On Mon, 18 Feb 2008 02:50:58 -0800 (PST),
pa19561009@yahoo.com wrote:

>A friend had a mid-range price laptop by a major manufacturer and
>needed a replacement A/C adapter.

As for your titled question, yes a salesperson or clerk can
make a corporation liable, that is not the variable but
rather all the specifics are. If a clerk reads a package
that claims it is suitable to do the job then it is the
product manufacturer who is responsible if anyone, and
perhaps your friend for not reading the instructions? If
someone is unfamiliar with the particulars of electronics
and power supplies then all the more reason to buy the exact
OEM replacement or at least do more research and proceed
with extra caution.

I can't say the clerk or corporation bears no responsiblity
for the failure, only that there is no indication of
anything in particular that they did wrong