Six months after importing a scissor lift from China, a buyer has a failed controller. The supplier replies:
That sounds like a resolution. But suppose international express shipping costs $160 and a local technician charges $150. The buyer still faces $310 in expenses.
These figures are hypothetical and are not actual repair quotations.
A cross-border equipment warranty may cover replacement parts without covering international freight, local labor or every step needed to diagnose and fix the machine. Those responsibilities should be settled before payment, not argued over after a breakdown.
1. “Two-year warranty” — on what, exactly?
A quotation may say Two-Year Warranty, but the length alone tells you little about coverage.
Aerial lifts have structures, hydraulic systems, electrical controls, drive components, batteries and consumables. Different parts may carry different conditions.
| Warranty item | What needs to be clarified |
|---|---|
| Machine as a whole | Does the same period cover all major systems? |
| Battery | Is there a separate term or conditions for capacity and use? |
| Controllers and sensors | Are failed parts replaced or repaired under the warranty? |
| Hydraulic system | How are cylinders, pumps, valves and seals treated? |
| Wear parts | What is excluded as normal wear? |
| Damage caused by use | How are misuse, unauthorized modification and poor maintenance established? |
Do not assume suppliers apply the same rules. Ask for written warranty terms that form part of the sales contract or its attachments.
The US International Trade Administration likewise advises exporters to make warranty coverage clear because expectations and rights differ between markets. (Trade.gov: Warranties)
2. When does the warranty clock start?
Suppose the machine leaves the factory on 1 January, arrives at the destination port on 15 February and is delivered on 1 March. Where does a 12-month warranty begin?
Possible terms include the factory release or shipment date, delivery date, acceptance date or another agreed event. They can produce a difference of weeks or more.
A contract should specify:
Where shipping, customs clearance or installation takes time, leaving the start date undefined invites disputes. Also confirm whether a replacement part receives its own warranty and whether replacement affects the original machine's warranty period.
3. Free part — who pays international shipping?
A supplier may agree to provide a replacement part free of charge under an approved claim without agreeing to pay everything associated with delivering it.
For the failed controller, clarify how the new part will travel, who pays freight, and who handles any import formalities or charges at destination. The supplier may also require the failed part to be returned to China, creating another shipment and possible return-processing requirements.
A replacement supplied free of charge must not simply be declared at an arbitrary zero customs value. Import declarations and valuation must follow the rules applicable to the real shipment and destination.
| Item | What to agree in advance |
|---|---|
| Replacement part | Whether it is free and under what conditions |
| International delivery | Freight payer and transport method |
| Destination import procedures | Who handles them and their costs |
| Return of defective part | Whether required and who pays |
| Emergency dispatch | Availability and allocation of express charges |
Even when the buyer agrees to bear some expenses, those expenses should be visible when comparing suppliers.
4. Who pays the local technician?
Now suppose a hydraulic component must be replaced. The supplier ships it at no charge, but the machine is sitting at the buyer's jobsite overseas.
Who diagnoses the failure? Who carries out the repair? Who establishes that the machine is fit to return to service afterward?
One arrangement is remote support from China with repair by a competent local technician. Another is service through a local partner. Neither automatically means the Chinese supplier is paying for labor.
The US International Trade Administration recommends addressing on-site service and its cost in the sales agreement. (Trade.gov: After-Sales Service)
For aerial lifts, distinguish routine replacement work from repairs affecting structure, stability, control or other safety-critical functions. Such work requires appropriately competent personnel and the inspections or functional checks specified by the manufacturer.
The real question is not just who supplies the part, but who is responsible for returning the machine to a usable condition.
5. Who decides whether a fault is covered?
A buyer's belief that the machine is defective does not automatically establish a valid warranty claim. Equally, a supplier's unsupported assertion of “operator error” should not settle the matter.
Agree on a claims procedure:
Step 1 — Report the problem. Supply the full model and serial number, date of occurrence, symptoms, alarm codes and any useful photos or video.
Step 2 — Technical assessment. The supplier explains its preliminary diagnosis and any further checks needed under the relevant technical documents.
Step 3 — Agree on the remedy. For an accepted claim, identify the replacement, transport, repair and verification responsibilities. If the cause is disputed, follow an agreed further examination or dispute-resolution route.
That is better than a machine sitting idle for weeks while both parties debate responsibility without a workable plan.
Be mindful of contractual and legal notice requirements. For transactions governed by the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG), inspection and notice of non-conformity are regulated by specific provisions, subject also to the applicable contract and law. (UNCITRAL: CISG)
A manufacturer's warranty period does not necessarily let a buyer postpone reporting a problem indefinitely.
6. Does warranty cover lost rental income?
Suppose a rental company imports ten scissor lifts. One develops a controller fault and cannot be rented for two weeks. The supplier agrees to replace the controller for free.
Who bears the lost rental income?
This is a separate contractual liability question. A warranty may exclude downtime, loss of business, substitute-equipment costs or other consequential losses. Review liability limits, damages provisions and applicable law rather than assuming “two years on the whole machine” covers them all.
Incoterms® governs delivery-related responsibilities, costs and risks; it does not settle all remedies for breach or damages. (ICC: Incoterms® 2020 Q&A)
For rental fleets and time-critical industrial operations, this distinction can be significant. It does not mean every business loss should be shifted to the supplier; responsibility depends on the agreed terms, cause and law.
7. A warranty checklist for the purchase contract
| Item | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Duration | Start date, different component periods, replacement-part terms |
| Coverage | Covered parts and types of failure |
| Exclusions | Wear, misuse, unauthorized modifications and related criteria |
| Claims procedure | Contact, required evidence and notice deadline |
| Technical support | Remote diagnosis and initial response time |
| Spare parts | Free supply conditions, identification and availability |
| International logistics | Freight on new and failed parts |
| Local repair | Labor, field service and post-repair verification |
| Disputes | What happens if the cause is contested |
| Other losses | Treatment of downtime and delay-related losses |
Also establish who owes the warranty. If a Chinese trading company is the contract seller and a separate factory makes the machine, identify the seller's obligations and the manufacturer's technical or parts support.
See the guide to first-order spare parts for the relevant checks.
“Contact us and we will ask the factory” is not, by itself, a defined service obligation.
A short warranty-terms request
Cross-border warranties are not inherently impossible to manage. The trouble is usually an incomplete agreement. Free parts may be a genuine and valuable commitment; a fully supported repair including shipping, local labor and downtime is something different.
Define those responsibilities before sending payment. It is easier to judge the cost and control the risk while the terms are still being negotiated.
Levantis helps overseas buyers review Chinese suppliers' warranty promises, compare after-sales responsibilities and identify terms that should be made explicit in the purchase contract.