Direct answer: A warranty page is not "three-year warranty" and nothing else. It must state when the warranty starts, which models/parts are covered, what is excluded, who pays freight/on-site/return-to-factory costs, response times, required proof and dispute handling. The website promise must match the contract, sales pitch and service tickets—otherwise customers will screenshot the page and rely on it.
This guide is for marketing, sales, after-sales, legal, quality, IT and website vendors at Changzhou manufacturers. It covers how to build and accept warranty, returns, repair and after-sales promise pages. Information is current to 31 October 2026. It is public regulation and project method, not legal advice; warranty liability, return conditions, freight and contract terms are governed by current law, the contract, company policy and counsel.
A warranty is "term + scope + exclusions + start date + freight + response + proof", not a slogan. The website is a public promise; the contract is the agreement between parties; if they conflict, disputes follow. Wear parts, misuse, expiry and unauthorised repair must be stated upfront, not explained after a failure.
How does the website warranty page relate to the contract?
The website warranty page is a public promise and service entry, not a contract replacement. The contract may set different terms, but website, sales pitch and contract must align, or customers will rely on a screenshot.
Manufacturers often scatter warranty information across contracts, quotes, warranty cards, sales chats and service tickets, while the website says only "one-year warranty". Buyers ask: how long, from when, what is covered, what is excluded, who pays freight, how fast is on-site service, how long are spare parts available. A clear page reduces disputes and repeated sales explanations, but it is not the contract. A B2B contract can set different/specific terms (especially custom equipment), yet the website, brochure and sales pitch must not contradict it.
| Layer | Role | What it governs | What it cannot replace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law | Baseline product-quality/repair-replace-return duties | Producer/seller obligations | Specific contract terms |
| Contract | Agreed scope/term/liability | Rights/duties for that transaction | Public website promise/advertising compliance |
| Website warranty page | Public promise, service entry, proof guidance | Customer expectations/brand trust | Contract/legal duties |
| Sales pitch | Explanation/deal support | Customer understanding | Cannot exceed contract/website |
The three layers are editorial; product-quality liability follows the Product Quality Law, and contractual rights/duties the Civil Code; the contract and counsel govern specifics.
Which elements must the warranty page state?
At minimum: term, start date, covered models/parts, exclusions, wear parts, response times, freight/on-site/return-to-factory, proof and dispute handling. Miss one and after-sales will follow the customer's interpretation.
The most overlooked items are the start date and exclusions. The start may be shipment, receipt, acceptance, commissioning or first power-on; projects differ, so the website should give a default and state that the contract governs. Scope should separate whole machine/parts/software/wear parts. Exclusions should cover misuse, overloading, unauthorised repair/modification, consumables, normal wear and force majeure. Response times should distinguish response/on-site/repair—do not write "fixed within 24 hours". Freight/on-site/return-to-factory should state who pays and when.
| Element | What to write | Evidence | Common gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | Whole machine/parts/software separately | Contract/policy | Only "one year" |
| Start date | Shipment/receipt/acceptance/commissioning/power-on | Receipt/acceptance record | Customer assumes production start |
| Scope | Models, parts, software, labour | BOM/service list | "Whole machine" too vague |
| Exclusions | Misuse/modification/consumables/wear/force majeure | Inspection/photos/tickets | Explained only after failure |
| Wear parts | List, life, separate warranty | Wear-part list | Mixed into whole machine |
| Response | Response/on-site/repair, working hours | SLA/rota | "Fixed in 24h" |
| Freight/on-site | Who pays; return/on-site conditions | Contract/service form | Freight omitted |
| Proof/disputes | Invoice/contract/serial/ticket; dispute process | Warranty lookup/flow | Only a warranty card |
The element list is editorial; statutory quality duties are in Articles 26 and 40 of the Product Quality Law; term/scope follow the contract and company policy.
How should returns, repair and spare parts be separated?
