Let me add my experience. I had sent my Tumi bag in a couple of times over the 13 years I've owned it and they always fixed anything--no questions. Sent it in again for the same kinds of problems as before--broken zipper, broken handle, tear in seam, etc. And they sent me an itemized estimate of repairs totaling $245. They went on and on about how their warranty only covered defects and this was all damage and wear. Oh, and also how their NEW warranty is BETTER than the old one since it covered wear and damage for the first year and defects for 5 years. They would NOT acknowledge that there was ever any kind of lifetime warranty. I wrote to the president (see my letter below) and they called me back and said that they had re-evaluated my bag and some of the requested repairs were actually defects and they would fix them, but that even with those fixed the bag would not really be satisfactory to use and so they are sending me a brand new bag! That was a surprise! As I told them, I'm happy to get the new bag, but it is annoying that they would not acknowledge any change in how they handle warranty items. And of course their NEW warranty is what I will be keeping in mind as I decide on future purchases.
My advice? If you have a problem with a bag you have now, write to the president, since how the customer service department treats repairs seems now to vary all over the map. If you are thinking about buying Tumi, read the new warranty carefully!
One more point--it seems to me that the difference between "original defect" and "wear and tear" is COMPLETELY subjective. Any failure can be blamed on either if the problem arises in normal usage of the bag.
While waiting for Tumi to reply I did buy my first Briggs and Riley bag and it's great so far. About a third of the price of the similar Tumi, no-questions-asked warranty and very well designed from what I see so far.
Barclay
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April 18, 2013
Mr. Jerome Griffith, CEO
Tumi, Inc.
US Corporate Headquarters
1001 Durham Avenue
South Plainfield, New Jersey 07080
Dear Mr. Griffith,
I have owned Tumi luggage for over 15 years, and currently have about 10 pieces. One of the main reasons I chose Tumi is (was) the famous lifetime warranty. During the 13 years I have owned a model 02206D3 “WAW DLX EXP COMP BRF” I have sent it in for repair twice for things such a broken handle, jammed wheel, broken zipper pull, etc. and a third time for a botched repair that had to be redone. In each case there were no questions asked about the nature of the needed repairs, and this was great, and made me feel like my investment in Tumi was worthwhile.
This same bag accumulated a few more problems in recent months, and so I brought it to a local Tumi store for a return again. The clerk shipped it in as before. This time however, your customer service department has sent me a repair estimate for $245 stating that ALL of the needed repairs fall under wear and tear and that none of the work would be covered under the lifetime warranty that the bag had when I bought it. She also offered to sell me a new bag and 30% off list price. I thought this was surprising, given my past experience and the reputation of Tumi, so I did some online searching.
As you probably know, there are many, many stories of this happening on a number of the frequent traveler web sites. One mentions an attorney who is even preparing a class action suit alleging that Tumi is not honoring its previous lifetime warranty. Most of the online stories conclude with something to the effect of the person will never buy another Tumi bag. To be fair, there were some, though fewer, stories in the same discussions about Tumi repairing similar issues for other owners without charge or question, so I am wondering if there is a consistent standard.
Your customer service person, when I discussed the above with her, actually claimed that your warranty has been expanded since when I bought the bag. She said that you now cover wear and tear for 5 years, where before only defects were covered. First, I don’t see this when I read your warranty online, and second, determining defect vs. damage vs. wear and tear seems to be largely subjective. If I pull on a zipper and it breaks, was this because it was defective, or because it was worn out or what? If it was truly wear and tear then I would expect that ALL zippers, wheels, seams, fabrics, etc. wear out in about the same amount of time.
If I had to guess, I would guess that someone in your company has decided that customer service should no longer be part of the Tumi brand value, but rather should try to make a profit, by charging for repairs whenever possible and selling new luggage at a discount.
As you may know, at least one of your high end competitors makes a very bold warranty statement that covers all breakage from any cause (defect, owner, airline, etc.) for an unlimited time. Now that’s added value for a frequent traveler like me who covers about 100,000 air miles each year!
For your reference, my bag is at your customer service department with order number xxx and customer number yyy. This bag had a lifetime warranty when I bought it, and I request that it be honored and the bag repaired.
As for new bags sold now, I would also suggest that Tumi consider a more consistent treatment of customers and also consider the impact of backing off from a lifetime warranty to a 5 year limited warranty, on brand image and sales. Evaluating the warranty is a part of every new luggage purchase I make.
Sincerely,