6 Things No Luggage Brand Would Tell You about Warranties

Many luggage brands on the market offer different types of warranties, ranging from 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, 10-year Global Warranty, Limited 10 Year Global Warranty, and Lifetime Warranty. It's quite confusing for the customers, right? No worries, we're here to guide you through all the ins and outs of the luggage warranty, so you won't waste time and money on the luggage with the warranty you don't want.

Read on, it'll only take 5 minutes of your time!

First and foremost, what you really need to understand is that a warranty is not about the period of time, it is all about what's covered in the details.

Here we've complied the most important information about warranties that you should know, so next time you can ask the sales associates before you purchase the luggage. Remember, a good brand's associate should understand what they're selling to the customers, and what warranty comes with the products.

About the Warranty:

1.What is Manufacturing Defects in Materials and Workmanship, or Defects in Materials and Craftsmanship (below we referred to as MDMW)?

These two are the most commonly seen product warranties, and they basically mean the same thing - the product is protected by warranty only when there's a problem during the material selection or the production. That being said, consumers won't actually benefit from these types of warranties. This is why you should pay attention to those 3-year, 5-year and 10-year warranties on the market because most of the time, they are just MDMW.

We all know luggage is unlike wallets, purses or watches, which are more prone to wear and tear. And without a good warranty, you may need to spend more money and time on getting your luggage repaired. At Departure, we take full responsibility for MDMW, and we always provide our customers with Lifelong Manufacturing Defects in Materials and Workmanship.

2.What are the functional parts? What do functional parts and free repairs mean in the warranty?

Functional parts mostly mean the parts that will directly affect the use of a luggage. For example, the handle and the wheels. However, the detailed definition regarding functional parts varies by brands.

If both functional parts and free repair show up in a warranty at the same time, it means that if functional parts are damaged within the specified timeframe, customers are eligible to receive free repairs. This type of warranty is far more ideal than MDMW, because you don't always have your luggage at your side when traveling. Even if you're extremely careful with it, something might still happen to damage the luggage. You just never know!

3.What does Lifelong or Lifetime mean in the warranty? (Below we referred to as Lifelong below)

First, you have to look at it from three different perspectives.

1. What does Lifelong stand for?

Some people may interpret it as protecting the rights of a person using this product during his/her lifetime. However, generally speaking, it refers to the life cycle of the product or the part. We recommend that you check with your luggage brand for a clear definition and further details.

2. What does Lifelong warranty cover?

Lifelong may give you a sense that your product is being protected forever, but it is not. The difference between Lifelong, MDMW, Free Functional Parts Repair is huge, so be sure to get a clear definition before you purchase the luggage. Otherwise, you may be disappointed later on.

3. Can the brands really deliver their Lifelong warranty program for you?

In all honesty, a Lifelong warranty program is often just marketing hype. Many start-ups and crowdfunding brands may highlight that they can provide Lifelong warranty, but can they really able to do that? You've seen this yourself— brands disappeared before you have a chance to use the warranty, and there's no way to purchase the parts anymore! Therefore, whatever we purchase, we always have to be aware of any overpromising statement.

4. What if the damage is caused by a third-party (e.g. airline), is it covered in the warranty?

As we mentioned above, your luggage is usually out of your sight during trips. We've all seen or heard that someone's luggage was damaged by the airline or ground staff, right? We understand the situation is inevitable, and so do the brands. Therefore, most brands add this term in their warranty: the damage caused by the carriers are not included, so brands don't have to pay for the damages. Fortunately at Departure, we stand with our customers. Our philosophy is to let customers enjoy journeys without worrying anything, which is why our warranty covers this type of damage!

The cost of luggage is not cheap, therefore we don't want to encounter any unexpected expenses after purchasing the product. Be sure to confirm all the warranty details with the store before your commit to it.

