Samsonite guarantee seems silly
 

I just sent this to the only email address I could find on the Samsonite.com website. Let's see what happens.

Good afternoon,

I have a Samsonite Firelite case since October. It has a 10-year guarantee. I do not have the guarantee card. The zip has become detached from the case in one corner. The closest retail store (Manor, Chavannes Centre) says they cannot return it to you because I do not have the guarantee card. I have checked your guarantee conditions on Samsonite.com, and what they say does indeed correspond to your guarantee policy.

Why is your policy this silly? The model only exists for two years. There is no possible way it can be out of the guarantee period. Note that I am told I cannot even return it for a paid repair.

Regards,
[Personal détails removed]

Momo,

Perhaps you should have included in your message what you would like them to do? i.e. Are you looking for a repair or a refund? You might get a better response.

Manor, like many shops in Switzerland, do not believe in Customer Service, particularly if you are not fluent in French. Ask to speak to the manager and if rebuffed ask for the contact details of his manager.

The issue may not be Samsonite's.

Good point
 

Good first point. I speak French at home, so no worries on the second one.

You need to make a distinction between the 10 year guarantee offered by Samsonite which is an addition to your statutory rights and those statutory rights which you are always entitled to.
I'm not sure about the situation in Switzerland but in the EU you get a two year guarantee against faults on products. This guarantee is against the shop not against the manufacturer - within the first year the onus is on the shop to prove that the fault was not a product fault and in the second year it is up to the customer to show that it was.
The ten year guarantee is a gimmick but after six months you have an excellent case to get it refunded or replaced directly by the shop.

Mono,

Here is a link for the consumer association in the Suisse Romande. | FRC | La Fédération Romande des Consommateurs

@ Momo
I'd suggest you treat your capital expenditure in a similar way to a business (you are, in effect, "Momo domestic")

Keep ALL receipts and till-tickets, even if you just chuck them in a bag.
likewise all brochures, stickers, guarantees, tags from any "durable" goods purchased. IF a situation arises as above, you have the documented audit back to purchase-point.

You can argue till kingdom-come But what if they say "It's been on sale in West-Germany for 12 years" ???

I am not saying you are dishonest but I've been there!
Customer wanted a full refund on a faulty item and was insistent this item was purchased at my store. I was adamant she was mistaken so she then threatened to take the matter to the local Trading-Standards office....I then quietly explained that we were obliged to do a complete stocktake every six months and that item had not appeared on our stock for over 18 months! I then pointed her in the direction of a competitor.

Set your stall out properly and almost every manufacturer will bend over backwards to keep you "on-side",,,stamping your foot and insisting you bought an item ay a specific place is NOT proof !

Jewellers have it sorted and make tiny code marks on most items.

I had something similar to Steve in a previous life when I managed a Currys store. The customer stood and argued with me for 5 minutes that she had purchased a kettle in our store even although I knew that we had never sold that model. It was only when I pointed out one of our competitors price tags still stuck to the bottom that she relented - actually she stormed out saying it was ridiculous but you just can't win 'em all I guess

Samsonite did once offer lifetime guarentees - when they made luggage that was strong. I had been loyal to them for a long time, but my overnight wheely bag failed after 6 years hard use and the replacement lasted just past the one year guarentee. So I'm now buying cheap unbranded bags knowing that they will last about a year and cost about ten times less.

However, I was very impressed with Samsonite ten years ago when I bought a US$40 wheelie briefcase in a COSTCO in the USA many years ago. It had a 2 year worldwide guarentee and the handle broke just before the two years was up. I took it to the local dealer who said they would have to send it to Samsonite UK. I forgot about it until about a year later, when I called the dealer who mentioned they would chase it up. An hour later, I got a call from the managing director of Samsonite UK who said that the bag was a model made for the US market in Mexico and thay didn't stock the required parts, so they would replace it with an equivalent model - and what's more, the managing director would deliver it to my house that evening! It turned out that he lived four doors away from me and the bag he bought me retailed at 160GBP!

It's a shame they have gone down mass production low quality route. They used to make some good bags.

Rubbish Quality These Days
 

Couldn't agree more that Samsonite's quality has deteriorated over recent years. Last set I bought suffered from zip tags breaking off, seams detaching and various stitching parting company in the internal compartments. The basic bag weights are also too heavy for today's air traveler's modest allowance.

I now use Victorinox and have found them an ideal and robust replacement.

SAMSONITE BRIEFCASE
 

In 2004 I received a Samsonite briefcase as a present (3 year guarentee). I did not use it regularly and some months later when I went to open it I had forgotten the combination number and could not find the notebook in which I had written it down.
I 'phoned Samsonite about my dilemma and a very helpful young lady explained how I could open the briefcase without knowing the combinaton number and without causing any damage.
Secure or what?


Aaron.

I think Samsonite did state very clearly on their manuals that the combination is only against accidental opening and not a security ehnancement.


Rwy in Sight

@ PIMD Thanks for that, it gave me a real chuckle.

In a former life, I was a travelling salesman (Rep)*....A car full of GLOBETROTTER suitcases....thrown around, humped about twice a year on the ferry to Dublin / Dunlaoghaire humped into hotels (and out again) for 12 shows a year...some of the cases were 30 years old,though I bought (at the company's expense) about 8 new ones.

Not elegant -tough fibre-board with rivetted-on moulded corners , paper-lined, totally utilitarian but would take anything you threw at (or in) them.

*got promoted from the retail-side to the wholesale.

Well, it took over two months and an escalation, but Samsonite did indeed replace the suitcase, agreeing that the Firelite exists for less than three years, so clearly within the ten-year guarantee.

Momo

I've always got on well with Samsonite both as a product and with customer service. Sad to see the comments about reduction in quality.
Once they and Delsey arrived on the scene Globetrotter was finished - well unless you want to look as if you are in an 'Orient Express' time trap :)

Travel Pro
 

Had great luck with them back when I was using my luggage 20 days a month. Twice had luggage replaced with the recent model just by dropping into an approved service center.

@ Basil.... There's something to be said for looking like a seasoned traveller,rather than a "wet behind the ears" holiday-maker whom hotel staff treat somewhat less than respectfully

Globetrotter still going strong,but the prices are truly eye-watering..a 26" case at £750:eek: and that doesnt include a holiday.

they say "there's a mug born every minute" :p

Samsonite
 

Long haul 3 or 4 times per month, the metal riveted logo disappeared on first use. The last 4 years have now seen it survive various African airports. Nearly time for a replacement before it embarrasses me!