One of the joys of getting a new gadget is taking it out of the box, and quickly throwing the box away to figure out how to use it on your own.

Inside that box, there are manuals, and usually a small postcard tempting you to mail it with the promise of a warranty for your new gadget.

I'm going to take a controversial stance here. A stance that retailers are going to hate me for.

I don't send in my warranty cards.

There, I said it, the retail Gods can smite me or whatever they do when someone makes a proclamation like that, but it's true.

I have a reason for not sending these back - and it's selfish. I don't want to end up on some companies’ mailing list. Don't get me wrong, I covet any piece of mail that doesn't start with "Dear Mrs. Swanson" and end with me owing someone money, but I like mail on my terms. I've worked hard to get myself off of needless mailing lists, and I'm hoping to keep it that way.

What you might not know is that several Canadian provinces have invoked legislation stating that every sales contract includes an implied warranty. The implied warranty guarantees the product is of acceptable quality, reasonably durable, and fit for the use intended.

In fact, if you Google for the warranty information for most of your favourite brands, you'll likely find a statement similar to the following by FUJIFILM "All you will need is a clearly legible receipt that you were given by the Retailer or Website or you bought it from.  You do not need to present a Warranty Card to claim your warranty."

So, if I don't have a warranty card, how do I ensure that I get notified if there is a product recall? How do I make sure if my new consumer electronic device breaks that I get reimbursed?

  Scan The Important Information

The first thing I do when I get a new gadget (after I've basked in it's warm LCD glow) is take the book out of the box go straight to the page that shows the customer service and/or warranty information for the company who made the product.  I write the product model and serial numbers and any other pertinent information on the page, and then scan it.

Then, I take the receipt (if I buy I ALWAYS give a gift receipt so someone can do the same) and scan that as well. 

I then take the two files, make a .pdf document and save it on my computer. Now, if anything happens I know I have an electronic proof of purchase, and the information about who to contact.

  File The Manual

Next, I take the receipt, staple it to the inside of the manual and file it. I have 2 reasons for this. The first reason is that I know I have the originals for product warranty, the second being that if I want to resell, I know that I have the original receipt and manual for the product.

I never look at these manuals. If I need to find out how something works, Retrevo.com has most (if not all) manuals for all consumer electronic products, so you can safely file away the ones you have and know that you can access the others easily.

  Keep Updated With Recalls

We're lucky that we live in the digital age and you hear about major recalls from so many different sources.

If you're concerned about a specific product, check the manufacturer’s website for their support page and bookmark it.  I have a folder in my browser bookmarks for major manufacturers like Sony, and check them periodically for the latest recalls.

I also recently started using We Make it Safer. They keep a detailed list of recalled electronics that includes photos of the items. Handy if you’re trying to figure out if the camera being recalled is really the one you own.

Another decent website for electric related recalls is the recalls page for The Electrical Safety Authority, and I also use Consumer Reports to keep track of general product recalls.  (Consumer reports has a great RSS feed that they keep updated with major recalls as well.)

  In The Event Of A Recall

So now if you find a recall for one of your consumer electronic devices, you have all your information handy. Most major recalls will include instructions on how to proceed. Example: Apple's latest recall for the iPod nano included detailed steps on how to get a replacement device. The nice thing with the nano recall was you didn't need to provide proof of purchase, only a product serial number, but that isn't always the case. 

It’s always better to have all of the information ready in case you need it. So, remember – don’t throw away your books or your receipts over the holidays. File them away and enjoy your toys!