Commercial Furniture Warranty on a China Order: What Is Covered for Products We Source and for Suppliers You Nominate
Two arrangements, two warranty routes: what the Sourcing Guide says about each, and the questions to settle before the deposit.
On a China furniture order, the warranty depends on which of two arrangements applies. For products FBM Furniture sources for you, the warranty period is stated on the proforma invoice (PI), and you deal with FBM, not the manufacturer. For suppliers you nominate yourself, FBM does not provide after-sales support: claims fall under the supplier’s own warranty, and we can help you coordinate. Read the PI and the supplier’s terms before you pay the deposit, because the two cases are handled differently.
This article sets out what FBM Furniture’s Sourcing Guide says about each case and turns it into a list of questions to settle before an order. It does not state a warranty period, because the period is written on the PI for each order. Where the Guide and the PI for your order differ, the PI applies.
Products we source for you
When FBM sources the product, the PI names the warranty period. Within that period, the Guide says FBM replaces the item free of charge or compensates. The replacement is supplied ex-works China, so you pay the freight. You deal with FBM Sourcing and not with the manufacturer.
That arrangement works because FBM contracts with the factory in its own name, and the contract covers how non-conforming goods are handled and the warranty terms. It also means communication with the factory runs through FBM during the order, so that a problem is pressed at the factory end instead of landing on your site team. The price for these products is a direct price; for the full statement of how FBM is paid, see our How We Work page.
Suppliers you nominate
If you choose the supplier, FBM manages the order for a 5% commission, and the Guide is clear about after-sales: FBM does not provide it for nominated suppliers. A claim falls under the supplier’s own warranty. FBM can help you coordinate, but it is not the warranty provider.
So, before ordering from a nominated supplier, get the supplier’s warranty terms in writing and attach them to the order. Ask for the same details you would want on a PI: what is covered, the period, what the supplier does when a claim is accepted, and who pays the freight for a replacement. A warranty that exists only in conversation is hard to rely on after the goods are installed.
The two cases side by side
| Question | Products we source for you | Suppliers you nominate |
|---|---|---|
| Who gives the warranty | Stated on the PI; you deal with FBM Sourcing | The supplier, under its own warranty |
| What happens in warranty | Replacement free of charge or compensation | As the supplier’s warranty states; FBM can help you coordinate |
| Replacement freight | Supplied ex-works China; you pay the freight | As agreed with the supplier |
| Where the terms are written | The PI for the order | The supplier’s own terms, which you should have in writing |
| How FBM is paid | A direct price | A 5% commission |
For suppliers you nominate, we charge a 5% commission; for products we source for you, we quote a direct price.
Check the warranty terms on your order
Send your product list and tell us whether you will nominate the supplier, and we will show which warranty route applies.
Damage on arrival is a different question from warranty
A defect that appears in use is a warranty question. Goods that arrive damaged are handled as a claim. The Guide asks you to send photos or videos within 3 working days of arrival so a claim can be raised with the carrier, the insurer or the factory. Plan for that window before the container arrives: decide who will open the cartons, who will photograph the damage and who will send the images.
- Keep the packaging and the cartons until the claim is settled, and photograph damaged items with the carton label visible.
- Photograph and film the damage on the day it is found, and send the images to your FBM contact rather than waiting for the full unpacking to finish.
- Compare the condition on arrival with the QC report and the container loading report; our article on what arrives with a contract furniture shipment lists those documents.
How the QC report helps a later claim
Before shipment, FBM’s own QC team checks quantities, dimensions, finish, fabric and foam, hardware and packing against the signed-off specification. It does this once, after bulk production is complete and before the goods ship. You receive a QC report with photos and video. If any products fail to meet the agreed standards, they go back for rework and re-inspection until all goods pass. Your own project team is welcome to attend the inspection with us.
The report records what left the factory. If a unit later arrives damaged or fails in use, the photos and video give you a reference for its condition before shipment. Keep the report with the PI and the packing documents. For how items are checked by product group, see contract furniture inspection by product group.
