These days it seems nothing is made like they used to be. Toys break after just a few uses, mattresses get saggy after a couple years. We don’t know about you, but we don’t think we should put up with these defective products any more!

An Answer-Wiz editor recently experienced a series of defective children’s products, so we looked into what it would take to get the products’ manufacturers to replace them. Some items had warranties, some did not. None of the items had a receipt or proof of purchase.

Defective products? How to get replacements (without receipts):

Following these steps have yielded out of warranty and no-receipt warranty replacements on a number of items including: Two toddler/baby crib mattresses (Serta and Naturepedic), two Motorola video baby monitors, a LeapFrog My Pal Scout, and a Fisher Price Snug a Monkey musical monkey.

1. Email the manufacturer, not the retailer. Find the name of the manufacturer on tags, inside battery cases or other nondescript places.
2. In your email, clearly and politely explain the defect and how it has inconvenienced you. If you can work in how you’ve been a fan of the company for years and you’ve come to expect more from their products…all the better.
3. Include approximate purchase date.
4. Include photo evidence of the defect.
5. Include your name and mailing address.
6. Be sure to explain that you don’t have the receipt and explain why (for example, it was a gift or you assumed the product wouldn’t turn out to be defective and who has the time/energy to keep receipts for every single thing you own?)
7. If the company responds saying they need a receipt to process the request, politely explain again that you do not have a receipt and why. Reiterate your disappointment and inconvenience of having to deal with the defect and the need to have to keep receipts.
8. If the company responds saying your product is out of warranty, politely but firmly explain why the defect is unacceptable to you and that you’ve only had the product for X amount of time. Consider adding that you are unlikely to use the company or recommend them in the future.
9. Still no luck? Speak to a supervisor. Request the contact information (name, phone number and/or email) of a supervisor. Go back to step 2 and start anew with the supervisor regardless if he/she is familiar with your case. They probably weren’t given accurate or compelling information anyway.

Basically, [ctt template=”11″ link=”e2tif” via=”yes” ]How to get what you want from a company after a defective product: Be persistent and polite @AnswerWiz[/ctt]. Most first responses are somewhat automatic and will be a refusal to help you but insist and go to a supervisor if you need to, and be prepared to have some back and forth. Keep going until you are satisfied!

Have you complained to a company about a defective product? Did you get a replacement? Tell us in the comments, we’d love to know!