
According to the report of Henan TV Minsheng Channel Xiaoli Help Column, recently, a consumer in Zhengzhou reported that a US version of Lenovo laptop that he had previously purchased for 28,000 yuan on Lenovo’s official website in the United States was faulty, and he was told that he needed to go back to the United States for repair.
The consumer said that after Lenovo after-sales inspection of the computer, it said that the motherboard needed to be replaced due to the failure of the fan, but at present, there is a lack of relevant spare parts required for maintenance in China, and it needs to be reported and communicated. Subsequently, Henan TV contacted Lenovo’s after-sales China service area headquarters, and the customer service responded, “If there are materials, you can coordinate and communicate, and if not, you still have to go back to the place of purchase for maintenance.”
The consumer said that due to the high price, after purchasing the computer, he purchased a 4-year global extended warranty, which expires in November 2027. The consumer was puzzled that Lenovo was unable to retrieve parts from the United States and send them to China for repair.
After the incident was exposed, it caused heated discussions on the Internet. There is a view that Lenovo should not sell the service to consumers because it does not have the ability to provide a global warranty service.
The Times reporter found on Lenovo’s official Think Global Warranty Service (IWS) page that Lenovo’s definition of the global warranty service for Lenovo Think products is: The Global Warranty Service (IWS) for Lenovo Think products is a warranty service for those users who relocate Lenovo Think products in a country other than the original purchase. This type of warranty is available to customers in countries where Lenovo or a Lenovo dealer sells and maintains that particular machine type.
In other words, Lenovo’s global warranty service means that Lenovo can provide warranty services to users who place products in a country other than the original country of purchase, and does not promise to repair them at the consumer’s location.
In addition, in the “Other IWS Notices” section of this page, Lenovo states that IWS services in China are provided through customer repairs; It is also indicated that IWS is a hardware warranty service that does not include software and bundled operating systems, and that such service should be supported by the place where the product was originally purchased.
In this regard, Wang Mingming, a lawyer at Beijing Zhuohao Law Firm, told the Times Weekly reporter that Lenovo has officially fulfilled its obligation to inform, and consumers should fulfill the necessary duty of care when buying computers, and timely understand whether the computers to be purchased are released and sold in the country where they are used, so as to avoid disputes.
Wang Mingming further pointed out that Lenovo requires consumers to go back to the place of purchase for repairs, or it is a reasonable practice based on actual technical limitations. “There may be design differences in products sold in different countries, such as different voltages and frequencies of power adapters,” he said. This discrepancy may result in domestic repair centers lacking specific parts for products for the U.S. market and therefore unable to provide repair services. The Global Warranty does not mean that the exact service will be available in all countries, especially when it comes to repairs to specific components. ”
“From a legal point of view, Lenovo has clarified the scope and limitations of the service through the terms of the global warranty service when selling the global warranty service, and consumers should have understood the relevant conditions at the time of purchase. Therefore, Lenovo’s actions do not constitute breach of contract or fraud. At the same time, Wang Mingming also believes that Lenovo should further optimize its services, such as making a reasonable explanation for why there is a lack of relevant accessories in China, and providing alternatives to improve the consumer experience, so as to reduce the inconvenience of maintenance caused by product design differences as much as possible.
The Times reporter contacted a number of Lenovo Group people to verify and understand the details, inventory, maintenance obstacles and other issues of spare parts required for computer maintenance in the above incident. Lenovo’s relevant customer service responded that Lenovo will make every effort to solve the problems encountered by customers in accordance with the content of the company’s official website, and will call back for feedback after recording the report. As of press time, the Times reporter has not received more replies.
Recently, Lenovo released its results report for the third quarter of fiscal years 2024 to 2025. According to the financial report, Lenovo Group achieved revenue of 135.1 billion yuan during the reporting period, a year-on-year increase of 20%. Net profit under Hong Kong Financial Reporting Standards was $4.98 billion, up 106% year-on-year. Among them, the non-PC business accounted for more than 46% of the group’s total revenue.
Among them, the revenue of the Chinese market increased by 21% year-on-year. Lenovo explained in its earnings report that PC sales in the region reflect strong demand for high-end models in the region. At the same time, the recovery in sales of the Infrastructure Solutions business group was the main driver of revenue growth in China, driven by an improved infrastructure portfolio and effective supply chain management.
It is worth noting that at the moment when consumer electronics products in various segments of the world are picking up, the PC market has rebounded less than tablets and smartphones, but Lenovo is still firmly in the top spot in the global PC market.
Canalys pointed out that the total global tablet shipments in 2024 will increase by 9.2% year-on-year. According to a report released by IDC, global smartphone shipments will increase by 6.4% in 2024; In the same period, global PC shipments were 262.7 million units, up 1% year-on-year. Lenovo ranked first with a market share of 23.5%, an increase of 0.8 percentage points over the same period last year.