Return, replacement, repair and spare parts are different actions with different conditions, freight and liability. The page should state what is repaired, replaced or returned—not fold everything into "warranty".
The Product Quality Law, Article 40, sets repair/replacement/return situations for sold products (failure to provide the expected performance without prior disclosure, non-conformity with a stated standard, or non-conformity with descriptions/samples), while allowing different contract terms. B2B equipment/custom products usually follow the contract, but the website should still explain common scenarios: damage on arrival, wrong model, quality defect, transport damage, installation issue, usage failure, out-of-warranty repair and spare-part replacement. Freight/on-site/inspection responsibility differs by scenario, so give a decision path and contact entry.
| Scenario | First action | Cost/liability | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damage/wrong item on arrival | Photo evidence → replace/reship | Contract/logistics liability | Receipt/photos/video |
| Quality defect | Inspect → repair/replace/return | Contract/statutory liability | Inspection report/ticket |
| Installation/commissioning | Remote/on-site diagnosis | Per service scope | Commissioning record |
| Usage failure | Report → diagnose → repair | In/out of warranty | Serial/ticket |
| Out-of-warranty/misuse | Quote repair/replacement | Customer pays | Inspection/quote approval |
| Spare-part replacement | Supply by model/list | Part price/freight | Spare catalogue/order |
Scenario handling is editorial; statutory repair/replacement/return situations are in Article 40 of the Product Quality Law; contracts may differ; follow the contract and counsel.
How should freight, on-site service, return-to-factory and downtime be handled?
State who pays freight/on-site/return-to-factory, which regions get on-site service, response/arrival/repair times and whether downtime is compensated. Do not hide freight and downtime behind "free repair".
"Free repair within warranty" often omits freight and on-site fees, so customers assume everything is covered while the company assumes parts/labour only. The page should state whether parts/labour/freight/on-site are free in warranty; who pays round-trip logistics for return-to-factory; whether remote/overseas regions get on-site service; and whether downtime losses are covered (usually not, unless contracted). Response should separate response/remote diagnosis/on-site/repair, with working hours and holidays. Writing this upfront is more effective than arguing later.
| Item | What to write | Evidence | Common dispute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parts/labour | Free or chargeable in warranty | Warranty policy | "Everything covered" |
| Freight | Who pays return/forward shipping | Contract/service form | Round-trip freight |
| On-site | Regions, visits, fees | Service network | Remote areas excluded |
| Response/arrival | Times, working hours, holidays | SLA/rota | "Fixed in 24h" |
| Downtime | Covered or not; cap | Contract | Assumed full compensation |
| Spare supply | Years after discontinuation/replacement | Spare policy | No parts after EOL |
Costs/times are editorial; freight, on-site, downtime and spare-part liability follow the contract, quotation and after-sales policy.
How do website, contract and sales pitch stay aligned?
Website states the default policy, contract states project terms, sales explains the same version. When they differ, customers rely on the most favourable screenshot; use one controlled version and approval.
Common conflicts: website says three years, contract says one; sales says "lifetime free maintenance" but the website does not; brochure says 24-hour on-site but service is 48; contract excludes wear parts but the website does not list them. Make the warranty policy a controlled template: website default, contract annex, quotation, dealer version, all reviewed by after-sales/legal/quality; sales scripts quote from the same version and cannot add promises. Update website, brochure, quotation and dealer materials together.
| Medium | What to write | Approval | Sync |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website | Default policy/entry/FAQ | After-sales/legal/quality | Update on redesign |
| Contract | Project-specific terms | Legal/sales | No conflict with site |
| Quotation | Warranty/freight/service scope | Sales/finance | Versioned with quote |
| Brochure/PPT | Service capability/response promise | Marketing/after-sales | Same as site |
| Sales script | Explanation/red lines | Sales/after-sales | Training/audit |
The consistency list is editorial; advertising claims must be true and verifiable under the Advertising Law; contract terms follow counsel.
What should export warranty pages include?
