Government plans website on after-sales service for durables, gadgets

The government will soon launch a website to help consumers get details of after-sales services on their cars, handsets, home appliances and electronics.

Consumer goods manufacturers, among others, will have to mandatorily give an after-sales service declaration on the website, with details such as a timeline for service, whereabouts of service centres and availability of spare parts, a The Economic Times reported.

The step is being taken to push companies to ensure quality product service where they will also be required to upload self-repair manuals on the portal, to be managed by Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA), with help from firms that will be able to upload relevant information, according to the report.

"The sectors identified include farming equipment, mobile phones and tablets, consumer durables, automobiles and automobile equipment," an official told ET.

Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report.

Also read: BIS publishes standard for online consumer reviews

The move is a part of the government's initiative to develop a comprehensive framework, known as the 'Right to Repair', for safeguarding consumers' rights to get products repaired and serviced, the report stated.

A government-appointed committee working on the framework has pointed to practices such as planned obsolescence and creation of monopolies on spare parts while stressing on the need to give consumers the right to choose how they get products fixed, according to the report.