Tech & Electronics

The Tech vertical powers electronics retailers, SaaS vendors, gadget makers, and IT service providers with four integrated systems: product specification engine, software licensing, warranty management, and trade-in programs. Malet Owners configure these features via the Storefront Window layout system.

Architecture: Two-Plane Design

The Tech vertical uses the same Control + Feature plane separation as its sibling verticals:

• Control Plane (malets subgraph): VerticalConfig feature flags decide which Tech modules are enabled per Malet — specEngine, softwareLicensing, warrantyManagement, tradeInProgram.
• Feature Plane (experiences subgraph): Self-contained SpecSheetModule and WarrantyModule. Each can be extracted to its own subgraph when a dedicated Tech vertical Team forms.
• Extensions (services subgraph): License type and activation fields on existing Service entities.

Three new Storefront Window layout slot types are available: SPEC_COMPARISON, WARRANTY_CENTER, and TRADE_IN_PORTAL.

What Tech Reuses

Product Specification Engine

Create structured, machine-readable spec sheets for products with comparison capabilities and "Works with" compatibility linking.

Spec Entries

Each SpecEntry is a key-value pair with optional unit and grouping:

Mutations

# Add a spec entry to a product (upserts on maletId + productId)
mutation {
	upsertProductSpec(
		maletId: "m_techshop"
		productId: "prod_macbook"
		key: "Processor"
		value: "Apple M3 Pro"
		group: "Performance"
	) {
		id
		productId
		entries {
			key
			value
			unit
			group
		}
	}
}

# Add another spec entry
mutation {
	upsertProductSpec(
		maletId: "m_techshop"
		productId: "prod_macbook"
		key: "RAM"
		value: "16"
		unit: "GB"
		group: "Performance"
	) {
		id
		entries {
			key
			value
			unit
			group
		}
	}
}

# Remove a spec entry by key
mutation {
	removeProductSpecEntry(productId: "prod_macbook", key: "RAM") {
		id
		entries {
			key
			value
		}
	}
}

# Set compatible products ("Works with")
mutation {
	setCompatibleProducts(
		productId: "prod_macbook"
		compatibleProductIds: ["prod_usbc_hub", "prod_magic_mouse", "prod_sleeve_14"]
	) {
		id
		compatibleProductIds
	}
}

Queries

# Get specs for a single product (public — product detail page)
query {
	productSpec(productId: "prod_macbook") {
		id
		productId
		entries {
			key
			value
			unit
			group
		}
		compatibleProductIds
	}
}

# Compare 2-4 products side-by-side
query {
	compareProductSpecs(productIds: ["prod_macbook", "prod_thinkpad", "prod_xps15"]) {
		productId
		entries {
			key
			value
			unit
			group
		}
	}
}

# All spec sheets for a Malet (Malet Owner)
query {
	maletProductSpecs(maletId: "m_techshop") {
		id
		productId
		entries {
			key
			value
			unit
			group
		}
		compatibleProductIds
	}
}

Comparison Tool

The compareProductSpecs query accepts 2-4 product IDs and returns their full spec sheets. The frontend renders a side-by-side table aligned by key:

Software Licensing

Extended service fields for digital license products on the existing services subgraph:

Service Fields

License Types

Example: Create a Licensed Software Product

mutation {
	createOneService(
		input: {
			service: {
				name: "PhotoEdit Pro — Perpetual License"
				description: "Professional photo editing software with lifetime updates"
				price: 9900 # $99.00 (cents)
				maletId: "m_techshop"
				licenseType: PERPETUAL
				maxActivations: 3
			}
		}
	) {
		id
		name
		licenseType
		maxActivations
	}
}

Warranty Management

Register warranties on purchase and manage claims through a full lifecycle. Warranty is tracked via two entities: WarrantyRegistration (the coverage) and WarrantyClaim (a claim against the coverage).

Warranty Status

ACTIVE → EXPIRED (automatic on date)
       → VOIDED (manual by Malet Owner)

Claim Lifecycle

SUBMITTED → REVIEWING → APPROVED → RESOLVED
                      → DENIED

Registration Mutations

# Register warranty on purchase (Malet Owner or auto on Murchase)
mutation {
	registerWarranty(
		maletId: "m_techshop"
		productId: "prod_macbook"
		buyerId: "user_kagiso"
		murchaseId: "murch_1"
		warrantyMonths: 12
		serialNumber: "SN-2025-MACBOOK-001"
	) {
		id
		serialNumber
		registeredAt
		expiresAt
		warrantyMonths
		status
	}
}

