Extremely disappointed with Tumi quality and customer service
Dec 19, 2012, 12:58 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: SFO
Programs: Free agent, UA 1K, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 353
Extremely disappointed with Tumi quality and customer service
I own a lot of Tumi products...luggage, wallet, etc; after today I will never be buying Tumi again.
I was standing around waiting for the train to come and my Tumi Alpha laptop bag's shoulder strap completely failed. The bag fell to the concrete and my new $3k laptop has a big dent in it.
I stop by the Tumi store hoping to get a replacement while my bag is repaired. The store clerk was very surprised my bag broke considering how little I was carrying in it. She said there was nothing they could do. My bag was been sent for warranty repair and the earliest I get it back is 3-4 weeks. I left the store with all my stuff in a Tumi shopping bag and spent the rest of the day going to investor meetings embarrassingly pulling my dented laptop out of a shopping bag
I spent the extra money on Tumi in the past for 1. a quality product that will stand the test of time considering how much I travel and 2. excellent service in the event that the product does fail. Tumi has failed on both of these accounts today.
Tumi = overpriced with terrible customer service
I was standing around waiting for the train to come and my Tumi Alpha laptop bag's shoulder strap completely failed. The bag fell to the concrete and my new $3k laptop has a big dent in it.
I stop by the Tumi store hoping to get a replacement while my bag is repaired. The store clerk was very surprised my bag broke considering how little I was carrying in it. She said there was nothing they could do. My bag was been sent for warranty repair and the earliest I get it back is 3-4 weeks. I left the store with all my stuff in a Tumi shopping bag and spent the rest of the day going to investor meetings embarrassingly pulling my dented laptop out of a shopping bag
I spent the extra money on Tumi in the past for 1. a quality product that will stand the test of time considering how much I travel and 2. excellent service in the event that the product does fail. Tumi has failed on both of these accounts today.
Tumi = overpriced with terrible customer service
Last edited by wharvey; Dec 22, 2012 at 6:09 am
Dec 20, 2012, 4:49 am
#4
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Rio de Janeiro
Programs: AA / AV
Posts: 647
The only kind I could think of would be a "rugged" one.
(This is not a comment on or about what happened to you - I imagine the inconvenience - but just my curiosity)
Dec 20, 2012, 6:15 am
#5
In Memoriam
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Easton, CT, USA
Programs: ua prem exec, Former hilton diamond
Posts: 31,801
I would be more concerned about the quality of a laptop that falls two or three feet in a bag and gets a huge dent in it.
I really would not have expected Tumi to have loaner bags available, and certainly would not complain if they didn't. I believe your expectations were a bit too high on that one.
I really would not have expected Tumi to have loaner bags available, and certainly would not complain if they didn't. I believe your expectations were a bit too high on that one.
Dec 20, 2012, 8:06 pm
#6
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Austin
Programs: 1K MM, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, AA Exec. Plat
Posts: 403
I have had a Tumi fail in this way outside of the warranty period and they fixed it for free (minus the shipping it cost me to get it there). Overall I think it's a good product, and at the prices they charge they should have a loaner but I'm not aware they do.
Dec 20, 2012, 10:25 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: United, American, Southwest, USAirways, Delta
Posts: 1,874
I stop by the Tumi store hoping to get a replacement while my bag is repaired. The store clerk was very surprised my bag broke considering how little I was carrying in it. She said there was nothing they could do. My bag was been sent for warranty repair and the earliest I get it back is 3-4 weeks. I left the store with all my stuff in a Tumi shopping bag and spent the rest of the day going to investor meetings embarrassingly pulling my dented laptop out of a f*cking shopping bag
So what did you expect to happen when you needed warranty service? You thought they would provide a "loaner" bag, like an auto dealership? I have said in several other posts, what good is a "lifetime warranty" when you are on the road and your bag fails? They are not just going to hand you a new bag, they're going to repair the old one. Which means several weeks without your bag. What do you do when you're bag fails while you're in the middle of a trip?
With 20/20 hindsight you should have left the Tumi store and gone to Target or TJMaxx/Marshalls and bought a cheap laptop bag, to hold you over until the warranty repair was complete.
Dec 20, 2012, 11:43 pm
#9
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 173
Last edited by quan98; Dec 20, 2012 at 11:50 pm Reason: Warranty linked
Dec 21, 2012, 2:40 am
#10
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,305
bioyuki is correct.
I would be very upset if an expensive Tumi laptop messenger bag broke and my Sony Vaio or Asus tablet was dented as a result. And I have seen this twice over the years while waiting for a train, or a plane. ( Which is why I do not use messenger bags ).
What I do see is the trend to be creative on the part of manufacturers, distributors, and sellers with warranty interpretation. Guarantees, and extended replacement warranties, still current in many cases have suddenly have become " service warranties, or even limited-service warranties. "
In line shopping last weekend, I overheard a customer complaining about his extended warranty for some item. The store representative stated " Oh, but we can't be held responsible for what a salesman may have said when you bought that too. "
She meant the extended warranty. Not very reassuring to hear that what you were told on the day of the purchase a year or so ago, you must have imagined.
Does anyone else notice this ?
My nice Tumi leather items thus sit stored away in my wardrobe.
I would be very upset if an expensive Tumi laptop messenger bag broke and my Sony Vaio or Asus tablet was dented as a result. And I have seen this twice over the years while waiting for a train, or a plane. ( Which is why I do not use messenger bags ).