State applicable countries/regions, language, start date, logistics/duty, service partners and local-law differences. Do not translate a China policy into "global warranty" without capability.
Export equipment adds complexity: long transit, customs/duty, overseas service partners, cross-border spare parts and different local product-liability rules. The English page should state the covered countries/regions, start point (shipment/arrival/commissioning), who pays freight/duty, on-site/return/third-party service, language and response time zone. If you lack overseas service capability, do not write "global warranty/on-site everywhere"; say "service confirmed per project/partner". Export promises must match the contract and distributor agreement.
| Item | What to write | Check | Do not write |
|---|---|---|---|
| Covered region | Countries/regions; islands/remote areas | Service network | "Global warranty" |
| Start point | Shipment/arrival/acceptance/commissioning | Contract/logistics | China default |
| Freight/duty | Who pays; customs responsibility | Incoterms/contract | "Freight included" without scope |
| Service mode | On-site/return/third-party/remote | Partner agreement | Promise without capability |
| Language/time zone | Supported languages, response zone | Team | Chinese-only phone |
| Local law | Consumer/product-liability differences | Counsel/local agent | One global clause |
The export list is editorial; trade terms/duty follow the contract and freight forwarder; product liability/local law follow counsel and the local agent.
How should evidence and the service entry be accepted?
The page should let customers look up/submit serial number, contract/invoice, fault description, photos/video and ticket status; the company should map serial numbers to model/shipment/warranty status and keep service records.
Customers fear "no purchase record / no idea who to contact". The warranty page should offer warranty lookup/reporting, collecting only necessary fields (serial, model, purchase/contract info, fault, contact, photos/video); the company should link serial numbers to shipment/contract/warranty period/repair history. Evidence includes receipt, acceptance, invoice, contract, warranty card, ticket, inspection report, photos/video. Privacy: do not collect sensitive information unrelated to service; state retention and sharing.
| Evidence/entry | What to have | Use | Common gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serial/model | Unique ID, shipment record | Warranty/spare lookup | Customer verbal only |
| Contract/invoice | Buyer, date, terms | Liability | Contract missing |
| Receipt/acceptance | Date, condition, photos | Start date/damage | No receipt record |
| Service ticket | Fault, diagnosis, action, follow-up | Closure/review | WeChat only |
| Inspection report | Cause, liability, repair plan | Dispute handling | No written conclusion |
| Privacy/access | Minimal fields, retention/sharing | Compliance | Over-collection |
The evidence list is editorial; personal-information processing follows the PIPL and the company privacy policy.
Launch acceptance checklist
Accept eight items: policy version, term/start, scope/exclusions, return/repair/spares, freight/on-site/downtime, website/contract/script alignment, lookup/reporting and evidence/privacy. Each needs an owner and evidence.
The checklist can be shared by marketing, sales, after-sales, legal, quality, IT and vendors. The pass standard is not "the page mentions warranty" but that customers understand it, sales can explain it, after-sales can execute it, the contract matches it and disputes can be evidenced.
| Check | Pass standard | Evidence | If failed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Policy version | Website/contract/quote/brochure same version | Version log | Unify/review |
| Term/start | Machine/parts/software separate; start clear | Policy/contract | Add clause/edit page |
| Scope/exclusions | Covered/excluded/wear parts listed | List | Add list/training |
| Return/repair/spares | Scenario, conditions, cost, liability clear | Flow/tickets | Add flow |
| Freight/on-site/downtime | Who pays, regions, times, cap | Contract/SLA | Add terms/change promise |
| Three-way alignment | Website/contract/sales script consistent | Comparison table | Edit/train |
| Lookup/reporting | Serial lookup; form/ticket traceable | Test record | Fix system/add entry |
| Evidence/privacy | Receipt/acceptance/ticket/inspection available; minimal fields | File/privacy policy | Add records/fix form |
The acceptance checklist is editorial; warranty, returns, freight, downtime and privacy requirements depend on law, contract, company policy and counsel.
Who should read this, who should not, and what decision does it support?
