How long does the warranty last on a product sold online?
Two years from delivery, and the seller is the one who answers. This is the most commonly mishandled point: sending the customer to the manufacturer's support does not release the store from its obligations.
Short answer
- The legal guarantee of conformity lasts two years from delivery of the goods.
- The seller answers for it, even when the defect originates with the manufacturer.
- In the first year the defect is presumed to have existed at delivery: the seller bears the burden of proof.
- The remedies follow an order: free repair or replacement first, then price reduction or contract termination.
- The legal guarantee cannot be excluded or reduced; the manufacturer's commercial warranty is only additional.
Legal guarantee versus manufacturer warranty
The two guarantees compared
| Aspect | Legal guarantee | Commercial warranty |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Consumer Code, art. 128 onwards | Voluntary manufacturer commitment |
| Duration | Two years from delivery | As stated in the certificate |
| Who answers | The seller | Whoever issues it |
| Waivable | No, never | Yes, it is optional |
A practical example
Example: a customer receives a headset on 10 March and in November the power button stops working. We are within the first year: the defect is presumed to have existed at delivery, and the store must repair or replace it free of charge. If the store claims misuse caused the damage, it is the store that has to prove it.
Common mistakes
- Writing “12-month warranty” in the terms of sale for new goods sold to consumers.
- Sending the customer to the manufacturer's service centre as if it were the only route.
- Charging shipping costs for a repair under guarantee, which the seller must bear.
- Confusing the guarantee with the right of withdrawal: two different rules with different deadlines.
How 4shopy helps
- The legal-guarantee page is a dedicated template, linked from the footer and from product pages.
- Every order stores the delivery date, so the two years run from a verifiable fact.
- Support requests stay linked to the order and the customer, with no chasing through e-mail.
- Used or refurbished products can be flagged as such on the product page itself.