Epson is to offer retailers much more comprehensive warranties for its point of sale (POS) printers.

Called CoverPlus, the new package improves the standard one-year back-to-base guarantee on Epson's POS printers to three years, with free technical support and a repair and replacement service.

Under the scheme, a retailer with printer failure should contact Epson's Business Support Group ready to provide the serial number, location and details of the fault.

If the printer cannot be repaired a replacement will be provided, pre-configured for compatibility with the retailer's system, the firm said.

Epson claims that replacements can be delivered before noon the next working day "for many locations".

The firm has four different warranty packs available, covering its impact, inkjet, thermal and hybrid printers, and promises "no hidden costs".

"In busy retail environments any kind of downtime can be costly," said Peter Figoni, commercial manager at Epson UK, in a statement.

"Our CoverPlus packages give retailers complete peace of mind and enable them to ensure continued service for their customers."