Netgear to refund customers over dodgy warranties

Netgear has promised to compensate customers after admitting to misleading them over warranties and support.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission today said Netgear had conceded it had likely misled customers about what they were legally entitled to under consumer law.

Since last June the networking equipment vendor has been telling customers they would not receive refunds or remedies for faulty products unless they were covered by Netgear’s manufacturer’s warranty, or had purchased a technical support contract, the ACCC said.

Warranties and technical support contracts only act in addition to statutory guarantees, not instead of them, the ACCC pointed out.

It said Netgear had promised to review all support contracts purchased by consumers since June 2016, and provide remedies and full refunds of the support contract in instances where it had misled customers.

Netgear has also pledged to establish a consumer hotline for affected customers, the ACCC said.