Other details about warranty:

5. Any unexpected expense that requires me to pay? Are there hidden costs after the purchase?

Many brands are playing mind games with their customers. They make you think that buying luggage is the last time you'll have pay for the product. However, this is not the case. Below are some expenses you may have to pay for yourself:

a. Replacement Parts Fee and Labor Charge: Let's take a look into this - the former one is to pay for parts that needs to be replaced whereas the later one is the labor cost related to the repair process. A lot of brands tell their customers that they don't charge for parts, but at the end of the day, they charge for the labor cost, or vice versa. But what customers really want is to get luggage repaired free of charge.

b. Shipping fee for Repairing: There are two parts of shipping fee - one is when customers send the luggage back to the company for repair, and the other one is when the company ship the luggage back to the customer. Every brand has their own protocols.

Therefore, you should figure out all these details, or simply ask the sales associate:

"Do I need to pay for anything when I send my products back for repairing? What kind of cost?"

At Departure, if any customers need to send products back to us for repair, they only need to pay the shipping cost directly to the shipping company. And the rest, we'll take care of it. Of course, you can also stop by our stores to have your luggage repaired!

6. How long does it take for the luggage repair?

Time is money. This is especially true for frequent travelers. However, the time needed for repairing varies by the brands and stores:

a. If you purchased the luggage from the brand: most brands need 2 weeks to 1 month to repair a luggage.

b. If you purchased luggage from a dealership, and that brand doesn't have any physical service locations in the country you're in: You may have to wait a while. We've heard that some people have to wait for three months or longer to get their luggage back!

The good thing is - Departure owns retail stores and has help from several dealerships in Thailand, so we can provide the best and timely service. Our standard turnaround time is within 10 work days.

Conclusion:

Regarding Warranty, it is recommended that you ask the brand for an explanation. If the other party has written the Warranty on the website or in the manual, it will be more reassuring, and it does not look like a rhetoric.

A warranty is a kind of safety net for products, therefore we recommended that you ask the brand for clarification. If they've published the warranty details on the website or in their product manual, it may be more reassuring for customers.

In fact, each brand offers different warranties, but in the end, what really matters is the type of warranty you need. There is no best warranty, only the best warranty for you.

If you still have questions, or if you're not sure how to pick the right luggage, you're welcome to leave a comment or click here so we can answer all your questions!

Finally, we'd like to share what Departure warranty covers below, or you can check it out here.

Customers want peace of mind, not just any superficial warranty : What's inside Departure's Warranty.

Departure tailors our warranty programs to fit customers needs and give them peace of mind. And with this type of warranty, you don't have to worry about any unexpected expenses! What other luggage brands never disclose is that most of the time, the cost of the warranty is included in the luggage price tag. As the saying goes "you get what you pay for". However, you may not even need the impractical warranty that's included in the price, and you just paid for things that you'll never use!

Here are all the warranty details from Departure.

1-year FREE Exchange –You can get a brand-new luggage with the same SKU* as you purchased if the shell is broken within the first year of purchase. 

If the SKU is no longer available, you could choose a new luggage with equivalent or less Thai Baht worth. No money will be refund. If you would like to pick one which has the higher Thai Baht worth, then you need to fill the price difference.

5-year FREE Repairing –We offer 5-year FREE of charge repairing for functional parts. Functional parts are defined as telescopic handles, top handles, side handles, front handles, wheels, TSA locks, foot stands, corner guards and zipper pullers. Cosmetic Damage*, Interior Linings and Divider Pads are not covered by the warranty. Though we don't define logo patches as functional parts, we will have it changed with FREE of charge if you need a repairing of functional parts.

The damage of functional parts which caused by carriers (e.g. Airlines) are included.

Lifelong FREE Defects –We offer lifelong FREE of charge for manufacturing defects in material and craftsmanship. ‘Lifetime’ is defined as the lifetime of the product not of the purchaser.

Lifelong On-demand Parts Repairing –Most of the luggage parts will never be short for a lifelong period. After the 5-year FREE Repairing period, though you will be charged a very little labor cost if you need to repair the functional parts, you don't need to buy a new luggage instead. The concept is to make sure you are able to use your luggage for a long period of time but not as a consumable to not only save your money.

Short Repairing Time: We provide short repairing service to make sure your trip will not be delayed. Most of the repairing will be done within 10 business days.

Shipping Fee for Repairing: You are responsible for the fee of shipping your bag to us or bring it to our store. However, we will ship your bag back to you FREE of charge.