A guarantee form is used in two different instances. In one case it is the form that manufacturers supply to consumers who choose to take advantage of a product guarantee. It can also be used to finalize a financial agreement. In the first case, the consumer must complete and return this form to get their product replaced or repaired. The form typically asks the consumer’s name, address, name of product purchased, and a description of the complaint. The guarantee form usually gives directions as to what else the consumer must include along with the form – typically an original receipt and a UPC code from the product’s package.
When the form is part of an advertising promotion, the advertiser often offers “money back if not delighted.” Although nearly all manufacturers will refund a customer’s money due to dissatisfaction with the product, the promotion is a challenge that encourages consumers to try the product because they have nothing to lose. The advertiser assumes that most consumers will be satisfied enough with the product that they will not request the refund, but if they do want to have their money refunded, they are directed to a guarantee form as the means of obtaining the refund. By having a standardized form, manufacturers can be sure of having all the information they need from the consumer, in a familiar format that enables their employees to access the consumer’s data easily and process numerous forms in a short amount of time.
The second instance for which a guarantee form might be used is to put a financial arrangement in writing. A borrower may sign a guarantee form agreeing to repay a lender, outlining the terms under which the loan will be repaid. Or, a purchaser of an ongoing service may be asked to sign a guarantee form stating that he has the funds for the service, or exactly what source will fund the service.
This type of guarantee form requires the purchaser to list specifics such as bank accounts and the names and contact information for any other parties involved in the funding. It serves the dual purpose of forcing the purchaser to give serious thought to whether or not he has access to the required funding and offering a degree of assurance to the provider of the service that the purchaser will not be forced to stop the service suddenly due to lack of funding.
