Bill, Warranty Card and Proof of Purchase in India: What to Keep

Always ask for a proper bill

A proper bill or tax invoice shows the seller's name and GSTIN, an invoice number and date, what you bought (ideally with the model and serial number) and the price you paid. It's your proof of what you bought, from whom and when, and it's what warranty claims and consumer complaints rely on. Ask for one even for cash purchases.

The warranty card

Many products come with a warranty card for the dealer to fill in, with the date of sale and the shop's stamp. Check it's filled in before you leave. Manufacturers usually count the warranty from the date of purchase shown on the bill or card. If you can't show that date, some count it from the date of manufacture instead, which can make it end months earlier.

Register the product

Many brands ask you to register the product on their website or app, sometimes within a set time, and some extended warranty offers depend on it. Register on the day of purchase or installation, and keep the confirmation.

Online orders

• Download the invoice from your order page as soon as it's available. Order histories can be hard to find years later.
• Note who the seller is. On a marketplace, the invoice usually comes from the individual seller, not the marketplace.
• Check the warranty terms on the product page, especially for imported products, which may not be covered by the brand's Indian warranty.

Keep every job sheet

Each time the product goes to a service centre, you should get a job sheet or service report with a number and date. Keep all of them. They prove what went wrong and how many times it was repaired, which is exactly what a consumer commission looks at when a company keeps failing to fix the same fault.

Paper fades, files get lost

Many bills are printed on thermal paper that fades within months, and warranty cards end up in a drawer with ten others. You have 2 years from when a problem arises to file a consumer complaint, and some warranties last longer than that, so the paperwork has to outlast both.

1. Photograph the bill and the stamped warranty card on the day you buy.
2. Note the warranty end date, and any extended warranty with its own dates.
3. Add the serial number and registration confirmation.
4. Keep job sheets with the product as they come in.

If it ever comes to a complaint, see how to file a consumer complaint.