Product Warranty on Shopify: the complete guide

1. The warranties coexisting in the EU

A consumer buying on a European online store enjoys, as a baseline, a statutory warranty of conformity harmonized by Directive (EU) 2019/771 on the sale of goods.

Some Member States have additional statutory warranties. France and Italy offer a separate hidden defects warranty under their civil codes, applicable to all sales (B2C and B2B). Spain has a similar regime. The UK kept an equivalent via the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

These warranties are complementary, not exclusive. A contract clause pretending to reduce statutory rights is void.

2. The statutory warranty of conformity

Governed by Directive (EU) 2019/771, this warranty applies exclusively to business-to-consumer sales. It has been in force since 1 January 2022.

Duration and presumption

Duration: minimum 2 years from delivery of the goods. Member States can extend (Portugal: 3 years ; Ireland: 6 years for certain categories).

Major feature: during the first 12 months minimum, defects are presumed to have existed at delivery (Article 11). It's up to the seller to prove otherwise. Member States can extend this presumption to 24 months (France did).

Consumer remedies

Article 13 of the Directive sets the order:

1. Repair or replacement (consumer's choice, unless disproportionately costly for the seller)
2. If impossible or not completed within reasonable time: full refund or price reduction

Costs borne by the seller

Article 14(2) is strict: bringing into conformity must be free of charge for the consumer. This includes: return shipping, transport, labor, and parts. You cannot charge anything.

Goods covered

• All physical goods, new or second-hand
• Goods with digital elements (connected watch, IoT device)
• Digital content and related services (app, software updates)

3. The hidden defects warranty (France, Italy, Spain)

In some countries, a separate statutory warranty covers hidden defects. It applies to all sales (including B2B), and runs for 2 years from discovery of the defect.

In France, this warranty comes from Articles 1641 to 1649 of the Civil Code. In Italy, garanzia per vizi occulti in the Civil Code. In Spain, similar provisions in the Código Civil.

What qualifies as a hidden defect?

• Makes the item unfit for its intended purpose, or significantly reduces its usefulness
• Existed before the sale
• Was not apparent at the time of purchase

Consumer remedies

• Rescission: return the item, get the full price refunded
• Reduction: keep the item, get partial refund

Key difference with the conformity warranty

In the statutory warranty of conformity (B2C only), the first 12-24 months are protected by a presumption working in favor of the consumer. In the hidden defects warranty, the consumer must prove the defect existed before the sale. The burden of proof is reversed.

Practical note: If you sell cross-border in France, Italy or Spain, you cannot contractually exclude the hidden defects warranty for consumers. For B2B sales, it can be excluded by mutual agreement.

4. The commercial warranty (optional)

You can offer a commercial warranty (also called "manufacturer's warranty" or "extended warranty"). It's entirely up to you: duration, scope, exclusions, price (if any).

Legal requirements

If you offer a commercial warranty, Article 17 of Directive (EU) 2019/771 requires:

• Written content of the warranty (covered and excluded)
• Duration, territorial scope
• Name and address of the guarantor
• Mandatory reminder of the statutory warranties (conformity and, where applicable, hidden defects)
• Price if applicable

Trap to avoid

You can never pass a commercial warranty off as a substitute for statutory ones. Writing "1-year warranty offered" while omitting the 2-year statutory rights is a violation in every EU country.

5. Your information obligations

Before any purchase, the consumer must be clearly informed of the warranties applicable and how to enforce them. Three cumulative channels:

1. Terms and Conditions accessible and explicitly accepted before checkout
2. Product page or checkout flow: visible mention of applicable warranties
3. Invoice or delivery note: reminder of statutory warranties

Failure to inform is subject to administrative fines (in France up to €15,000 for a natural person and €75,000 for a legal entity ; equivalent in other Member States).

6. How to manage warranties on Shopify

Step 1: add a warranty section to your Terms

Your Terms must mention the statutory warranties, cite the applicable legal provisions, and describe the claim procedure (email, form, processing times).

Step 2: separate standard returns from warranty claims

Two different workflows:

• Standard return: right of withdrawal 14 days, consumer returns for personal reasons (changed mind, wrong size). See our guide on the 14-day law.
• Warranty claim: product has a defect. Consumer usually keeps the item and requests repair / replacement / refund. Duration: 2 years minimum.

Step 3: trace every claim

For each warranty request, record: date, product, SKU, serial number if any, reason, decision made, actions performed (repair, replacement, refund), resolution date. This trail is necessary in case of audit or dispute.

Step 4: automate what can be

Shopify does not natively offer a warranty management module. You can:

• Manage manually (spreadsheet, email, basic form) — time-consuming beyond 20 claims per month
• Use a dedicated app: Revert includes a "Warranty" module that automatically tracks warranty periods from your Shopify order date, manages claims separately from standard returns, and applies rules by product category.