All About Warranties: What Can We Learn From The Matteo Guidicelli Unboxing Fiasco?

5 min read By eCompareMo on June 22, 2020

After his teleserye-like wedding with pop singer Sarah Geronimo, it seems like actor Matteo Guidicelli has once again courted controversy. This time, he’s on the other side of public perception.

Two weeks ago, Guidicelli posted on his YouTube channel a video of him unboxing a brand-new PlayStation 4 Pro. According to the 30-year-old actor, it was his first console ever since getting a PlayStation 1 when he was eight.

In his supposedly first unboxing video, the actor just straight up ripped the packaging box of the console. Unfortunately, him ravaging the box caused him to earn the ire of people. After initially tearing through the external sleeve, he saw the extended warranty service notice halfway through—and just moved on to continue destroying the box.

“I just broke it, sorry. Anyways,” he said.

Oops.

But it gets worse: as he went on with his unboxing video, he slammed one of the controllers on the table, complete with a painfully audible thud.

As of writing, the video has more than 3,000 likes and a whopping 28,000 dislikes. Don’t go bother reading the comments.

The Matteo Guidicelli unboxing issue blew up over the weekend despite being uploaded more than two weeks ago. Since there is a lesson to be learned here, especially about warranties, what can we pick up from this mess?

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The meaning of ‘warranty’

To understand the negative feedback from the people, we need to understand why it is bad to do the same when you’re an average consumer. If you’re not Matteo and you care about replacement in case of a defective unit.

This is where warranties come in.

In a nutshell, a warranty is a written promise from the manufacturer that they will repair or replace the unit if it’s damaged within a certain period. Part of the warranty is the guarantee from the company that the product will work as advertised—and even the slightest defect can make your product eligible for a repair or replacement.

The warranty is one of the eight basic rights of a consumer, with the issue falling under right to redress. This means that you are eligible for a form of compensation for defective or misleading units. In this case, a malfunctioning unit that’s not due to buyer’s neglect or malicious action can be replaced or repaired by the manufacturer without costing the buyer a single peso.

In the case of the PlayStation 4 Pro bundle, the two-year extended warranty for customer returns is only possible when the entire packaging is intact. That includes the outer sleeve where the bundled games are indicated and the internal box that contains the actual unit. The entire packaging must be intact if the customer wants to return the unit in case it is defective.

Warranty coverage

Your product’s warranty coverage isn’t absolute. Of course, it comes with terms and conditions where the policy can only be applicable.

Generally, a product’s warranty policy contains the following limitations:

1. Scope (whether the service offered only applies to the main unit or its accessories)
2. Parties involved (usually, the manufacturer, authorized distributor, and the end user)
3. Coverage term (can either be starting on the date of purchase or specified on a document)
4. Warranty services available (ranging from replacement, repair, and other services)
5. Limitations (user activities and other conditions that may void warranties or make them ineligible)
6. Replacement period (the period a buyer can return the defective unit for a new one, free of charge)

Everything else is already clear, so let’s talk about limitations.

A warranty usually covers the defects in the production of the product during a limited timeframe. In addition, there are certain conditions that make buyers ineligible for a warranty claim. The most common reasons why warranty claims don’t apply include the following:

1. Purchased from a parallel importer (gray market goods)
2. Personal products used for commercial purposes
3. Use of unauthorized products and accessories that caused the unit to malfunction
4. Damages arising from user behavior (neglect, abuse, accident, etc.)
5. Warranty seal is tampered or removed
6. Repairs conducted by unauthorized parties (either the user himself or a third-party repair center)
7. Any activity that breaches the agreement between the two parties

In the case of Matteo’s YouTube video, if the controller malfunctions due to him breaking its components after dropping it on the table, Sony can void the warranty as it violates one of the warranty clauses for the PlayStation 4. According to Sony’s warranty service agreement for the console, one of the reasons to make a product ineligible for repair or replacement is the following:

“This warranty shall not apply and no repair service shall be provided if the product is damaged by acts of god, misuse, abuse, negligence, accident, wear and tear, unreasonable use, or by other causes unrelated to defective materials or workmanship.”

Needless to say, treat it like a baby if it still is under warranty.

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How to maximize your product warranty

Not everyone is a loaded as Matteo Guidicelli, which means that most of us have to worry about these matters, especially when making a big-ticket purchase. If you want to make sure that the manufacturer will honor the warranty during its coverage period, follow these steps:

1. Keep the original packaging, documents, and the official receipt of your item—and do not destroy your boxes
2. Read the instruction manual, user agreement, and other documents that come with your unit
3. Fill out the warranty card and register your system so you can enroll your system in their database for future use
4. Understand the coverage of your warranty as well as claims process and keep any contact detail handy
5. Make sure you understand the risk of using third-party accessories or repair services and only do so when you’re willing to potentially void your warranty
6. If you’re eligible for extended warranty service, make sure to take advantage of it

Although Matteo Guidicelli’s unboxing video received widespread criticism from people, let’s face it: the last of his worries is replacing a broken product. But for us common folks, we should treat our hard-earned purchases like a baby—unless they’re designed to withstand rugged conditions and extreme abuse.