Botkier Handles Coming Apart - Has this happened to you?

[nycsfkelly]

A very upsetting thing happened - the handles of one of my Botkier bags just fell apart after very little use. I received it as a gift and have not used it more than a dozen times. I contacted Botkier Customer Service and they told me to either go and get it fixed myself or send it in and Botkier can fix it for a fee because the bag was purchased at a sample sale. I understand that bags are sold for a discount at sample sales, but just because items were purchased at a sample sale does not mean that bags should be of inferior quality (this was not a "sample"). Apparently, repairs are only for full priced bags. I see Botkier bags on sale at stores and online all the time, so I wonder if repairs are ever done at the expense of the company.

I think the pictures show this is obviously a quality issue. The seams and handles are becoming undone and coming apart. I posted a reply to Monica Botkier's sticky over a week ago and haven't heard anything, so I thought I'd start a new thread. Thank you for reading!

[Sassy]

repairs are only for full priced bags? wow, incredible that botkier won't stand behind the quality of their bags just because it wasn't bought at full price! i bet that leaves very few bags that will be serviced by botkier without charge bc how many people buy bags at full price in this economy!? sorry to hear about your bag, makes me think twice about buying from a company that doesn't stand behind their products.

[ladylovebags]

I am sorry to hear that .... but I do think they have great customer and repair services.. They repaired my bag for free in 3 weeks. I bought my bag from a shop at a discountd price, not from sample sale. Sample sale is tricky and I don't expect companies would stand by their products if my bag is from there. Most of the time I just test my luck when I attent sample sales...

[steph b]

Hey there TPF’ers ! We see there is a misunderstanding with our repair policy. Just to clarify, all Botkier bags purchased at an authorized retailer are under a 1 year free repair service guarantee. Whether or not it was purchased on sale does not affect our policy. We repair all bags , full price or sale based, on the above. However, bags purchased at sample sales are not under the same guarantee. To answer questions of this nature, there are final sale signs posted everywhere at our sample sale stating this. The reason for this is, as many of you who frequent our amazing sample sales know, we have a very in demand section that specializes in damages, samples and one of a kinds. A no return or repair policy is standard sample sale policy across the board. We here at Botkier frequent many around NYC! You get an amazing deal and everything is final sale, as purchased. In the rare case that you have an issue, we are happy to help and only charge $35 dollars for structural repairs. We feel this is very fair and more than most brands offer for sample sale purchases. We want you to be happy and do whatever we can within reason to make your bag as good as new. Botkier always stands behind our products. We have many happy customers and a stellar customer service reputation.

Thank you for your continued support!
xoxo Botkier Team

[nycsfkelly]

Thanks Steph B for the thanks for the clarification. While I understand sample sale bags are "final sale" meaning they cannot be returned, "final sale" usually does not mean "no repairs because we don't stand by these particular bags." Final sale means they cannot be returned, and this might be the case at other retailers where they are on sale (most online retailers do not allow returns if they are certain % off), but you are saying you do allow repairs even if bought "final sale" at other retailers. I also frequent many sample sales in nyc, but that has become a misnomer-- usually they are mainly stock sales and very few are true "sample" sales. All the Botkier sample sales I've been to have had some "samples" but the majority of the items sold are stock items which are/should be of comparable quality to the items being sold at retailers. Is Botkier disclaiming warranty for ALL items sold at the "sample sales" regardless of whether it was a true sample or if it was a stock item? To my memory, there were no "sold as is" signs or disclaimers for the stock items, only the samples.

[bcbgurl19]

Nycsfkelly, I'm so sorry this happened to you.
This does make wonder who are the 'authorized retailers'?

[Gimmethebag]

The company I work for does not offer free repairs on final sale items. I'm pretty sure most items at a sample sale are sold at cost or near cost. You have to expect you're not going to get the same level of service. It doesn't make sense for the company to take a loss to repair a bag that they didn't really profit from.

I had damaged the straps on a bag and paid full price. I bought the bag a year and a half previously and so I paid $50 to have Botkier replace both. Their repairs were so much better and cheaper than if I used an outside service and they made my bag look brand new again. I was really happy with my experience!

[Gimmethebag]

Btw, even Louis Vuitton charges for structural repairs... And none of their bags are sold at discount.