Electronics manufacturers including LG India, Daikin, Haier and Videocon are discouraging customers from purchasing electronics items such as TVs, washing machines, microwave ovens, fridges and ACs online (through ecommerce websites) since they might have to pay for installation, after sales service and repairs even when the product is under warranty, reports ET. The report adds that online sales of electronics items through e-commerce sites account for less than 5% of the companies’ sales. However, smartphones account for 20% of their sales online. It adds that an unnamed offline dealer network said that it would resort to a complete clampdown of online sales this financial year. Interestingly, the report mentions that some of the products bought online could be imported and hence not eligible for warranty. It went on to quote a Samsung official (not in an official capacity) who said that Samsung service centres charged customers who did not produce valid tax invoices. Daikin, the report added, said that since online sites and their associated sellers were disallowed from selling its products online and purchases made only through authorised dealers and representatives would be able to avail warranty. The report added that LG India was considering partnering with e-commerce sites to sell only its smartphones online. LG had issued an advisory stating that the company would not be able to guarantee the originality of products on 3rd party websites. Videocon stated that products bought from Snapdeal would not be eligible for warranty. Videocon also told ET that websites like Snapdeal were…
