The cheapest Galaxy A56 in the Mobilidz catalogue is DZD 68,000 on 7 November, across 14 offers. At the counter, a seller may offer three months of warranty, “which is already good”. For a new phone sold by a professional, that is below the Algerian legal floor. The minimum is six months.
The difference is practical. It decides who pays for the repair when the screen flickers three weeks after purchase, or when the battery stops lasting a day. The text is short; applying it at the counter is less so.
The rule in one table
Law 09-03 of 25 February 2009 establishes a legal warranty for appliances and durable goods. Executive Decree 13-327 of 26 September 2013 sets out how it works.
| Situation | Minimum duration | Start date |
|---|---|---|
| New product | 6 months | Delivery date |
| Used product sold commercially | 3 months | Delivery date |
These are floors, not ceilings. A seller may offer twelve months or an extra manufacturer warranty. They cannot replace the legal warranty with a shorter promise. The duration must appear on the certificate and the invoice.
The warranty covers defects present at delivery. It does not turn a fall down the stairs or water damage into a hidden defect. The line between a defect and misuse exists, but it is not settled by a sentence at the counter.
The certificate matters as much as the invoice
The decree provides for a warranty certificate. The 2015 model has two parts: the seller keeps one and the buyer receives the other. It must identify the guarantor and their commercial register, the product, brand, serial number, price and warranty duration.
Fill it in with the seller before paying. Check that the phone’s IMEI matches the box and the invoice. A one-year warranty promised out loud, but missing from the paperwork, will be difficult to enforce later.
Three remedies
When a defect is covered, the law provides for repair, replacement or a refund. The decree adds an important rule: the intervention must not cost the consumer extra.
- Repair is the first step. It must bring the device back into conformity.
- Replacement follows if the repair fails or the fault repeats.
- Refund can be required when the seller cannot repair or replace the product.
If the device cannot be repaired, the seller has thirty days from the defect declaration to replace it or refund the price. Put the claim in writing. A WhatsApp message with a photo and a case number is better than a visit with no record.
What is not covered
The legal warranty is not unlimited. A drop, water damage, a repair carried out elsewhere or normal wear may be excluded. The conditions must be written and supplied with the product.
An extra commercial warranty may add services, such as faster handling or a longer period. It does not remove the rights provided by law. If a seller asks you to give up the warranty in exchange for a discount, treat the discount as money that may fund the next repair.
Apple iPhone 13
4GB RAM · 128GB · 6.1 · Super Retina XDR OLED
Before you pay
- The certificate is filled in, dated, stamped and signed.
- The IMEI matches on the box, the phone and the invoice.
- The duration and end date are written down.
- The seller provides an address and a commercial register number.
- The phone is switched on and tested before payment.
- The invoice shows the full price, not only a deposit.
These checks take ten minutes. They are easier in a shop with a fixed address than in a message exchange with no location. Our shop checklist follows the same order.
Online purchases and imported phones
Your rights do not disappear because you ordered online. Ask for an invoice, the warranty certificate and the seller’s name before delivery. When the parcel arrives, film the unboxing and test the device the same day.
An imported phone may have an international warranty, a seller warranty, or neither. The word “new” is not enough. Ask who repairs it, where, with which parts and for how long. A private sale gives you a different level of protection; read our guide to buying a used phone in Algeria before handing over the money.
If the seller refuses
Send a written complaint with the invoice, certificate, IMEI, a description of the fault and photos. Ask for a response within a reasonable period. If the refusal continues, contact the commerce directorate in your wilaya or a consumer protection association.
Do not hand the device to an unauthorised repairer without written agreement. The seller could later dispute the cause of the fault. Keep every record, including messages and the case number.
What it changes when you choose
A warranty does not make a phone better. It makes the risk visible. A Galaxy A56 at DZD 68,000 without a certificate does not have the same real cost as the same phone with one, even when the label shows the same price.
Before comparing prices, compare the offers and shops, then ask the only question that matters: “Where is the certificate, and what does it say?”
This guide is general information, not legal advice.
