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Q. If I buy clearance items, do I forgo a warranty? —P.H., Bronxville, N.Y.
A. Not necessarily.
Written, or express, warranties, which often come from the manufacturer, should apply unless you're told otherwise or the warranty says it doesn't cover clearance items.
Under state laws, most clearance goods are also covered by an unwritten implied warranty of merchantability, which says that the product is worthy of being sold and will last a reasonable amount of time. An exception is if the item is being sold with labels like "as is" or "with all faults," which is allowed in all but a dozen states and Washington, D.C.
You can also ask the retailer or manufacturer if the express warranty applies.
Send your questions to ConsumerReports.org/askourexperts.
—Consumer Reports
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