What I do see is the trend to be creative on the part of manufacturers, distributors, and sellers with warranty interpretation. Guarantees, and extended replacement warranties, still current in many cases have suddenly have become " service warranties, or even limited-service warranties. "
In line shopping last weekend, I overheard a customer complaining about his extended warranty for some item. The store representative stated " Oh, but we can't be held responsible for what a salesman may have said when you bought that too. "
She meant the extended warranty. Not very reassuring to hear that what you were told on the day of the purchase a year or so ago, you must have imagined.
Does anyone else notice this ?
My nice Tumi leather items thus sit stored away in my wardrobe.
Dec 21, 2012, 9:10 am
#11
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: London; Bangkok; Las Vegas
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Posts: 8,745
Dec 21, 2012, 12:44 pm
#12
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 639
I suppose it depends on what was broken on the bag. If it really was the strap itself, you'd think the TUMI store would be authorized to replace the strap. Or even the replacing the whole bag, rather than warranty repair.
REI does this - my significant other recently brought a bag for repair that was having zipper problems. They said they don't usually repair zippers, and without being asked promptly looked up the original purchase price and issued a gift card (which was promptly spent on a replacement bag). Even if it was repairable, I'm guessing if you didn't have time to wait for the repair, they would have issued the gift card.
REI does this - my significant other recently brought a bag for repair that was having zipper problems. They said they don't usually repair zippers, and without being asked promptly looked up the original purchase price and issued a gift card (which was promptly spent on a replacement bag). Even if it was repairable, I'm guessing if you didn't have time to wait for the repair, they would have issued the gift card.
Dec 21, 2012, 2:44 pm
#13
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,305
I think his complaint is that TUMI was given the messenger bag for repair, and then denied him replacement, or even a loaner.
This should be a QA red light for TUMI, as messenger bags should not be failing with damaged computers resulting. Unless of course, they have no control over QA and inspections in foreign or subcontract manufacturer facilities.
Not very good customer service in light of the consequential damage to his laptop.
This should be a QA red light for TUMI, as messenger bags should not be failing with damaged computers resulting. Unless of course, they have no control over QA and inspections in foreign or subcontract manufacturer facilities.
Not very good customer service in light of the consequential damage to his laptop.
Dec 21, 2012, 3:21 pm
#14
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: United, American, Southwest, USAirways, Delta
Posts: 1,874
OK, after a night to think about it, OP should be writing a SCATHING letter/email to Tumi management. Not just customer service, spend some time to find some real email addresses of real people at Tumi HQ.
Letter/email should discuss what exactly happened - short and sweet. How this premium priced messenger bag snapped after only owning for a short time, how your laptop was damaged as a result, and how you were sent out of a repair shop to your client meetings, with a paper bag.
Also, you need to express what you want them to do for you now. Just complaining is one thing, but what should Tumi do for you now? That needs to be clear in your letter/email as well. Maybe they should overnight you a loaner bag, and reimburse you for the laptop repair?
Letter/email should discuss what exactly happened - short and sweet. How this premium priced messenger bag snapped after only owning for a short time, how your laptop was damaged as a result, and how you were sent out of a repair shop to your client meetings, with a paper bag.
Also, you need to express what you want them to do for you now. Just complaining is one thing, but what should Tumi do for you now? That needs to be clear in your letter/email as well. Maybe they should overnight you a loaner bag, and reimburse you for the laptop repair?
May 2, 2014, 12:19 am
#15
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 1
The same (or worst) experience here
I have more or less the same problem.
After 2 months the suit locker broke.
I sent two emails and phoned twice and Tumi customer service just sent me forward and back from email to phone and vice-versa.
Now, I not only think that the quality of the suitcases is not good, as they have the worst customer care ever.
Don't see a reason for buying Tumi in the future even if the price was 20% what it is.
Be careful because it is more marketing than quality.
Best,
Paulo
After 2 months the suit locker broke.
I sent two emails and phoned twice and Tumi customer service just sent me forward and back from email to phone and vice-versa.
Now, I not only think that the quality of the suitcases is not good, as they have the worst customer care ever.
Don't see a reason for buying Tumi in the future even if the price was 20% what it is.
Be careful because it is more marketing than quality.
Best,
Paulo
I own a lot of Tumi products...luggage, wallet, etc; after today I will never be buying Tumi again.
I was standing around waiting for the train to come and my Tumi Alpha laptop bag's shoulder strap completely failed. The bag fell to the concrete and my new $3k laptop has a big dent in it.
I stop by the Tumi store hoping to get a replacement while my bag is repaired. The store clerk was very surprised my bag broke considering how little I was carrying in it. She said there was nothing they could do. My bag was been sent for warranty repair and the earliest I get it back is 3-4 weeks. I left the store with all my stuff in a Tumi shopping bag and spent the rest of the day going to investor meetings embarrassingly pulling my dented laptop out of a shopping bag
I spent the extra money on Tumi in the past for 1. a quality product that will stand the test of time considering how much I travel and 2. excellent service in the event that the product does fail. Tumi has failed on both of these accounts today.
Tumi = overpriced with terrible customer service
I was standing around waiting for the train to come and my Tumi Alpha laptop bag's shoulder strap completely failed. The bag fell to the concrete and my new $3k laptop has a big dent in it.
I stop by the Tumi store hoping to get a replacement while my bag is repaired. The store clerk was very surprised my bag broke considering how little I was carrying in it. She said there was nothing they could do. My bag was been sent for warranty repair and the earliest I get it back is 3-4 weeks. I left the store with all my stuff in a Tumi shopping bag and spent the rest of the day going to investor meetings embarrassingly pulling my dented laptop out of a shopping bag
I spent the extra money on Tumi in the past for 1. a quality product that will stand the test of time considering how much I travel and 2. excellent service in the event that the product does fail. Tumi has failed on both of these accounts today.
Tumi = overpriced with terrible customer service