How to read the warranty line on the PI
The Guide says that once a selection is final, FBM issues a proforma invoice with full product details, prices, deposit, warranty period, Incoterm and estimated dates. Of those fields, the warranty period is the one that settles what “within warranty” means for your order, so read it before you pay the deposit, not after the goods arrive.
- Check that every product group on the order carries a warranty period, including accessories and fittings that ship with the main items.
- Check that the period is written as a period, with the Incoterm beside it, so you know where responsibility for the goods changes hands.
- Check the estimated dates on the PI against your installation programme. The Guide treats dates as estimates, so plan the warranty window and the claim window around the date the goods arrive, not the date quoted.
- If your order mixes products FBM sources with a supplier you nominate, ask for two separate lines on the PI or two separate documents, so that each item has its own warranty route.
Where this article and the PI for your order differ, the PI applies, as the Guide states.
Replacement or compensation: questions to ask
For products FBM sources, the Guide says that within warranty FBM replaces the item free of charge or compensates. It is worth asking, before the order, how the choice between the two is made, because the project’s need is usually to have the item in place rather than to hold a payment.
- Ask which of the two the team expects to offer for each product group, and what information it needs to decide.
- Ask how the replacement is made and supplied. The Guide says it is supplied ex-works China and that you pay the freight, so budget for that cost and agree who arranges the shipment.
- Ask whether a replacement is made from the same specification and approved sample, so that the replaced item matches the others in the room. Keep the approved sample for that reason.
- Ask what evidence is needed to open a claim, and who on the project team sends it.
Build a claim file before you need one
A claim goes faster when the evidence is already in one place. At handover, put the following in a single folder, and give the name of the person who holds it to your FBM contact.
- The PI for the order, with the warranty period marked.
- The approved specification and approved samples, with the item codes they refer to.
- The QC report with photos and video, and the container loading report.
- The arrival photos and video, taken before unpacking is finished, with the carton labels visible.
- For a nominated supplier, the supplier’s written warranty terms and the correspondence with the supplier.
The Guide’s three working days for damage on arrival is short. If the folder already exists, the photos and the reference documents can go out the day damage is found.
What to settle before you order
- The warranty period: confirm it is written on the PI for every product group, not only for the main items.
- What the warranty covers: ask what parts are included, such as frames, mechanisms, finishes and covering, and what the warranty leaves out. Ask whether normal wear, misuse or damage during installation are excluded, and have the answer written down.
- How a claim is made: who you notify, what evidence is needed and how the replacement or compensation is decided.
- Freight: the Guide says a replacement is supplied ex-works China and that you pay the freight; confirm the same wording appears on your PI.
- Nominated suppliers: the supplier’s written warranty terms, attached to the order before the deposit.
- Owner of the claim on site: a named person on your team who holds the PI, the QC report and the loading report, and who sends the arrival photos within the window.
Our FAQ page answers the most common ordering questions, and the samples, finishes and approvals guide explains how approvals are recorded so that the specification a warranty refers to is clear.
Frequently asked questions
Does FBM Furniture give a warranty on every order?
For products FBM sources for you, the PI states the warranty period. For suppliers you nominate, FBM does not provide after-sales support: claims fall under the supplier’s own warranty, and FBM can help you coordinate.
What does FBM do if a product fails within the warranty period?
For products we source, the Guide says we replace free of charge or compensate. The replacement is supplied ex-works China and the freight is at your cost.
How long do we have to report damage on arrival?
The Guide asks you to send photos or videos within 3 working days of arrival so that a claim can be raised with the carrier, the insurer or the factory. The PI for your order applies if it differs.
Who do we deal with when there is a claim?
For products we source, you deal with FBM Sourcing, not the manufacturer. For suppliers you nominate, the claim goes to the supplier under its own warranty and we can help you coordinate.
How does FBM Furniture charge under the two arrangements?
For suppliers you nominate, we charge a 5% commission; for products we source for you, we quote a direct price. Our own team performs one inspection after bulk production is complete and before shipment, and your team is welcome to attend.
Check the warranty terms on your order
Send your product list and tell us whether you will nominate the supplier, and we will show which warranty route applies.