# Void a warranty (Malet Owner)
mutation {
	voidWarranty(warrantyId: "war_1") {
		id
		status
	}
}

Claim Mutations

# Submit a warranty claim (Buyer)
mutation {
	submitWarrantyClaim(
		registrationId: "war_1"
		maletId: "m_techshop"
		claimantId: "user_kagiso"
		description: "Screen flickering after 3 months of normal use"
	) {
		id
		status
		submittedAt
	}
}

# Begin reviewing a claim (Malet Owner)
mutation {
	reviewWarrantyClaim(claimId: "claim_1") {
		id
		status
	}
}

# Approve the claim
mutation {
	approveWarrantyClaim(claimId: "claim_1") {
		id
		status
	}
}

# Resolve with a specific resolution type
mutation {
	resolveWarrantyClaim(
		claimId: "claim_1"
		resolution: REPAIR
		resolutionNotes: "Screen panel replaced under warranty. Device tested and returned."
	) {
		id
		status
		resolution
		resolutionNotes
		resolvedAt
	}
}

# Deny a claim
mutation {
	denyWarrantyClaim(
		claimId: "claim_1"
		resolutionNotes: "Physical damage — not covered under warranty terms."
	) {
		id
		status
		resolutionNotes
	}
}

Resolution Types

Queries

# Buyer checks their warranties
query {
	myWarranties(buyerId: "user_kagiso") {
		id
		productId
		serialNumber
		registeredAt
		expiresAt
		status
	}
}

# Malet Owner views all warranties
query {
	maletWarranties(maletId: "m_techshop", status: ACTIVE) {
		id
		productId
		buyerId
		serialNumber
		expiresAt
	}
}

# Get a single warranty by ID
query {
	warranty(id: "war_1") {
		id
		serialNumber
		status
		expiresAt
	}
}

# Get claims for a warranty
query {
	warrantyClaims(registrationId: "war_1") {
		id
		description
		photoUrls
		status
		resolution
		resolutionNotes
		submittedAt
		resolvedAt
	}
}

# Malet Owner views all claims by status
query {
	maletWarrantyClaims(maletId: "m_techshop", status: SUBMITTED) {
		id
		registrationId
		claimantId
		description
		status
	}
}

Warranty Enforcement

Claims are validated against the warranty registration:

• Active check: Only ACTIVE warranties accept claims
• Expiry check: If expiresAt < now(), the claim is rejected with BadRequestException
• Evidence: Claims support photoUrls[] for visual evidence of the issue

Trade-In Program

Trade-in value is deposited into the Buyer's Credit Wallet as Malet-scoped credit. The existing CreditWallet from the Entertainment vertical provides:

• Atomic $inc balance updates
• Full transaction ledger
• Balance guard (prevents negative balance)
• PURCHASE / SPEND / REFUND / BONUS / ADJUSTMENT transaction types

Trade-In Flow

1. Buyer selects a product for trade-in
2. Malet Owner assesses device condition (Phase 1: manual, Phase 2: guided questionnaire)
3. Trade-in value is determined and deposited as BONUS credit:

mutation {
	addCredits(
		maletId: "m_techshop"
		userId: "user_kagiso"
		amount: 35000 # R350.00 trade-in credit
		description: "Trade-in: iPhone 13 Pro (Good condition)"
		referenceId: "tradein_001"
	) {
		id
		balance
		transactions {
			type
			amount
			description
			createdAt
		}
	}
}

4. Buyer applies credit toward new Murchase via SPEND transaction

Workroom Steps

The Tech vertical ships with 4 default Workroom steps for warranty and repair lifecycle management:

These steps are automatically configured on new Tech Malets via the vertical seed (slate/cyan branding).

Deferred Features

The following capabilities are planned for future phases using in-house, open-source/standard solutions — no third-party SaaS dependencies:

Frontend Implementation

Three Svelte 5 storefront widgets render the Tech vertical in the Visitor-facing storefront:

Components

File Map

Layout Slot Types

Related

• Entertainment & Experiences — Provides Credit Wallets for trade-in credits and Gamified Loyalty for purchase rewards
• Culture & Arts — Sibling vertical in the shared experiences subgraph Feature Plane
• Wellness & Beauty — Sibling vertical; Membership Engine pattern reusable for subscription seat management
• Storefront Sections — Configure SPEC_COMPARISON, WARRANTY_TRACKER, and TRADE_IN_PORTAL layout slots
• Teams & Sub-Groups — Organize tech support staff with the org → team → member hierarchy
• Arcade & Gaming — Sibling vertical with digital key vaults and game profiles in the shared experiences subgraph
• Cross-Malet Comparison & Quick Actions — Platform-wide product comparison deck and card quick action menu
• Support: Specs, Warranties & Trade-In — Visitor-facing guide