By Claire Reilly

Following the recent collapse of one of Australia’s largest consumer electronics and appliance warranty providers, there has been increased industry focus on the role of after-sales service and warranty provision.

Canon has now laid its cards on the table with the announcement that it will begin selling a range of Canon Care Packs to provide consumers with after-sale support and to attempt to drive sales through its Canon online store and legitimate reseller channels.

The care packs will be available in four tiered price bands to suit products in different price ranges (up to $2,999), and will be available for between $59 and $299. The packs will offer full replacement for up to three years (on registered products with a manufacturer’s fault), transferable cover and free freight within Australian for shipping of claims.

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Speaking about the new product, which is designed to give “peace of mind for locally purchased Australian products,” was Jason McLean, director – Canon Consumer Imaging, Canon Australia.

“We are thrilled to announce the Canon Care Pack in response to demand from Australian consumers for a manufacturer-backed service offering that goes above and beyond the provisions of a standard manufacturer’s warranty,” said McLean.

“The Canon Care Pack applies for three years from the date of purchase, but it is not an extended warranty. The benefits far exceed the warranty provisions by offering full product replacement on manufacturer defects and free freight for any claims.”

The Care Packs are available from Authorised Canon Resellers and the Canon Australia Online Store, and are available as an add-on to sales of most products. Some exclusions apply, including projector lamps, single-function and multifunction Laser Beam Printers, scanner rubber rollers, software and consumables such as ink and toner, print heads, drums, lamps, cartridges and paper.

Most notably, Canon stipulates that Care Packs are not available on “products imported from overseas and not distributed by Canon Australia (known as ‘grey market’ or ‘parallel import’ products)”.

Pricing (provided by Canon):
Care Pack 1: Products priced between $0 – $499 , RRP $59.
Care Pack 2: Products priced between $500 – $999, RRP $99.
Care Pack 3: Products priced between $1000–$1999, RRP $199.
Care Pack 4: Products priced between $2000–$2999, RRP $299.

Full details on registration and the claims process, as well as terms and conditions, are available on the Canon Care Pack website.