Experimenting with new fabrics & your thoughts on the Lifetime Guarantee

[Darcy]

All,

We’re finding ourselves wanting to experiment with a wider range of materials: more lightweight stuff, more natural materials and other interesting avenues. These materials, especially if cared for, will last quite a while; however, they won’t last quite as long, or look quite as new and crisp for quite as long, as our ultra-tough 525d or 1050d ballistics.

We’d have a qualified lifetime guarantee for bags made out of these other materials. Something along the lines of: “With natural or ultralight materials, some fabric wear and perhaps stains (if the fabric is a lighter color) can be expected over years of use; we see these as signs of character as opposed to issues and they are not covered under our lifetime guarantee. Remember: you can expect your TOM BIHN bag to give you years of solid service, but only true love lasts forever.”

This isn't actually all that different from our current Lifetime Guarantee, which covers defects in materials and workmanship (almost always evident while the bag is still new). It would primarily be a way of giving folks a heads-up that if they're buying an ultralight or natural material, it will last a good long while, but not as long as 525d or 1050d.

And to be clear: these new materials would not replace our current materials. They'd be offered as small Design Lab runs in certain designs. So, if they're not your cup of tea, you could skip 'em

What do you guys think? Would the adjusted lifetime guarantee be worth getting to try out some new materials?

[jepoy]

I think new materials would be awesome and don’t see a problem with the qualified guarantee. My only concern would be making it obvious on the product page when customers select the fabric to avoid potential confusion.


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[Darcy]

I think new materials would be awesome and don’t see a problem with the qualified guarantee. My only concern would be making it obvious on the product page when customers select the fabric to avoid potential confusion.

Good call, and we could definitely do that on the product page.

[Muni_Jedi]

This would be more that acceptable to me. I for one would welcome our new material overlords.

[melminimalist]

Experimenting with new fabrics & your thoughts on the Lifetime Guarantee

No thank you, one of the reasons I’m such a fan is the lifetime guarantee. Nothing on y’all but when other companies changed their lifetime guarantee (looking at you LL Bean) the quality deeply went down. I don’t want to rock the boat here, but no, I would not want guarantees to change for a materials change.


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[k_p]

I'd definitely be fine with this, especially if the new materials included something along the lines of waxed canvas. I'm somewhat new to Bihn bags, but am very impressed with how pristine the ones I have keep looking. (While I'm not intentionally super hard on things, I am one of those people that somehow just wear things out faster than those around me.) But I do also enjoy when things I use develop their own patina / muscle memory.

[BigBadD]

Not for me. It seems to be diluting what to me was a very key selling point for “investment” in lifetime Tom Bihn bags.

[djkindred]

I love collecting bags in different materials and if those were more Tom Bihn bags then I am all onboard with this despite the possible guarantee changes. Hope to see a possible return of Cordura or maybe some Waxed Canvas! I would also be interested in what you are looking at for “lightweight stuff”.


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[Artdime]

Not really interested either. I buy here because of the bullet proof materials - and the guarantee associated with that.

[lang]

I'd be more than good with it, considering that it would allow TomBihn to experiment with other cool materials. Especially if the "ballistic" type materials still retained their lifetime guarantee

[Darcy]

Thanks everyone for the feedback so far! I just added this clarification to the original post:

This isn't actually all that different from our current Lifetime Guarantee, which covers defects in materials and workmanship (almost always evident while the bag is still new). It would primarily be a way of giving folks a heads-up that if they're buying an ultralight or natural material, it will last a good long while, but not as long as 525d or 1050d.

And to be clear: these new materials would not replace our current materials. They'd be offered as small Design Lab runs in certain designs.

[Darcy]

No thank you, one of the reasons I’m such a fan is the lifetime guarantee. Nothing on y’all but when other companies changed their lifetime guarantee (looking at you LL Bean) the quality deeply went down. I don’t want to rock the boat here, but no, I would not want guarantees to change for a materials change.

Noted! I'm not sure what the LL Bean guarantee is, but ours will always cover defects in materials or workmanship, which are almost always evident while the bag is still new. And if something happens to a bag (say, new puppy chews a hole in it) we'll repair it for a very reasonable cost if it's repairable

[Go Navy]

I think that, in actual practice, you would have customers who would dispute the limited warranty after a related purchase, no matter how worded or prominently displayed, and demand refund or replacement regardless. I see a substantial business risk with the idea, so I recommend against it. I know where to go if I want to buy something made of lesser materials (lesser in the ways you describe).

Don't do it....you'll never make the limited warranty stick, and you'll end up with upset customers. If you're being criticized for not saving the planet, ignore that.

[KatrinkaWinkle]

I would try them.

[salted radish]

I think it would be a great idea. I would love to see other fabrics.