It fits Changzhou manufacturers with equipment/standard-product after-sales and a website warranty/returns promise. It does not fit teams using "lifetime/full coverage" to win orders without delivery capability, or treating the site as a contract.
Who should read: marketing, sales, after-sales, legal, quality, IT and website vendors; teams building a warranty/service page, brochure service promise or export warranty terms; anyone deciding "how long, from when, what is excluded, who pays freight, how to state response, how to align website/contract". Who should not: projects using "lifetime warranty/global warranty/24-hour repair" to win orders without capability; teams with different website/contract/sales versions; projects expecting one checklist to replace contract/legal advice. Decisions supported: warranty policy, term/start, scope/exclusions, return/repair/spares, freight/on-site/downtime, three-way alignment, lookup/reporting and evidence/privacy acceptance.
Lingyi Information is a website and enterprise AI project services company, not a law firm, quality certifier or after-sales provider. This article does not replace contract, product-liability, consumer-rights or advertising advice. Changzhou projects are confirmed case by case for remote or on-site work; Lingyi is one candidate, not a local office/team, and does not promise service response, compensation, traffic or inquiries.
FAQ
Can the website promise a "lifetime warranty"?
Be very careful. A lifetime warranty is a long-term cost/performance commitment; state whether "lifetime" means product life or company existence, which parts are covered, whether labour/freight are included and the exclusions. Without capability and terms, it can become a false or unfulfillable claim. A safer approach is "warranty term + extension/spare-supply years" with conditions.
When does the warranty start?
Common start points are shipment, receipt, acceptance, commissioning or first power-on; projects differ. The website should give a default and state "subject to contract", and the contract/acceptance record must prove the date. Do not silently default to "customer production" or "end-user use".
Are wear parts/consumables covered?
Usually listed separately with their own life/warranty. State which are wear parts, life/replacement cycle, whether chargeable and how to buy; the contract/quotation must match. Hiding wear parts guarantees disputes.
Who pays return freight?
Depends on the scenario and contract: damage/wrong item on arrival usually follows logistics/contract liability; quality defects follow contract/statutory liability; out-of-warranty/misuse usually the customer. State who pays return/forward shipping, on-site and duty; do not say "free repair" without freight.
What if the website promise and contract differ?
The contract is the parties' agreement and usually governs; but the website/advertising/sales pitch are public promises and can create disputes/liability. Unify the versions: website default, contract project terms and sales script should not conflict; when they do, legal/after-sales should decide under the contract and law—not improvise.
How should export equipment warranties be written?
State covered countries/regions, start point, freight/duty/customs, on-site/return/third-party service, language/time zone and local product-liability differences. Do not promise "global warranty/on-site everywhere" without capability. Align with the contract/distributor agreement and have counsel/local agent review.
Bottom line
For a Changzhou manufacturer's warranty/returns/after-sales page, the point is not "three-year warranty" but term/start/scope/exclusions/wear parts/freight/on-site/response/proof. Website, contract and sales script must align; lookup/reporting/tickets must be traceable; promises must be deliverable.
Method and limits
This article is public regulation and project method, not a compliance certification or legal advice for any company, product, warranty, return or contract. It uses no unpublished client contracts, service records or prices. The policy table, flow and acceptance checklist are editorial; warranty, returns, freight, downtime, export and privacy requirements depend on current law, contract, company policy and counsel.
Sources
Information is current to 31 October 2026; each official/primary page governs its own scope, version and clauses.
- Product Quality Law of the PRC (2018 amendment): SAMR. Producer/seller quality duties, labelling, repair/replacement/return situations and defect compensation.
- Civil Code of the PRC: NPC. General contract rules on quality, inspection, breach liability and party agreement.
- Advertising Law of the PRC (2021 amendment): SAMR. Warranty/service claims must be true and verifiable, not false or misleading.
If an after-sales dispute involves tool life, trials, or mold transfer, see the mold and tooling page acceptance checklist.