I agree with some other posters you do see posts here and elsewhere of unhappy responses to a return.
A written and heavy marketing like BR does of lifetime when you push it as part of that premium brand they better be willing to expect some backlash if they don't honor it to the letter of everyone's expectation.
I ask what is "reasonable" use a bag for 10-15 years and what should you expect versus what is promised?
For me personally I popped a lot of $ over the costco kirkland alternative for 1/4 the prices ( yes my bag was very expensive when I bought it, likely yours was too ), I've used mine weekly now going on three years and 3/4 a million miles flying and countless miles dragged around airports, sidewalks, in / out of hoverheads and a few times check-in when it failed weight etc. etc. As to zippers and fabric all looking good ( knock on wood ), I can see luck being more the thing that causes the zippers / fabric to fail. Wheels/hardware seem to capable of another decade. Now in a decade when plastic/metal wears to failure or a zipper/fabric finally goes. What do I expect? Model and basic parts discontinued, hmm 50% discount on a new bag would be reasonable ( shipping on my dime ),
but they did promise and market guaranteed for life, what does that really mean, full replacement equal value ( don't think they say that )... so becomes a discussion of what the buyer/reader wants to bend versus what is reasonable.
Kind of like the Costco lifetime return policy that had to be excluded from electronics when peopled started wheeling in their 5 year old flatscreen TV or laptop or whatever electronics because they were now "not satisfied" well they could get a bigger and better product for cheaper, how could they be satisfied, LOL