How does a dealer file a warranty parts claim for a customer's tub?

A dealer files a warranty parts claim the same way an owner does: open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 with photos of the affected part, a short description of the problem, the tub's serial number, the installation address and the original order details, and the Ella's Bubbles team verifies the defect and ships the replacement part. Either the customer or the dealer can open the claim, because the Lifetime Limited Warranty is registered in the customer's name at the installation address with the dealer recorded as the place of purchase, as explained in Bought Through a Dealer or Installer? How Your Ella Warranty Works. The part ships to the original customer's address at no charge for the part, and your installer or a local licensed plumber or electrician does the labor.

Whose Claim It Is, and Who May File It

The Lifetime Limited Warranty is extended to the first purchaser and applies only to the original owner at the original installation address. When you sell and install a tub for a customer, the warranty protects that customer at the address where the tub was installed, and the Warranty Activation Form records your dealership in its place-of-purchase field. Even if your company bought the tub on the customer's behalf, the warranty should be registered under the customer's name at the customer's address, because that is who owns and uses the tub.

Either you or the customer can open the claim. When you file on the customer's behalf, the claim must carry the installation address and the original order details so the team can match it to the tub on file. Two published points are worth passing along to your customer up front. The warranty covers parts only, so labor, installation and removal are never covered. And Ella's Bubbles is not bound by warranty representations made by outside dealers, retailers, distributors or contractors, so quote the published terms rather than a summary when a customer asks what is covered.

What to Have Ready Before You Open the Ticket

Claims move fastest when everything arrives in one message. The team looks for the following:

• The tub's serial number, found on the label behind the magnetic access panel next to the door. The serial number tells the team when the tub was made and which replacement parts are compatible, so the right part ships the first time.
• The model number, which appears on the proposal, invoice or order confirmation.
• Clear photos of the defective part and, where helpful, a short video of the symptom. Photos and a description are required for verification.
• A short description: what happens, when it started, and which control or component is involved.
• The installation address, which is the location the warranty covers, plus the customer's phone number and email.
• The place of purchase and purchase date, with the order number if you have it.
• A copy of the sales receipt or invoice. For a dealer sale, the invoice you issued to the customer is the proof of purchase, and the team can work with you directly if the customer no longer has a copy.

The reasons behind each item, and what the team asks for when a tub was never registered, are in What Proof of Purchase Do I Need for a Warranty Claim?.

Filing the Claim Step by Step

1. Gather the serial number, photos, description, installation address, customer contact details, place and date of purchase, and the invoice.
2. Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support and attach everything in one message, or call (800) 480-6850 and the team will tell you where to send the photos. Say that you are the dealer filing on the customer's behalf and give the customer's name as it appears on the order.
3. Verification. The team reviews the photos and description to confirm the defect or malfunction. They may ask a question or two or suggest a quick check before a part is released.
4. The part ships. After verification, the replacement part ships to the original customer's address at no charge. Delivery time depends on parts availability and the customer's location, and the team confirms timing for the specific claim.
5. Installation of the part is done by your installer or another local licensed plumber or electrician, with free lifetime technical support by phone and email available to whoever does the work.

Many customers send photos first and are then asked for the place of purchase, receipt and tub location before a part can ship. That second round is a normal step, not a sign the claim is being questioned, and sending the proof of purchase with the first message avoids it. The owner-side walkthrough is in How do I start a warranty claim for my Ella walk-in tub?.

One check before you file saves days of waiting. If the customer reports the tub running by itself after a bath, ask whether it is the air system's Auto Purge, which starts automatically about 20 minutes after the air massage pump is turned off, runs for 120 seconds and is completely normal.

If the Warranty Was Never Activated

Activation is what puts the warranty in force. The two-page Warranty Activation Form is completed after the tub has been installed and tested, signed by both the customer and the installer, and returned with a copy of the sales receipt and the installer's electrician license and insurance information. It can be submitted online at ellasbubbles.com/warranty-activation/ or by the return options printed on the form.

Many dealers activate on behalf of their customers, and the form is recorded the same way, against the tub's serial number and the customer's file. If you are not sure whether a customer's tub was activated, open a ticket with the serial number and the team will check what is on file. If nothing is on file, or a page is missing a signature or the receipt copy, the team tells you exactly what is missing and helps you finish it, and a claim can still be opened while that is completed. If the tub was never registered, the team may ask for a copy of the activation form or other identifying details such as the installation address, a phone number, or another name the purchase may be under. A dealer who wants written confirmation for their own records can ask for it, as described in Did Ella Receive My Warranty Activation Form? How to Confirm It Was Recorded.

Cracked Shells, Doors and Shower Bases

A crack in the acrylic of the tub, in the tub door, or in the floor of an Ella shower base is handled as a warranty claim, not a return, and the same dealer filing process applies. Report it as soon as it is noticed, even if it is not leaking and looks cosmetic, so it is on file with a date and a photo. Send one photo close enough to show the crack's length and one showing where it sits on the tub, door or base, along with whether it is leaking or growing. Once verified, Ella ships the replacement part or unit at no charge for the part, and a local licensed installer does the removal and replacement. The full checklist is in Cracked Tub Shell, Door or Shower Base: How to File the Warranty Claim.

Related Guides

• Dealers and Installers: How to Activate the Warranty in Your Customer's Name
• Ordering Parts as a Dealer, Plumbing Wholesaler or Contractor: Purchase Orders, Documentation and Installer Support
• Dealer Purchase Orders: Invoice Confirmation and Payment Before Your Tub Goes to Production

Common Questions