Offering a guarantee as a sole trader

[Craftymetal]

I operate as a sole trader and have a few products/services that I offer.

One of these is I build bespoke dog cages for vans and other vehicles mostly for dog walkers. I haven’t really advertised this so far with all my work coming from previous customers, usually I do one and then I get another enquiry.

I’m looking to redo my website (it’s long overdue) to advertise more to this customer base (now I know who they are and what they actually want) and to showcase them a bit more with the various options etc available

One part I’d really like to add and emphasise is a guarantee perhaps 2/5 years would seem acceptable. Haven’t decided on the length that would be best as yet.

These cages are completely custom built from raw materials and some common components so any issues is quite easily and cheaply rectified.

I just wanted to ask if there is anything I should consider when offering a guarantee particularly as I’m a sole trader I am also considering adding a few more products next year and would also like to put a guarantee on these as well

I already have full liability insurance and product insurance in place.

Thank you for any help and advice.

 

[STDFR33]

Should you retire or cease trading, you’ll be personally liable for the duration and of the guarantees. If you trade as a company, and the company is dissolved, that’s the end of your responsibility.

 

[Mark T Jones]

A big part of the answer will lie in the terms of your guarantee and all professional guarantees come with terms

Get this professionally drawn up to limit your exposure

 

[KAC]

Probably worth having a look here. Whilst these are excellent dog crates they only warrant them for 3 years and have many limitations.

Has anyone actually asked for a guarantee/warranty?

 

[Craftymetal]

Thanks everyone for their advice and the link. No one has specifically asked for a guarantee/warranty so far. They are quite a simple robust product and really the only thing that could go wrong is some of the components I buy in (hinges and latches) but these are very good quality. Most of my customers seem to be more concerned with what colour they are!

I thought by offering one it might help inspire customer confidence in the product and enforce the idea of quality of the product.

It might be too over complicated to offer one. I’ve kept the business fairly simple so far and it’s grown very slowly and organically (just over 5yrs in business) I currently don’t have any written terms and conditions at all.

It’s getting a bit bigger and busier than ever before (to the point I could employ!) so it could be worth me putting in place some t&cs just to cover all eventualities

If anyone has a recommendation for this that would be great not an area I’ve had to deal with before.

 

[Aniela]

The biggest thing you need to consider is that there are customers who are just flat-out ****holes.

They'll buy the product, and just before the guarantee is up, snap a piece of it stating that it broke when they picked it up.

All so they can get a new free product after using it for the duration of the guarantee.

So you'll have to consider it may affect your average net profit per order overall.