Re: Is it the manufacturer or the consumer that has "no idea"?
dutifully sends in the registration card (most but not all do this).
Do they? Maybe 40 years ago they did, in the UK at least, thinking that it was a way to confirm the guarantee. Consumer legislation since then has made it clear thay they have guaranted rights anyway, so I think most people assume the card is just a way to collect marketing info (they aren't wrong) and they bin the card along with the rest of the packaging. I always do.