“It’s dishonest,” plague Luc. That’s not all. According to the document he signed, if the guarantee is refused, the manufacturer draws up an estimate. If he is accepted, everything rolls. But if the customer refuses, 100 francs more are billed to him – an amount that Fnac ensures to waive.
The practice calls out to the French-speaking Consumer Federation (FRC), which sees in it “a way of discouraging the repair of the article to the detriment of durability”. But everything is legal, specifies Jean Tschopp, lawyer of the association: the terms of guarantee take precedence over the law when they have been accepted. There, the trick consists in having following-sales service conditions signed “which harden the general conditions of sale” – which do not provide for any costs, except for shipping.
“We have received other complaints,” said Jean Tschopp. We advise to refuse to sign and to refer to the conditions of sale. Fnac should not refuse. Luc tried, in vain. Since then, he learned that the guarantee had been accepted for his case, but he remains struck by the principle.
