[Pete]

Seldom do you actually deal with the manufacturers. You will end up sending the units to a contract depot that does repair and exchanges. Sometimes they even have someone local to you. My grandson was swapping out PS2s for years without a problem. Probably never sent them back to the same place twice.

I've had both Canon and Brother printers just swapped over the counter at local shops. Not big box retailers, but smaller repair shops who contract their services. Same with phones, etc.
.
.