Do any PSU makers sell "system integrator" PSUs, that have mfg-direct warranties?

[VirtualLarry]

Just curious.

Say I'm a whitebox builder. Say I see this juicy Corsair or EVGA PSU, with a 7-year warranty, and Japanese caps, and I want to use it for a high-quality build. (Unlike most SIs, which basically just build on price, myself included.)

Does the end-user that receives the completed desktop computer system, have any rights to a mfg warranty claim, should that PSU fail in the future, and that customer no longer a customer of the particular SI that built the rig?

For most components in a PC, this would not be a huge issue, but with PSU warranties for quality PSUs, being 7-10 or more years, this could potentially be an issue.

Edit: From reading Samsung's Warranty Statement, for their 860 EVO 2.5" SATA SSDs, they make it clear that the warranty only applies to the actual purchaser, and is NOT transferable. So whitebox builders and their customers, that use Samsung SSDs (because, like, who wouldn't, right?), get screwed in the end by Samsung's legalese.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Not all companies have that rule - an integrator would be wise to consider warranty portability when choosing parts and pricing systems.

But I think the workaround there is, your customer comes to you with a problem, and you deal with Samsung.

If you don't want to support your products within their warranty period, go work for somebody else.

 

[VirtualLarry]

If you don't want to support your products within their warranty period, go work for somebody else.

I'm afraid that's not the issue, Dave. I do support what few builds I manage to sell. Often, by component swaps with new product that I have stockpiled. I rarely seek mfg RMA.

That said, there are some additional complexities involved. What if the end-user, goes to the mfg's web site for a component (originally purchased by the whiteboxer), and "Registers" their component (like an SSD).

Or what about those PSU 7-year warranties. Should the SI be on the hook for seven years too? (If not for outright swaps, maybe mfg RMAs on behalf of the customer.) What if I'm not doing this gig seven years from now?

And then there's advertising laws. Should I, as a SI, be allowed to advertise those PSUs as having a 7-year warranty? If so, does that put me on the hook for that warranty, rather than the mfg? What if the customer, stops using my services, and moves to another SI (a different "computer guy"). If I've advertised the PSU as having a 7-year warranty, and it goes T-U six years in, and they try to have their "new computer guy" RMA it, and they get declined, what liability do I have towards that?

 

[UsandThem]

I imagine (just speculation) that system builders like Cyber Power and other boutique builders get the PSU cheaper since the manufacturers don't have to deal with the long warranty periods. I imagine with all the laws out there, components that are built into a computer would be covered only under the warranty period the builder states.

However, a small mom and pop store owner could likely send the units back to be replaced under warranty. The only question would be if they were willing to do this as part of customer service, or if they would charge the customer for this service.

However, this is all just a guess as there are a million lawyers out there that know about this stuff, and who make a whole lot more money than I do by taking on cases like this.

 

[Rifter]

Most small companies/whiteboxers/resellers whatever you want to call them around here have a strict 30 days only return/warranty/exchange policy and if anything goes wrong after that you have to deal with the manufacturer for a RMA.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

You're overthinking it.

Not all companies have that rule - an integrator would be wise to consider warranty portability when choosing parts and pricing systems.

Buy parts from companies that allow warranties to be transferred. Done.

Otherwise, you make sure that all the components of the system are registered before the computer leaves your hands, so the buyer can't register them. Make it clear that warranty service has to happen through you - they can't go to "some other computer guy" and demand free stuff.

Alternatively, you become an official reseller so you can pass actually-legitimately-new hardware on to your customers and make them deal with the warranty bits. (This is probably cost-prohibitive, even if most hole-in-the-wall computer stores manage it; they're dealing with a lot more sales volume than you are.)

Maybe look at how other integrators do it:

https://www.pugetsystems.com/warranty.php

They don't mention manufacturer warranties at all, it's between the buyer and Puget, a one year warranty, that's it. (Puget built the system and it's their responsibility. ASUS is uninvolved.)

 

[Red Squirrel]

How do they verify whether or not they bought it though? I feel this would probably be a non issue, as long as the customer has any relevant information that may be needed to do a claim. Like if there's anything that has to be filled out to "register" it then make sure they're the ones that do that.

I would be kinda hard to start picking and choosing parts based on if they offer transferable warranties as well, this is not really something that is typically advertised on sites like Newegg etc when searching for parts.

 

[sdifox]

Yeah no they are not gonna bother servicing you.

 

[Lordhumungus]

To build on what Dave said regarding Puget as an example, often times companies of any sort of scale have a failure rate built into the price they pay upfront. This way neither company has to screw around with individual returns which end up having a higher opportunity cost than what either party would ever get back.

I know this was used when I worked at Toys R Us way back in the day and the assumed something like a 5% failure rate and negotiated prices with manufacturers accordingly. This is also a reason you see companies trashing seemingly usable product that would make sense to return to a mfg, but not necessarily to resell.