Marketing questions on warranty cards?

[Tula47]

I recently purchased a Marlin 1895G 45-70 for myself and I was filling out the mail-in rebate thing to get my $100 rebate and thought I would go ahead and send in the warranty card too. That was until I started to read the questions on the warranty card.

Some of the questions include:

How many days do you spend hunting and shooting?

For your primary residence do you rent or own?

Including yourself how many adults live your home?

Which best describes your family income?

What type of vehicle do you drive most often?

Do you own a dog?

Date of birth or your children under the age of 18?

Is it just me or are those questions absurd? In the bottom in the fine print it says "The information that you share with us will be used by us and our marketing partners to offer you product information and other communications that may interest you." I think that was a polite way to say they will use the information provided to blow up your emails from them and their other companies.

After feeling the quality of this compared to my older JM stamped 30-30 I will probably not be purchasing a Marlin again.

 

[bwframe]

Does any warranty actually require the warranty card filled out? Doesn't your receipt serve the requirements necessary?

 

[Tula47]

Does any warranty actually require the warranty card filled out? Doesn't your receipt serve the requirements necessary?

It said at the top "Warranty and certificate of ownership card must be completed and mailed.... Within ten (10) days of purchase to insure the protection of the warranty"

 

[Tula47]

I would think that would mean it would have to be filled out entirely and sent in? I could be mistaken.

 

[Gaffer]

I am not a lawyer, but I am pretty sure no company in the US can require a warranty card to provide a warranty. Here is a link to the part of the US law that covers it (Part B):

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/16/700.7

ron

 

[Tula47]

I've been reading about it on some other places and people have stated that they just not sent it in and as long as you have proof of purchase and your bar code thing with your serial number on it you're good. The registration is just to speed things up?

 

[DRob]

"The information that you share with us will be used by us and our marketing partners to offer you product information and other communications that may interest you." Loosely interpret this as "companies you never heard of and have no desire to do business with will bombard you with BS.

 

[throttletony]

I am not a lawyer, but I am pretty sure no company in the US can require a warranty card to provide a warranty. Here is a link to the part of the US law that covers it (Part B):

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/16/700.7

ron

This seems right. Warranties are also for the company to contact you in case of recall.
... they also want to know demographics of their customers

... and they might sell your info

 

[Nojoy621]

"The information that you share with us will be used by us and our marketing partners to offer you product information and other communications that may interest you." Loosely interpret this as "companies you never heard of and have no desire to do business with will bombard you with BS.

This is exactly what it's for. How you respond will determine not only what of their own product they will push to you but also stuff from companies "other who have responded similar to you" have purchased. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing depending on how anal you are about your email (nothing wrong with that), some companies are really good at this marketing and actually provide you with decent sales.

 

[Spike Jones 5 2002]

I recently purchased a Marlin 1895G 45-70 for myself and I was filling out the mail-in rebate thing to get my $100 rebate and thought I would go ahead and send in the warranty card too. That was until I started to read the questions on the warranty card.

Some of the questions include:

How many days do you spend hunting and shooting?

For your primary residence do you rent or own?

Including yourself how many adults live your home?

Which best describes your family income?

What type of vehicle do you drive most often?

Do you own a dog?

Date of birth or your children under the age of 18?

Is it just me or are those questions absurd? In the bottom in the fine print it says "The information that you share with us will be used by us and our marketing partners to offer you product information and other communications that may interest you." I think that was a polite way to say they will use the information provided to blow up your emails from them and their other companies.

After feeling the quality of this compared to my older JM stamped 30-30 I will probably not be purchasing a Marlin again.

Just print very clearly: N/A, N/A, N/A, N/A. N/A, N/A, N/A.
YOU FILLED IN EVERY BLANK
They can not dispute your answers.

 

[RobbyMaQ]

Companies like Vortex don't require a receipt or anything... you just send them the broken part...
Sorta speaks volumes about a given company, and current market conditions imo <- when evaluating warranties. Assuming they'll be around in 10+ years

 

[actaeon277]

I will fill out a warranty card.
I will not fill out the marketing stuff.

 

[churchmouse]

I do not remember ever sending in a warr. card on anything.
I do not remember using a Warr. on anything. Except 1 car I owned and I got jammed up by the dealer on that.
If something breaks I usually fix it myself.

 

[oldpink]

Listen to Spike Jones's advice on this one.
You are in no way required to fill out the personal information, but I would recommend that you fill in only your name and contact info for the purposes of reaching you for recalls and to help expedite any warranty repairs and such.
There is nothing unusual in the slightest getting all those questions on a warranty card for a given product, as I've seen plenty just like the one you describe; although I seriously doubt that they actually asked for the birth dates of your kids, more than likely their age in years.
Don't make this the one reason to refuse to do business with them any more, because you'll have to quit buying just about any other product out there, but you are in no way required to give them your more personal details.
As Spike said, just fill in your name and address, leave the rest of the card blank, then send it it.

 

[eldirector]

People think this whole "self-identity" fade is new.

For warranty purposes, I've been a 60-yr-old woman with two cats and no kids for DECADES. Pretty poor income, too (keeps the marketers at bay).

 

[Areoflyer09]

Walther asked all of this when I registered the PPQ & PPS online. Springfield did as well for the RO. I have yet to receive any emails besides the one noting they received the product registration.

Marketing depts want this kind of information so they can tailor their marketing information to the demographic that is actually buying the product.

 

[Tula47]

I will fill out a warranty card.
I will not fill out the marketing stuff.

It's the same card. Those questions are the card

 

[Tactically Fat]

Think about this:

How can they...or you... ever prove that a warranty post-card was ever delivered/received by the manufacturer? It's not like they're sent via Registered Mail...

 

[actaeon277]

It's the same card. Those questions are the card

So answer the contact info, leave the rest.
There is no law saying you have to answer.

 

[PGRChaplain]

So answer the contact info, leave the rest.
There is no law saying you have to answer.

Name Rank & Serial Number!